What did you make of Billie’s awareness of a rage inside her that she first calls The Thing, later Charlotte? She wonders if there’s a Charlotte or something like a Charlotte in everyone’s life, but that people just don’t talk about it. What do you think?
She understood that she was different from everyone around her, but she didn’t really understand why. It caused her fear and anger from not understanding. There was nobody that picked up on this to try and help her. It was a shame, a child going through this misery by herself.
I think suppressed anger or pain exists in many people,
As Kristine A suggested, anger and pain exists in many people. I think aging has an impact on how long the pain is harbored. The author portrayed a calmer Billie in the end chapters.
Charlotte doesn’t seem to be an alter ego for Billie; one that she blames for her actions such as a criminal who denies guilt because “another self” did the crime. (Current trial here in Texas.)
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Perhaps The Thing/Charlotte was a type of panic attack that Billie could feel coming on and giving it a name helped?
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I do believe that this was Billie’s coping mechanism for managing her life in such difficult circumstances. At one time I assumed she was on the autistic spectrum, but I’m not sure. I hope it’s normal for everyone to engage in “self-talk” because I sure do!
. I was delighted that in the end Billie met someone who understood her and ended up living a “normal” life.
She was not treated nicely and even adults made bad comments that she heard. She had every right to have rage inside her and because the rage came so often it became a coping mechanism and it needed to have a name.
I do believe we all have a Charlotte in us. Charlotte is our fears which can then trigger anger in degrees. Some Charlottes are bigger than others.
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