The Harrowing Story Of Ruth Anne Bone Boatwright

The novel goes through many recurring themes such as child abuse, social and economic differences, and legitimacy. These themes not only impact the main character but all the characters as a whole. It is the harrowing story of how Ruth Anne “Bone” Boatwright, a child must learn to cope and deal with the many terrible atrocities that are inflicted upon her by her stepfather, “Daddy Glen.”

Before Bone could even coherently make a judgment upon herself she was labeled as an outcast. She was a sin and mistake that should be labeled as such for the world to know about it. Anne Boatwright, Bone’s mother was an unwed fifteen year old who gave birth to an illegitimate child. Without knowing it, this simple fact would mold the path for Bone’s life

The doctor at the hospital suspects abuse but Anney and Bone diffuse the situation by denying this claim. After the accusation from the doctor Anney seems to be shook up from the situation and leaves Glen. But her short lived abandonment last two weeks before she goes back to Glen. However Anney does try to keep Bone away from him as much as possible by taking Bone to work with her but even that is not good enough because he eventually goes back to beating Bone. The psychological damage that Glen has caused Bone starts to show when Bone goes to visit her cousins and recounts the tales of the things she goes through with Daddy

“I imagined I was tied to the branches above and below me," she says. "Someone had beaten me with dry sticks and put their hands in my clothes.”(chp.16) There is no change in her life it is always her waiting for his beating, his anger, and his assault. One day when Bone gets drunk her family discover her wounds from a recent beating and all her uncles beat Glen, only to leave Bone feeling guilty. She makes a very powerful statement, “Things come apart so easily when they have been held together by lies.” Once again Anney leaves Glen, which will lead to the final showdown between him and