Synopsis
Covers the whole plot, including the ending.
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Pacing
- Moderate
- Mood
- Introspective, Thought-provoking, Melancholy, Hopeful
- Read it if
- You appreciate literary fiction exploring complex family dynamics, moral dilemmas, and spiritual awakening through the eyes of a young protagonist.
- Skip it if
- You prefer fast-paced plots with clear-cut resolutions or are uncomfortable with themes of moral ambiguity and unsettling family tensions.
Disobedience Plot Summary
Covers the whole plot, including the ending.
The First Disobedience
The story begins with Lila, a perceptive fifth-grader, thinking about her family's move from Chicago to a small Wisconsin town. Her father, Henry, is a minister, and her mother, Beth, struggles with depression and loneliness. Lila feels a deep loss for her old life and finds it hard to adjust to her new surroundings and the expectations of being a 'preacher's kid.' She describes her parents' strained relationship and her growing awareness of her family's complexities, especially her mother's quiet sadness. This move sets the stage for Lila's journey to understand the unspoken rules and hidden sorrows of adulthood.
The Arrival of the New Family
The Taylors—Mr. Taylor, a man with a mysterious past, Mrs. Taylor, and their two children, the quiet, artistic Eleanor and the loud, challenging Lyle—move into the parsonage next door to the Prichard family. Their arrival immediately disrupts the Prichard home's quiet balance. Lila is drawn to Eleanor, who has a quiet intensity, while Lyle's unpredictable behavior and his father's distant, sometimes threatening, presence create unease. Mrs. Taylor is often absent, adding to the family's mysterious nature. The close living situation forces interactions that show the clear differences between the two households.
Eleanor's Influence
Lila and Eleanor quickly become close friends. Eleanor, though seemingly delicate, has a strong artistic sense and a quiet defiance that captivates Lila. She introduces Lila to art, poetry, and a more thoughtful way of seeing the world, often challenging Lila's ideas about religion and morality. Their friendship is a safe place for Lila, offering an escape from the unspoken tensions in her own home. Eleanor's unique view and her family's unusual life open Lila's eyes to different ways of living and thinking, gently pushing her to question established norms.
Lyle's Provocations
Lyle Taylor, Eleanor's older brother, constantly makes Lila uncomfortable and afraid. His behavior is often unpredictable, marked by veiled threats, inappropriate comments, and a disturbing intensity. He seems to enjoy unsettling Lila and pushing boundaries, especially around themes of sexuality and violence. His actions create a growing sense of dread, not only for Lila but also for the reader, hinting at a darker side within the Taylor family. Lila struggles to understand Lyle's intentions, often feeling a mix of fear and a strange, almost morbid curiosity about his troubled nature.
The Growing Unease
As summer goes on, the interactions between the Prichard and Taylor families become more tense. Henry, Lila's father, tries to offer pastoral support to the Taylors, but Mr. Taylor remains distant and avoids him. Beth, Lila's mother, becomes more withdrawn, her depression worsening due to the unsettling presence next door. Lila observes these dynamics with a child's sharp sensitivity, sensing the unspoken worries and the growing threat that seems to come from the Taylor household. The innocent appearance of childhood begins to break as Lila deals with the adult world's unspoken fears and hypocrisies.
The Incident with Eleanor
A deeply disturbing event happens involving Eleanor and Lyle, suggesting abuse within the Taylor family. While the details are initially unclear to Lila, the emotional impact is significant. Eleanor becomes even more withdrawn and fragile, and Lila senses a deep violation. This event shatters Lila's remaining innocence and forces her to face the dark realities that can exist behind closed doors, even in seemingly ordinary neighborhoods. It also shows the helplessness of children in the face of adult cruelty and the complex ways trauma appears.
The Confrontation
The increasing tensions and clear evidence of harm within the Taylor family eventually force Henry and Beth to confront the disturbing situation. Henry, as a minister, feels responsible to intervene, but he is also limited by the complexities of privacy and his authority. Beth, despite her own struggles, is deeply troubled by what is happening next door, especially its effect on Eleanor. This confrontation is difficult and emotional, forcing the Prichards to deal with their moral duties and the painful realities of human suffering and malice.
