The Member of the Wedding

In a small Georgia town, 12-year-old tomboy Frankie Addams feels unconnected to the world. Her unconventional views for a 12-year-old girl make her an outcast among her peers, which she blames for her situation. Her only real friend is John Henry, her younger next-door neighbor, although she doesn't see him as a friend since she doesn't consider him a peer. As her widowed father is consumed with running his small business, Frankie is largely left to the care of their housekeeper, Berenice. Berenice tries to provide as much true guidance to Frankie and what Frankie considers her problems, although Berenice has her own troubles looking after her wild foster brother, Honey Camden, her only surviving family. Frankie largely sees Berenice's advice as the rantings of a crazy Black woman. Frankie believes that she has finally found her place in life when her older enlisted brother Jarvie comes home and announces that he's getting married. Seeing Jarvis and Janice together, Frankie believes she can be a "member" of "them" by leaving town with them immediately after the wedding. Frankie even wants to change her name to Jasmine to feel more connected to them. Two negative situations following the wedding--one in reaction to her finding out that she can't go with Jarvis and Janice--could add up to the positive of putting Frankie on the right path to find her place in life.—Huggo