The Journey In the novel The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard, a number of people enable Wendy to become independent. Everyone that Wendy met after her mother died in 9/11 influenced her in some way. All of these experiences were helpful in her grieving process, but there were certain situations that led Wendy on a journey. This journey was not only on her way to maturity but also helped her gain her own sense of independence. Some might even say out of the loss of her mother she gained so many opportunities in life than she would have if her life had never changed. One person who enables Wendy to become independent is her step father Josh. The part Josh played in Wendy’s independence was not particularly a walk in the park. When Janet, Wendy’s mother, disappeared after 9/11 Josh did not take on the role of the adult as he should have. Instead he wore his emotions on his sleeve and put Wendy in an uncomfortable position where she felt she needed to take care of both Louie and …show more content…
When it comes to the idea of independence Garrett certainly helped Wendy the most, but just like Josh it wasn’t always in the best or most responsible ways. He let her not only skip school but also wander around by herself; luckily Wendy turned out to be just as trustworthy as the level of trust Garrett provided her with. For example, when Wendy told Garrett she wasn’t going to school he said, “Fact is we knew this…I trust you,” (310). He knew she wasn’t going to school, but he also knew that she needed time to grieve and comprehend what her life would now be like, and through his trust Wendy was able to achieve a good sense of not only independence but also a new found appreciation for her father. Most children that are given freedoms at such a young age abuse and take advantage of them, but Wendy surprisingly didn’t she just might have learned more about herself and the real world by not going to