Little Fires Everywhere: A Story of Race, Class, Sexuality, and Motherhood

Set in the 1990s, Celeste Ng’s “Little Fires Everywhere” was a serious page turner. With themes about race, class, sexuality, motherhood, and so much more, how could Reese Witherspoon resist her innate desire to elevate the novel from page to screen? With the help of her production company, Hello Sunshine; the esteemed Liz Tigelaar, who developed the novel into a compelling mini-series; and none other than Kerry Washington appearing in the all-star cast, Witherspoon launched into action.

As I turned on the first episode of “Little Fires,” I remember being taken aback by the thought of Reese Witherspoon, who tends to portray characters who are honest, raw, and real, playing Elena Richardson. Having read the book before the television series was even a twinkle in Witherspoon’s eye, I knew that Elena Richardson was a seemingly flawless mother of four, the wife of Bill Richardson (who is a successful lawyer), a resident of suburban Shaker Heights, Ohio, and a part-time journalist at her local newspaper (she would be full-time, but motherhood interrupted her career).

 I know what you’re thinking: so far, Elena is a perfectly normal, if not boring, character. Yes, she is. And that, ladies and gentleman, is the point. Elena is perfect. She has curated a perfect family, a perfect home, a perfect community, a perfect life, and she even manages a perfect rental property where she houses those in need! Elena is hell-bent on keeping everything exactly the way it is - until she meets Mia (Kerry Washington).

Mia Warren, mother of teenage Pearl Warren (Lexi Underwood), is an artist, which is why she and her daughter are constantly traveling in their beat up Volkswagen Rabbit, never living in one place for too long. Mia’s surroundings inspire her art, and when she arrives in Shaker, she rents Elena’s apartment. Elena then takes an interest in Mia that plays out through the entire series. Elena offers Mia a job as “house manager,” which involves cooking and cleaning, after she sees that Mia works part-time at a Chinese restaurant. At first, Mia declines, as she seems disgusted by the thought of being Elena Richardson’s maid, but she then accepts the job offer to keep an eye on her daughter once she realizes that Pearl has taken an interest in the Richardson’s and is spending more and more time in their home. As Pearl assimilates to the suburban Richardson lifestyle, she resents her mother for uprooting her life time and time again.

With Pearl cozying up to the Richardsons, Elena’s passive, often tone-deaf racism is revealed, because Pearl being with the Richardsons more means that we, as viewers, are with the Richardsons more. However, spending more time with the Richardsons makes me realize one thing: Shaker Heights claims to be perfect, just as the Richardsons do, but it is truly a town built on racism and misogyny, as Mia gradually learns for herself.

Additionally, all of these characters set eachother off. Elena sees the freedom and spontaneity that Mia’s lifestyle allows her and immediately becomes suspicious, wondering what Mia is running from. It is my interpretation that Elena only thinks Mia is running from something because Mia doesn’t want to be the housewife. She doesn’t want to be rich, she doesn’t want to settle down, and she doesn’t want to live the life that Elena thinks every woman should choose for herself. This allows Elena to fantasize about what her own life would have been like if she had chosen a different, more career-oriented path.

Moreover, while Elena thinks she is helping Mia by providing her with housing and a job, Mia thinks that she is helping her coworker Bebe Chow when she pays for Bebe’s lawyer in a trial to win back her daughter, who is being adopted by Linda and Mark McCullough, close friends of the Richardsons. While Mia thinks she is helping Bebe Chow reclaim her daughter, Bill Richardson thinks he is helping the McCulloughs by being their attorney in trial. Everyone needs saving, but the ethics of “saving” are complicated and not everyone was built to be a savior.

Little Fires Everywhere is a thrilling, mind-bending, line-blurring story that constantly forces its viewers to question what is wrong and what is right. Good intentions can destroy lives, and perfection can burn a house to the ground.