As the summer passed, Karen realized that the time was right for her walk to the Pier. It was now, or it could be never. Scene 4 One splendid afternoon, late in the month of August, she sat at her…
As the summer passed, Karen realized that the time was right for her walk to the Pier. It was now, or it could be never. Scene 4 One splendid afternoon, late in the month of August, she sat at her…
Karen planned her walk to the pier in complete detail, and she kept her plan a secret from everyone. Scene 3 Twelve long weeks passed as Karen readied herself. She spent many hours secretly preparing, until she felt ready for…
Even though Mama initially encouraged Karen to walk to the pier, she did not follow through with more encouragement, so Karen had to learn to encourage herself. Scene 2 Every day, Karen thought about the carousel, but she could not…
Even though Mama encouraged me to walk to the Pier, I still had to work up my nerve to actually do it. Hearing other kids talking about it helped me. Scene 1: Kitten Overhears the Neighbor Children Talking About How…
Parents can feel terrible guilt if they do anything that harms their child, and then even more guilt if they see themselves as imperfect. After their blow-up and reconciliation, Kitten sleeps well, but her Mama feels overwhelmed by guilt about…
In this scene, Kitten’s mother tries to explain how she is, and why she tends to be overprotective, but she doesn’t mention the overwhelming sense of guilt she has from letting a doctor give her daughter a second DPT shot…
This scene continues the conversation between Kitten and her mother, after her mother is horror-stricken to find her daughter cutting vegetables with a chef’s knife and boiling water on the stove. Kitten confronts her mother’s over-protectiveness, and they heal their…
As Chapter 4 proceeds, Kitten thinks about her Mama’s suggestion that she walk to the Pier on her own, and then she puts it into perspective by recalling the last time she had tried to become more independent. Scene 2:…
Chapter four is all about the relationship between Kitten and her mother, and how they grow together past a potentially disastrous conflict. Even though Mama encouraged Karen to walk to the pier, Karen had her doubts as to whether Mama…
Along with encouraging me to become more independent, I’m sure my Mama reflected a lot on both my progress as a child and her own progress as a parent. Scene 7: Mama reflects on her suggestion that Karen go to…