“ Our house was a combination three-ring circus and zoo, complete with ongoing action, daring feats, music, and animals.” Does Helen leave to escape her chaotic homelife or to escape the mother whose very appearance confuses her about who she is?
Do you think that this was a result of the times in which they lived, their need to belong to a group that lent them a solid identity, or a combination of these factors? Several of the McBride children became involved in the civil rights movement. The McBride children’s struggle with their identities led each to his or her own “revolution.” Is it also possible that that same struggle led them to define themselves through professional achievement? How has your knowledge -or lack thereof -about your family background shaped your own self-image?
Discuss Ruth McBride’s refusal to reveal her past and how that influenced her children’s sense of themselves and their place in the world.
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