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39. Basura
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 cuts her last period class for the first time since she was a freshman and walks all the way to Babygirl’s daycare. Babygirl is the one person who can cheer her up. When Emoni gets there, she sees Babygirl inside playing with a play kitchen. The sight makes Emoni tear up just as ’Buela comes up behind her. Emoni asks if ’Buela is going to ask why she’s not in school, but ’Buela says that Emoni is almost an adult. She trusts Emoni to take care of herself. This makes Emoni feel worse. Doesn’t ’Buela know that Emoni still needs support and reassurance?
Aside from being cute, seeing Babygirl with the play kitchen reminds Emoni how much power she has to shape Babygirl’s worldview—Babygirl is, no doubt, emulating what she sees her mom doing at home. ’Buela’s choice then to shrug off Emoni skipping and respect Emoni’s independence makes Emoni feel even more adult and on her own—when what she’d really like right now is an adult to tell her things are going to be okay.
Themes
