Previous
Steve
’Buela initially introduces Mr. Jagoda as a friend and acquaintance from her doctor’s office, but she later reveals that he’s her boyfriend and, depending on whether she agrees to marry him, her fiancé. A Polish immigrant, Mr. Jagoda is the office manager at his son’s doctor’s office, which is where he meets ’Buela. He kindly shows up to help Emoni at various points, as when he attends the Winter Dinner fundraiser and drives her to the airport. ’Buela describes how he makes her feel like Gloria and a woman when they go on dates, rather than just a mother, grandmother, and caregiver.
Mr. Jagoda Quotes in With the Fire on High
The With the Fire on High quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Jagoda or refer to Mr. Jagoda. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
78. Blood Boil
Quotes
’Buela fiddles with her wedding band before looking at me. “I’m not sick, Emoni. I’ve lied to you. I haven’t had all those doctor’s appointments. I just needed a private afternoon with my thoughts where I’m not in this house. Where I’m Gloria again, and not only ’Buela. I don’t know how to explain it. And I don’t want to talk about it.”
I bury my face in Babygirl’s neck so neither one of them can see the tears in my eyes, the relief laced with hurt.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
109. Surprises
Quotes
“I go to the doctor so much because sometimes I need to get away from all of…” She swirls her hand in the air and “all of” must mean everything in the house. “I go to the doctor to remind myself I am more than a great-grandmother to a toddler, and a grandmother to a teen mother, and a mother to a rascal of a son.”
She clears her throat. “Okay… The real reason I ‘go to the doctor’ so much is because of Joseph, Mr. Jagoda. […] And nena, it’s…” she pats her chest, and I know just what she means. “He isn’t perfect! I mean, he’s a Giant’s fan, for God’s sake, but he makes me feel like a woman. Not only a mother so many times removed.”
Get the entire With the Fire on High LitChart as a printable PDF.
Mr. Jagoda Quotes in With the Fire on High
The With the Fire on High quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Jagoda or refer to Mr. Jagoda. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
78. Blood Boil
Quotes
’Buela fiddles with her wedding band before looking at me. “I’m not sick, Emoni. I’ve lied to you. I haven’t had all those doctor’s appointments. I just needed a private afternoon with my thoughts where I’m not in this house. Where I’m Gloria again, and not only ’Buela. I don’t know how to explain it. And I don’t want to talk about it.”
I bury my face in Babygirl’s neck so neither one of them can see the tears in my eyes, the relief laced with hurt.
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
109. Surprises
Quotes
“I go to the doctor so much because sometimes I need to get away from all of…” She swirls her hand in the air and “all of” must mean everything in the house. “I go to the doctor to remind myself I am more than a great-grandmother to a toddler, and a grandmother to a teen mother, and a mother to a rascal of a son.”
She clears her throat. “Okay… The real reason I ‘go to the doctor’ so much is because of Joseph, Mr. Jagoda. […] And nena, it’s…” she pats her chest, and I know just what she means. “He isn’t perfect! I mean, he’s a Giant’s fan, for God’s sake, but he makes me feel like a woman. Not only a mother so many times removed.”