The Aftermath and Departure
After the confrontation and the revelation of deeper problems, the Taylor family suddenly leaves town, disappearing as mysteriously as they arrived. Their departure leaves a lasting mark on Lila and her family. The house next door remains empty, a silent reminder of the disturbing events. Lila is left to process the trauma, the loss of her friendship with Eleanor, and the unsettling understanding of the darkness that can exist in the world. Her childhood innocence is forever changed, replaced by a more complex and nuanced understanding of human nature and the capacity for both good and evil.
Lila's Reckoning
Years later, as an adult, Lila looks back on the events of that summer. She deals with the memories, trying to understand the cruelty she saw and the lessons she learned about human behavior, faith, and the nature of evil. She thinks about her parents' reactions, their strengths and weaknesses, and how their responses shaped her own moral compass. This look back allows Lila to explore the long-term psychological and spiritual effect of her childhood experiences, showing how formative events continue to influence a person's life and their understanding of the world.
Forgiveness and Understanding
In her adult thoughts, Lila grapples with forgiveness, not just for those who caused harm but also for the imperfections of those who tried to help, including her own parents. She recognizes the limits of human intervention and the deep mystery of suffering. Her journey leads her to a more complex understanding of faith, moving beyond simple ideas of good and evil to embrace the complex, often contradictory, nature of humanity. She learns that true mercy and compassion come from acknowledging the brokenness in the world and within oneself, ultimately finding a path towards healing and acceptance.
Disobedience Characters
Lila Prichard
Protagonist
An observant and sensitive young girl navigating the complexities of family and faith.
Lila is the perceptive, intelligent, and deeply sensitive narrator of the story, beginning as a fifth-grader and reflecting as an adult. She is a 'preacher's kid' who struggles with the expectations placed upon her and the unspoken tensions within her own family. Her innocence is gradually eroded by her observations of the world, particularly the unsettling events involving the Taylor family. She is a keen observer of human nature, seeking to understand the motivations and hidden lives of those around her.
Relationships: Henry Prichard (Daughter, seeks his guidance and approval); Beth Prichard (Daughter, observes her mother's struggles and feels both love and frustration); Eleanor Taylor (Close friend, confidante, and source of new perspectives); Lyle Taylor (Victim of his psychological and physical torment)
Henry Prichard
Supporting
Lila's father, a well-meaning but often overwhelmed minister.
Henry is a kind, earnest, and somewhat idealistic minister who genuinely wants to do good. He struggles to balance his pastoral duties with the needs of his own family, often appearing overwhelmed by the emotional demands placed upon him. He tries to extend compassion to the Taylor family but is limited by his own understanding and the boundaries of his profession. His faith is central to his identity, but he grapples with the harsh realities that challenge his beliefs.
Relationships: Lila Prichard (Father, tries to guide and protect her); Beth Prichard (Husband, struggles to understand and support his wife's depression); Mr. Taylor (Pastor to a parishioner, tries to offer help and guidance)
Beth Prichard
Supporting
Lila's mother, grappling with depression and a sense of isolation.
Beth is Lila's mother, a woman who struggles with chronic depression and a feeling of being unmoored after their move. She is artistic and sensitive but often withdrawn, finding it difficult to connect with her family or her new community. Her quiet suffering is a significant undercurrent in the Prichard household, and her inability to fully engage sometimes leaves Lila feeling unsupported. Despite her struggles, she possesses a deep capacity for empathy and a quiet strength.
Relationships: Lila Prichard (Mother, her struggles impact Lila's emotional landscape); Henry Prichard (Wife, their relationship is strained by her depression and his pastoral duties)
Eleanor Taylor
Supporting
Lila's artistic and fragile friend, a victim of her family's dysfunction.
Eleanor is the quiet, artistic, and deeply sensitive daughter of the Taylor family. She forms a close bond with Lila, sharing her love for art and literature. Despite her fragility, she possesses a keen intellect and a unique perspective on life. She is a victim of her family's dysfunction and abuse, which manifests in her quietness and her profound sadness. Her friendship with Lila is a brief respite from her troubled home life, but she carries a heavy burden.
Relationships: Lila Prichard (Close friend and confidante); Lyle Taylor (Sister and victim of his abuse); Mr. Taylor (Daughter, lives in fear of him)
Lyle Taylor
Antagonist
Eleanor's older brother, a disturbed and menacing presence.
