“Deep down behind those hostile eyes was a very little girl who had already learned that life really isn't much fun for anybody; and the best way to avoid further rejection was to make herself as objectionable as possible. Then it would never come as a surprise to find herself unloved. Only a simple fact.”
In Sheila's constructed personality, Hayden observes how adverse childhood interactions have led the girl to conclude that life is a dangerous, hostile experience. Sheila has come to expect rejection and pain, so she asserts herself in the world as a harsh and abrasive person, in anticipation of rejection. She offers people something to reject, so that she can protect her true self from the rejection which she believes is inevitable.
"She could trust me now, knowing what I was like even when I was upset with her."
This is the true test for Torey: will she keep her cool even when angry with Sheila? Sheila intentionally upsets her teacher, and everyone, in order to observe closely how they respond. In a young life full of untrustworthy adults, she is prepared to hate her teacher. With love and understanding, however, Torey manages to communicate with the girl that her action was hurtful but that the corresponding emotions will not compromise her teacher's love for her.
"I taught what was affectionately referred to in our school district as the 'garbage class.' It was the last year before the effort to mainstream special children would begin; it was the last year to pigeonhole all the odd children into special classes."
Hayden teaches a special education class at her elementary school, but her position is in jeopardy as the program is being pushed out. As the term 'garbage class' evokes, this was not a popular group of children. The other teachers looked down on these kids because of their problematic behavior or their inherent difficulty in education. Hayden thus becomes responsible for not only changing the school's perspective of these students but the kids' perspectives about themselves.
“By Christmas vacation, we belonged to one another and I was beginning to look forward to each day. Sarah had begun to talk regularly again; Max was learning his letters; Tyler was smiling occasionally; Peter didn’t fly into rages quite so often; William could pass all the light switches in the hallway to the lunchroom and not say one charm to protect himself; Guillermo was begrudgingly learning Braille. And Susannah Joy and Freddie? Well, we were still trying with them.”
By remaining patient and loving with her special class, Hayden proves to the students that they are acceptable. Under her nurturing, they begin to come out of their shells. Troubling behavior lessens as the children begin to no longer need to maintain distance between themselves and others.
