Living up to expectations

Amada's efforts to live up to her mother's expectations end up costing her life because Tess is overly demanding and simply can't be satisfied. Amanda's early childhood is apparently lived without the constant demands of her mother but then Tess has a job closer to home and literally takes over Amanda's life. Tess comes to have hopes and dreams for Amanda and fosters those onto Amanda's lifestyle and activities. Amanda gives in to those demands and seeks only to please her mother. There's no mention of how Tess becomes fixated on Dartmouth but it becomes the goal and the only goal Tess will accept. What's interesting is that she drills this into Amanda to the point that when Tess asks if Amanda has turned in other college applications, Amanda is angry, pointing out that Dartmouth is the goal. Tess's handling of Amanda has apparently created...