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1-Page Summary of Breaking Night

Overall Summary

Elizabeth Murray grew up in the Bronx during the 1980s. Her parents were Peter Finnerty and Jean Murray, though she referred to them as “Daddy” and “M.” Daddy was charming when he met Ma, but soon after they started using drugs heavily. Both of them came from emotionally abusive families; their relationship ended badly. They had two daughters: Lisa and Elizabeth (Liz). Daddy was imprisoned for impersonating a doctor and selling painkillers. He left M with two young children to take care of on her own.

Liz is three years old when her father gets out of prison. She grows up witnessing her parents use cocaine and other drugs, as well as collecting welfare checks because their mother is legally blind. Because the family has a stable source of income, they can afford food and electricity, but most of the money goes toward drugs.

Liz is a student who lives in the Bronx. She has trouble focusing on her schoolwork since she doesn’t sleep well and can’t concentrate with her parents arguing all night long. Liz also learns to destroy letters from truancy officers so that her parents don’t read them. Despite this, she manages to graduate every year by learning to read through books at home and passing exams without attending classes.

Liz was a young girl when her mother introduced her to Ron, who provided food and drugs for the family. He also sexually abused Liz on multiple occasions. When she told Ma about it, she had a nervous breakdown. Doctors examined Liz and found that Ron had been molesting her for months. She never felt normal again because of this abuse, but kept quiet to ensure that he would keep providing for the family.

Over the next few years, Ma will have multiple mental breakdowns. She uses drugs more frequently and her family has a history of schizophrenia and other mental disorders. Daddy will become a more active parent during this time to help provide food for his children. However, Liz finds out that Daddy had another child in a previous relationship when she was only two years old, which he abandoned. Also, Liz’s mother is diagnosed with AIDS, though she doesn’t fully understand what it means at first but senses that her mother isn’t going to live much longer.

Liz starts spending more time with her friends and earning money for herself. She’s happy to be away from Ma, who keeps spending her money on drugs. Eventually, Ma leaves Daddy and takes Lisa to live with Brick; Liz continues living with Daddy. One day, CPS (Child Protective Services) comes in and removes Liz because of the problems that she has been causing at school ever since they took away her baby brother Sammie Jr. After a while, however, both mother and daughter are reunited again after being torn apart by the circumstances that they’re going through together as a family unit.

PASSAGE:

It’s difficult for Liz to live with her dad, Brick. She makes friends at school and begins cutting class with them. They explore New York City together, but Liz is careful not to let her parents know that she’s skipping classes. Meanwhile, Ma continues to get sicker and sicker. When Liz enters high school, she meets Carlos Marcano, a charming boy who asks her out on a date. He also convinces her to run away from home one day with him and Sam (her friend). Eventually they all begin spending more time together than just running away from their homes every now and then.

Liz and Sam move in with Carlos after Ma dies. They live off of his money, but Liz notices that he also flirts a lot with other women. He’s actually a drug dealer who uses cocaine himself, which scares her. She begins to realize that he doesn’t love her like he says and she wants to leave him, but she’s afraid because of the things Carlos might do if she leaves.