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Chapter 49: Things You Line Up
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in When You Reach Me, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Friendship
Coming of Age
Nonjudgment
Second Chances
Survival and Support
Summary
Analysis
On the morning of April 27, Mom, Miranda, Richard, Louisa, and Sal travel together to the TV studio. While they’re waiting for the cameras to start rolling, Louisa keeps remarking that host Dick Clark looks like he hasn’t aged a day since 1956. Luckily, Mom’s celebrity partner isn’t as dumb as a bag of hair, and she easily wins the speed round. Then, after a bit of small talk (which, Miranda frets, will interfere with Mom’s ritual of raising her veil enough to see the connecting threads), it’s time for the Winner’s Circle. Nervously, Louisa resumes talking about the apparently ageless Dick Clark.
Miranda isn’t the only person to whom friendships are vital. Mom needs the love and support of others (specifically, Richard and Louisa), too. Everyone’s extreme nerves testify to everything that’s riding on Mom winning the show and getting the second chance she both needs and deserves.
Active
Themes
