"Where does a mother end and a daughter begin"? This is what the journey through the life of Astrid is all about. A young bright girl who has had several shocking experiences growing up in her life, and her mother is at the core of all of them.Astrid growing up was well influenced by what her mother believed and did. Her mother was an artist and her influence set in with Astrid at a young age. When her mother was sent to jail for killing her boyfriend Astrid's life would drastically change. She would be sent to a foster home where she would live life without her mother. .
Her first foster home had a huge impact on her. She lived in a very small cluttered trailer with a hypocritical Christian women who had negative discipline and forced her to share a small room with another teenage girl. Asterid's foster mom was a recovering alcoholic and was extremely jealous of Astrid's relationship with her live in boyfriend, Ray. Whenever Astrid showed attention to Ray the women would get vicious about it, and threatened to send her away. Astrid at the time was still very young when her and Ray began having sexual intercourse. Astrid's foster mother begins drinking heavily again and in a drunken state shoots her in the shoulder putting her in the hospital. These two incidents seemed to make Astrid more violent in her life, and make her use her body for attention from men. When she is in the group home, she is jumped by a group of girls for messing with one of the girls boyfriends. Astrid, then goes on to threaten the girl in her sleep. This incident is evident of the impact living in the first foster home has had on her life. .
Meeting Paul influenced Asrtid's life a lot. When she is alone in the group home, Paul befriends her and shows an interest in her. Even though she is hesitant at first, Astrid develops an intimate relationship with him. I believe her hesitation was a result of the few, past relationships she had with members of the opposite sex, but Paul shows her that she can trust again and feel secure.
