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Cooking Hot Dogs
At three years old, Jeanette is cooking hot dogs. She is wearing a tutu and it ends up catching fire. Her mother, Rose Mary, is busy in the other room and hears her. Her family takes her to the hospital. This event shows that even from a very young age, Jeanette has already been taught how to take care of herself and survive life without her parents. -
Falling Out of the Car
Jeanette fell out of the car around some train tracks. She seemed to be scared, but still hoped that her parents would come back when they drove away. They came back. Jeanette is consoled and told that they would never leave her behind. This event is a very clear sign that her parents are not exactly the most functional ones. Yet they still came back for her. -
Living in the Desert
The Walls family would eat plants. Rose Mary would find water and most of the time, Jeanette bathed with a cup of water. The water they drank came from the ditch. They caught animals and found rocks. After, they move to Battle Mountain. This event shows how Jeanette's family is teaching them to adapt to the environment. In reality, her parents can not actually afford a home so they have to travel more. Jeanette is taught how to preserve what she has and make use of the environment. -
The Hot Pot
Jeanette learns how to swim. Her father doesn't really ask her if she wants to learn but he tells her to move away from the side. He proceeds to throw her into the water multiple times where she can not touch. Rex says that "If you don't want to sink, you better figure out how to swim". She says that he must be right and that there was no other way. She implies that her father is correct; you have to adapt and learn through life since there won't always be an edge or someone to hold onto. -
Fixing the Roof
The Walls children have to fix the roof of their house in Welch after a heavy rain because it was destroyed. This is an example and one event that shows how the roles are reversed. Jeanette, Lori and Brian are fixing the house at such young ages because they care about surviving and having a home. Rex and Rose Mary are gone so they have to adapt and fix the house themselves. -
Dinitia Hewitt
Dinitia Hewitt is a girl that Jeanette meets at school. At first, she bullies Jeanette. Jeanette is beat up because she is smart, but not Welch smart. Jeanette brings home Dinitia's neighbour after a rabid dog attacks him. This shows how Rose Mary taught her kids something good. They are taught to overcome prejudice. She speaks against Erma when she says a multitude of racist comments. Jeanette is told to be lenient with Erma so that they still have a place to live. -
Playing Pool
In this chapter, Rex takes Jeanette to the bar. They play pool against a few men. She gives her father money to place bets on a pool game. When they win enough money, Rex allows the men to take Jeanette up to the room. This event indicates that Rex cares about Jeanette, but to a point. I'm sure he knows what is going to happen up in the room and he lets it happen anyways. So Jeanette has to defend herself from these men by herself. It's one of the events that lead her to leaving her parents. -
Moving to New York
Jeanette decides to head to New York before graduating because it will be easier to get into universities if she graduates there. She gets her first job at a fast food restaurant and then applies to Barnard. Basically everything her parents taught her brought her to this. She has to go and survive in New York, pretty well on her own. But she did get away from her parents and her life seems to get better. She starts to show more of a mature independence rather than being stuck with her parents. -
Homeless Parents
Jeanette's parents moved to New York. They do not have a place to stay aside from squatting in an abandoned building. She avoids the topic of family. This event makes us realize that Jeanette has gone soft in the city. She is visibly embarrassed about her parents being low class. She also feels bad that she has so much and they have so little but she does not help them. Not just because they do not want handouts but also because Jeanette does not want to have her parents around. -
Rex's Death
Rex reaches out to Jeanette to tell her that he is dying. He ends up dying of a heart attack. This event makes Jeanette realize that her father is not all bad. She has good memories of him that overlook a few of the bad ones. She also begins to realize that she has gone soft. After that she drops most things that she realizes she didn't want, things her father already knew she was unhappy with. She moves into her own apartment and starts a more adventurous lifestyle.
