Ginger Summary

Ginger's mother is not concerned about behaving like a mother, but about whatever boyfriend she happens to have at the time. She has her six children call her Iris rather than mom, and it hurts Ginger to see the way her mother lives. They live with Iris's mother, and Ginger has a close relationship with her grandmother, who does her best to take care of Iris and her children.

Ginger Analysis

The sort of lifestyle all five main characters are headed toward is exemplified explicitly in the person of Iris, Ginger's mother. Iris is a drug addict, a drunk, is disinterested in her children, and is sexually promiscuous. Ginger cannot stand her mother, especially because she sees what her mother's lifestyle is like. This will prove important in Ginger's story later on.