Beth Heke left her small island town when she was a very young lady despite her parents disapproval, she married Jake "the Muss" Heke. After a total of eighteen years they have five children and live in a slum in New Zealand. Beth is from a more traditional background she related to the old ways, while Jake is an interpretation of what some Māori have become. Beth on occasion tries to reform herself by trying to do good for her family, for example by giving up drinking and saving the money which she would have spent on alcohol, however, she always relapses back into alcoholism and irresponsibility. Beth suffers from battered woman syndrome as her husband Jake is physically abusive and beats her on a regular basis. Beth Heke also suffers from sexual abuse as her husband Jake has raped her after her beatings. Beth Heke also suffers from PTSD post traumatic Stress disorder; PTSD can be defined as an anxiety disorder that can occur after you have been through a traumatic event. A traumatic event is something horrible and scary that you see or that happens to you. During this type of event, you think that your life or others' lives are in danger. You may feel afraid or feel that you have no control over what is happening (National Center for PTSD) due to Beth Heke’s Physical abuse, sexual abuse, and battered woman syndrome she suffers from PTSD. Beth Heke also suffers from brief psychotic disorder after her daughter Grace is raped by her uncle and commits suicide by hanging herself on a tree.
Grace Heke lives with her Parents Beth and Jake Heke live in a slum in New Zealand; she has four siblings Mark, Nig, Polly, and Hauta. Grace, the Heke's 13-year old daughter, loves writing stories; she creates an escape from the brutality of her real life. Grace takes care of her other siblings when her parents are too drunk too, or the