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Chapter 26
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Outcasts United, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Refugees, Discrimination, and Resilience
Community and Teamwork vs. Division
Leadership and Respect
Discipline, Dedication, and Success
Summary
Analysis
In contrast to the Fifteens, the Thirteens have really improved, which Luma attributes to the fact that they followed her rules and drills. They also look out for one another: Josiah even gave a new player who just arrived some of his old winter clothes, seeing that he had none.
Not only has Luma created a community for her youngest team, but her ethos of leadership has also spread to the players as they start to go above and beyond for each other.
Themes
The Under Thirteens play a final regular season game against a team from Lawrenceville, who managed some big wins earlier in the season. Before the game, Grace has an idea: that the Fugees should pray together. But with both Christians and Muslims on the team, the boys work out that they will offer two prayers. Draping their arms around each other, Grace offers a Christian prayer in Swahili, and Eldin offers a Muslim prayer in Bosnian. They all say “Amen.”
This moment serves as a touching counterpoint to the early days of the Fugees, in which the differences between them had divided them. Now, not only do the boys look beyond each other’s differences and become friends with other players regardless of culture, but they also celebrate each other’s cultural differences as they agree to give prayers for multiple religions.
Themes
Moments later, the game is underway. The Fugees are on the attack, and they quickly take a 1-0 lead. At halftime, Luma tells them to score even more, keep calm, and have fun. Soon, Jeremiah controls a pass and fires a clear shot that slips between the goalie’s fingers. A late foul gives Lawrenceville a penalty shot, but the Fugees maintain the lead and win 2-1. They finish third in their division. As a reward, the Under Thirteens will play in the Tornado Cup, which features some of the best teams from around the state. The tournament begins in a week.
In comparing and interspersing the accounts of the Under Thirteens team with the Under Fifteens team, St. John explicitly correlates discipline and unity with the team’s success rate. The Under Thirteens, who are connecting deeply on a personal level and working hard to follow Luma’s rules, are able to succeed and are rewarded even more for it by Luma.
Themes
