Lack of Self-Acceptance

Several of the people Mitchell meets have had trouble reconciling themselves to their situations in life. The biggest example of this was Jane Barnell, who had spent most of her life working as the bearded lady in various circuses and sideshows. Jane's lack of self-acceptance likely stems from her mother's attitude. As a child, her bearded state had been evident and her mother had taken her to various people, hoping that someone could "conjure" up a cure for the condition. When it became evident that Jane's situation wouldn't change, her mother sent her away with a traveling show. Jane was miserable away from her home and likely spent the rest of her life blaming the fact that she was bearded for every unhappiness in her life. She said that she had once believed that it would change when she was older but that it never had...