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14. Lovers & Friends
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
It’s Sunday night, and Emoni and ’Buela are eating ‘Buela’s tostones and waiting anxiously for Babygirl. They’ve been anxiously tiptoeing around each other all weekend, unwilling to say that they miss Babygirl. As soon as Tyrone brings Babygirl back, Emoni hugs Babygirl close and tells the toddler how much she missed her. The relief in the house is palpable as Emoni and ’Buela listen to Babygirl babble about her weekend.
As difficult as it can sometimes be for Emoni to balance her caregiving responsibilities with the rest of her life, it’s still difficult for her to let Babygirl go. Things only feel good and right at home when Babygirl is home, too. As normal as this might seem to Emoni, though, it does mean that she continues to see Tyrone as an enemy of sorts and not part of her extended support network.
Themes
