Every book here, in a sense, is about rebellion, whether it be a rebellion against oneself, parents, or a system. Yeong-hye rebels against the world and discrimination by going vegan and doing whatever her heart tells her to do. Kafka rebelled against his father by running away and refusing to go on the path his father set for him. Saaed and Nadia rebel against violence by fleeing from Pakistan. Richard rebels against the German government by allowing the refugees to stay with him and finding homes for them. Janina rebelled against the unfair world by killing the people who hunted her dogs. Swing Time is about a woman who rebelled against herself by not using her talents and walking the path she wanted to. Tambu rebelled against her past by distancing herself from her family and relying on her white education to move up in the world. However, she fails this rebellion and realizes she should never forget her roots.