The Darkest Child

How do Rozelle and Zadie illustrate The Complexities of Mother-Daughter Relationships Within Troubled Families in ways that differ and overlap with Mushy, Tangy, and Tarabelle? Examine each of these relationships in your response.

Is Velman a rescuer of Martha Jean, a criminal for marrying a minor, or something in between? How does he embody the multiple layers of good and bad that many characters in the text hold, and which side, if any, does he lean toward?

How does the Quinn house symbolize the dynamics of the Quinn family? Consider its physical state as well as the feelings it evokes in the children, specifically Tangy.