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Chapter 11
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Such a Fun Age, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
External Behavior vs. Internal Truth
White Guilt, Ignorance, and Redemption
The Quest for Meaning
Race, Class, and Privilege
Summary
Analysis
It’s Thanksgiving Day. Emira and Kelley step out of a cab in front of the Chamberlains’ house. Emira feels weird letting herself in with her key, so she rings the doorbell. As they wait to be let in, Kelley asks Emira what her employer’s name is. “Uh-leeks?” Emira guesses, unsure of how to pronounce Mrs. Chamberlain’s unusual name. Kelley wonders if she’s European or something; Emira laughs and says, “she’s white.” They lean in for a quick kiss but pull away when the door opens. Alix greets them; she’s happy at first—then she recognizes Kelley and freezes. “Alex?” asks Kelley.
When Kelley addresses Alix by her old name, Alex, it propels her back into the past—to the year that (according to Alix) Kelley betrayed her trust and turned everyone against her. With this, readers can assume that the evening isn’t going to go well; Alix’s happiness relies on her ability to control her surroundings and the way people see her, and Kelley deprives her of this control when he misidentifies her.
Themes
