Now, I do not know exactly what you are looking for, but in the first few pages of the book, talk about how she learned from early on that she has to 'fight for herself' to survive. For example, at the hospital, the doctors show minimal to no understanding for her condition. The nurse said, "But we don't coddle n*****s" (Beals 3) which proves that point. And then a bit later, she writes as follows: "Black folks aren't born expecting segregation... the humiliating expectations and traditions of segregation creep over you stealing a teaspoon of your self-esteem each day" (Beals 3). This shows how people of colour were told to fend for themselves ever since they were born. I think that this makes a big point in Beal's POV, because she grows up with this mentality.
Explanation:
Sorry if this is not exactly what you are looking for, but I really tried my best.
I would assume that the author does this to show how indifferent the person in the book is, she/he doesn’t know what they are in life, this makes it relatable to readers who have had this feeling before and it shows how the character is feeling in that moment
