Marley learns several difficult lessons about the nature of family and ultimately learns to expand her definition of the term, but arriving at this new wisdom takes a toll on her well-being and her relationships. When she discovers that her parents adopted her after her biological mother’s death and father’s abandonment, she experiences a complete shift in her identity and worldview.

Before this defining moment, Marley feels close to her parents and brother, and she frequently recalls memories from her childhood with warmth and a sense of belonging. As she describes “helping” Pops to wash his car when she was three years old, her memories of his tolerant nature illustrate the love that she and Pops have always shared. These memories from Marley’s early life indicate that she has a deeply committed family—parents and a brother who will always love and accept her. These initial contemplations also provide a solid foundation to indicate that Marley will eventually come to terms with the new information about her family history.

When Marley learns that she was adopted, her understanding of her family is shattered, leaving her feeling uncertain and insecure as she questions whether the people she loves are really her family at all.