From mind-speaking tattoos to good ole-fashioned jaw flapping, communication makes the world go 'round… or so we find in Savvy. The people that wind up the happiest are the ones who communicate a lot—with both themselves and with each other.
The happiest family in the book is the Beaumonts. They're brought together in secrecy by their magical talents, but as a family they talk openly about what's going on with each other. How about all of the times that Momma discusses savvies and what happens with the kids? Sure the average teenager probably hates this (we're looking at you reader), but the result is that the kids are able to handle the changes they go through much better because of it.
Look at Miss Rosemary—she assumes what is best for her kids and never asks them what they want or prefer, and the result is that the kids resent her for it.
Lill Kitely is a person who is openly content with herself, and she infects others with her happiness because she's willing to lay everything on the table. Lester, on the other hand, is too scared to talk, and his tattoos tell the story of his sadness and insecurity. Through Lill's support and conversation, Lester becomes much happier with himself and the path that he chooses to follow.
Questions About Communication
- Which characters become happier because of good communication?
- Which characters are bad communicators? Do their communication styles make them bad people?
- Do Mibs and Bobbi only communicate through Bobbi's temporary tattoo?
- If good communication means being happy, who would be the happiest character in the book?
Chew on This
Mibs becomes a happy person because she learns new forms of communication.
Because Carlene can't communicate any way other than yelling and being mean, she and Lester will always have a bad relationship.