Not a name you gave a baby you planned to leave in a closet to die. The mama named the baby Aster for the genus of florae, and for the ancient word meaning star, and for the way you had to reach to the back of your throat to form that soft A sound. The denial about the suicide molds her sense of identity as a grown-up: “Once upon a time, a mama had a baby, a dark-brown squirming thing, unwieldy and small. Aster tries to reconcile the fact that her mother named her with a meaningful name yet left her to fend for herself. The narrator explains to the reader the origin of the protagonist’s name that her mother gave her before committing suicide. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community.
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