Lyle is the older brother of Eleanor and a source of constant fear and unease for Lila. He is manipulative, unpredictable, and displays disturbing psychological and potentially physical aggression. His actions and veiled threats are central to the rising tension and the ultimate revelation of the Taylor family's dark secrets. He represents the unsettling presence of evil and dysfunction, particularly as it impacts the innocent. His character embodies the destructive power of unaddressed trauma and malice.
Relationships: Lila Prichard (Tormentor); Eleanor Taylor (Brother and abuser)
Mr. Taylor
Supporting
The enigmatic and distant patriarch of the Taylor family.
Mr. Taylor is the distant and often absent patriarch of the Taylor family. He is evasive and uncommunicative, making it difficult for Henry to connect with him or offer pastoral support. His presence is unsettling, and he seems to exert a silent, authoritarian control over his family. His mysterious background and his passive allowance of the dysfunction within his home contribute significantly to the ominous atmosphere surrounding the Taylors. He represents the hidden, unaddressed problems that can fester within a family.
Relationships: Henry Prichard (Parishioner, but resistant to help); Lyle Taylor (Father, seems to enable or ignore his son's behavior); Eleanor Taylor (Father, her fear of him is palpable)
Disobedience Themes
The Loss of Innocence
The novel shows how Lila's childhood innocence slowly disappears as she faces the harsh realities of the adult world, especially through the unsettling events involving the Taylor family. Her move to a new town and her close friendship with Eleanor, followed by Lyle's increasing threats, force her to confront evil, abuse, and deep suffering. This theme appears when Lila observes her mother's depression and her father's struggles, but it peaks with the traumatic incident involving Eleanor, which shatters Lila's naive view and introduces her to the complexities of human cruelty and vulnerability.
“What I remember most vividly from that summer is the feeling of a world cracking open, not just for me, but for my parents too.”
The Nature of Disobedience (Moral and Spiritual)
The theme of disobedience runs through the story on many levels. It refers to breaking moral codes and societal norms, most clearly seen in the abusive actions within the Taylor family. However, it also includes Lila's own internal 'disobedience'—her questioning of religious rules, her challenging of adult authority, and her refusal to ignore the unsettling truths she finds. Her father, Henry, also struggles with his parishioners' and the world's 'disobedience' against God's teachings, and his own limits in confronting it. The book suggests that sometimes, 'disobedience' to superficial rules or societal silence can lead to deeper truth and moral courage.
“Sometimes, I thought, the greatest obedience was to question everything.”
The Fragility of Family and Community
The novel emphasizes how fragile family units and the wider community are, showing how easily they can break due to internal struggles, unspoken secrets, and outside threats. The Prichard family, though seemingly stable, deals with Beth's depression and Henry's work pressures, creating internal strains. The Taylor family, however, shows extreme dysfunction, whose hidden abuses threaten to destroy their own lives and affect the Prichards. The small-town setting, initially seen as safe, becomes a place where the appearance of peace easily shatters, revealing the vulnerability of individuals and the community to deep-seated problems.
“We lived side by side, two families, two worlds, and the fence between us was thinner than anyone knew.”
Faith, Doubt, and Forgiveness
As a minister's daughter, Lila is immersed in faith, but her experiences force her to confront deep doubt. The suffering she witnesses challenges simple religious explanations for evil. The novel explores the struggle to keep faith when faced with human cruelty and the search for meaning beyond traditional beliefs. Ultimately, Lila's journey leads her to a more complex understanding of forgiveness, not as excusing wrongdoers, but as a way to personal healing and a recognition of the shared human condition, including its capacity for both darkness and redemption. This theme is clear in Lila's adult thoughts about the events.
“Forgiveness, I learned, wasn't about excusing the unforgivable, but about letting go of the rage that chained you to it.”
Plot Devices & Literary Techniques
First-Person Retrospective Narration
The story is told by Lila as an adult, looking back on her childhood.
This device allows the author to explore themes of memory, trauma, and the long-term impact of childhood experiences. Lila's adult perspective provides insight and analysis that a child narrator could not, offering a nuanced understanding of the events and their psychological and spiritual ramifications. It also creates a sense of foreboding, as the adult Lila hints at the tragic outcomes without revealing them immediately, building suspense and allowing for deeper thematic exploration of forgiveness and understanding.
Symbolism of the Parsonage Next Door
The proximity of the two families' homes symbolizes the blurred lines between good and evil.
