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119. Moving Forward
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
In an email to Aunt Sarah, Emoni thanks her for her mom’s pound cake recipe—Julio cried, but he ate the entire thing. He seems to be preparing to stay for a while, though Emoni knows he won’t stay forever. Emoni says that Tyrone is taking Emma on vacation in two weeks, so Emoni would love to come and visit then. Finally, Emoni says she completed the assignment Aunt Sarah sent her to create a recipe inspired by her name. She says she only understood this year why her mom wanted to give her a name that meant “faith,” so her recipe is flambé shrimp—you have to trust that lighting it on fire will work and be delicious.
Finally, Emoni has the opportunity to make a recipe her mom developed, thereby connecting more with her past and her family history. In the present, though, this also allows Emoni to take her relationship with Julio a step further—he seems more willing now to trust her and begin working through his difficult emotions. Tyrone’s support allows Emoni to finally connect in person with Aunt Sarah, something Emoni has felt unable to do for years now. Finally, Emoni’s flambé shrimp recipe crystallizes one of the biggest things she’s learned throughout the novel: to trust herself and her instincts, and even if things are scary (as when one lights something on fire), things will probably work out just fine.
Themes
