She does not like the effects that the firewater has on her family and friends and decides to take the situation into her own hands. The fighting spirit she inherits from her mother once again is apparent on page 93 when she and her schoolmates plan the escape from their school. Once again, she is defying authority and pushing the boundaries as far as possible.
Iserhoff, like most of humankind, is trying to gain a sense of independence and control over her life. By testing her limits and pushing her boundaries, she is in a sense breaking away from the norm and becoming her own individual. From a young age, Iserhoff learns the importance of becoming independent. "From then on, I was weaned. It was hard to accept what had happened, not because I loved to nurse but because that was when I felt close to my mom. But, anyway, it was time to be independent" (85). In addition, from a young age Iserhoff also feels helpless and out of control. On page 85, she talks about her experience being strapped into the sled. She describes the experience as "feeling so helpless, so out of control, so claustrophobic. I wanted out." Another example of Annie's feeling of helplessness can be found on page 87 when she is taken away to the hospital and then again on page 91 where she is unwillingly taken away from her family and everything she has ever known to attend school. Eventually everything comes together for Annie Iserhoff and she gains her first sense of independence and control over her live when she tells her father she wishes to return to school when he tells her she can now stay home. She refers to this as "my moment of triumph" (95). She successfully stands up to her father the way her mother had always tried to with no avail. At this point, I think her father begins to realize that she is becoming her own woman and gains a new respect for her. .
Iserhoff continues to grow and flourish as an independent person when she moves in with the French people.
