Aunt Pooh Character Analysis in On the Come Up

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:

"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: Frank (speaker), Bri (speaker), Aunt Pooh, Lawless / Bri’s Dad, Reggie

Page Number and Citation: 23

Explanation and Analysis:

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, Bri’s Grandma, Trey, Sister Daniels, Supreme, Aunt Pooh

Page Number and Citation: 125

Explanation and Analysis:

"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: Trey (speaker), Bri (speaker), Jay / Bri’s Mom, Aunt Pooh

Page Number and Citation: 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: Trey (speaker), Bri (speaker), Jay / Bri’s Mom, Aunt Pooh

Related Symbols: Bri’s Song, "On the Come Up"

Page Number and Citation: 221

Explanation and Analysis:

"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: Trey (speaker), Bri (speaker), Aunt Pooh

Page Number and Citation: 362

Explanation and Analysis:

"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: Jay / Bri’s Mom (speaker), Bri (speaker), Aunt Pooh

Page Number and Citation: 397

Explanation and Analysis:

Aunt Pooh Character Timeline in On the Come Up

The timeline below shows where the character Aunt Pooh appears in On the Come Up. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Trauma, Poverty, and Childhood Theme Icon

...a good college. Bri rolls her eyes; she wants to rap. She mentions that Aunt Pooh said that the call would come between 4:30 and 5:30, and Jay points out both... (full context)

...Jay tells Bri to come right home after the battle and not stay out with Pooh and all the "things" Pooh is into. Bri starts to defend Pooh, but then notices... (full context)

Bri texts Aunt Pooh that she got into the battle, and a few minutes after Jay leaves, Pooh arrives.... (full context)

Pooh pulls into the parking lot, where people are showing off their cars and stereo systems.... (full context)

...to "murder" Bri like someone murdered Lawless. Bri steps forward and shouts at Milez, but Pooh pulls her back and points out that the line was designed to rile her up.... (full context)

...for a date night, but a minute after they left the house, Bri, Trey, and Pooh heard shots and Jay screaming. A Crown supposedly did it, as Lawless was involved with... (full context)

Jojo follows Bri to the courtyard of Aunt Pooh's apartment building. Pooh and one of her closest friends, Scrap, sit on Pooh's car, surrounded... (full context)

Aunt Pooh sends everyone away including Jojo, who wants desperately to become a Garden Disciple. After he... (full context)

Pooh asks how Bri got home, and Bri explains how and why Jay got laid off.... (full context)

A skinny old man shouts at Pooh from across the courtyard. Pooh goes to him and sends him away with a little... (full context)

...checks her phone and sees that it's still on Do Not Disturb mode from school. Pooh walks back from her drug deal and gives Trey a hard time about his pizza... (full context)

Aunt Pooh picks Bri up later. Bri tells Jay that she and Pooh are just hanging out,... (full context)

Pooh is excited, but when her phone goes off, she announces that she needs to go.... (full context)

On Sunday morning, Bri spends a long time in the bathroom thinking about how Pooh never came back to the recording session. Scrap walked Bri home after Doc polished the... (full context)

...with her talent; he saw she doesn't have music online. When he learns that Aunt Pooh is Bri's manager, he laughs and says that Pooh probably heard about Dee-Nice's deal and... (full context)

Jay starts making dinner while Bri admires the chain. Aunt Pooh and Lena arrive, and when Bri asks where Pooh has been, Lena tells Bri that... (full context)

Aunt Pooh plugs in earbuds and dances to the song until suddenly, she stops. She angrily pulls... (full context)

After a moment of silence, Pooh hisses in Bri's face to delete the song and says they'll make a new one.... (full context)

Two weeks later, Bri walks out to Aunt Pooh's car to go to another battle in the Ring. She doesn't think that Jay or... (full context)

Scrap notices Bri's chain, but Pooh nastily reminds Bri that she shouldn't be wearing it. Bri assures Pooh that security will... (full context)

...Up." Bri and the crowd perform a call-and-response with Bri's lyrics and people congratulate her. Pooh glares at Bri and strides to the parking lot. She spits that Bri shouldn't have... (full context)

Supreme asks Bri what happened with Pooh, and compliments Bri for how she worked the crowd. He says that the publicity will... (full context)

...should be booking shows and getting Bri on other people's songs. When he learns that Pooh isn't doing that, he asks if she's the best choice to manage Bri. He asks... (full context)

...things like "ghetto, ratchet, [and] a hood rat." She wonders if he's right about Aunt Pooh too, though she feels guilty for thinking it. As Jay gives Bri a pancake made... (full context)

...texted him links immediately after it happened. He reminds Bri to not involve herself with Pooh's mess. (full context)

Glumly, Bri says that both she and Pooh were just defending themselves, but Trey says this isn't the way to do it. He... (full context)

...where the Fish Hut is located looks like a warzone after the riots. In Aunt Pooh's opinion, the Fish Hut is only standing because Mr. Barry put a "black owned" sign... (full context)

