On the Come Up

by

Angie Thomas

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Aunt Pooh Character Analysis

Bri's maternal aunt. She's been in a relationship with her girlfriend, Lena, for almost a decade. Aunt Pooh was only ten when Bri was born, and this age difference means that Pooh switches back and forth between being Bri's aunt and more of an older sister or friend figure. Pooh is a member of the Garden Disciples gang and has been since Lawless died. Lawless was her mentor, and feeling like she had nobody after he was gone, she sought community from the only place she knew she could: a gang. Pooh's gang affiliation makes Bri very uneasy. Though Pooh's friends in the gang are friendly to Bri and will always look out for her, all of Pooh's income comes from dealing cocaine—something that Bri can't quite wrap her head around, given that Jay was addicted to cocaine and Pooh still quietly resents Jay for abandoning her when she became addicted. Because Pooh is the only member of the family making enough money, she often tries to bring groceries or help Jay with bills. Though Pooh appoints herself Bri's manager, Pooh often makes Bri feel abandoned and alone. Bri believes and hopes that Pooh will stop dealing once Bri makes it big as a rapper, though she does recognize that Pooh hasn't promised to stop dealing if or when that happens. Bri struggles with feeling as though Pooh isn't there for her reliably for her music, though after the Crown steals Lawless's chain, Bri realizes that she doesn't want Pooh to get revenge for her—she just wants Pooh to be around for her. Pooh makes Bri promise to get out of Garden Heights just before a SWAT team arrests Pooh and finds cocaine on her. When Bri and Jay visit Pooh in jail, they find Pooh still scheming to get revenge on the Crown—something that Jay suggests indicates that Pooh needs to serve some time. Jay believes that Pooh is stuck in her current situation because she doesn't know who she is and doesn't know her own worth.

Aunt Pooh Quotes in On the Come Up

The On the Come Up quotes below are all either spoken by Aunt Pooh or refer to Aunt Pooh. 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:
Identity and Individuality Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

"Carrying the torch for Law, huh?"

Not really. More like making my own torch and carrying it. I say, "Yeah," though, because that's what I'm supposed to say. It's part of being royalty.

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Frank (speaker), Aunt Pooh, Lawless / Bri’s Dad, Reggie
Page Number: 23
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

I mean...I don't think she is.

For one, eight years is a hell of a long time to be clean. Two, Jay wouldn't go back to all of that. She knows how much it messed us up. She wouldn't put me and Trey through that again.

But.

She put us through it in the first place.

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Jay / Bri’s Mom, Aunt Pooh, Trey, Supreme, Bri’s Grandma, Sister Daniels
Page Number: 125
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16 Quotes

"Pooh and her drug-dealing money, saving the day."

It is kinda messed up. Here my brother is, doing everything right, and nothing's coming from it. Meanwhile, Aunt Pooh's doing everything we've been told not to do, and she's giving us food when we need it.

That's how it goes though. The drug dealers in my neighborhood aren't struggling. Everybody else is.

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Trey (speaker), Jay / Bri’s Mom, Aunt Pooh
Page Number: 218
Explanation and Analysis:

"But," he says, in a way that tells me to wipe the smile off my face, "although I get the song, now people are gonna take your words at face value. And let's be real: You're clueless about half the shit you rapped about. Clips on your hips?" Trey twists his mouth. "You know damn well you don't know what a clip is, Bri."

"Yes I do!" It's the thingy that goes on the thingy on a gun.

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Trey (speaker), Jay / Bri’s Mom, Aunt Pooh
Related Symbols: Bri’s Song, "On the Come Up"
Page Number: 221
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 28 Quotes

"I think about everything we've been through, and if I'd gone through it by myself, I'd probably be where Pooh is right now."

Damn. Aunt Pooh did say she became a GD because she didn't have anyone. Now she's in a jail cell without anyone again. I never realized that Trey could've been like her, with a record instead of a diploma. I know there's so much else that made their lives turn out differently, but he makes it sound like the difference between them was me.

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Trey (speaker), Aunt Pooh
Page Number: 362
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 31 Quotes

"Do you know what your aunt's biggest problem is?"

I look at the jailhouse. That's kinda obvious at the moment. "She's locked up."

"No. That's not even her biggest problem," says Jay. "Pooh doesn't know who she is, and by not knowing who she is, she doesn't know her worth. So, who are you?"

"What?"

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Jay / Bri’s Mom (speaker), Aunt Pooh
Page Number: 397
Explanation and Analysis:
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On the Come Up PDF

Aunt Pooh Quotes in On the Come Up

The On the Come Up quotes below are all either spoken by Aunt Pooh or refer to Aunt Pooh. 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:
Identity and Individuality Theme Icon
).
Chapter 2 Quotes

"Carrying the torch for Law, huh?"

Not really. More like making my own torch and carrying it. I say, "Yeah," though, because that's what I'm supposed to say. It's part of being royalty.

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Frank (speaker), Aunt Pooh, Lawless / Bri’s Dad, Reggie
Page Number: 23
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

I mean...I don't think she is.

For one, eight years is a hell of a long time to be clean. Two, Jay wouldn't go back to all of that. She knows how much it messed us up. She wouldn't put me and Trey through that again.

But.

She put us through it in the first place.

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Jay / Bri’s Mom, Aunt Pooh, Trey, Supreme, Bri’s Grandma, Sister Daniels
Page Number: 125
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16 Quotes

"Pooh and her drug-dealing money, saving the day."

It is kinda messed up. Here my brother is, doing everything right, and nothing's coming from it. Meanwhile, Aunt Pooh's doing everything we've been told not to do, and she's giving us food when we need it.

That's how it goes though. The drug dealers in my neighborhood aren't struggling. Everybody else is.

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Trey (speaker), Jay / Bri’s Mom, Aunt Pooh
Page Number: 218
Explanation and Analysis:

"But," he says, in a way that tells me to wipe the smile off my face, "although I get the song, now people are gonna take your words at face value. And let's be real: You're clueless about half the shit you rapped about. Clips on your hips?" Trey twists his mouth. "You know damn well you don't know what a clip is, Bri."

"Yes I do!" It's the thingy that goes on the thingy on a gun.

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Trey (speaker), Jay / Bri’s Mom, Aunt Pooh
Related Symbols: Bri’s Song, "On the Come Up"
Page Number: 221
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 28 Quotes

"I think about everything we've been through, and if I'd gone through it by myself, I'd probably be where Pooh is right now."

Damn. Aunt Pooh did say she became a GD because she didn't have anyone. Now she's in a jail cell without anyone again. I never realized that Trey could've been like her, with a record instead of a diploma. I know there's so much else that made their lives turn out differently, but he makes it sound like the difference between them was me.

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Trey (speaker), Aunt Pooh
Page Number: 362
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 31 Quotes

"Do you know what your aunt's biggest problem is?"

I look at the jailhouse. That's kinda obvious at the moment. "She's locked up."

"No. That's not even her biggest problem," says Jay. "Pooh doesn't know who she is, and by not knowing who she is, she doesn't know her worth. So, who are you?"

"What?"

Related Characters: Bri (speaker), Jay / Bri’s Mom (speaker), Aunt Pooh
Page Number: 397
Explanation and Analysis: