During her childhood and adolescence, Raina struggles to connect with her family. There are two major personality types in the family: Raina, Dad, and Will are more easygoing and lenient, and Mom and Amara are often obstinate, irritable, and angry. The resulting conflicts are endless, as Amara and Raina are always arguing with one another about meaningless things. They may have learned this behavior from their parents, who struggle to agree on issues like parenting styles or the urgency of finding work. After Christmas morning, when Raina gets her new Walkman, she is seen on a splash page sitting peacefully and drawing while her family screams around her. Like Raina, Dad tunes the chaos out by watching baseball.

Raina feels like an outcast in her own family, and this is only amplified at the family reunion. Her cousins barely remember her and have little interest in connecting with her, and Raina feels disappointed after looking forward to the event. She attempts to find a sympathetic ear in Amara when she finds her sitting outside alone, but Amara reacts with anger and hostility, accusing Raina of being self-serving.