Previous
Chapter 21
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
After talking to Miss Saunders, Maleeka walks to the library because she wants to enter her writing in a contest. The winner will get $100. Maleeka signs up, planning to turn in her papers the next day. She stays up half the night neatly transcribing her existing pages and writing more material. On the boat, Akeelma knows that when they dock, Kinjari will likely be hired as a boatbuilder. He tells her, however, that he’d rather be a slave with her than be free by himself.
Miss Saunders has given Maleeka so much confidence in her writing that she even seeks out a writing competition, demonstrating the importance of good role models and mentorship to Maleeka’s schooling. Additionally, Maleeka continues to draw parallels between Akeelma and herself, as Kinjari’s statement mirrors the fact that Caleb would rather be teased by other students and be with Maleeka than be alone and bullied less.
Themes
In the morning, Maleeka shows her mom what she’s written. Her mom is impressed—she tells Maleeka that she could be a professional writer. She also reveals that Maleeka’s dad used to write letters and poems, and that he wrote one for Maleeka that she forgot about. Maleeka searches through the box of her dad’s things and finds a poem. It goes, “Brown / Beautiful / Brilliant / My my Maleeka / is / Brown / Beautiful / Brilliant / Mine.” Maleeka saves the poem in her pocket. When she leaves for school, she hears the sewing machine going crazy.
Maleeka’s dad is an important figure in giving her confidence. Not only do they share a passion for writing, but her father’s writing also boosts Maleeka’s self-esteem and helps her overcome some of her insecurities. His belief that Maleeka is “brown” and “beautiful” counters Maleeka’s idea that her dark skin makes her ugly, as many of her classmates tell her.
Themes
