Ninth Ward

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2010

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Download PDF

Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-9

Chapters 10-12

Chapters 13-14

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Quiz

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Themes

Fortitude in the Face of Fear

Much of Lanesha’s character arc and subsequent coming-of-age experience results from her desire to live with fortitude, a vocabulary word from Miss Perry’s English class meaning “strength to endure.” She learns the word shortly before the storm. Lanesha loves words and learning new ones; she keeps a pocket dictionary with her so she can look up an unfamiliar word when she needs to. She’s excited to bring the new word “fortitude” home to Mama Ya-Ya and tell her about it. The focus on fortitude as a defined word, and especially as an applicable concept, strongly foreshadows the extent to which Lanesha is going to need every ounce of fortitude she can muster when the storm and flood hit.

For a while, as the forecasts get worse and the weatherman looks more and more unkempt and sweaty on TV, Lanesha allows fear and apprehension to win out over fortitude. On Saturday morning, she stays in bed with her algebra book to distract herself from what is coming; she then spends much of the day drawing bridges to self-comfort, in denial about everyone’s increasing nervousness. She becomes aggravated at the storm for hurting Mama Ya-Ya’s nerves, sleep, and dream-sense. On Sunday, she sits on the porch full of anticipation and wishing the street was full of normal happenings like girls jumping rope and men talking about cars.

It is her own increasing fear that prompts her fortitude to finally kick in, like a spark plug turning on an engine. Lanesha hopes that if she prepares, maybe the preparations won’t be needed, as the saying “carry an umbrella and it won’t rain” (114) is sometimes true. She makes the conscious decision to stop avoiding and self-comforting and take action instead: “Grow up. Time for me to make things safe—for me, Mama Ya-Ya, and Spot” (115). From that moment, Lanesha’s fortitude barely wavers; she is strong throughout the storm, rejoices that they survived, gets supplies to the attic, and encourages TaShon to keep fighting for survival. Her fear is often evident, especially in the storm scenes and when she plunges into the floodwaters; now, however, her fear is no match for her fortitude and only motivates her resourcefulness, her creativity, and her battle to live.

Gratitude for Support and Help from Loved Ones

Lanesha is quite strong and capable for a newly turned 12-year-old, as demonstrated by her forethought and courage once she begins to prepare the house for the storm. But she also knows from experience that she sometimes must accept help and support from friends and family members. Lanesha’s capacity for self-awareness and self-reflection allows her to see the truth in this life lesson as she grows. Early in the novel, she extols Mama Ya-Ya’s love and many kindnesses to her, and sincerely appreciates all the ways the woman tends to her: “This I know for certain: Mama Ya-Ya loves me as the day is long. She is the only one who loves me through and through. When I’m too dreamy, when I don’t finish my chores, when I’m grumpy and sad, Mama Ya-Ya just hugs me a long time. Even when she scolds, she finishes with a hug” (9). Lanesha’s natural acceptance of Mama Ya-Ya’s love and support later primes her ability to gracefully accept help from neighbors, TaShon, and her mother’s ghost.

As the storm approaches, individual families up and down Lanesha’s street make separate preparations; some board their windows and plan to stay, while others pack cars and decide to leave town. Nonetheless, the sense of community is still noticeable and surges with moments of concern and support for one another. Mrs. Watson makes a heartfelt offer to take Lanesha and Mama Ya-Ya with her family as they leave town, though it is very clear there is no room for two more passengers in their cars. Later, neighbors who are staying to weather the storm grill all the meat they have to prevent spoilage since they know the power will likely go out. Many offer to share their cooked food with Lanesha, and she eagerly accepts ribs, potato salad, and hot dogs. The neighbors play music as they cook, and several shout out requests. The atmosphere of unity is evident, and Lanesha is grateful for the light mood as well as the food, as it helps calm her nerves about the impending storm.

Early in the novel, Lanesha helps TaShon when Max harasses him and helps again by taking in Spot. Later, Lanesha sees that she and TaShon must work together to survive. TaShon is the one who remembers to bring the axe when the flood reaches the attic floor, and he convinces Lanesha to eat to keep up her strength. Lanesha accepts and utilizes TaShon’s presence and help, gratefully realizing that without him, she never could have hoisted the tree trunk and freed the boat.

Lanesha is perhaps most grateful for her mother’s help during her battle to survive the flood. She is first clued-in to the ghost’s increasing involvement when she moves supplies up the attic; for the first time, her mother’s ghost is out of the bed. Mama’s ghost sits on the attic steps watching Lanesha prepare, and Lanesha has the definite sense that her mother is proud of her—which helps motivate Lanesha’s continued actions. Ultimately, her mother saves her life when she frees Lanesha from the tree branch pinning her under the floodwater; Lanesha is overjoyed to hear her mother say her name in that moment and for her mother’s love and guidance in safely prompting her to swim up to air.

Accepting Death as a Part of Life

Lanesha is sad and tearful when Mama Ya-Ya passes away in the attic, but she does not let her grief get in the way of survival. Lanesha is confident that Mama Ya-Ya loves her above all else and wants her to survive; so within a short time after her guardian dies, Lanesha is at the attic stairs calculating how long she has until the water makes its way to her level. Her ability to move on without Mama Ya-Ya shows Lanesha’s acceptance of death as a part of life. Lanesha’s upbringing contributes to this ability: Mama Ya-Ya herself spoke of death matter-of-factly, with acceptance and even humor: “Mr. Death is losing patience. He’ll come and ferry me down the Mississippi. I’ll put on my feathered hat. Wave like I’m in a Mardi Gras parade” (10). Lanesha does not like to think about Mama Ya-Ya getting older and passing away, but Mama Ya-Ya is gently teaching her to regard death as inevitable and natural. Mama Ya-Ya represents a kind of bridge from life to death: She served as a midwife, bringing life into the world; she took on a new life as a caretaker to infant Lanesha when Lanesha’s mother died giving birth; and she keeps an altar to both saints and voodoo gods in her bedroom, a constant, intimate reminder that death can be a passageway to moving on or changing forms.

Lanesha’s ready acceptance of Mama Ya-Ya’s passing is fitting for a young girl who sees ghosts everywhere, from the streets to the school to her own living room. When she informs TaShon that Mama Ya-Ya is gone, she says simply, “She’s dead. It’s all right” (182). She comes close to revealing to TaShon why it is all right: She’s certain to see Mama Ya-Ya’s ghost soon, the way she sees her mother’s frequently. In the end, Lanesha keeps her ability to perceive ghosts to herself, not completely confident that TaShon will understand but entirely confident in her power and knowledge. She is proven correct when she sees Mama Ya-Ya’s spirit rising from the flooded neighborhood near the boat. Unlike her mother’s ghost, who was largely unresponsive to Lanesha’s attempts to communicate until just this day, Mama Ya-Ya’s ghost immediately speaks to her: “Lanesha, you’re one sweet child” (211). Mama Ya-Ya also says she will be fine before expressing her love. Lanesha’s connection to Mama Ya-Ya remains strong even though death has separated them physically, allowing Lanesha to feel joy and contentment in her survival.