Relationship between the characters

A large part of the plot of the short story “The Skirt” by Zoe Lambert is structured around the relationships between the characters, particularly those between Bethany and her family members, such as her mother, her brother, and her aunt.

Each of her relatives seems to attempt to help Bethany cope with her illness, in various ways. Her mother gives her medicines, prepares her clothes, helps her wash and dry her hair, and offers her various pieces of advice that she generally takes from the alternative doctors whom she visits. Her brother Rob paints her wheelchair to look newer and more fashionable, since Bethany wants to feel less embarrassed to be seen with it in public. And her aunt Joan cleans and tidies her room and is willing to take her out shopping.

Although at first sight all these characters appear to be helpful, none of them manages to fully empathize with Bethany’s condition or understand her various needs. Most importantly, they do not realize that she wants to become more independent and start leading a normal life again, and many of their actions serve only to constantly remind Bethany of her disability. Her mot...