We see her as a youngster forced to answer questions to earn rewards, to color within the lines at all times, and to be quiet and content staying indoors. She is prodded by her mother’s insistence that "quitters never win and winners never quit." She is enticed by her father’s notion that "the important thing is to have fun while doing the best you can." The conflict between mother and father explodes and the child, sensitive to the feelings of both, is caught in the turmoil.

The film ends with Stephanie’s acceptance of childhood memories and her mother’s role in the creation of her present personality.