Stitches, By David Small

In the book Stitches, by David Small, an aspect about the book that grasped my attention were the  surprises and refrences to different stories. For example when I found out the mother was lesbian. Through the whole story there wasn’t any mention or corresponding events that would even give that impression. I also found it awkward how David found his mother in bed with the family friend Mrs. Davis. Throughout Stitches Betty is a very cold woman, who don’t verbally express her emotions.

 Instead David portrays her as always giving sharp stares to simulate her anger. After finishing the story I figured out that most of Betty’s anger isn’t David’s entire fault. To me I felt that she was angry with herself for not being able to express and show who she really was. I still feel that it was wrong for the mother to take the anger she has for herself out on David.

I also found it weird how David used the rabbit from Alice and Wonderland to symbolize his therapist. After discussing it with my fellow peers I realized that he used the rabbit because the therapists enlighten David, as did the Rabbit with Alice. The rabbit helped David realize that his mother didn’t love him. Another way the author uses Alice and Wonderland is through escape. Numerous times David finds comport in his drawings and he even illustrates himself actually going inside a piece of paper into stomach shaped storage where his drawings were waiting for him.