Chapter 4: Haitham — Summary, Key Themes, and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
The chapter opens with the narrator reflecting that she and Haitham have known each other since childhood, because their mothers are friends from their home country. The mothers share a bond described as an ancient sisterhood of grief, and Haitham's mother is the only one who can make the narrator's mother laugh. However, the narrator notes that she truly meets Haitham only when they are both entering adolescence, at a moment marked by her wearing the first new coat she has ever owned.
The scene shifts to a Walmart, where the cold, harsh lights and polished floors create an alienating atmosphere. The narrator observes that nothing of her mother's date-palm trees or Haitham's mother's riverbank remains—only suburban America. The two mothers share a shopping cart and speak shy, quiet English, practicing new words like coupon and value-pack. Haitham's polo shirt hangs loose on him, years before his shoulders will grow to fill it.
Later, at a bus stop, the mothers fish for change at the bottoms of their worn handbags. Haitham lifts the hem of his shirt just a little to show the narrator a pack of stolen Starburst candy tucked into the waist of his jeans. He whispers, asking if she will tell on him. She shakes her head, thrumming with excitement and fear. A grin stretches across his face, and he begins unwrapping the candy, telling her that half of it is hers.
Key Events
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The narrator and Haitham are introduced as childhood acquaintances through their mothers' friendship.
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The narrator's first real meeting with Haitham occurs when she wears her first new coat, marking a transition into adolescence.
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The meeting takes place in a Walmart, where the mothers practice English and share a shopping cart.
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At a bus stop, Haitham reveals a pack of stolen Starburst candy and asks the narrator to keep his secret.
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The narrator agrees, and Haitham shares the candy with her, solidifying their bond.
Character Development
This chapter focuses on the narrator's internal shift from childhood to adolescence. The first new coat she owns symbolizes a new stage of life, one where she becomes more aware of her body and her surroundings. Her interaction with Haitham introduces her to the thrill of a shared secret, a small act of rebellion that brings her closer to him.
Haitham is portrayed as a peer who is also navigating the awkwardness of growing up. His loose polo shirt and the stolen candy suggest a boy testing boundaries, yet his willingness to share the candy shows his trust in the narrator. Their mothers, though not the focus, are depicted as women bound by shared grief and displacement, struggling to adapt to a new language and culture.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
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Displacement and Suburban Alienation: The Walmart and bus stop are stark, impersonal settings that contrast with the mothers' memories of date-palm trees and riverbanks. The narrator notes that no matter how far they strain their eyes, only suburban America remains, highlighting the loss of home.
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Language Barrier: The mothers' shy, quiet English and their practice of words like coupon and value-pack illustrate the difficulty of navigating a new culture and the effort required to communicate.
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Childhood Friendship and Shared Secret: The stolen Starburst candy becomes a symbol of trust and complicity. The narrator's decision not to tell Haitham's secret forges a siblinghood of their own, separate from their mothers' friendship.
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Coming of Age: The narrator's first new coat and the physical awkwardness of adolescence (elbows feeling larger than the rest of the body) mark a transition. The shared secret with Haitham is a step into a more complex social world.
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Maternal Grief: The mothers' friendship is rooted in an ancient sisterhood of grief, suggesting that their bond is shaped by loss and longing for their homeland.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 4 establishes the foundational relationship between the narrator and Haitham, which is likely to be significant in the rest of the novel. It also deepens the reader's understanding of the immigrant experience, showing how children of displaced parents navigate their own identities in a new country. The chapter's focus on a small, intimate moment—a shared candy and a secret—highlights the importance of connection and trust in the face of alienation. Additionally, the imagery of the Walmart and bus stop reinforces the theme of suburban displacement, setting the stage for the narrator's ongoing struggle to find a sense of belonging.
Study Questions and Answers
- How does the setting of the Walmart reflect the theme of displacement?
The Walmart is described with cold, harsh lights and polished floors, creating a sterile and impersonal environment. The narrator notes that nothing of her mother's date-palm trees or Haitham's mother's riverbank remains, emphasizing that the characters are far from their homeland. The setting underscores the alienation the families feel in suburban America, where even familiar comforts are absent.
- What does the stolen Starburst candy symbolize in this chapter?
The stolen candy represents a small act of rebellion and a shared secret between the narrator and Haitham. It symbolizes the beginning of their own bond, separate from their mothers' friendship. The act of sharing the candy also signifies trust and generosity, as Haitham offers half to the narrator, cementing their connection.
- How does the narrator's first new coat mark a coming-of-age moment?
The narrator explicitly connects the coat to the moment she truly meets Haitham, noting that she is wearing it when they are both entering the age that makes their elbows feel larger than the rest of their bodies. The coat is a symbol of a new stage in life, one where she becomes more aware of her physical self and her social interactions. It marks a transition from childhood to adolescence, setting the stage for the more complex experiences that follow.