Previous
Chapter 23
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Tell Me Three Things, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Blended Families
Intimacy and Growing Up
Wealth, Fitting In, and Bullying
Home
Friendship
Summary
Analysis
For Giving Day, Jessie follows SN’s advice and wears her sneakers; it’s too hot for her winter boots and they’d make her even more of a target for Gem, even if they are more appropriate for a construction site. Theo suggests they drive together since he’s afraid of someone stealing his car, but the neighborhood looks like Jessie’s in Chicago. As soon as they arrive, Gem, dressed in a tank top and a sequined sports bra, walks past and jams her shoulder into Jessie’s. Indignantly, Theo tells Gem to leave Jessie alone or he’ll “ruin” her. Liam walks up, oblivious and happy, and Theo tells him to keep Gem under control. Jessie excuses herself and heads for Caleb, who has built something before. She hears Liam and Gem arguing behind her. Jessie and Caleb banter for a moment and then Caleb says he’d love to have coffee on Thursday.
Theo’s choice to stand up for Jessie is a major development in their relationship. It suggests that Theo is starting to get over himself and understand that if this new setup at home is going to work, he needs to act like Jessie is worthy of his attention and help. Then, even more importantly, Gem seems to listen to Theo. This illustrates an important way to stop bullying: kids themselves can stand up for their peers and not allow bullies to reign unchecked.
Themes
Caleb brushes Jessie off and walks away, which hurts, but Jessie gets a message from SN a moment later. Dri finds Jessie and gives her a big hug before admiring Liam, who’s now shirtless. Agnes offers to beat Gem up for Jessie and though Jessie refuses, she’s grateful that so many have offered. She mentions that Theo saved her today. When Jessie learns that Gem’s dad sponsored lunch, she wonders if she shouldn’t eat. Ethan appears behind her and says the food is too good to miss. He starts to make Jessie a plate and then leads her to a secluded area of the job site. He apologizes for not doing anything to help Jessie yesterday and reaches out as though to touch her bruise.
Gem would probably love it if Jessie went hungry because her dad sponsored the meal, as that would only confirm Gem’s power. Because of this, Ethan’s choice to help Jessie and make her a plate is another example of Gem’s classmates shutting her down and making it clear that her bullying behavior won’t be tolerated. Even if Wood Valley teachers won’t do anything about Gem, her peers can refuse to give her the air she needs to maintain her power.
Themes
On the drive home, Jessie thanks Theo for standing up for her. He says quietly that Gem called him a “faggot” when he was little. He had no idea what it meant; Theo’s dad explained it to him that night and made it clear that there was nothing wrong with being gay. Jessie is curious to hear about Theo’s dad, since there are no family photos on the walls. Theo says his dad was great. They discuss whether they wish they could switch which parent died. Both Jessie and Theo would. Jessie thinks that she genuinely liked her mom as a person, odd as that is for a teenager.
The car ride home gives Jessie and Theo more time to connect honestly and openly with each other. Again, it’s telling that they’re the ones having conversations like these of their own volition. While this conversation isn’t something they’d necessarily share with either of their parents, it’s a major misstep on Dad and Rachel’s part that they haven’t tried to foster close, open conversations at home. Their negligence has made this relationship take even longer to form.
Themes
Theo then asks if Jessie and Ethan are friends. He warns Jessie that Ethan might be into “heavy shit” like his brother. Jessie doesn’t think he’s on drugs and says so, but she realizes that she barely knows him and he often seems withdrawn. He’s left campus at lunchtime several times in the last week. Regardless, she thinks of Ethan’s eyes and realizes she wants to kiss him.
Whether or not Theo is right about Ethan’s relationship with drugs, mentioning that Ethan’s brother uses heavy drugs shows again that the rich kids at Wood Valley have problems of their own at home. Their home lives are nowhere close to perfect just because they’re wealthy.
Themes
Get the entire Tell Me Three Things LitChart as a printable PDF.
