Importance of illegitimacy, seld concept, and class struggle in Bastard Out of Carolina

In Bastard out of Carolina, there are four things that I've noticed as the reasons for Bone's interpretation of self and assumptions of what people think about her. In the story, we know that the rape played a large role in the development of Bone's character. Daddy Glen used his abusive ways to make Bone feel as if she was wrong, due to his own doubt of his own self worth, which was the result of his fathers's mistreatment. We notice before the rape, just in the matter of Bone's conception and her father leaving, that the mother's drive to have Bastard removed from Bone's birth certificate was to omit the chance of being judged and treated as something of scorn. Bone's mother fights the negative label that her child is given due to actions of her mother and father. However, ironically the actions of Bone's mother continue to add to Bone's negative self concept. Her marriage of Daddy Glen, her knowing that Bone was being brutally beaten, her witnessing her daughter's rape and feeling sorry for Daddy Glen display of need and her leaving her raped child to be with the raper all contribute to Bone's view of her self as "white trash" and a "bastard."

Her grandmother says that Bone isn't too pretty and the tries to tell her that she resembles her grandfather. The entire time she is feeling sorry for herself because her mom is light haired with soft features where as her hair is dark and she has strong features. Through out the whole story, she is questioning who she looks like and pitying herself for being different until the Pearls come along who have everything she desires except for they are grotesque creatures as far as appearance. She finds someone that harbors the same hatred as she has as far as looking differently and people judging her. They have an emotional tie yet, she also realizes or notices what that amount of hatred does to a person eventually.

The descriptions of her family past time activities, lack of religion, and criminal records also adds to Bone's labeling of her family as "white trash." When she is forced to return and pay for the candy she stole and ate, she feels that the man is looking down upon her removing "her kind" from his store.

Even her nickname, Bone, causes a blow to her self concept. When we think of the word "bone", we think of something that can be broken however when it heal becomes strong. A bone is tender in some ways but hardens when fragmented. Another connotation of the word "bone" is a quick sexual interaction therefore hinting to her illegitimate birth.

The story mentions hunger which can be taken metaphorically as a desire to belong and be cherished as something of worth. She reads a lot and becomes religious in order to reject her family's ways as well as place herself in a world that is different from her own and she has a choice of who she is.