Five Survive

The color red is both a motif and a symbol in Five Survive. As a symbol, red signifies danger, while as a recurring motif, it is a reminder of the constant danger that the characters face. The red dot is a threatening agent in the novel, foreshadowing danger. It appears on Joyce, who dies by the sniper’s hand, and it shows up on Red, who gets shot at the end of the novel. Red gives the red dot agency: “And the red dot was still out there, waiting” (229). “Waiting” is a mobile term, connected to human attributes and abilities. By imbuing the red dot with this ability, the narrator highlights its insidiousness. Red also signifies culpability. Maddy suspects her mother’s involvement in Grace’s death because she sees red stains on her shirt, which she later realizes is blood.

Red, who holds herself responsible for Grace’s death, also associates her negative emotions with the color red: “Shame was a red feeling, a hot one, just like guilt and anger” (11). These emotions are dangerous to Red’s mental health, and her attitude toward the color red indicates her self-perception, her name becoming part of the motif. Because of her misplaced guilt, Red thinks that she caused Grace’s death. Therefore, she views herself as a problematic and dangerous agent. The fact that blood is red also triggers Red’s trauma, reminding her of Grace’s death. Seeing red and blood forces Red to imagine how her mother would have looked immediately before her death, which is an inherently traumatic image.