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Chapter 18
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
The next morning, Alix wakes up before Peter. She lies in bed and looks at a picture of Briar and Catherine on her nightstand. Near the photo is the iPad Alix used to scroll through Kelley Copeland’s social media profiles after her family went to sleep last night. Alix’s research proved that her suspicions about Kelley are correct: all his girlfriends over the past year have been Black (or ethnically ambiguous). Still, Kelley’s exes seem different than Emira—they seem more driven. Women like that could easily recover from a breakup. But Emira is different—she’s more fragile and uncertain about herself. Alix thinks about Kelley some more. He’d wanted status in high school and done what he needed to get it—at Alix’s expense. But what is Kelley using Emira for? Alix wonders if Kelley gets off on telling people the story of how he and Emira met.
The plot thickens as Alix’s snooping reveals that Kelley may well fetishize Black people; it raises a red flag that most (if not all) of his past girlfriends have been Black or racially ambiguous. What is he really doing with Emira? Is he, like Alix, using her to create a specific image that he’s anti-racist? Still, even if this is true, the reader should remain wary of Alix’s motives for interfering in Emira and Kelley’s relationship. Ultimately, it will likely be for self-serving reasons that she meddles in the relationship rather than genuine concern for Emira. When Alix considers Emira’s fragile, emotional, and naïve nature, she’s being unconsciously and misguidedly paternalistic toward her. Once more, she insists that Emira doesn’t know what’s best for herself and assumes that Emira needs Alix’s superior perspective to set herself on the right path.
Themes
Later that day, Alix discusses the Kelley situation with her friends over brunch. Tamra laughs wryly and tells Alix that the situation makes total sense to her. Jodi doesn’t understand exactly what’s wrong with Kelley—doesn’t he obviously like Emira? And is it racist that “he likes black people too much?” Tamra explains that Kelley is one of those white guys who fetishizes Black women. Alix agrees with Tamra’s assessment, recalling how Kelley used their high school’s Black athletes to become popular.
Jodi’s question is well-intentioned but misguided. While it’s the lesser of two evils that Kelley “likes black people too much” instead of too little, it’s dehumanizing and essentialist to see Black people as Kelley’s “type,” like a person might prefer brunettes or people with glasses, for instance. Doing so suggests that a Black person’s worth rests entirely on their Blackness and denies them the right to exist as a person independent of their race.
Themes
Alix reaffirms that she’s not upset about Emira dating her ex—she’s not still hung up on him—it’s that she’s concerned about him hurting Emira. Jodi interjects, cautiously, to say that it seems like Kelley genuinely likes Emira. And even if Kelley is using Emira, Rachel counters, Emira is a grown woman, and Alix has no say over Emira’s love life. Alix loudly and suddenly insists that Emira isn’t grown up—she’s young and naïve. Then Alix starts to cry.
Alix’s friends normally enable her superficial, paternalistic attitude toward Emira. Here, though, they become the voices of reason, suggesting that Alix’s bad experience with Kelley in high school doesn’t necessary mean that he’ll also mistreat Emira, and even if he does, it’s not Alix’s place to hijack Emira’s life and make important decisions for her. Alix, faced with criticism, breaks down and cries, transforming herself into the victim of this situation. Her pitiful reaction here should raise a red flag—is it possible that she also played the victim in high school and that there’s more to her and Kelley’s breakup than she’s letting on?
Themes
Tamra suggests they go outside for some fresh air. Outside, Tamra tells Alix that she needs to come clean to Emira about her concerns. Tamra thinks that Alix is the best thing that’s happened to Emira, and Alix needs to use her influence to guide Emira in the right direction. Being under the influence of a controlling jerk like Kelley will only make Emira more lost.
Tamra is a complex character. On the one hand, she, like Alix, genuinely wants what’s best for Emira. And as a Black woman, she undoubtedly knows what’s best more than Alix does. But Tamra has gained what privilege she has in a white world by integrating herself within the broader white culture. And this means buying into the idea that the white, privileged class knows the best way to live. And she’s pushing this ideology onto Emira when she suggests that Emira doesn’t know what’s best for herself.
Themes
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Alix continues to cry, and Tamra urges her to be strong. She suggests that Alix return to New York more regularly so she can start to feel like herself again. Tamra even knows of a professor at the New School who needs someone to facilitate a class, and she thinks Alix would be perfect for the job. Also, if Alix has to go to Manhattan every Tuesday evening, she could give Emira more hours—which would mean Emira is spending less time around Kelley.
Alix’s unceasing tears are almost comical at this point. She acts as though she’s the victim of this situation between Kelley, Emira, and herself, yet who Emira dates really doesn’t concern her. Furthermore, as usual, her connections and privilege continue to afford her new opportunities, as happens here, with Tamra helping secure her a teaching position in the spring.
Themes
