Paradise Lesson Plan

Why do the Indian girls feel an affinity with Connie?

Connie, like many of the Indian girls at the Convent, were essentially kidnapped as children, though in some cases, it was a matter of simple not seeking out their parents when they were found abandoned. This makes them trust her more, and see her as one of them. Furthermore, Connie is not actually a nun. She never took orders, does not wear a habit, and does not have the same authority as the nuns. In fact, she has long been their servant. Connie is also ostensibly not white, since “the white woman” is not her in the description of the attack. It may also be posited that the girls relate to Connie because they and she...