In “Exiles”, Carolyn Steedman tells the story of her childhood in a way to understand parts of her past, and the feelings she has towards her mother and her father. Her mother, forever wanting the “New Look,” worked all of her life and demonstrated a strong, independent lifestyle for her children, and also a sense of pride in ones self. This was important to her mother because to her, living in poverty was not acceptable. “…showed first 75 words of 651 total…

…showed last 75 words of 651 total…would not tell her the social class they belonged to. But upon understanding, she will not allow herself to be classified in such a sense, but rather judged by character. You have to make the best of what life you have. “What was given to her, passed on to all of us, was a powerful and terrible endurance, the self-destructive defiance of those doing the best they can with what life hands out to them.” (648)