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Chapter 26: Convict Baseball
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Al Capone Does My Shirts, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Disability, Dignity, and Shared Humanity
Friendship and Community
Family
Growing Up and Doing the Right Thing
Summary
Analysis
Moose tells himself that nothing happened as he drags Natalie along. He remembers the warden saying that some inmates haven’t seen a woman in years—but he was only gone a few minutes. It may have been closer to 45 minutes, but Moose decides it wasn’t more than 10. He feels sick remembering 105 holding Natalie’s hand, and he drags Natalie forward even as she tries to walk more slowly. 105 had to have known about Moose, and he had to have seen Natalie before. As Natalie resists when they get close to the apartment, Moose finally screams at her—and then notices Piper waiting outside their door. She observes that he was yelling at Natalie and asks what’s going on.
Moose tries desperately to make himself look good and responsible, highlighting how much he fears getting in trouble and letting Natalie down. His extreme upset and anxiety ultimately lead to him mistreating Natalie, dragging and yelling at her. Moose is too emotional to make the connection, but this is perhaps a useful parallel to how Mom treats Natalie—perhaps Mom too tries to bend Natalie to her will because she’s anxious and worried about letting her daughter down.
Themes
Natalie is rubbing her chin on her shoulder like she’s upset—Moose knows he made her upset, since she seemed happy with 105. Piper then notices the ball and asks to see it. Natalie hands it over, to Moose’s shock, and Piper asks where she got it. Natalie just says, “105,” and Moose prays Piper won’t understand. But Natalie says, “Pocket” and pulls out two yellow buttons. Piper seems to understand, smiles big, and asks who they got to give them a ball. Moose drags Natalie inside and refuses to answer Piper; she wonders if Moose’s contact can get Al Capone’s autograph.
Piper understanding what happened between Natalie and an inmate makes Moose feel even worse, as now someone else knows he wasn’t his normal responsible self and that he let Natalie out of his sight. But Natalie’s upset now, and her happiness earlier suggests that Moose may be overreacting. 105 even seems to have given Natalie buttons, suggesting that he’s kind and respects this particular interest of hers.
Themes
