A few excerpts/a summary of the episode:
The story of her burning herself is an apt beginning- it is an awesome intro into how her family, specifically her father, doesn’t trust anyone or anything outside of themselves- and certainly does not trust any kind of institution. Especially if that institution can hold him responsible for his actions. It also sets the tone for how her mother lets her father make all the decisions for some reason, in spite of what a strong and independent woman she could be.
Her father, Rex, often asked the kids if he had ever let them down- and even though he had many many times, he needed them to say no. he was an emotional manipulator, and he wanted to make the kids dependent on him. Further, this call and response was important to hi m because he needed that outside validation because he knew he was a failure, deep down.
In college, when Jeanette is singled out by a professor and told she doesn’t understand the plight of being homeless- well first of all, this is evidence of how judgmental higher education is and how often the educators make wide assumptions even as they try to teach young students not to do that. Yikes. Anyway, Jeanette doesn’t speak up and say actually i do- because she is still immersed in this pride and perception deception situation created and upheld by her parents because they refused to believe they were struggling.
In spite of everything her parents put her and her siblings through- homelessness, emotional abuse, her mom not standing up for their needs, narcissism, near starvation…. Jeanette refuses to condemn her parents actions even as an adult. I think she does still have some emotional dependence on them and their whole family unity goal perception thing. I think she also has very unique empathy for them where she understands, in a way, and is just very forgiving without having to outwardly acknowledge all of the pain they’ve caused her.
LINK TO BOOK ON AMAZON HERE but preferably support your local book sellers :)