“We were trying to block them out with talk of Elemeno. Cole was explaining to me that it wasn’t just a language, but a place and a people as well” (7).
Their invention of the language, Elemeno, showed creativity in both Cole and Birdie. They constantly told stories in Elemeno and imagined a land full of people talking in Elemeno. This also shows that they are isolated from the world and have to use their imagination to create their own world.
“She said they were a shifting people, constantly changing their form, color, pattern in a quest for invisibility” (7).
Cole’s words foreshadow a theme of invisibility that will occur with Birdie. Birdie will constantly change between the different races and remain invisible in each culture. She will …show more content…
The connection made by Birdie shows that she realizes she is different from her sister. This brings a mental line of separation between them. It also brings a new idea of race and skin color into Birdie’s mind.
‘“What you doin’ in this school? You white?”’(43).
This shows the theme of extreme racism throughout the book. During her time at Nkrumah, Birdie was being teased because of her skin color. The insult shows the racial tensions between people of different color. The racism is so deeply woven into their society that even the minds of children were influenced.
‘“Listen, metal mouth, Birdie isn’t white. She’s black. Just like me. So don’t be messing with her again or I’ll cut off all your hair for real this time” (48).
Cole stands up for Birdie when she was being bullied at school. This expresses an important theme of sisterhood. Cole’s relationship with Birdie shows the strong affection and responsibility for protecting her …show more content…
Birdie could be a black or a white person. She is able to hide within the background of whatever culture she is currently in. However, this also shows her inability to find her identity. She struggles with being black or white. And she needs to find who she truly is.
“Cole and I ignored her. There was no way I was going back to the never-never land of my old self—scraggly hair, dirty knees, and a tomboy’s swaggering gait” (65).
Birdie and Cole’s actions show the rebellious nature of adolescence. Cole is self-conscious of her looks and Birdie follows along with the changes in clothing and makeup. Cole starts to act differently at school and talks about her new interest in boys.
“My father laughed a little and said, nudging Cole, gesturing toward the couple: ‘What’s wrong with that picture?’” (72).
Her father’s remark toward the couple showed the lack of acceptance of interracial marriages. This is after her father leaving Birdie’s mother. It also shows that her father took pride in his race and did not want to be “bred” into the white people. “Cole was slipping out of my reach, slowly, inevitably, like water from cupped hands. Not because of our father’s preachings, but more because she found herself in an adolescent torpor with no one, including me, to talk to about it”
Their invention of the language, Elemeno, showed creativity in both Cole and Birdie. They constantly told stories in Elemeno and imagined a land full of people talking in Elemeno. This also shows that they are isolated from the world and have to use their imagination to create their own world.
“She said they were a shifting people, constantly changing their form, color, pattern in a quest for invisibility” (7).
Cole’s words foreshadow a theme of invisibility that will occur with Birdie. Birdie will constantly change between the different races and remain invisible in each culture. She will …show more content…
The connection made by Birdie shows that she realizes she is different from her sister. This brings a mental line of separation between them. It also brings a new idea of race and skin color into Birdie’s mind.
‘“What you doin’ in this school? You white?”’(43).
This shows the theme of extreme racism throughout the book. During her time at Nkrumah, Birdie was being teased because of her skin color. The insult shows the racial tensions between people of different color. The racism is so deeply woven into their society that even the minds of children were influenced.
‘“Listen, metal mouth, Birdie isn’t white. She’s black. Just like me. So don’t be messing with her again or I’ll cut off all your hair for real this time” (48).
Cole stands up for Birdie when she was being bullied at school. This expresses an important theme of sisterhood. Cole’s relationship with Birdie shows the strong affection and responsibility for protecting her …show more content…
Birdie could be a black or a white person. She is able to hide within the background of whatever culture she is currently in. However, this also shows her inability to find her identity. She struggles with being black or white. And she needs to find who she truly is.
“Cole and I ignored her. There was no way I was going back to the never-never land of my old self—scraggly hair, dirty knees, and a tomboy’s swaggering gait” (65).
Birdie and Cole’s actions show the rebellious nature of adolescence. Cole is self-conscious of her looks and Birdie follows along with the changes in clothing and makeup. Cole starts to act differently at school and talks about her new interest in boys.
“My father laughed a little and said, nudging Cole, gesturing toward the couple: ‘What’s wrong with that picture?’” (72).
Her father’s remark toward the couple showed the lack of acceptance of interracial marriages. This is after her father leaving Birdie’s mother. It also shows that her father took pride in his race and did not want to be “bred” into the white people. “Cole was slipping out of my reach, slowly, inevitably, like water from cupped hands. Not because of our father’s preachings, but more because she found herself in an adolescent torpor with no one, including me, to talk to about it”