This quotation shows how patient and how good of a teacher Bernadette is because she taught Heidi’s mom how to use a can opener as her first task.“The Kitchen is where Bernadette taught mama how to use the electric can opener”. The author says this to create suspension and question for the reader, since Bernadette is afraid of going outside why is she riding in a prairie? Is an example of a question the reader may ask themselves.“Every night we rode bareback across the prairie in calico bonnets” (page 9) Also Bernadette’s apartment being connected to Heidi’s is important due to Bernadette’s disorder of being afraid of the outside. Heidi describes Bernadette’s apartment to create imagery so the reader imagines her apartment.“Bernadette’s apartment was right next to ours, and in the olden days, when the building was first built, the rooms were probably all joined together as one big apartment”. And if it wasn’t for Bernadette, Heidi’s mom wouldn’t be able to take care of Heidi the way she wishes she could, and Heidi and her mom wouldn’t be able to make it through. Since Heidi’s mom needs special help because she has a bum brain Bernadette is helping and teacher her.“ I loved my mother and I know she loved me too, but if we didn’t have Bernadette, we’d have been in big trouble.”- Heidi (page 11) This shows that Bernadette is willing to teach people that don’t know things, and need help with things, that’s why she is helping Heidi’s mom with learning.“Bernie taught me everything I know”- Heidi (page 9) This shows that Heidi realizes that her mother has problems, and can’t take care of her the way she should be able to, but if she could than she would, and Heidi understands accepts that.“ My mother loved me in her own special way, but she couldn’t take care of me herself because of her bum brain.” –Heidi (page 5) This shows that Heidi is willing to do her best even thought she doesn’t have all the support she should have. (page 5) Heidi grew up without a father, and only had her mother, and her mother isn’t all there like Bernadette told her on page 5. “One thing that I knew for a fact, from the time I knew anything at all, was that I didn’t have a father”- Heidi. This shows that Bernadette is caring enough to face her fear to take care of a needy person. “ (page 7) Bernadette’s apartment being right next to Heidi’s is important because Bernadette takes care of Heidi’s mom, and Bernadette has agoraphobia, a disorder that made you scared to go outside, so to take care of Heidi’s mom she doesn’t have to go outside. “Bernadette’s apartment was right next to ours, and in the olden days when the building was first built, the rooms were probably all joined together as one big apartment.

So b it by sarah weeks