The parsonage, a symbol of spiritual guidance and community, being adjacent to the dysfunctional Taylor home, creates a powerful symbolic contrast. This proximity highlights how evil and suffering can exist directly alongside faith and goodness, blurring the lines and challenging simplistic notions of morality. It also emphasizes the idea that even within a seemingly safe, religious environment, darkness can penetrate and disrupt. The physical closeness forces the Prichards to confront the Taylors' issues, symbolizing the inescapable nature of human suffering.
The Motif of Art and Creativity
Eleanor's artistic expression serves as a counterpoint to the family's dysfunction.
Eleanor's love for art, drawing, and poetry serves as a motif representing an escape, a form of communication, and a source of beauty amidst profound suffering. It highlights her sensitivity and her inner world, which stands in stark contrast to the brutality she experiences at home. For Lila, Eleanor's artistic inclination opens her eyes to new ways of seeing and understanding the world, offering a different kind of 'truth' than what she finds in her father's sermons. Art becomes a sanctuary and a way to process the ineffable.
Disobedience Quotes
“There was a certain luxury to being out of sync with the world, a kind of freedom.”
“The truth was, I loved the way a story could take hold of you, could make you forget where you were.”
“It was as if the world had a secret language, and I was just beginning to understand a few words of it.”
“Sometimes the greatest acts of love are the ones that are hardest to forgive.”
“Disobedience, I was learning, was not just about breaking rules, but about finding your own.”
“The past was not a place you could visit, but a thread woven into the fabric of who you were.”
“We were all just trying to make sense of the noise, to find a melody in the chaos.”
“There’s a kind of peace in giving up what you thought you knew, in starting fresh, even if you’re terrified.”
“Faith wasn’t about believing in something you couldn’t see, but in holding onto the possibility that it might be there.”
“The quiet moments were often the loudest, if you knew how to listen.”
“Every family has its own mythology, stories told and retold until they become more real than what actually happened.”
“Sometimes you had to break something to see what it was truly made of.”
“To be truly alive, you had to risk being hurt.”
“The world was full of small rebellions, if you only knew where to look.”
Quiz
10 questions on the plot and the characters. Each answer comes with a short explanation.
Question 1
What is the name of the protagonist and narrator of 'Disobedience'?
- Alice
- Lydia
- Grace
- Sarah
Show answer
C. Grace The protagonist and narrator of 'Disobedience' is a young girl named Grace.
Question 2
What significant event occurs early in the novel that deeply impacts Grace's family?
- Her father loses his job unexpectedly.
- Her younger sister, Ellen, is killed in an accident.
- Her family moves to a different state.
- Her mother becomes seriously ill.
Show answer
B. Her younger sister, Ellen, is killed in an accident. A central tragic event in the novel is the death of Grace's younger sister, Ellen, who is killed by a falling tree.
Question 3
Where does Grace's family live at the beginning of the novel?
- A bustling city apartment.
- A rural farm in Wisconsin.
- A suburban house in Illinois.
- A coastal town in Michigan.
Show answer
B. A rural farm in Wisconsin. The story is set on a rural farm in Wisconsin, which provides a significant backdrop to the family's isolation and struggles.
Question 4
After Ellen's death, what specific coping mechanism does Grace's mother adopt that alienates her from the family?
- She dedicates herself to extreme physical labor.
- She withdraws into a deep depression and stops speaking.
- She becomes intensely involved with a fundamentalist religious group.
- She starts drinking heavily and frequently leaves the house.
Show answer
C. She becomes intensely involved with a fundamentalist religious group. Grace's mother finds solace, or perhaps escapes, by immersing herself in a strict fundamentalist religious group, which creates further distance within the family.
Question 5
What is the primary internal conflict Grace faces as she navigates her family's grief and her mother's religious fervor?
- Her desire to leave home versus her loyalty to her father.
- Her struggle to maintain her own identity and sense of self amidst her family's disintegration and her mother's demands.
- Her guilt over Ellen's death and her secret belief that she was responsible.
- Her fear of her father's increasing anger and potential violence.
Show answer
B. Her struggle to maintain her own identity and sense of self amidst her family's disintegration and her mother's demands. Grace struggles profoundly to define herself and her beliefs when her family, particularly her mother, is undergoing such radical changes and demands conformity.
