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Chapter 32
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Firekeeper’s Daughter, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Justice
Generational Trauma and Bigotry
Ceremony, Pride, and Healing
Love, Honesty, and Respect
Coming of Age
Family and Community
Summary
Analysis
As Daunis heads to the ferry the next morning, she wonders if Travis was hallucinating or if he really saw Little People. And how can Auntie think Daunis is being foolish? TJ is so out of line. Daunis offers semaa to the river and asks for help, and then she waits in the lobby at Chi Mukwa. Studying a newspaper article about the benefit game later, Daunis is disappointed to see that Robin is barely mentioned, but there’s a huge photo of Grant, who’s sponsoring the game. As the Supes and other guys burst through the lobby doors, Daunis hides. A voice Daunis doesn’t recognize asks who Jamie’s girlfriend, “the Incredible Bulk,” is. Daunis hears a crunch as Levi punches the guy, and Mike says Daunis is Levi’s sister. Levi threatens to “end hockey” for the guy if he looks at Daunis.
In some ways, Daunis is becoming humbler. She’s praying for help, rather than something specific, suggesting she has no idea what exactly she needs—but she needs something. In other ways though, as when she writes off Auntie’s concern, she actively chooses to not trust someone who’s normally a trustworthy guide. When Daunis studies the article, it’s disappointing to discover that though the game is ostensibly about Robin, whoever worked on the article isn’t making that clear. The benefit game, in other words, might be just another Supes practice rather than a real community event. Finally, it's disturbing to see Levi behave so violently—and it’s unclear if Levi is often this violent when he thinks Daunis isn’t looking.
Themes
Daunis has never seen Levi so enraged. As Mike notices her, Levi tells the guy he punched to apologize. As Daunis tells Levi how disturbing his behavior was, Jamie passes through the lobby, totally distracting her. Finally, Daunis says she came to ask why Levi is keeping so much money in their joint account. He says he’s buying land in Ontario, but unlike Coach Bobby (who’s always looking for investments), this investment will take off. Then, Levi asks if GrandMary is going to recover, and if Daunis plans to stick around or go to Michigan. If she stays, would she like to invest with him? Daunis says GrandMary always said mixing family and business is a bad idea, but Levi says they’re special. They discuss Shagala, the benefit game, and Daunis’s birthday, and Daunis says all she wants is Dad’s scarf. Levi promises to look for it.
The fact that Daunis is so disturbed by Levi’s behavior indicates that as far as she knows, this isn’t normal for him—at least when she’s within ear or eyeshot. There is, perhaps, more to Levi than Daunis realizes. Evidence for this possibility surfaces when Levi reveals that he’s investing in land in Canada and invites Daunis to join him in this endeavor. It’s pretty common advice not to mix business and family, so it’s possibly concerning when Levi suggests that he and Daunis are different. He gives no indication of what, exactly, makes them different, suggesting that perhaps they’re not.
Themes
Daunis then goes to her dress fitting with Mrs. Edwards. She’s shocked when Mrs. Edwards pulls out red, silky, fluttery pants—and the tailor wraps long pieces of red fabric over Daunis’s bust to create the top. Mrs. Edwards says Daunis is the only person who can pull this off and talks her through how she should do her hair (hot rollers, which Daunis won’t use), lipstick, and jewelry.
Despite being related to Mike and Grant, who have been nothing but predatory and cruel to Daunis, Mrs. Edwards emerges as an unlikely ally in this passage. She understands how to dress Daunis in a way that makes Daunis feel shockingly good and sexy, which is framed as a huge gift to Daunis (she won’t have to feel uncomfortable at Shagala, as it’s implied she normally does).
Themes
As Daunis pays, she gets a text from Auntie asking her to come tomorrow night at eight. Remembering how Auntie has kept Daunis connected to her Firekeeper side and was even the one to share the news of Dad’s death, Daunis agrees. Daunis has never been excited to go to Shagala before. She wishes Lily, Uncle David, and Dad were here—and suddenly, she remembers that Uncle David’s school desk has a secret drawer.
Daunis is being pulled in several directions here. She’s willing to reconcile with Auntie and visit, but she’s also unusually excited for Shagala and about the investigation. This suggests that Daunis is at least a little bit distracted, which means she may prioritize the wrong things.
Themes
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