Mysterious Actions

     I'm in the middle of reading Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen, and I've been a little bit confused about the main character Ruby's actions. She has lived her whole life in run down, tiny houses with a drug addict as a mother, and more responsibilities than just about any other 17 year old girl. Then she moves into a huge beautiful house with her sister and brother-in-law, where she finally gets to live the life of a normal teenage girl. Yet, she decides to sneak out and leave the house the day she gets there. This decision was really interesting to me, because I know if I was in that situation, I would definitely want to stay in her sister's house for so many reasons. It really puzzled me that she would give up such a good living environment, to go back to her old, horrible life.
     I think one reason why Ruby may have wanted to go back was that she has always lived her life very independently and I don't think she wants to change that. I don't think she likes having someone be her "leader", because she said, "I hate that they're going to be the ones telling me what to do now". At home, Ruby handled everything herself and she was the "man of the house", even though she's a 17 year old girl. She's definitely so used to the "every man for themselves" notion, as she says in the story, "it's pretty much an every man for themselves kind of thing". I don't think she's comfortable having to listen to and elder and do everything they say.
     Another reason why Ruby probably doesn't want to stay is because she doesn't like change. She hates the fact that she has to go to a new high school, she hates the fact that she has to live in a whole new place, and she hates the fact that she has to act like a completely different person now. For example, Ruby said "I don't like the idea of going to a new school in the middle of the semester. It will just be weird to make that big of a change". Another thing she said was "I don't like changing where I live. As bad as it was, it was still my home, and it doesn't feel like home here."After all that she's been through, it does make sense that she wants everything to stay the same and she doesn't want to keep having to shift her life around.
     Ruby also definitely feels like she doesn't fit in her new neighborhood. All her life she has grown up in the "slums" and now she's in a fancy, elite neighborhood where everything is perfect. She isn't used to it and she just doesn't feel comfortable there. Ruby said, "this neighborhood is too rich and preppy for me. I'm Ruby. I don't fit in in a place like this." She clearly doesn't feel comfortable with herself or with her surroundings at her new house. She also said, "Perkins Day? Perkins Day is the most uptight, perfect private school. Known for obnoxious and upperclass athletes and braniacs. Not a school for someone like me." She is definitely feeling anxious about going to a whole new school and trying to fit in with everyone.
     In conclusion, Ruby's choice to sneak out of her new perfect house and go back to her ruined lifestyle is definitely a weird one. Although it does make sense in her case, because she's a very independent person, she doesn't like change, and she has every doubt in the world that she'll fit in in her new home. I feel so bad for Ruby, and she definitely has some hard decisions to make.