Social Expectations

Social expectations are based on several factors, including the time, the overall culture, and the beliefs of the community. This novel is set in New London, Texas, in the mid-1930s, and the characters face different expectations than in modern times.

Naomi has recently moved to New London, Texas, with her twin siblings, Beto and Cari. They are physically different because Naomi looks Mexican while the twins look white like their father Henry. They are treated differently because of their experiences. Naomi is in the bathroom at school one day when she overhears some PTA mothers discussing the three of them. They talk about Beto and Cari, including that they are very intelligent, then talk about Naomi. They use the terms “dark” and “sneaky” to describe her. One says Naomi is “maybe a little retarded. A lot of those Mexicans are” (101). In another scene, Naomi...