Tender at the Bone

Ruth's odd choice of friends is not limited to Serafina; next in line is Pat. Pat is the free flowing hippy, she is also the complete opposite of what Ruth is supposed to be, the conservative, well-off, stable woman. Yet Ruth does not question or even consider Pat's lifestyle before she jumps full-throttle into a close companionship with her. She doesn't seem phased by the fact that everyone else sees Pat as a negative influence and that the two of them should not be such good friends, or friends at all. Ruth doesn't judge people or opportunities by society's standards. While, in some situations, having such an open mind has had negative consequences, for the most part, Ruth's open mind and heart has given her a fuller and richer life. .
             While Ruth has her mother to thank for her non-judgmental perspective, Ruth has also been severely held back by her mother. Ruth's mother is hardly the most stable person. At times she is overly enthusiastic and full of life and optimism, the next, she's used up and unable to accomplish the smallest of things. Obviously, this erratic and unpredictable behavior gets her into a deal of trouble, and it is Ruth who must come to her rescue. During the course of the book, Ruth's mother undertakes two major party-planning and catering projects both which must be eventually rescued by Ruth. The first party, held in honor of her brother's engagement, does not inconvenience Ruth greatly, because she is young and still at home; yet she is stilled forced, as a young child, to assume the position of responsibility she should not have to. The second party, one her mother decided to hold for charity, does cause a great deal of inconvenience for Ruth; she is forced to come home and take on an almost impossible task, putting her own life on hold. While these are two glaring examples of how Ruth is forced to take over for her mother, there are many other times where her mother's unpredictability leads to great inconveniences for Ruth.