In Eudora Welty's Why I Live at the P.O. the interactions between family members is almost painful to envision. Not only is Sister complaining the entire story about how it is her against the world because Stella-Rondo is the favored child, but also there is incessant lying and denial among the family. Within the first page of reading we come across one of the most noticeable lies in the entire story. "Why, Mama, Shirely-T's adopted,I can prove it!" (594). Any half-minded audience will come to understand that Shirley-T is most certainly not adopted (thanks to Sister pointing out the strong family resemblance). Yet Stella-Rondo refuses to admit to anything. She has her adoption story and has decided to stick to her guns and deny until she dies. Stella-Rondo reminds me of Jackie Foreman (from That 70's show), she is clearly the bad child who has not lived the most pure life yet due to her quick tongue and ability to pull guilt trips she can avoid any sort of stigma.
To make this lie worse is that Mama hops on board and is chomping at the bit to believe her youngest child's BS story. Why would Mama want to know that Stella-Rondo got abandoned by her husband after bearing his child? It is much easier for her to cope with the situation by believing this child isn't her own flesh and blood but simply a baby adopted by her sweet daughter. I'm surprised Mama didn't launch into a story about how much of an angel Stella-Rondo is for saving this forsaken child's life. It is as if the world Mama lives in has too much turmoil and all she wants is one untarnished piece of life to look to and be able to sigh in relief. Too back that untarnished piece of life is all due to her state of denial.
What more do you expect than another main character who exhibits denial? Take Sister for example. If you read closely maybe...just maybe... you noticed Sister sort of kind of complains about everything and everyone. Just maybe. Clearly Sister is lying to herself and has convinced herself that it is her family, or maybe the world, that is pit against her. She is always looking for a reason why bad things happen to her, and never taking responsibility for bringing them upon herself. The most evident moment she exhibits this trait is when Uncle Rondo throws firecrackers into her bedroom, she says, "he threw a whole five-cent package of some unsold one-inch firecrackers...into my bedroom and every one went off. Not a bad one in the string. Anybody else, there'd be one that wouldn't go off" (600). Without a doubt this statement shows Sister's denial as the runt of the family. She refuses to believe that she is the bad child. It was destined by the gods that she is so unfortunate... not her own fault, nothing could possibly Sister's fault.
This family obviously is dysfunctional and seem to be far more comfortable in deceiving others (and themselves) than living honest lives. The lies are so sweet on the tips of their tongues that they never seem to stop flowing. The entire family is living in a constant state of denial and avoidance of the truth. No wonder everyone in the house is so bitter, no one has any trust built into each other. What a horrible family.
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