Chapter 29: The Bennetts – Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Warning: This chapter contains scenes of family conflict and coming out.
Summary
Thanksgiving Day 2010, in the Bennett family home. Benny tries to explain to her father Bert that she is in a long-term relationship with a woman. Bert, uncharacteristically, raises his voice and accuses her of sleeping around and being indecent. Benny defends herself, stating she is sure of her identity, but her father turns away and leaves the room with her mother following. Her brother Byron sits silent. Benny leaves through the front door, which sticks, and drives back to Arizona alone. In the weeks after, the family’s landline rings with silent calls—Benny believes her mother might be calling but cannot speak. Benny then sorts her belongings and moves to New York, sending no new address to her parents. She hopes Joanie will eventually forgive her.
Key Events
- Benny comes out to her parents on Thanksgiving, explaining her four-year relationship with a woman.
- Bert reacts with shouting, accusing her of indecency and confusion.
- Benny tells Bert that he is the one unsure of loving her anymore.
- Bert stalks out, mother follows, Byron does nothing.
- Benny leaves the house alone, driving to Arizona.
- She receives only silent phone calls from the family home in the following weeks.
- Benny decides to move to New York, cutting off her address from her parents.
Character Development
- Benny: Shows courage by speaking her truth despite fear. Her sense of rejection is deep, but she takes practical steps to start a new life. Her resilience contrasts with her vulnerability.
- Bert: Reveals a side of prejudice and anger that Benny had not seen before. His inability to accept his daughter’s sexuality strains the family bond.
- Byron: Fails to support his sister, remaining passive. This silence contributes to Benny’s feeling of isolation.
- Benny’s mother: Appears silent and follows Bert, unable to intervene or comfort Benny, highlighting her own helplessness.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Identity and Self-Acceptance: Benny insists “This is who I am. I’m Benny.” She refuses to let her father define her decency.
- Family Rejection: Thanksgiving, a holiday centered on gratitude and togetherness, becomes the moment of exclusion, deepening the hurt.
- Silence: The unanswered phone calls and unsent address represent the emotional distance between Benny and her parents.
- Doors and Thresholds: The stuck front door and the unused back door symbolize the difficulty of leaving the family’s expectations behind.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point for Benny and the larger family narrative. It explains the estrangement that shapes her later life and choices. The rejection also mirrors the novel’s themes of hidden truths and the consequences of failing to accept others. It sets up the emotional distance that the story will later attempt to bridge.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Bert react so angrily to Benny’s news?
Bert’s reaction stems from his own discomfort with sexuality and perhaps fear of social judgment. He projects his confusion onto Benny, calling her “indecent” and questioning her certainty. -
What does the stuck front door represent?
The front door’s stubbornness reflects the difficulty Benny faces in leaving her family home and their values. Once she forces it open, she steps into a new, independent life, but the back door (the usual entrance) remains closed to her. -
Why does Benny choose to move to New York without telling her parents?
Benny feels utterly rejected by their silence and lack of acceptance. By not sharing her new address, she protects herself from further hurt and signals that the relationship cannot resume unless her parents initiate a genuine reconciliation.