Everyone seeks the comfort of stability in their own home. Ellen Foster knows her house is rather abnormal. Suffering physical, mental, and sexual abuse from her family, Ellen learns early on that what she wants is what she can't seem to find: a loving home. Despite the difficult trials in the novel, Ellen eventually found a family that met her needs, in foster care. Once she had finally found the place that seemed appropriate, her first thought was to invite her best friend, Starletta, to show her how proud she was of her happy new life. This passage, the references to history, payback, and equality serve to emphasize Ellen's desire to atone for thinking she was better than Starletta in the past. Ellen's journey to find a stable home life leads her to discover the love of her true friend. At the beginning of the passage, Ellen lists all the tasks she must complete to impress Starletta when she arrives. Ellen wants more than anything to thank Starletta for all the kindness she showed her when they were closer friends. Ellen says, “Starletta was just the girl I was looking for, and she could take my bed and my checkerboard curtains home if she wanted to” (100). In other words, Ellen would give Starletta anything to illustrate her gratitude for everything she had done. Ellen doesn't show emotion very often, but here, in a subtle way, she illustrates her love for Starletta by stating that she would give her anything and everything if she had the chance. The rather specific use of "checkerboard curtains" means that she now has something in her home that she didn't have before. These curtains mean something to her because they give the house a domestic feeling, unlike the old houses that she ...... middle of paper ...... clean. This passage is a tiny part of the novel, but a vast realization of Ellen's love for her best friend. She finally recognized that her friendship doesn't just mean the color of their skin or where they come from, but rather who they are and how they make you feel. Through domestic imagery, the memory of their past, and the struggle to even out their relationship, Ellen discovers the true meaning of friendship. Ellen is doing everything she can to move forward in her life. She longs to put the past in the past and embraces everything from her new mom to the plaid curtains that line her window. However, the one thing she doesn't want to give up is her friendship with Starletta. Their relationship is complicated, tainted by the circumstances of skin color, and yet Starletta is the only part of Ellen's past that she carries with her into her new life..