Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Firekeeper’s Daughter, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Justice
Generational Trauma and Bigotry
Ceremony, Pride, and Healing
Love, Honesty, and Respect
Coming of Age
Family and Community
Summary
Analysis
Daunis wakes up to beeps, buzzes, and pain. She can identify Mom’s voice, but she can’t stay awake long enough to respond. Finally, Daunis hears Mom ask her to come back and feels Mom kiss her forehead. Daunis feels Mom spreading lip balm on her lips—or she hopes it’s lip balm and not pink lipstick. Mom would totally do that.
Daunis has remained focused on helping her community for much of the novel, but now, her mom is the one who’s next to her and helping her return to this world. Aside from the possibility that Mom is putting lipstick on her, Mom makes Daunis feel safe enough to return.
Themes
