Summary

Chapter 5. Joan’s mother has enrolled her in dance school, which Joan loves. Joan suspects that her mother initially enrolled her in dance school to help her lose weight. In her dance classes, she knows that she does not look like the rest of the girls. She is rather large. During preparations for an upcoming recital, her mother takes an interest in helping her prepare her costumes and encouraging her to practice. As the recital drew closer, Joan became very excited by the prospect of wearing her butterfly wings for one of the dances.

At the dress rehearsal, Joan’s mother helps her into her costume. In front of the mirror, Joan recounts how horrified her mother looked, and how she even realized that she looked obscene dressed in the tights, leotard and butterfly wings. Her mother talks with her dance teacher, Miss Flegg and...