After Kennedy calls her neighbor a slur, Stella is extremely upset with her. She with- holds her anger until they reach the house, the text explaining, "She guided her daughter across the street. As soon as she shut the door, she grabbed Kennedy and slapped her"(Bennett 199). This shows the effect that Kennedy can have on her mother, driving her to outbursts of physical violence. However, when Kennedy asks why she was hit, Stella does not have an answer. Stella pushes her
While waiting for Barry, Jude encouters Kennedy"Then the stage door opened, but instead of Barry wardering out, Kennedy Sanders stepped into the alley, fumbling a pack of marlboros. She looked startled to see the crowd waiting, and for a second, she smiled expectantly before realizing that no one was there to see her"(Bennett 215)
Throughout the story, it is shown that Kennedy only truly has a passion for acting. She transforms herself, with the text stating, "Onstage, you couldn't tell the girl had just been crying. She became new each time she stepped under the lights"(Bennett 246). Kennedy is immersed in her acting, and she is easily able to slip into the role of another person. Kennedy is unhappy with herself, as she can never please her mother or stick with things in her life, so she is able to escape that by acting during her roles.