Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in With the Fire on High, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Coming of Age and Teen Parenthood
Creativity vs. Professional Norms
Food and Connection
Caregiving, Independence, and Identity
Support, Community, and Mentorship
Summary
Analysis
Emoni mutters about Mrs. Palmer and is momentarily angry at ’Buela—had ‘Buela picked up Babygirl, this wouldn’t have happened. But ’Buela isn’t Babygirl’s mom. Emoni gets Babygirl some juice and Tylenol. She wonders if Babygirl picked something up at Disney On Ice or if the house is just too cold. Just then, ’Buela walks in with groceries, twinkling eyes, and her hair done. Emoni immediately starts to sob and ask where ’Buela was. ’Buela points to a note and snaps that she also texted Emoni. They discuss Babygirl’s fever and Mrs. Palmer’s threat about custody, glaring at each other.
Though Emoni’s first instinct is to blame ’Buela, she realizes this isn’t appropriate or the most mature: Emoni is Babygirl’s primary parent, and so it’s her responsibility to be there for her daughter. Still, Emoni is a kid herself and she craves ’Buela’s support, especially after Mrs. Palmer’s custody threat. For her part, ’Buela seems somewhat distracted and as though she’s had a great afternoon, which no doubt contributes to Emoni’s emotional reaction.
Themes
As Babygirl starts to cry, Emoni sweeps the toddler into her arms. Before she carries Babygirl upstairs, Emoni asks ’Buela why she’s seen the doctor so much recently. ’Buela admits that she’s been lying. She hasn’t been seeing the doctor, she has just been taking afternoons to be herself, Gloria, and not ’Buela. She doesn’t want to talk about it. Emoni starts crying again, both hurt and relieved.
’Buela’s admission is a bombshell for Emoni. ’Buela has left clues throughout the novel that she’s tired after raising three kids now, and that she’d perhaps hoped to have some time to be Gloria in her older age. This highlights the necessity of caregivers having a life outside of their caregiving responsibilities, something that Emoni didn’t seem to fully grasp ’Buela needed.
Themes
