Fighting Words

“Suki said she was no better than a hamster when it came to being a mother, and hamsters sometimes eat their babies. It was always Suki who took care of me. Mostly still is.”

Della explains her complicated upbringing and the fact that her mother, now incarcerated, has never been a reliable presence. As a result, Della’s sister, Suki, has had to take on the primary caregiver role for Della. Suki compares their mother’s parenting skills to that of a hamster as an allusion to their mother’s unfit parenting, which is the first sign of Suki’s resentment toward their circumstances.

“She’s forgotten all about us. I’m sorry about that, real sorry, but it’s nothing I can change.”

Della explains that they have no contact with their mother, who had a mental health crisis while in prison. This quote illustrates Della’s outlook and overall attitude: Rather than wallowing in suffering over their abandonment, she has learned to be tough and to move on. This is evidence of her resilience; though she mourns a little, she understands that the situation is out of her control and doesn’t dwell on it.

“I’ve learned that some things are almost impossible to talk about because they’re things no one wants to know [...] Sometimes you’ve got a story you need to find the courage to tell.”

Della slowly reveals what happened to her and Suki at the hands of their mother’s boyfriend, Clifton, as the story progresses. Della structures her narrative in this way because it is difficult for her to recall the memories of his abuse; she builds confidence through telling her story until she can talk about even the most difficult parts: the abuse itself and Suki’s suicide attempt.