Hell, and How I Got There - Brenda Medina Summary and Analysis

"Hell, and How I Got There" is a story in three chapters: My Mother's Secret; Family Values; and Dancing in Leg Chains.

In My Mother's Secret, Brenda Medina describes her family: two parents and nine children. One night when Brenda is playing Monopoly with her sisters, she discovers her mother's terrible secret. Her mother has episodes where something takes over her body. It is as if she is possessed by bad spirits. This is a shock to Brenda, because her mother keeps a number of religious icons all over the house to protect her from evil spirits. There is one incident where Brenda's mother is brushing her hair and suddenly she tries to choke her to death. Brenda's father saves her. He never speaks of...