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106. Duende
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 grabs her suitcase and blushes when Malachi kisses her deeply and their classmates whoop. As Emoni leaves the terminal, she hears Pretty Leslie cursing and offers her a ride. Leslie accepts. Mr. Jagoda is there to pick Emoni up, looking happy to see her. Emoni tries to patiently enjoy the songs on the radio, but she just wants to see Babygirl. They drop Leslie off and then pull up to Emoni’s house. Emoni invites Mr. Jagoda in, but he says he’s already seen Gloria this week. When Emoni opens the door, ’Buela bursts into tears. Emoni takes Babygirl out of ’Buela’s arms and hugs them both.
Offering Pretty Leslie a ride shows how far Emoni and Leslie’s relationship has come. Now, Leslie is another person in need of (and deserving of) kindness and help. Note that Mr. Jagoda calls ’Buela by her first name, suggesting that there’s perhaps more to their relationship than Emoni realizes. Though Emoni enjoyed her time in Spain and did some much-needed soul searching there, her emotional homecoming reminds her where her heart really lies: with her daughter and grandmother.
Themes
