THE WEIRD SISTERS: Chapters 12 through 16

[Melissa_W Moderator]

Please use this thread to discuss Chapters 12 though 16 of The Weird Sisters.

[Fozzie]

I’ve read through this section of the book now.  The sisters’ secrets are exposed to at least part of the family.  As I head into the final section of reading, I am not sure what is going to happen (which is good!). 

I hope Rose at least goes to visit her fiancée inEngland.  I lived there for 18 months myself and it would be a great experience for her.  Even her mother has told her to go!

I hope Bean can change her ways.  Her drinking, sleeping around, and stealing to finance a lifestyle are all symptoms of low self esteem.  Maybe she can only see her looks, so to speak, and doesn’t realize that she can be valued for other things besides physical beauty.

Cordy will have her baby, which is good.  I sure hope both grandparents are around, both mentally (Dad) and physically (Mom) to enjoy the baby.  However, I don’t know where Cordy’s life is headed.

This is such a wonderful book!

[Melissa_W Moderator]

I thought there were two things really interesting that happened centered around Cordy having the baby:

1.  When she tells the family about the baby, Bean asks her if she ever thought to use birth control.  We (the readers) know from the first chapter that Cordy did use a condom, she was being responsible (or trying to), and it broke.  Why doesn't she defend herself to Bean?

2.  When Cordy is deciding whether to have the baby, give the baby up, or abort the pregnancy, she puts in a dig (can't find the exact page) that Bean has likely had several abortions already.  Yet, I don't the sense from Bean that she is irresponsible in that area.  Bean has likely thought ahead to what a baby would do to her single lifestyle in New York and taken the appropriate contraceptive steps.

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Fozzie wrote:

Cordy will have her baby, which is good.  I sure hope both grandparents are around, both mentally (Dad) and physically (Mom) to enjoy the baby.  However, I don’t know where Cordy’s life is headed.

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I'm glad you like the book.

[Fozzie]

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Melissa_W wrote:

I thought there were two things really interesting that happened centered around Cordy having the baby:

1.  When she tells the family about the baby, Bean asks her if she ever thought to use birth control.  We (the readers) know from the first chapter that Cordy did use a condom, she was being responsible (or trying to), and it broke.  Why doesn't she defend herself to Bean?

2.  When Cordy is deciding whether to have the baby, give the baby up, or abort the pregnancy, she puts in a dig (can't find the exact page) that Bean has likely had several abortions already.  Yet, I don't the sense from Bean that she is irresponsible in that area.  Bean has likely thought ahead to what a baby would do to her single lifestyle in New York and taken the appropriate contraceptive steps.

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SPOILER ALERT

1.  I, too, wondered why Cordy didn’t defend herself.  She never does reveal who the father is.  She seems ashamed of the whole situation, which I think she should be.  Maybe not wanting to talk about it is a way of showing the shame she does feel about the situation and emphasizes how she wants to move forward and not look back.

2.  I do remember that dig.  Cordy and Bean seem to be in more of a competitive relationship, as opposed to their relationships with Rose, which are more parent/child.  

[Melissa_W Moderator]

I was thinking about this - perhaps Cordy felt she couldn't defend herself out loud to the family because she knew they (father/sisters - I think Mom was the least judgemental) wouldn't believe any protestations of responsibility.  She was always the one who needed support/money/help, the most infantile in a way.

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Fozzie wrote:

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Melissa_W wrote:

I thought there were two things really interesting that happened centered around Cordy having the baby:

1.  When she tells the family about the baby, Bean asks her if she ever thought to use birth control.  We (the readers) know from the first chapter that Cordy did use a condom, she was being responsible (or trying to), and it broke.  Why doesn't she defend herself to Bean?

2.  When Cordy is deciding whether to have the baby, give the baby up, or abort the pregnancy, she puts in a dig (can't find the exact page) that Bean has likely had several abortions already.  Yet, I don't the sense from Bean that she is irresponsible in that area.  Bean has likely thought ahead to what a baby would do to her single lifestyle in New York and taken the appropriate contraceptive steps.

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SPOILER ALERT

1.  I, too, wondered why Cordy didn’t defend herself.  She never does reveal who the father is.  She seems ashamed of the whole situation, which I think she should be.  Maybe not wanting to talk about it is a way of showing the shame she does feel about the situation and emphasizes how she wants to move forward and not look back.

2.  I do remember that dig.  Cordy and Bean seem to be in more of a competitive relationship, as opposed to their relationships with Rose, which are more parent/child.  

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