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Chapter 18
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Skin I’m In, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Bullying and Insecurity
Self-Esteem, Support, and Friendship
Writing and Self-Expression
The Importance of Role Models
Summary
Analysis
Maleeka goes to detention, which is in a hot, cramped room in the basement. She writes another letter: Akeelma describes going up to the top of the boat and crying with delight when she saw the sun. When she returns below decks, Kinjari is with her. Suddenly, as Maleeka is writing, Caleb comes into the room and sits two desks away from her. When Maleeka asks what he’s doing there, Caleb explains that he got caught cleaning the boys’ bathroom. Soon, Miss Birdy, the detention teacher, tries to prevent them from talking.
Maleeka continues to use her writing not only as a way of thinking about the world, but also as a way to think about her path going forward. She starts to recognize the trouble that Charlese causes in her life. Like Akeelma, Maleeka no longer wants to be “below decks” (that is, in detention) and would rather see the sun (be freer and happier). Meanwhile, the fact that Maleeka writes about Kinjari just before Caleb comes into the room reinforces the connection between Caleb and Kinjari.
Themes
Maleeka passes Caleb a note, asking why he was cleaning the bathroom. He says that it’s not right when students trash the bathrooms, and that he has to take a stand when things aren’t right. Maleeka wonders internally why he didn’t take a stand that day on the bus last year, when everyone was making fun of her. She doesn’t respond to Caleb and instead starts writing in her own diary. She writes that she doesn’t want to forgive Caleb for what happened on the bus.
Maleeka reveals that part of her insecurity comes from Caleb’s betrayal. His rejection of her shook Maleeka’s confidence even more than the bullying did, so his actions seem unforgiveable to her. Yet Caleb continues to show that he’s a more supportive friend and a more positive influence than Charlese: whereas Charlese pressures Maleeka to make a mess in the girls’ bathroom, Caleb tries to clean the boys’ bathroom up.
Themes
Caleb moves close to Maleeka again and tells her that he shouldn’t have left when other kids started teasing her on the bus. He says that ever since he and Maleeka started hanging out, kids teased her—he figured that if he got away from her, they would stop. But Caleb tells Maleeka that he still likes her, and since kids are still bullying her even when he’s not around, he figures that he can’t make her life worse. He apologizes and says that he won’t let her down again, but Maleeka isn’t sure she can forgive him yet.
Here, Caleb reveals the full story about his leaving Maleeka. Rather than rejecting Maleeka, Caleb was trying to prevent others from bullying her further. He demonstrates that he is a true friend and that he really wants to support her. But Maleeka’s hesitation to trust him suggests that betrayals from friends often hurt worse than betrayals from enemies.
Themes
