Irony
Irony is so pervasive and essential to this story that it rises to the level of theme. Mr. Chiu is arrested for a small crime he didn’t commit and the arrest is directly responsible for committing a much greater crime for which he goes unpunished. Chiu is a dedicated follower and believe in Maoist communism, yet still becomes a victim of authority in a communist government. As a theme, irony seems to spring from the idea of violating order. Chiu is himself an adherent to order in his personal and professional life and that commitment to an ideal which never did exist is precisely what gets him into trouble. Ironically.
Breaking Bad
On one level, “Saboteur” tells the usually untold story of the making of a revolutionary. The freedom fighter who is designated a “terrorist” by the opposition usually has a reason that can from his perspective can be judged psychologically sound for suddenly reverting to radical and even violent actions. And, as Walter White reveal on the TV show Breaking Bad, even those who adopt criminal tactics purely to make money often are stimulated (at least at first) by reasons that can at least be understood if not empathized with. Mr. Chiu’s story of dehumanization and psychological torture may not allow every reader to agree with his actions at the end of the story, but almost everyone can understand his crime better having learned what preceded it.
Sabotage
The title is significant thematically because the story examines the concept of sabotage in many ways. Mr. Chiu is accused of attempting to sabotage the public order and this justifies his arrest. Mr. Chiu’s entire psyche has been sabotaged by the police and this justifies his actual criminal behavior when released. In turn, the police have sabotaged their self-expressed purpose of maintaining the public order by abusing their power to drum up false charges against Mr. Chiu, thereby playing a direct role in his later criminal activity. And in being falsely arrested, a series of events inexorably leads to the likelihood that Mr. Chiu will have sabotaged his marriage and, indeed, the rest of his life when—as a basically decent person—he finally comes to terms with consequences of his act of rebellion and revenge.
