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100. Ugly Leslie
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in With the Fire on High, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Coming of Age and Teen Parenthood
Creativity vs. Professional Norms
Food and Connection
Caregiving, Independence, and Identity
Support, Community, and Mentorship
Summary
Analysis
Emoni and Malachi help Pretty Leslie into Señorita Mariana’s house and up the stairs. Pretty Leslie mumbles that she won’t vomit again; she just wants to go to bed. Emoni removes Pretty Leslie’s shoes. There’s nowhere else to put them, so Emoni empties Leslie’s makeup bag and puts the vomit-covered shoes in there. Looking back at Malachi, Emoni says she’s a mom and couldn’t leave Leslie. Malachi says she’s too good. Laughing a bit at Leslie, Emoni walks Malachi to the door and asks why he chose her. He says Emoni is the only one he’s ever thought of, and he assures Emoni he’s not just saying that to get in her pants. He asks if they can hang out in the next two days, and Emoni agrees.
Emoni makes it clear that she could’ve left Pretty Leslie to fend for herself—but that doing so would’ve been even crueler than the mean things Pretty Leslie said. With this, the story highlights how loyal Emoni has grown to her culinary arts class and the team they’ve formed over the last few months. She no longer thinks of herself as better than the others because of her talent; rather, she wants to help these peers she’s become close to. And while this may have dashed any great plans for Emoni’s night with Malachi, it also makes her look like a better person in his eyes.
Themes
