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Chapter 16: Capone Washed Your Shirts
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Al Capone Does My Shirts, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Disability, Dignity, and Shared Humanity
Friendship and Community
Family
Growing Up and Doing the Right Thing
Summary
Analysis
Moose doesn’t say anything to Mom that night about Scout changing baseball day to Tuesday, since he doesn’t want to hear her say that she told him so. Mom goes downstairs to take a phone call after dinner and returns with the news that one of her piano students asked to switch their lesson day to Tuesday. Moose’s stomach drops, and he shares that Scout moved baseball. Mom, however, says she can’t change her schedule now and suggests Moose play on Alcatraz. She refuses to get Natalie a babysitter. Moose goes to his room to stew, but he sneaks out for snacks while Mom is using the bathroom. Mom finishes quickly, though, and she suggests Moose play with Annie or Natalie. Moose just mutters and asks when Dad is coming home. Dad won’t be home until midnight, and Mom again refuses to change her schedule for Moose.
Mom is stubbornly insistent that Moose accommodate her and what she wants him to do, not understanding (or willfully misunderstanding) how important baseball with Scout is to Moose. Playing with Annie or Natalie isn’t at all the same. Moose doesn’t say it in so many words, but this drives home for him that Mom prioritizes Natalie over him. And while Moose loves Natalie and wants to help her, he also craves his independence—and support from both of his parents, which right now, he isn’t getting.
Themes
