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66. Crunch Time
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 has never worked as hard as she does, or been more exhausted than she feels, in the following week. And Emoni is usually exhausted just from caring for Babygirl. Some nights she wants to cry from exhaustion. Tyrone has Babygirl for Thanksgiving, so Emoni and ’Buela eat a quiet dinner together and watch an Eagles game. When Emoni’s phone rings, she knows it’s Malachi. He asks what she made. She says she made chocolate pudding and that he should try some.
Despite Emoni’s exhaustion, Thanksgiving week is still a happy time: she gets to connect with ’Buela over their meal, and she’s becoming more open and herself around Malachi. Additionally, Emoni doesn’t seem particularly upset, per se, that Babygirl is with Tyrone for the holiday. She’s allowing herself to draw more on her community so she can feel fulfilled—and get a much-needed rest.
Themes
