Vivian confronts her parents after they accuse her of theft. She reveals she has endured extreme poverty and abuse while they favored her brother Howard, even forcing her to change schools to protect his ego. Her father justifies his actions by claiming she is a worthless girl who cannot carry on the family line. As he threatens to break her legs, a teacher steps in to protect Vivian, but the father insists he must teach her a lesson, escalating the physical confrontation.