...suddenly realizes that all of this is a setup to lure her away from Aunt Pooh. Bri thinks that she knew this was going to happen and wonders if she's a... (full context)

...in her room and tries to be excited for herself, but she's nervous to fire Pooh and about what Jay will say. Bri returns to the kitchen and Jay explains that... (full context)

Bri sits with Malik and calls Aunt Pooh. Pooh arrives a few minutes later with Scrap. They both have their guns out and... (full context)

Pooh and Scrap discuss the Crown and Bri figures they're all going to where they know... (full context)

...and his children will suffer. The neighborhood will treat him like a heroic martyr and Pooh will become the murderous villain. Bri will lose Pooh. Bri sobs into her hands. (full context)

Bri barely sleeps all night. She thinks of what she asked Pooh to do and texts Pooh if she's okay. Pooh never responds. Bri snaps awake in... (full context)

...things that have happened and thinks that it's been 20 hours since she spoke to Pooh. Jay tries to lighten the mood by pulling out the Uno deck after dinner. Bri,... (full context)

Bri jumps, hoping it's not about Pooh, but it's Grandma and Granddaddy. Grandma imperiously sniffs and peeks into rooms, presumably looking for... (full context)

...the phones in, Supreme calls her. She tries to sound upbeat, thinking he can't help Pooh. He says that DJ Hype wants Bri to come on his radio show, which plays... (full context)

Four days later, Bri still hasn't heard from Aunt Pooh. Bri doesn't know what to do—telling Jay or the cops would be like snitching and... (full context)

Ten days after Pooh disappeared, Bri gets a text from her asking to meet up after school. She gets... (full context)

...makes Bri stop short. Jojo says that he's told the kids that Bri shoots gangsters. Pooh calls for Bri before Bri can refute this. Bri wonders if she's done something bad... (full context)

Bri joins Pooh on top of her car. As usual, Pooh refuses to say where she's been, but... (full context)

Pooh says that Bri has annoyed lots of people with her song. Bri mentions the invite... (full context)

Aunt Pooh yells at Bri to go as the SWAT team chases down Garden Disciples. Bri doesn't... (full context)

They hear the SWAT officers closing a van door and Curtis offers condolences for Pooh. They sit in silence until Bri again thanks Curtis. They joke about Bri writing a... (full context)

...to Bri's house. They kiss and Bri goes inside. Bri shakily tells Jay that Aunt Pooh was arrested in a drug bust. Jay immediately calls the police station, Trey, and Lena,... (full context)

...listens to Supreme and thinks that though this is a big deal, it won't save Pooh. Supreme calls Bri "Li'l Law" and asks if she's okay, but Bri asks him to... (full context)

...says that Jay is still in her room and there's no new information on Aunt Pooh. Bri realizes that Trey heard the interview. He angrily asks what's wrong with Bri since... (full context)

...kisses her on the cheek and says that Bri kept him from following in Aunt Pooh's footsteps. Bri hasn't considered this possibility and wonders if Pooh has to save herself. Trey... (full context)

...be okay and sits up. Jay invites Bri to come with her to visit Aunt Pooh tomorrow and says that she hasn't heard from Dr. Cook. Bri feels like she's five... (full context)

...for Valentine's Day tomorrow. She takes offense to his language and says that she's seeing Pooh. As the bus stops at Sonny and Malik's houses, Curtis stands on the seat and... (full context)

...at the lavish reception area and thinks it doesn't feel right to be here without Pooh, though she's also uneasy because she lied to Jay about where she was going. Bri... (full context)

The next afternoon when Jay picks Bri up to go see Aunt Pooh, she asks if Bri's okay. Bri thinks of the song she did. She hates it,... (full context)

Security leads them to a windowless room. Twenty minutes later, a guard brings Pooh in. She greets Scrap and then envelops Bri in a hug. When they all sit... (full context)

Jay closes her eyes as Pooh nastily says that the Crowns told on the Garden Disciples, so now it's war. Pooh... (full context)

Outside the jail, Bri asks if Jay really isn't going to bail Pooh out. Jay says she can't when they have bills and when Pooh will just start... (full context)

...this must stop. Bri desperately fights this until Jay asks Bri if she knows what Pooh's biggest problem is. She says that Pooh's problem is that she doesn't know who she... (full context)

...job of singing along, which makes Sonny and Malik snicker. Embarrassed, Bri thinks that Aunt Pooh would try to hype her up the same way. It's still weird that Pooh is... (full context)

Scrap knocks on the door and gives Bri his phone. Pooh is on the line. Pooh gives Bri a pep talk and says that she might... (full context)

On the Come Up

Aunt Pooh Character Analysis

Aunt Pooh Quotes in On the Come Up

Chapter 2 Quotes

Chapter 9 Quotes

Chapter 16 Quotes

Chapter 28 Quotes

Chapter 31 Quotes

Aunt Pooh Character Timeline in On the Come Up