Chapter 5, Lucy Summary

It has now been a year since Lucy left home. No one had ever expected much of her at home, but the girl of whom little was expected was gone. The new Lucy was unfamiliar inside; she felt as if she was inventing herself. And she had little, no position, no money, only "memory," "anger" and "despair."

Lucy tells the reader that she was born on an island that was twelve by eight miles in size. And when she left at nineteen, she had never been to three-quarters of it. Her island was discovered by Columbus in 1493, but he only named it and never walked on it. Her life on the island was the result of British imperialism. And Lucy disliked the English, preferring to be ruled by the French. When Lucy started to menstruate, she was no longer a child...