All the Ugly and Wonderful Things

Content Warning: This section references physical and emotional abuse, drug use, and murder. It also centers on a sexualized relationship between an adult and a minor.

"Nothing belongs to you.”

Living with abuse and trauma, Wavy learns not to become attached to anything. The extremity of her situation causes her to make sweeping rules to keep herself safe. As long as she can keep herself unattached, nothing can be taken from her. Part of her journey towards Overcoming the Dehumanization of Abuse involves the assertion of ownership—not just over material things but over herself.

“What could you do with a child who had that at home?”

Teachers and other authority figures abdicate responsibility when it comes to Wavy. They resort to empty aphorisms and hollow conventional wisdom to excuse their inability to address her trauma. Overwhelmed by the complications inherent in addressing cases of abuse, adults repeatedly fail to help Wavy.

“Wavy and her black leather boots didn’t fit in the catalog. She tore open the catalog and made surprising things happen.”

Wavy’s cousin Amy knows even as a child that she (Amy) has her own issues with societal expectations. She revels in Wavy’s difference; the traits that unnerve most people incite Amy’s curiosity. She sees Wavy as a full human being rather than a problem to be solved.