Repressive Parents

The Wexlers are the first Sunset Towers tenants introduced in the book The Westing Game.  Grace Wexler starts the book sounding like an orange county ‘housewife’ hanging on her moneymakers arm.  The moneymaker being her husband, Jake Wexler.  He shows the first glimpse of caring about finances, through his less than excited tour of the apartment. During the tour, Jake notes how small the third bedroom is asking if it is instead a closet, although Grace knows the space is small she believes it is big enough for her youngest daughter, Turtle.

            Turtle Wexler is a smart, feisty, junior high girl, whom the tenants think is a brat.  The main reason is because of her habit of shin kicking whenever anyone touches her braid.  Her mother, Grace, has given up on her and does not show much interest in Turtle’s life.  Turtle is bound and determined to set her own path, which makes her the rebellious, less than perfect child.

            Angela Wexler, Turtle’s older sister, is the perfect child in her mother’s eyes.  She is engaged to a doctor and lets her mother, Grace micromanage her life.  This is first seen in the book when Angela is introduced.  She is trying on her wedding dress and at the thought of Angela being pricked by a pin Grace scolds the dressmaker.  Angela is also smart, but does unintelligent things to try and demonstrate her independence.  For example, lighting firecrackers throughout Sunset Towers is unintelligent, but she never gets caught making her a smart young lady. 

             The first interaction between Grace and Turtle occurs while Flora Baumbach is hemming Angela’s wedding dress. Turtle walks into the room and instead of getting a hello, Grace says, “Oh, it’s you” in the narration after it states “Mrs. Wexler always seemed surprised to see her other daughter, so unlike golden-haired, angel-faced Angela”.  This gives us a huge insight on how Mrs. Wexler feels at the beginning of the book.  Even Angela’s name is giving us the hint that she is viewed as an Angel.  In fact, the book states, “Mrs. Wexler beamed on her perfect child draped in white.  ‘What an angel.’” 

Turtle on the other hand asks Mrs. Baumbach to hem her witch’s costume.  Grace asks Turtle why she insists on being ugly and says Mrs. Baumbach does not have time since she is hemming Angela wedding dress.  Mrs. Baumbach says she will hem Turtle’s costume anyway.  As the book progresses Mrs. Baumback become’s a parent figure for Turtle.  Unlike Grace who is hard, cruel, and harsh, Mrs. Baumbach is kind, gentle, and nurturing.  She is the perfect partner for Turtle during the Westing Game. 

I am pleased Mrs. Baumbach stepped in and showed Turtle love throughout her childhood.  As a future educator, I hope to show students the same kindness.  As the book ends, so does Grace’s harsh overbearing parenting style.  Throughout the book we were able to see Grace treat her two children totally different, almost as if she were two different parents.  Turtle turns out to be very successful as well as Angela, since she was able to step up and become her own woman.  All the characters learned about themselves throughout this book, especially Grace Wexler.