Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in American Street, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Dignity and the American Dream
Spirituality
Family and Loyalty
Identity and the Immigrant Experience
Trauma, Violence, and Desperation
Summary
Analysis
During the week of Fabiola’s suspension, Kasim takes her on a tour of Detroit. They go to the Motown museum and a neighborhood of mansions. Then, Kasim takes Fabiola to a Greek restaurant. They take their meals to Kasim’s house. His mom isn’t home, and Fabiola knows Manman would have a heart attack if she knew. The neighborhood here is nicer than Fabiola’s. Kasim explains that his mom works in medical billing. She doesn’t make a lot of money, but it’s honest. Fabiola and Kasim settle on the couch to watch TV. After a few shows, Kasim pulls Fabiola in for a kiss. It feels different. She kisses his neck, and then Kasim leads Fabiola to his room, where they have sex and fall asleep. Fabiola only wakes up when Chantal calls.
Visiting Kasim’s house shows Fabiola that the American Dream might not be so out of reach. The fact that his mom is able to afford a nicer house working in medical billing suggests that in, at least some cases, Fabiola’s family members are wrong: it is possible to get by and do well on honest work. Meanwhile, when Fabiola and Kasim have sex, they deepen their bond further and reaffirm their loyalty to each other. It’s a way to connect and feel as though they’re becoming chosen family.
Themes