Question 6
Who is Mr. Johnson, and what is his role in the narrative?
- He is Grace's teacher who offers her support and guidance.
- He is a charismatic preacher who heavily influences Grace's mother.
- He is a family friend who tries to mediate disputes.
- He is a local farmer who helps Grace's father with chores.
Show answer
B. He is a charismatic preacher who heavily influences Grace's mother. Mr. Johnson is the leader of the fundamentalist church that Grace's mother joins, and he becomes a powerful, often unsettling, influence on her and the family's dynamic.
Question 7
What is the significance of the title 'Disobedience' in the context of the novel?
- It refers to Grace's father's refusal to accept his wife's new religious beliefs.
- It highlights the children's rebellion against their parents' rules after Ellen's death.
- It represents Grace's eventual defiance of her mother's rigid religious doctrine and her assertion of her own moral compass.
- It describes the town's general disregard for law and order.
Show answer
C. It represents Grace's eventual defiance of her mother's rigid religious doctrine and her assertion of her own moral compass. The title directly relates to Grace's journey of questioning and ultimately disobeying the strict, sometimes harmful, doctrines imposed by her mother's new faith, choosing instead her own understanding of love and compassion.
Question 8
How does Grace's relationship with her younger brother, Paul, evolve throughout the story?
- They grow increasingly distant as they each cope with grief in their own ways.
- Grace often resents Paul for being her mother's favorite after Ellen's death.
- They become a source of mutual comfort and understanding, forming a quiet alliance against the turmoil in their family.
- Paul becomes more rebellious, causing Grace to feel responsible for his actions.
Show answer
C. They become a source of mutual comfort and understanding, forming a quiet alliance against the turmoil in their family. Grace and Paul, both deeply affected by the family's struggles, often find solace and quiet understanding in each other, becoming a subtle but vital support system for one another.
Question 9
What is a key thematic element explored through the family's interactions and individual struggles in 'Disobedience'?
- The corrupting influence of wealth and power.
- The destructive nature of unchecked ambition.
- The complex interplay of grief, faith, and the search for meaning and connection amidst profound loss.
- The struggle for racial equality in rural America.
Show answer
C. The complex interplay of grief, faith, and the search for meaning and connection amidst profound loss. The novel deeply explores how a family grapples with immense grief, how individuals seek comfort (often through faith), and the challenges of maintaining genuine connection and finding meaning in the aftermath of tragedy.
Question 10
What specific act of 'disobedience' does Grace commit towards the end of the novel that signifies her coming-of-age and assertion of self?
- She runs away from home to live with relatives.
- She openly challenges Mr. Johnson's teachings during a church service.
- She refuses to participate in a specific, spiritually guided act of penance or ritual demanded by her mother and Mr. Johnson.
- She confesses to a long-held secret that further destabilizes the family.
Show answer
C. She refuses to participate in a specific, spiritually guided act of penance or ritual demanded by her mother and Mr. Johnson. Grace's ultimate 'disobedience' is her refusal to comply with a particular spiritual ritual or demand from her mother and Mr. Johnson, symbolizing her rejection of their rigid interpretation of faith and her embrace of her own moral understanding.
Disobedience FAQ
What is the central premise of 'Disobedience' by Jane Hamilton?
The novel centers on the emotional and spiritual journey of a young, unnamed woman who finds herself deeply isolated and grappling with the trauma of a past act of violence committed by her father. She seeks connection and meaning, often through unconventional or challenging relationships, as she tries to reconcile her family's history with her own developing identity and faith.
Who is the protagonist of 'Disobedience' and what is her main struggle?
The protagonist is an unnamed young woman, often referred to as 'the girl,' who carries the weight of her father's violent act and subsequent imprisonment. Her main struggle is to understand and forgive, both her father and herself, while navigating feelings of alienation and attempting to forge authentic connections in a world that often feels hostile or indifferent.
How does the protagonist's relationship with her father evolve throughout the book?
Initially, the protagonist's relationship with her father is defined by his crime and her subsequent shame and confusion. As the narrative progresses, she begins to visit him in prison, slowly peeling back layers of resentment and fear to uncover a more complex understanding of his humanity and the circumstances that led to his actions, leading towards a form of reconciliation.
What role does spirituality play in the protagonist's journey?
