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113. Emoni’s “When the World Tries to Break You, Break Beer Bread with Those You Love” Recipe
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
Over the next few weeks, Emoni just shrugs when people ask where she’s going to college. ’Buela is incensed; she wants to write the deposit check. Emoni knows what she wants to do, she just doesn’t know how to tell people—even Angelica and ’Buela. At lunch, Angelica tries to convince Emoni to eat while she sneakily checks her email to see if Pratt has taken her off their waiting list yet.
Note that Emoni knows what she wants—she’s just too afraid or nervous to voice her desires to other people. This suggests that she may want to do something she fears won’t go over well. But if Emoni is truly listening to her gut, the novel has made it clear that whatever choice she makes will be the right one for her.
Themes
Suddenly, Malachi appears in front of Emoni. He says she looks sad and has been ignoring him, and he hoped he could get her to talk here. Emoni tries to get up and leave, but both Malachi and Angelica hug her. Malachi says it’ll be okay; Angelica says it’s time to stop being afraid. The day before the deposit must be postmarked, ’Buela leaves Emoni a blank check and a note telling her to follow her dreams. Emoni fills out the forms and mails her decision.
Malachi and Angelica make it clear that no matter what Emoni chooses, they’ll still love and support her. ’Buela says much the same thing by leaving Emoni the blank check to do with what she likes. It’s left ambiguous what, exactly, Emoni chooses, but Emoni does seem at peace with her decision. She’s learning that it’s okay to make the right choice for her, even if it’s not one that other people will always understand.
Themes
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