Brownies

A number of different social hierarchies exist in “Brownies.” There is the hierarchy in Snot’s Brownie troop, with leader Arnetta’s tyrannical decisions paving the way for the story’s climactic moment. There is also an absence of hierarchy in the adult-minor dynamic in the story, with adults often offstage or unaware of goings-on. Additionally, there is, both explicitly and implicitly, the notion of racial hierarchy, which functions as a driver for the decisions of the girls in Snot’s Brownie troop: having been marginalized and disenfranchised, the black Brownies, suddenly finding themselves in a perceived position of power, attempt and fail to beat up the developmentally-disabled white girls in Troop 909.

This notion of hierarchies is repeatedly exploded by Packer over the course of the story. Any group or person who believes themselves to be in some way superior to another person or group is shown that such a viewpoint is incorrect. This happens with Arnetta; with Snot’s Brownie troop, collectively; with Snot’s father; and with Janice, who tries to climb the social ladder in the troop and attain a position similar to Arnetta and Octavia’s. While each of these characters or groups may feel, momentarily, that they possess power over others, all are ultimately shown to be wrong.