The stories told by Rayona, Christine, and Ida are all part of a greater story, a story of their family, their time, and their shared heritage. This story can only be told in full if their narratives are looked at together. The metaphor of the braid represents the three strands of hair that are woven, pulled one over the other and merged until a final whole is created.
The first strand represents the granddaughter of Ida and the daughter of Christine: Rayona. In order to gain a better understanding of the feelings as well as the misconceptions Rayona has towards her own mother, we need to look into her thoughts. What seems absurd to Rayona may only be the perspective that is shown through her own eyes. When Rayona has to deal with her drunken mother she says, “I listen, eavesdropping into her life, while s
The order of the story becomes vital. The thin line between selfishness and love becomes hard to comprehend to these three women. Rayona believes Christine is selfish for never giving her a true place to call home while Christine does not understand why Ida will not treat her like a true daughter. But as we read we find that the one thing Christine is truly trying to accomplish is a genuine place Rayona can call home and be happy, even if that means not being with her. On the other hand, Ida’s mysterious secret hides the truth of why Christine really is not the daughter she believes to be. Prospective is the literary braid that binds the characters to the line between selfishness and love. Each incident represents a stand of hair, which if woven the wrong way will not complete the braid. The events that over
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