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.)
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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