Book: Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight
author: Alexandra Fuller
page 30:
"Mum is on Chapter Two weeping into her beer. It's a sad story. It's especially sad if you have'nt heard it a hundred times. I've heard one version or another of the story more than a hundred times. It's a Family Theme, and it always ends up badly. To begin with, Mum is happy. She is freshly married, they are white (a ruling color in Rhodesia), and she has two babies, a girl and boy. Her children are picture-perfect match of each other: beautiful, blond, and blue eyed."
Before this passage, Alexandra's mother appeared to be an alcoholic and unaprecciative of Axandra. Alexandra's mother also seemed to start binge drinking after Adrian died. When Alexandra says "Mum is on Chapter Two" it refers to an earlier passage where Alexandra talks about her mothers different chapters. Chapter one is overly happy and chapter two is sad, depressed, alcoholic. From the passage above, I feel sypathetic for Alexandra, rather than her mother. "Her children are picture- perfect match of each other: beautful, blond, and blue eyed." From the passage its shows that the mother explains that their family was perfect when Adrian was alive. This must make ALexandra feel sad and vulnerable. In the text when Alexandra refers to her mothers description of Adrain and Venessa she says, "Her children are picture- perfect match of each other: beautiful, blond, and blue eyed." This text shows that Elxandra's mother is secretly telling Alexandra the special things about Adrian because Alexandra has neither blond hair or blue eyes. Also from this passage it explains Alexandra's mothers actions. Such as her mothers alcohol addiction and her lack of consideration of Alexandra.