The Wrong Family

Content Warning: This section of the guide references mental illness, substance use disorders, and kidnapping.

“‘The incident’ was the name Nigel gave to it, but it was a weak word for what happened that night. It wasn’t an incident; it was a crime. One Winnie had committed.”

This quote foreshadows the reveal that Winnie not only kidnapped but also accidently killed a child. This is also an example of understatement. Calling a kidnapping/killing an “incident” greatly understates its seriousness, showing how emotionally fraught this memory is for Nigel: He simply does not want to confront it directly.

“What she did know was that if a baby had gone missing in 2008 from a perfect little family, it would have been national news, she was sure of it—especially if it were a white baby. That was how the world worked.”

Juno is commenting on the social inequities that privilege certain kinds of families. This ties into the theme of The Illusion of Perfection; the media would treat a white family as “perfect” regardless of whatever tensions might be present beneath the surface.

“Well, you got your way, Winnie, per usual. The three of us, secluded in this little world you’ve made for us. I suppose you want thanks, too. Sam is so grateful that you’ve forced him to be a vegetarian. I am so very grateful that you choose my underwear brand, and schedule my weekends, and tell me how to use my time off.”

This quote highlights how Winnie has molded her husband and son to fit her idealized version of a family. It demonstrates how tightly controlled their lives are, in contrast to the devastating secret of the dead, kidnapped baby. Nigel’s sarcasm shows how fragile Winnie’s efforts to maintain the veneer of perfection truly are.