Inability to Accept Oneself or Others

Shannon McFarland has suffered a terrible gunshot wound to her face. While her life is not in danger, Shannon has lost her bottom jaw and is horribly disfigured. As a model, this injury is devastating, not only taking away Shannon's beauty, but her source of income as well. Shannon should be devastated. However, Shannon takes her injury in stride, wishing she could see what she looks like but prevented in the hospital by a staff who believes the sight will cause her to fall into a dark, desperate depression. Once again, Shannon surprises the reader, venturing out to a grocery store with her face open for all to see, walking with her head held high even as a small child calls her a monster. Later the reader finds out that Shannon has suffered this wound because she wanted to stop being beautiful, that...