First of all, Milkman and her mother Ruth’s failure in recognizing the other as a separate individual suggest their dependence on other people. While the first passage is said in the perspective of Milkman, it highly stresses out the fact that for Milkman, Ruth barely exists in the family. The word “insubstantial” demonstrates how Ruth, dominated by Macon at home, has no right to speak up and no right to make decisions, causing her son Milkman to fail to realize her existence in the family. In addition, the phrase “shadowy love” also points our the fact that the love between Macon and Ruth is flawed and casts depression and “shadow” over Ruth that she can’t fully express her personality in front of her son. Ruth’s lack of right and constant depression causes her to become so vulnerable in front of other people, men especially, that Milkman has always seen her as someone leaving under the shadow of strict Macon instead of an independent person. While on the other hand, passage two, said in the perspective of Ruth, claims that Milkman also failed to be recognized by Ruth as a separate person. Ruth breastfed Milkman until he was eleven, and when Freddie found out her secret action, she claimed that she lost “her velveteened toy” (132).