Most children require a decent and nurturing role model, otherwise they cannot see the optimistic qualities of life nor form lasting relationships with anyone. In Monique Truong’s Bitter in the Mouth, Harper Evelyn Birch or Great-Uncle “Baby Harper” befittingly serves this niche as the role model for the protagonist, Linda Hammerick. Throughout the text, there is evidence of their sincere bond such as Linda confiding and finding solace in him which is significant because comparatively speaking, it is arguably the only healthy relationship Linda has. As a result of this bond, his involvement in the story is to not only serve as a confidant to Linda, but rather a much more essential purpose; he highlights the positive aspects of the three reoccurring
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Ironically, rarely anyone in the novel besides Baby Harper does this. For the most part, only Baby Harper views Linda as her own person. To validate this assertion, refer to the epigraph and the similarity between his name and the author of the epigraph. From this one can see that Monique Truong purposely correlates Baby Harper to them in order to tie in the theme of truly seeing someone to his character. Thus, this demonstrates that he is one of the few characters that really sees people for their genuine self. In direct opposition to this seeing is how Linda’s hometown superficially sees her (as an Asian only). Living in Boiling Springs, Linda describes herself as the “open secret” of the town. As an extension of the To Kill a Mockingbird comparison, the “open secret” part acts as a parallel to Boo Radley. This means that in the town, Linda is a social pariah that nobody openly talks about and by the same token no one gets to know. Therefore, without Baby Harper present, Linda will only know how to judge someone shallowly and will not possess the ability to evaluate herself on an objective basis. Related to seeing is the topic of identity because once one is able to see and understand their self, one can forge their
Ironically, rarely anyone in the novel besides Baby Harper does this. For the most part, only Baby Harper views Linda as her own person. To validate this assertion, refer to the epigraph and the similarity between his name and the author of the epigraph. From this one can see that Monique Truong purposely correlates Baby Harper to them in order to tie in the theme of truly seeing someone to his character. Thus, this demonstrates that he is one of the few characters that really sees people for their genuine self. In direct opposition to this seeing is how Linda’s hometown superficially sees her (as an Asian only). Living in Boiling Springs, Linda describes herself as the “open secret” of the town. As an extension of the To Kill a Mockingbird comparison, the “open secret” part acts as a parallel to Boo Radley. This means that in the town, Linda is a social pariah that nobody openly talks about and by the same token no one gets to know. Therefore, without Baby Harper present, Linda will only know how to judge someone shallowly and will not possess the ability to evaluate herself on an objective basis. Related to seeing is the topic of identity because once one is able to see and understand their self, one can forge their