+

+ Success is measured by the psychosocial development of an adult individual. We meet Cupcake as she was approaching adolescence (11 years old) and the story ends near the end of her young adulthood (37 years old), so her success will be rated by her mastery of the challenges in these two life stages, according to the Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory. In adolescence, individuals between ages 11 and 20 are expected to “develop a sense of who they are and where they are going in life” (Hutchison, 2011). In young adulthood, individuals between ages 21 and 40 are expected to “develop the capacity to commit to deep associations with others” (Hutchison, 2011).

+ Cupcake Brown lost the steady foundation of her immediate family at a crucial time in her development. She experienced the loss of her mother and was thrown into a living situation in which she knew (and could trust) no one. She was moved to an entirely different school, neighborhood, and way of life. While a person is attempting to find themselves, the support of close family and friends is very important. For Cupcake, instead of focusing on her dreams for the future, she was forced to protect herself from physical and sexual abuse. By the time she was in an environment where she could focus on identity (her great aunt’s house), she had already seen such a nasty world and continued to worry more about her protection than who she was as an individual, hence joining a gang with her cousin, where she felt loved and accepted.

+ Some parts of Cup’s psychosocial development during this stage was “normal” however. She formed relationships with her peers that could have been expected for a child her age. For example, she sought friends who she perceived to be similar to her and developed close bonds with some of them. Although some may not look at gang activity as “acceptable friendships,” it can be noted given Cup’s situation. She also sought autonomy by depending on herself a lot more than she had in the past. Maybe hitchhiking wasn’t safe, but her lack of concern for safety and perceived “invincibility” was “normal” for her age. Later on, Cupcake’s moral development showed. Although she tried to ignore what she thought to be “God” she found herself feeling bad when she engaged in certain negative behaviors, including stealing and doing drugs. After Cupcake reestablished a relationship with her uncle and dad (who raised her), the relationship was renegotiated, partly because they knew that she had gotten older and partly because of what they knew she had been through. She also made many decisions, mostly about how to obtain and keep a job. Although these decisions were usually influenced by drugs and alcohol and resulted in problems, her ability to do so was developmentally appropriate.