The Mother-in-Law

Well-intentioned, Diana attempts to connect with her daughter-in-law Lucy by bringing her a raw chicken after she gives birth to her first child. For Diana, the raw chicken symbolizes her past and the stern support she received from her cousin Meredith who took her in following the birth of her son. With the hope of starting a tradition, Diana brings Lucy the raw chicken but fails to explain its meaning. Though Diana fails at that moment to communicate with Lucy, ultimately, by the novel’s end, Diana succeeds in passing along the legacy of support to the next generation.

The raw chicken ties to a distinct memory within Diana, who, at 20 years old, struggles to adapt to a new life as a mother in the aftermath of her family’s rejection of her. Despite her strict tough love approach with Diana, Meredith allows Diana to sleep in one day and purchases a raw chicken that she ordered Diana to get at the grocery store. The rawness of the chicken represents Meredith’s philosophy in teaching Diana independence. Rather than cooking the chicken for Diana, Meredith provides Diana with the tools while still expecting her to complete the task assigned to her. Touched by this gesture, Diana adopts Meredith’s stern approach in her parenting.