Spirituality is a significant undercurrent in the protagonist's quest for meaning and healing. She grapples with questions of faith, sin, forgiveness, and redemption, often finding solace or challenge in religious texts and the concept of a higher power, which helps her process her traumatic experiences and find a path toward compassion.
Can you describe the setting of 'Disobedience' and its significance?
The novel is set in a somewhat isolated, rural American landscape, which mirrors the protagonist's internal feelings of solitude and detachment. The starkness of the environment often emphasizes her emotional barrenness, while also providing moments of quiet reflection and a backdrop for her internal struggles and eventual growth.
What is the significance of the protagonist remaining unnamed?
The protagonist's anonymity emphasizes her universal struggle with alienation and the search for identity, allowing readers to project their own experiences onto her journey. It also highlights her feeling of being stripped of a distinct self, overshadowed by her father's crime, as she strives to reclaim her individuality.
Are there any symbolic objects or recurring motifs in the novel?
The act of writing and letter-writing is a recurring motif, symbolizing the protagonist's attempts to communicate, understand, and process her experiences. The imagery of nature, particularly desolate landscapes, also serves as a mirror to her internal state and her slow path toward renewal.
How does the novel subtly hint at the protagonist's underlying trauma beyond the father's crime?
The protagonist's difficulty forming lasting, healthy relationships, her often detached observations of others, and her profound sense of isolation subtly reveal the deeper psychological impact of her early life. Her intense, sometimes almost obsessive, internal monologues also point to an unresolved inner turmoil stemming from her past.
What is the psychological impact of the father's crime on the protagonist?
The father's crime leaves the protagonist with deep-seated feelings of shame, guilt by association, and profound alienation. She struggles with trust and intimacy, often feeling like an outsider, and grapples with the inherited burden of her family's dark history, which shapes her perception of herself and the world.
How does the protagonist cope with her feelings of isolation and otherness?
The protagonist often copes by retreating into herself, observing the world from a distance, and seeking solace in unconventional connections or spiritual contemplation. She attempts to understand her place in the world through introspection and by trying to make sense of the human capacity for both violence and love.
Does the protagonist exhibit signs of post-traumatic stress or complex grief?
While not explicitly diagnosed, the protagonist's persistent feelings of detachment, her struggle with emotional regulation, her difficulty forming stable attachments, and her recurring internal preoccupation with the traumatic event strongly suggest symptoms consistent with complex trauma and a prolonged grieving process for her lost sense of normalcy.
How does the novel explore the concept of inherited trauma?
The novel profoundly explores inherited trauma through the protagonist's experience, showing how her father's violent act casts a long shadow over her life, affecting her identity, relationships, and worldview. She carries the emotional and social repercussions, demonstrating how one person's actions can deeply wound subsequent generations.
Is the ending of 'Disobedience' ultimately hopeful or ambiguous?
The ending leans towards hope, as the protagonist achieves a significant degree of understanding and a nascent sense of peace, particularly in her reconciliation with her father and her burgeoning capacity for compassion. However, it also retains a degree of ambiguity, acknowledging that healing is an ongoing process rather than a definitive resolution.
How does the title 'Disobedience' relate to the themes of the book?
The title 'Disobedience' can be interpreted in several ways: the father's disobedience to societal laws, the protagonist's internal struggle to disobey the inherited narrative of shame, or perhaps even a spiritual disobedience in questioning traditional religious doctrines in her search for personal truth and forgiveness.
Does the book suggest that forgiveness is always possible, even for severe crimes?
The book doesn't offer a simplistic answer but rather explores the arduous and complex journey towards forgiveness. It suggests that while incredibly difficult, and not necessarily condoning the act, a form of understanding and compassion, even for severe crimes, is essential for the victim's own healing and liberation.
What is the novel's ultimate message about human nature?
The novel's ultimate message is a profound testament to the complexity of human nature, acknowledging its capacity for both immense darkness and extraordinary light. It highlights the human capacity for resilience, mercy, compassion, and love, even in the face of profound suffering and injustice, and the enduring search for connection and meaning.
How does the book challenge conventional notions of family and belonging?
The book challenges conventional notions by presenting a family fractured by violence and shame, where traditional bonds are strained or broken. It explores how the protagonist must redefine family and belonging for herself, often finding connection in unexpected places and through acts of radical empathy, rather than through inherited structures.
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