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Chapter 4
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
Jessie remembers how Dad said, “Home, sweet home” the first time they walked into Dad’s new wife’s house. While Jessie’s house in Chicago was squat and tough, this one is tall, shiny, and entirely white. Jessie is terrified to stain anything since Dad’s new wife is paying for her school tuition. It doesn’t feel like home, especially since Jessie sleeps in a guest room. There’s abstract art on the walls and fancy soaps in the bathroom. The only clues that Jessie lives here are a stuffed animal and a photo of Jessie and her mom. Dad, though, was happy and exhausted—and after two years of him being sad and helpless when Mom was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer, Jessie went along with his excitement.
It’s telling that Jessie refers to her new stepmom as “Dad’s new wife.” Refusing to refer to her as a stepmom or use her name indicates that Jessie has no desire to get to know this woman. Meanwhile, everything about this house makes Jessie feel as though she’s in some sort of fancy hotel, not necessarily in a place she should call home. In particular, sleeping in a guest room heightens Jessie’s sense that she doesn’t belong here. It makes her feel like a temporary guest and as though she has no ownership over the house and her new life.
Themes
Dad lost weight and hair when Mom got sick. Jessie took over grocery shopping and household chores while Dad fought with insurance companies. Jessie almost forgot how happy they were before Mom got sick. Even today, Jessie doesn’t know how to talk about this, or about her mom. On that first day in Los Angeles, Jessie thought the house was pretty, but it didn’t have Mom. Dad’s new wife asked Jessie to call her Rachel. She was a shock, since Jessie had only figured out a month before that Dad even had a girlfriend, let alone had gotten married. Jessie finds Rachel exhausting to be around; she’s tiny but loud. Today, Rachel announces that there will be a family dinner. Usually, Jessie eats in her bedroom alone and tries not to burden Gloria, the house manager.
Jessie’s aside that this house doesn’t contain her mom is a clue that Jessie understands that it’s people who make a home, not necessarily a particular place. Home, for Jessie, is where her mom is. However, as Jessie describes life in the two years before the move and after Mom’s death, it becomes clear that the house in Chicago wasn’t necessarily home either—it also didn’t contain Mom. Then, when Jessie talks about the shock of finding out that Dad got married, it shows that she’s been given few reasons to trust the adults in her life.
Themes
Jessie grudgingly leaves her bedroom and follows Theo downstairs. Theo is rude, so Jessie decides to be an angel. Rachel says they have exciting news: Dad got a job. Jessie is relieved and glad that Rachel is so enthusiastic—Dad’s salary probably won’t be much more than Gloria’s. Dad says he’ll be working at the pharmacy counter at the Ralph’s grocery store near Jessie’s school, though he’ll be an intern until he passes the exam to practice in California. It’s a good job and provides dental insurance. Theo yells in indignation that he’s already humiliated. He throws his fork and storms off. Jessie thinks that she’s always been proud of her dad’s job and is thrilled he’s getting dental insurance.
Jessie is more than willing to give Rachel credit for her enthusiasm. This offers hope that Rachel and Jessie will be able to have a civil, if not actually positive, relationship as time wears on. Theo’s tantrum shows that while he’s coming at things from a place of privilege, he’s in the same boat as Jessie: he doesn’t want to look middle class and suffer the wrath of his peers.
Themes
Later, Jessie sits on the deck and wonders if Theo, Rachel, and Theo’s dad all sat down to dinner before their lives changed. Theo slumps down next to Jessie, starts to roll a joint, and announces that he’s not an asshole. Jessie says all evidence suggests he is and asks if Rachel will be upset about the marijuana. Theo explains that it’s prescription. He smiles and offers it to Jessie, but she refuses. He also explains that since a kid died from a heroin overdose last year, Rachel should be thrilled it’s just marijuana. Theo continues that in other circumstances, they could be friends, but Dad is horrible. Jessie says life is horrible for her; people said hi to her in Chicago.
When Theo makes the overture to sit down with Jessie, it also offers hope that Jessie and Theo might be able to form some sort of relationship, even if things might be rocky with their parents. He also begins to share important information about Wood Valley culture when he mentions that a kid overdosed on heroin; it seems as though this is something that shook the community and that they’re still healing from.
Themes
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Unprompted, Theo says Theo’s dad died of lung cancer. This is why Theo smokes; he figures he should live it up if someone who ran 12 miles per day got lung cancer and died. Jessie offers her condolences, and Theo begs Jessie to start eating in the kitchen to make Gloria happy.
Mentioning his dad also allows Theo to make it clear that even if his mom might be married again, his dad is still an important figure in his life and shouldn’t be forgotten. In his case, he understands that this blended family can’t work unless they all honor their deceased loved ones.
Themes
