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Adolescence: Chapter 39
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in My Brilliant Friend, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Female Friendship
Masculine vs. Feminine Violence
Women’s Work
Poverty, Social Climbing, and Sacrifice
The Uses of Community
Love, Sex, and Strategy
Summary
Analysis
Two nights later, during Marcello’s nightly visit, Lila asks him to take her out for ice cream. Marcello is excited—but as soon as they are outside, Lila says she doesn’t love Marcello and is planning on marrying Stefano. Marcello threatens to kill them both, and Lila tells him to try it. Marcello begins crying and says he that loves Lila too much to do it. Lila warns Marcello that if anyone in his family—or anyone connected to them—tries to hurt Stefano or her family, she will kill Marcello herself. Marcello sobs and walks away. Lila calls out for him to send someone to come collect the television—her family, she says, has no need of it.
Lila dismisses Marcello quickly, efficiently, and indeed brutally. She is unafraid of retribution—or at least she affects a mask of bravery in hopes that it will keep Marcello from acting rashly. Lila is taking a huge gamble, the effects of which will not make themselves known until later. While Marcello may not strike back with decisive violence, there are still opportunities for him to make Lila’s life miserable in other ways.
Themes
