Al Capone Does My Shirts Themes, Symbols and Motifs
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Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
By Liane Hicks
Al Capone Does My Shirts: A Tale from Alcatraz is set during the Great Depression in 1935. It's about 12-year-old Moose Flanagan and his sister Natalie, who has autism. When their father gets a job as an electrician on Alcatraz, the family moves there and the siblings have to adjust to living on an island that houses some of the most dangerous criminals in the world!
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Storyboard Description
Students can track the different themes, symbols and motifs present in Al Capone Does My Shirts and create a spider map to illustrate examples
Storyboard Text
- THE CONVICT BASEBALL
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- FAMILY
- DUTY
- Moose seeks out a baseball to try and mend his friendship with Scout. He has had trouble making friends since moving to Alcatraz and it has been especially difficult since he has to care for Natalie every day after school and cannot join the other boys in baseball. Moose sees the convict baseball as his "in" with the other boys. However, when he finally gets one from Convict 105, he sees it as "dirty" and sees it as a symbol of how he might have endangered Natalie.
- 105
- Family is a central theme to the novel and Moose's family dynamics play a crucial role. Moose has a loving relationship with his father but misses him as he works so much. Moose and his mother have a strained relationship as Moose resents the pressure she puts on him to care so much for Natalie. They all care for each other and make many sacrifices to help Natalie and the family during the Great Depression.
- Moose acts as a protector for Natalie despite being younger. He understands her in a way that no one else does and is the best at dealing with the challenges her autism presents. Moose is often the primary caregiver, but at times he resents this when he wishes he could just be a kid and play baseball. However, Moose is always there for Natalie and advocates for her even if it means reaching out to Al Capone himself!
- THE BUTTON BOX
- AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS Themes, Symbols, & Motifs
- ISLAND OF ALCATRAZ
- Natalie's button box is an important recurring motif. It is her source of comfort and gives her a sense of control. Without it, Natalie feels lost. Moose understands how much it comforts her and is happy to allow her to use it when he is caring for her. Mrs. Flanagan, however, has been advised to keep it from Natalie so she can learn to cope without it. The struggle over whether to give Natalie the button box or not causes a lot of friction.
- Alcatraz is an island off the coast of San Francisco and a maximum security prison from 1934-1963. Moose is not thrilled about moving there because of the isolation it presents. The island is also a symbol of the isolation that can accompany autism. Natalie's autism can cause her to feel disconnected. She has difficulty communicating which causes great frustration. Her family, too, is isolated as most people during this time have no understanding of autism.
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