Many people may never experience what it is like to be abused, or to feel hatred for a parent, but in Bastard Out Of Carolina, the reader gets to relive what it is like to be abused through the eyes of a child. This engrossing and wonderfully written story will open your eyes to the reality of child abuse. The story is told through the eyes of Ruth Anne Boatwright, a child brought into the world with an unknown father and a mother who struggled to bring her up properly in a situation bound for despair. This harrowing account will leave you speechless and flabbergasted.
Bastard Out Of Carolina is bound o make an everlasting impression in the mind of its readers. Ruth Anne was born into a family of Boatwrights, known throughout the south for their rough-edged ways. She was born when the south was no place for young mothers and their illegitimate children, yet her mother, Anney was determined to bring “Bone” up in a caring and loving environment. Anney did not want to see her little girl grow up to be a Boatwright woman. She wanted to see her daughter make something of her life, something almost impossible in South Carolina.
Anney’s immense love for Bone was visible in almost every aspect of life. Everything that she did revolved around Bone and how it would make her feel. When Mama married Lyle Parsons, a gentle and loving truck driver, both Mama and Bone thought they had been blessed by god. Lyle’s kind and humorous demeanor made him appear almost as an angel in the eyes of Anney and Bone. Things didn’t last for long, though. When Lyle was killed in a car accident, Bone was sure things would never be the same, and she was right. Soon, Mama gave birth to Lyle’s daughter, Reese.
Reese’s locks of curly blond hair and her small smile reminded Mama of Lyle everytime she looked t her. Mama swore she would never marry again because she could love no man the way she loved Lyle. But soon, Glen Waddell started courting Mama. At first, gentle and loving, Anney thought that he would make a good father for her two children. Little did she know that Glen was hiding dark secrets that would soon tear the family up forever. After the honeymoon, Mama and “Daddy Glen” bought a house in Greenville, South Carolina, far from the home that they lived in before, far from the aunts and the uncles that meant so much to Bone and Reese.
In the eginning, Daddy Glen demonstrated no signs of hate or abuse. He brought the kids presents, he took Bone places. He wanted to love and be loved. But from the beginning, Bone saw something suspicious in Daddy Glens icy blue eyes. She saw hatred and contempt. Bone could read Daddy Glen, and she was scared of what might happen. Slowly, Glen’s behavior started changing. He would yell at the smallest things, often blaming Bone for everything. Bone saw Glen looking at her, in strange and seductive manners, and when the abuse finally began, Bone knew that she had to be strong, if nly for her Mama’s sake.
The abuse continued for months, and soon, Bone began to believe that she was to blame for everything. It wasn’t Daddy Glen who was acting wrong, it was she, and she was wrong. Mama often passed off Bone’s abuse as her fault also, warning Bone to be good in front of Daddy Glen. The abuse however, was caused by Glen’s immense jealousy for Bone. He saw how Mama caressed her and cared for her. He saw how Mama would do anything for her, how she would hold her and never let her go. Glen’s jealousy turned to angry rage. He thought that if he could get past Bone, Mama would be his, and all his.
The abuse continued until one day Aunt Alma noticed immense scarring on the back of Bone’s legs. She immediately confronted Anney and showed her the scars. Astounded and shocked, Anney moved out. She scolded Glen for abusing her baby. She didn’t believe that he could actually be that overpowering and dominating. Although they were far from Daddy Glen, Bone could tell that Mama still loved him, even though he had mentally and physically abused her little girl. Bone knew that it was inevitable, Mama would go back to Daddy Glen, but Bone wouldn’t go with her. The two remained separated for months.
But one day, Daddy Glen came to the apartment. The abuse that occurred in the next few minutes, was something Daddy Glen had never done before. Daddy Glen raped Bone, broke her arm, and left her bruised and bleeding. When Mama walked in on the scene, she scooped Bone up in her arms and left for the hospital, but Daddy Glen would soon convince Anney that he was truly sorry, and Anney would take Glen back. But, Bone did as she vowed to do. Bone stayed with her Aunt Alma, and Mama left with Daddy Glen at her side. Bone knew she would never seen her beloved mother again.