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Chapter 23
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 worries about Miss Saunders, since now all Charlese talks about is how to get back at her. Charlese says that they should meet the next day before school to vandalize Miss Saunders’s classroom. Maleeka expresses her hesitance about messing up the classroom, but Charlese says that she knows what she’s doing, and then she throws a bottle of nail polish at Maleeka’s head.
Following JuJu’s outburst in the school office, Flake demonstrates how JuJu’s behavior then trickles down to Charlese. This emphasizes the need for good role models in children’s’ lives, because bad role models can reinforce bad behavior.
Themes
Just then, John-John comes over and makes fun of Maleeka’s skin, singing his usual song. When Charlese tells John-John that she’ll kick his butt, he stops singing—but he calls Maleeka “midnight” as he says goodbye. At first, this angers Maleeka, but then she remembers a poem about midnight in one of the library books she flipped through: “at midnight, if you have eyes to see / there’s beauty and there’s majesty.” Maleeka smiles to herself.
Writing continues to empower Maleeka, and she uses this newfound confidence to combat the bullies in her life. Even though John-John intended “midnight” as an insult to Maleeka’s dark skin, Maleeka’s ability to relate it to the poem and look at it in a positive light helps her to maintain her confidence.
Themes
Then Caleb comes over, and Charlese gets in his face and asks him about his braids and cologne. He ignores Charlese and tells Maleeka that he and a few friends are getting together the next day to talk about ways to improve McClenton, inviting Maleeka to come. Charlese tells him that Maleeka is busy, but she says that they can all come afterward. Then, Charlese shoves Maleeka.
Charlese’s attempts to interrupt Caleb and harass Maleeka in front of him again indicates that she’s jealous of Maleeka and insecure about being liked. This behavior continues to expose Charlese’s desperate need to control those around her.
Themes
Caleb pulls Maleeka aside and tells her that Charlese is the kind of friend who will get her “locked up or shot up”—Maleeka she should stay away from her. When Caleb leaves, Charlese screams at Maleeka. Maleeka knows that Charlese’s plan to mess up Miss Saunders’s room is just going to get her in trouble, but that people only turn their back on Charlese if they want to die.
Caleb not only supports Maleeka, but he also encourages her to rid herself of the toxic friendships in her life. He’s trying to get Maleeka involved in positive work that will help the school, whereas Charlese will get Maleeka involved in nothing but trouble and crime. Given Charlese’s plan to vandalize Miss Saunders’s classroom, this will likely prove true. Yet Maleeka also worries that if she isn’t friends with Charlese, she will only be bullied further—and Charlese may even violently lash out at her.
Themes
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