Can't Get Enough

The Sweet Tooth Bakery is a symbol of Betty’s lost identity and the stable, happy past that her mind retreats to amid the confusion of Alzheimer’s. Though the bakery has been closed for over a decade, it remains a tangible anchor to a time when Betty was independent, competent, and a respected small business owner. Her wandering to the vacant storefront, where she is found by police in the novel’s opening, is not merely a sign of disorientation; it is a pilgrimage to the source of her purpose.

This act reveals The Role of Memory and Familiarity in Preserving Identity, a central theme in the novel. For Betty, the bakery represents a reality where she is still in control, a stark contrast to her current state of vulnerability. Hendrix’s heart breaks when she realizes her mother’s intention: “She can’t bring herself to admit it, but I know my mother came here tonight to open up her bakery, the one that’s been closed for more than a decade” (9). This insight forces Hendrix to confront the severity of her mother’s illness. The bakery symbolizes the self that Alzheimer’s is stealing, making Betty’s attachment to the empty plaza a powerful representation of her struggle to hold on to her identity.