Importance of Disposable Bags

Whether paper or plastic, disposable bags seem to mirror the fragility of human existence. In Chapter One, Genesis and her mom go through the drawers of the dressers left outside by the eviction crew and pack their belongings in trash bags. It is as if even their clothes have lost value. When summoning her deepest emotions in chorus class, Genesis remembers their stay in the basement: “Our clean clothes stashed in black garbage bags” (110). She also recalls that “a wrinkled brown bag was being passed. Hand to mouth.