2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #2 discussion

Caitlyn’s family all thought she was unbalanced and offered little sympathy. Did you question why at the time? What did you make of their attitudes?

This entire family was extremely weird, so their attitude toward Caitlyn did not raise too many questions for me. Also, I thought Caitlyn was unbalanced too, and to be honest, I still think so after reading the book.

Someone with Caitlyn's psychological problems does not simply will them away!

The entire family is unbalanced and suffering for mental illness. They tried to put all the craziness on Caitlyn although, in the end I'm not sure anyone in the Montgomery family who is without some degree of mental illness.

It is unrealistic to think that Caitlyn can work out MPD so easily. That ending is way out there.

That was one mucked up family. They blamed Caitlyn and did nothing to help her. I think they all knew that they had a crazy gene and were happy to let Caitlyn be the Montgomery Family Crazy.

Agree with you, one family that needed an intervention and family therapy , big time!

Anita wrote: "I think they all knew that they had a crazy gene and were happy to let Caitlyn be the Montgomery Family Crazy."

With all of the suggestions of incest in the current generation, one cannot help but think of earlier generations and whether the "crazy gene" might be the result of inbreeding.

Lauren wrote: "Anita wrote: "I think they all knew that they had a crazy gene and were happy to let Caitlyn be the Montgomery Family Crazy."

With all of the suggestions of incest in the current generation, one cannot help but think of earlier generations and whether the "crazy gene" might be the result of inbreeding...."

I don't doubt that there was a lot of that going around in this family for a long time. How else would the current generation think it was okay?

No matter if they thought she was unbalanced, their indifference was stunning. We all learned about their flawed father but Berneda seemed to have just lived in her own private world, too. None of them had any empathy for anyone else because they were left to fend for themselves. Caitlyn was the most normal one of them.

I disagree, Jonetta. I think Hannah was the most normal one. She tried to keep to herself and stay away from all of them.

Hannah was fooling around with Josh.

I forgot that.

Too much mess to keep straight!

The I guess that makes Troy the most normal of the bunch. He was only divorced and he ran the bank and tried to keep this family from imploding. Okay, Troy is the most normal. But, that just can't be right. Did Lisa Jackson forget to write the dirt about him?

I agree with Lauren and Sharon. They were all weird.

Anita wrote: "That was one mucked up family. They blamed Caitlyn and did nothing to help her. I think they all knew that they had a crazy gene and were happy to let Caitlyn be the Montgomery Family Crazy."

I agree with you guys, the family was completely unbalanced and so dysfunctional. I thought it was sad how little they supported Caitlyn and just let her be crazy without any help. They always seemed so disappointed and frustrated with her when she showed any signs of weakness. Even if she was an emotionally stable person, she had been through so much. I know people who have breakdowns after the loss of a child and that doesn't even begin to approach having her husband blame her. Plus, her childhood was so dysfunctional: sexual abuse, the death of her brother her abuser (and having her mother blame her), and being present at the death of both her aunt and her nana. (Speaking of which, did I read that right that she was in the room with both? Or was it just her nana? I can't find that part.) I don't blame her for her mental illness at all. I was frustrated that her family seemed to think that her problems were just because she "wasn't strong enough" to handle it.

Anita, I agree with you - I think Troy was the most normal of the family. I don't know that I liked him, because I don't think he was supportive of Caitlyn, but he definitely seemed to try to keep the family together and do the right thing.

Caitlin was entitled to her crazy. What she experienced was beyond what anyone should ever have to go through.