Out on a Limb

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of illness, death by suicide, ableism, and mental illness. 

Win’s character arc centers on the changes in her life that result from her unexpected pregnancy, and much of the book explores the way she handles her new circumstances. While portraying pregnancy and motherhood as a challenging undertaking regardless of one’s circumstances, the novel explores how Win’s limb difference and perceptions about how it will impact her ability to parent present obstacles that she must overcome. The author thus shows that Win’s experience challenges conventional assumptions about what a person is capable of and how society perceives people with disabilities, particularly mothers. Through highlighting her resilience and the importance of receiving support, the author shows Win’s ability to overcome barriers associated with expectant motherhood. 

First among Win’s conflicts is one that the technician brings up at her initial ultrasound. Noting the activity in the developing fetus, the technician remarks that Win will have her hands full with her child. This is a common, nearly ubiquitous expression that emphasizes that the management of infants and small children is a full-time job. However, the particular reference to hands strikes a nerve with Win due to her limb difference, as she reflexively thinks, “Hands are kinda the issue here, lady” (94).