“I think you can see, your Honour, that this girl’s mental capacity is one of the impediments to her understanding simple moral concepts.”
The statement is part of a mock play that the girls perform as a commentary on their situation at the Girls Home. The girls in the institution were admitted due to an assessment that they are ‘difficult girls’ thus ‘morally depraved’. Therefore with such diagnosis, it gave allowance to punitive measures to ‘correct’ them which transitioned into child abuse within the home. The assertion is a reiteration of the medical verdict made about Marlene, in that they were diagnosed with extreme mental conditions that they possibly did not suffer from. Thus, this led to mental and physical abuse that made the girls worse than they actually were when they were admitted.
“But the suffering here isn’t your whole story is it?”
Further accentuating on the impact the home had on the girls’ mental stability, the play showcases how they transitioned into life after release. Judi as one of the girls sexually abused at the home while underage questions Lynette whether their experiences there will define them. After leaving the home, Judi gets involved with prostitution and other unlawful activities. Her experiences change her mindset forever and she assumes a role in society that ties her to her past. Thus, demonstrating the level of impact such cruelty and abuse during childhood can impact one's future.
