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94. Gilded
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
Outside the cathedral, Emoni is still quiet. Julio constantly lectures Emoni about Puerto Rican history, but it hasn’t resonated with her before today. Spain is complicated for Emoni—she feels like Spain is a part of her, even if she’s not sure she likes that. Sensing her mood, Malachi invites her to go see the castle. They join a tour group when they notice Amanda and Pretty Leslie, and Malachi raises his hand to answer what’s different about this part of the castle. He explains that it honors Islam, and the docent says he’s correct: this part of the castle was built after the Muslim conquest of Spain. Emoni studies the garden, realizing that worlds collided here.
Spain is complicated for Emoni for a couple of reasons. Modern Puerto Rican people tend to be able to trace their ancestry to Spain and West African countries, in addition to indigenous populations who initially inhabited the island—so while Emoni resents Spain for wiping out her ancestors, other ancestors are also from Spain. It helps her feel a bit better, though, to be reminded that non-white people did rule Spain for a time; this is evident in the Islamic style architecture in parts of Spain. In this sense, Spain is just as nuanced and diverse as Emoni’s “straight-from-the-Carolinas Black” and Puerto Rican identity.
Themes
Emoni asks how Malachi knew that. He explains that Malcolm X is his idol, he’s studied Islam, and that history is his favorite subject. Emoni is shocked she didn’t know this—and she realizes she wants to know everything about Malachi. Feeling freer than she’s ever felt at home, she invites him to get ice cream later. He asks if this is a date, and she says it is.
It's significant that Emoni comes to a happier understanding of Spain’s history thanks to Malachi. This establishes him even more fully as someone she wants in her life, as he can add new layers to things for her. Inviting him for ice cream is, once again, an invitation to connect over food.
Themes
