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Chapter 8
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
Spoons dies the morning of Friday, October 30. Alix notices before Briar does and texts her friends about what to do. They assure her that it’s fine to ask Emira to pick up a replacement fish on her way over—she’s on the clock, after all. In the kitchen, Briar asks Alix if birds can fly when their wings get wet, but Alix throws a pink ball down the hallway to distract Briar, who runs to fetch it.
Alix calls Emira and asks her to pick up a new fish. Emira says they’ll be late to Briar’s ballet class if she stops by the pet store first. Alix says she can’t take Briar because Laney Thacker is coming over later that day. Emira asks if Laney is the coworker of Peter’s whom Alix dislikes. Alix doesn’t like Laney, but she’s ashamed that Emira has picked up on this, since Emira has witnessed Laney being kind to Alix on numerous occasions. Trying to correct her mistake now, Alix absently says that Laney is “fine.”
Once more, Alix places her own life—here, her scheduled engagement with Laney Thacker—above her daughter’s emotional needs. Parents needn’t totally disregard their own needs for their children, of course, but Alix doesn’t seem interested in giving even an inch for Briar. Furthermore, her failure to recognize what Emira is seemingly hinting at—that Briar’s ballet class is important to Briar and something she shouldn’t miss—goes over Alix’s head completely.
Themes
Alix tells Emira to go to the pet store; Briar will just have to miss the party—she won’t care or remember about missing the party anyway. Alix thinks she can hear Emira laugh in disbelief, but Emira agrees to go to the pet store. After Alix hangs up with Emira, she receives a text from Laney asking if it’s okay for two other women to join them tonight. Inwardly, Alix isn’t happy, but she responds, “The more the merrier!” to Laney.
Alix is unaware of Briar’s interests and feelings, and she doesn’t really care. That she assumes Briar will quickly forget all about the missed ballet class suggests that Alix thinks Briar’s inner life isn’t important or meaningful. Emira’s laugh could be in disbelief that Alix is being so oblivious and unfeeling about Briar’s feelings and interests. Alix’s fake response to Laney reinforces Alix’s superficiality.
Themes
When Emira arrives, she’s carrying a goldfish that looks totally different than Spoons, and she seems annoyed. Alix keeps her thoughts to herself and accepts the fish. Inwardly, Alix wonders if Emira’s finally found out about the racist comment Peter made on air. Then she wonders if Emira is mad about the fish. But why would she be? After all, Alix is giving Emira a break by not making her sit in on Briar’s ballet class, which is “boring and tedious” and full of annoyingly “hypersupportive” mothers.
That Alix’s instinct is to assume that Emira is in a bad mood because she’s found out about Peter’s racist remark—and not about Alix’s bad parenting—shows how ignorant Alix is about her own flaws. She’s also totally underestimating how much Emira cares about Briar: she assumes Emira will be glad to forgo the “boring and tedious” ballet class, when in fact, Emira finds the class fun—and even if she didn’t, she cares about Briar enough to suffer through boredom if it’ll make Briar happy.
Themes
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Alix tells Emira about a Halloween-themed dog parade she found for them to go to in another neighborhood. Briar tries to ask questions, but Alix brushes her off as she straps Catherine into her stroller. In the front vestibule on her way out, she passes by Emira’s phone plugged into the outlet. She sees a text on the screen from Kenan&Kel wishing Emira and Briar good luck on the Halloween ballet performance. Alix also spots a headband with cat ears in Emira’s purse with its price tag still attached.
This scene really highlights the differences between Briar and Catherine, and it helps explain why Alix clearly favors Catherine. While Briar is constantly asking questions and annoying Alix, Catherine is silent and demure—the perfect accessory for Alix to strap to her chest to complete the working-mother aesthetic she wants to project to the world. Finally, the cat ears that Alix finds in Emira’s purse (not to mention Kelley’s text message) should make Alix realize how much she misjudged the dance class situation, but she fails to reflect on this and thus remains ignorant that she’s made a mistake.
Themes
That afternoon, Alix buys food, drinks, and Halloween coloring books. Then she returns home and rearranges the girls’ bedroom so the children can watch movies there while the women hang out downstairs. Laney, Suzanne, Ramona, and Laney’s kid, Bella, arrive at 6:00. Alix tells herself that having Emira replace the fish was the right thing to do, since it’s important for Alix to give Laney a fun evening, and a grieving toddler would’ve ruined the atmosphere.
This scene is also pretty damning for Alix as a parent. It reveals that Alix prioritizes looking good in front of others to tending to the emotional needs of her child. She sees the grief Briar would have experienced, had she learned of Spoons’s death, as an impediment on her social gathering rather than serious, valid emotions.
Themes
Alix observes Bella Thacker, who is overly sweet, polite, and cute. Then she remembers a time last year when Briar bruised her vagina riding a tricycle—and then told everyone about her condition. Alix cringes as she thinks about Briar’s habit of oversharing.
Alix implicitly compares Briar to Bella Thacker, almost jealously assessing how conventionally cute and unobtrusive Bella is compared to Briar, who has no understanding of social nuance or politeness. Bella, however, is also several years older than Briar—she’s learned more about how to fit in, just due to her age.
Themes
Emira and Briar have since returned from their outing. They walk downstairs to greet the guests. Alix notes Briar’s old T-shirt and purple leggings and wishes Emira would’ve put her in cuter pajamas (Bella is wearing a matching striped set). Alix tells Briar to show the guests the upstairs. Meanwhile, Emira takes her purse off its hook on the wall. Then she removes her LetHer Speak polo and hangs it on the wall.
Alix implicitly compares Briar to Bella yet again, noting how Briar’s physical appearance isn’t as cute as Bella’s. Because Alix’s main use for Briar is to promote her brand of a put-together and competent working mother, it doesn’t look good for her if her child wears mismatched, frumpy pajamas.
Themes
Alone with Emira, Alix apologizes for making Emira and Briar miss the ballet class. Emira tells Alix that she was right, though—Briar hadn’t remembered the class anyway. Alix tries to make small talk with Emira, but it's awkward. Finally, Emira points to an envelope in Alix’s back pocket and asks if it’s her paycheck. Alix remembers the envelope and, embarrassed, hands it to Emira. Emira thanks her and leaves. Alix watches Emira walk down the stairs. She hears one of the women inside exclaiming “wine o’clock.” Inwardly, Alix pleads, “Mira, please don’t leave me.”
Alix seems to apologize to Emira about the dance class in a calculated effort to make amends with her (and thus continue in her quest to befriend Emira). But Emira rejects Alix’s attempts to get closer yet again, responding to Alix’s attempt at friendliness by asking for her paycheck and reaffirming the reality of their impersonal employer-employee relationship.
Themes
