Children Frequently Follow in Their Parents' Footsteps

Throughout the novel, characters make decisions to either follow along the paths their parents did or to create their own lives. Cricket specifically contemplates the degree to which daughters ultimately turn into their mothers, and she decides that she will not do this. She is determined to create her own path. Cricket recognizes sacrifice in her mother, who sacrificed her dreams of being a professional soccer player in order to raise her daughters. When Cricket believes Mia is about to give up her dreams to be with Oliver, she bristles at the thought and makes this vow to break what she sees is a family legacy of giving up dreams for other people. This is a large part of why she has a difficult time giving Mia her kidney. To give her kidney is to give up her professional soccer...