Just to put things in perspective, allow us to drop this statistic on you: There are only two major characters in Jellicoe Road who come from a family without at least one parent who is abusive, absent, or dead. Whoa. That's pretty sobering.
Nonetheless, part of the punch this story packs is that it gives an emotional and realistic portrayal of how children respond to the loss or rejection of a parent. They band together and form their own family units, struggle with difficult questions, and long for answers. In particular, Taylor's put in the difficult position of being an authority figure for her House while dealing with the emptiness of her mom's absence. It ain't easy, to say the least.
Questions About Abandonment
- Why does Taylor think Hannah has abandoned her? What evidence leads her to this conclusion?
- How do Raffaela and Chaz's families contrast with the loss and abandonment most of the characters have experienced?
- Is Tate a good or bad parent? Why?
- How does Taylor ultimately come to terms with being abandoned? How does it change her?
Chew on This
Taylor can't learn to have strong relationships with others until she faces the truth about her mother's abandonment of her.
Tate ultimately makes the right choice by leaving Taylor at the 7-Eleven.