Entry 2: Passage/ Quote Analysis

The quote “Do you think she ever did something to Dad like what she did to Brian”(148) holds a large significance to the story.  During this quote Jeanette is talking to her siblings about what happened to Brian by Erma. From what Jeanette saw it looked or appeared to be that Brian was being sexually harassed by their own grandma. This quote literally means, do you think Erma ever raped or sexually harassed Rex Walls like she did to Brian. This quote is also foreshadowing many events. It never made sense why Jeanette always talked about her grandma Smith but never her Dad’s family. This question hides a lot of underlying themes within it. If in fact Erma did sexually abuse Rex this could foreshadow why he has become an alcoholic because after such a traumatizing experience some people escape by drinking. This can also explain why Rex really didn’t want to leave Phoenix and wanted to stay as far away from Welch as possible.

            The importance of this quote is that is answers questions that were not answered beforehand. If Jeanette’s father was in fact raped by his own mother it gives him perfect reason to want to leave home so early and having such a bad addiction. Rex might also be so strict with the kids now because he takes it really seriously from a firsthand account and wants to be sure that the kids are telling the truth.  He doesn’t want to believe that it could be true what his mother has done. The quote and few sentences after it, all are part of Rex and his ideas. Jeanette realizes that maybe Lori’s right when she says “It’ll make you crazy”(148). Thinking about it and wanting to believe it makes it true and that in fact would make you crazy.

                                                                                       Word Count: 303 words