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Chapter 51
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Piecing Me Together, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Intersectionality, Identity, and Discrimination
The Power of Language
Mentorship, Opportunity, and Dignity
Friendship
Summary
Analysis
Maxine and Jade take a walk through a park in Jade’s neighborhood. Jade tells Maxine about Natasha Ramsey and about how Sam makes excuses for racist people and incidents. Maxine says that Jade needs to tell Sam how she feels, but Jade admits she doesn’t know how. She’s never had to have conversations about race with friends, and she points out that the purpose of friendship is to be oneself. When she adds that this never happens with Lee Lee, Maxine says that’s different: both Lee Lee and Sam are Jade’s friends, but they offer different things. She suggests that some friends are worth fighting for and she asks if Jade has spoken to Mrs. Parker about the study abroad program. Maxine then shares that she ended things with Jon for good, and now, they need to help Jade follow through and not give up on people who disappoint her.
Just as Lee Lee did earlier, Maxine now makes the case to Jade that if she never speaks up for herself, nobody is going to listen—including her friends. Jade’s own biases come up here, as she understandably doesn’t want to have to work too hard in order to maintain friendships with people. Educating Sam and asking for what she wants is way more work than Jade has probably had to ever put into her friendships, but this doesn’t make her bond with Sam less meaningful. However, it will take work on the part of both girls—Sam has to listen and take Jade seriously, in order for their conversation to be effective.
Themes
