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Chapter 31: My Dad
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
Mom is shocked when she comes home, Natalie’s button box obviously in her purse, and sees Moose with a beer. She asks about Natalie, and Dad says Natalie is fine—but they need to talk alone. Moose hears his parents’ voices in their bedroom getting louder and angrier. Dad says that he knows what Mrs. Kelly thinks, but Moose and Natalie have a relationship and they need to trust him to do things his way. Mom says she has a perfect, popular son, but nobody cares about Natalie. That’s why she has to care about Natalie. Dad argues that Moose needs Mom too and suggests she could’ve talked to him about the button box.
Finally, Dad makes a point to sit Mom down and insist, essentially, that he can’t keep ignoring Moose anymore. Moose is functionally an adult, and he has a relationship with Natalie; thus, they must respect his maturity and his choices and let him care for Natalie as he sees fit. It’s subtle, but Dad also implies that whatever Moose is doing with Natalie is working—she’s still improving, even if he does let her have her buttons.
Themes
Mom and Dad’s voices quiet down, so Moose thinks on what he heard and goes to Natalie’s room. She’s sleeping and peaceful. Smoothing her hair, he tells his sleeping sister that she has to get into the Esther P. Marinoff for Mom’s sake.
Moose begins to see how much it will mean to his parents for Natalie to attend the Esther P. Marinoff. It will alleviate some of the burden on Mom, something that Moose knows will help everyone.
Themes
