Penny Sinclair Eastman Character Analysis in We Were Liars

Cady’s mother, Penny, is the oldest of the Sinclair sisters. She lives in Burlington, Vermont, with Cady and spends her summers with the rest of the Sinclair family on their private island near Martha’s Vineyard. She was married to Cady’s father, a professor of military history, but he abandoned his wife and child for another woman, telling Penny that he could not handle the pressure of being part of the powerful Sinclair family anymore. Penny is concerned with outward appearances and takes great care to teach Cady not to express her feelings publicly and to hide any emotional troubles from outsiders. When her husband leaves her and Cady, Penny reminds her daughter not to show signs of sadness, because silence “is a protective coating over pain.”

Penny Sinclair Eastman Quotes in We Were Liars

The We Were Liars quotes below are all either spoken by Penny Sinclair Eastman or refer to Penny Sinclair Eastman . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Do you understand, Cady? Silence is a protective coating over pain.

Related Characters: Penny Sinclair Eastman (speaker), Cadence “Cady” Eastman, Harris Sinclair, Tipper Sinclair

Page Number and Citation: 32

Explanation and Analysis:

Cady is in her grandmother’s craft room, looking through her things and mourning Tipper’s death, when Penny comes in and finds her there. Tipper died a few months earlier, and this is Cady’s first opportunity to process the fact that she is gone and to grieve the loss. Penny, however, tells her daughter that she should pull herself together and act normal, especially in front of Harris. She argues that the only way to support Harris in his time of need is to stay strong for him and put on a happy face—reminding him of the loss of his wife Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque plac

“Beauty is a valid use,” Mummy argues. “It creates a sense of place, a sense of personal history. Pleasure, even, Cadence. Have you ever heard of pleasure?”

Related Characters: Penny Sinclair Eastman (speaker), Cadence “Cady” Eastman

Page Number and Citation: 50

Explanation and Analysis:

One of the major changes that occur as a result of Cady’s accident is that she suddenly becomes obsessed with giving away her possessions, one at a time. She mails a scarf to Johnny, and an old Barbie to Mirren; she gives her pillow to a homeless person, and even donates a photo frame with the picture of her grandmother still inside. Penny is bothered by this compulsion, and the two argue about the value of material possessions: on one hand, Penny suggests that these items help define who a person is, but Cady is convinced otherwise—that these items only Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta

You began asking me the day you woke in the hospital. ‘What happened? What happened?’ I told you the truth, Cadence, I always did, and you’d repeat it back to me. But the next day you’d ask again.

Related Characters: Penny Sinclair Eastman (speaker), Cadence “Cady” Eastman

Page Number and Citation: 54

Explanation and Analysis:

This conversation between Cady and her mother demonstrates the depth of Cady’s selective amnesia. She has spent nearly two years trying to find out what happened to her, but her mother has been telling her all along. This suggests that Cady is not yet ready to remember the tragedy that she has been through, and that she would have to come to terms with the truth on her own. Cady thinks that her family has some sinister reason why they want to hide the truth from her, but in reality, she has been hiding the truth from herself by repressing Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum

“Oh please,” snapped Mummy. “Only yesterday you were saying how busy you were and now you’re helping remodel the Boston house?”

Related Characters: Penny Sinclair Eastman (speaker), Bess

Page Number and Citation: 109

Explanation and Analysis:

This is one of Cady’s recovered memories from summer fifteen, when the family was together having dinner. Harris asked his daughters what they thought about renovating his house in Boston, and this ignites a huge fight among them. Harris asks if Bess would help him remodel the house, and she volunteers enthusiastically, which angers Penny. Penny has been drinking, and is feeling confrontational, so she points out that Bess does not actually have the time to help Harris, but that she is volunteering because she wants to inherit the house someday. The sisters have been arguing all summer about their Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui

“This is the United States of America,” he said. “You don’t seem to understand that, Penny, so let me explain. In America, here is how we operate: We work for what we want, and we get ahead. We never take no for an answer, and we deserve the rewards of our perseverance.”

Related Characters: Harris Sinclair (speaker), Penny Sinclair Eastman

Page Number and Citation: 194

Explanation and Analysis:

This conversation is part of another argument among the Sinclair sisters, but this time Harris is present as well. Penny complains that she is unloved, and voices concerns that she will not get any of her father’s inheritance, and even threatens to keep Cady away from Harris if he doesn’t include her. Instead of trying to understand Penny’s point of view, Harris simply lectures her in front of everyone, scolding Penny for not upholding Sinclair family values. His statement about how “we operate” in the United States reinforces all of the things that Cady has begun to think about Harris—he Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Pos

I love you in spite of my grief. Even though you are crazy. I love you in spite of what I suspect you have done.

Related Characters: Penny Sinclair Eastman (speaker), Cadence “Cady” Eastman

Page Number and Citation: 238

Explanation and Analysis:

Cady has spent days in her room alone, recalling the night of the fire and then dealing with her feelings about it, when her mother finally comes to talk to her. As Cady has just begun to view her family in a new light, she recognizes that her mother has been taking care of her while still dealing with her own emotions about the tragedy. While previously, Cady resented her mother’s close attention and constant reminders that she loves her daughter, she is now able to appreciate it because she understands the complex thinking behind it. Penny does not say Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. V

Penny Sinclair Eastman Character Timeline in We Were Liars

The timeline below shows where the character Penny Sinclair Eastman appears in We Were Liars. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Cadence Sinclair Eastman lives with her mother and their three dogs in Burlington, Vermont. The summer she is fifteen, her father leaves... (full context)

Cady and her mother, Penny, pack up all the belongings that remind them of Cady’s father and get rid... (full context)

The following year, Cady’s father leaves, and Cady and Penny are busy cleansing him from their lives, so they arrive at Beechwood a week later... (full context)

The following day, Cady and Gat are in the attic at Windemere—Penny’s house on the island—to go through Cady’s father’s possessions and get rid of them. They... (full context)

Penny finds her daughter in the craft room and immediately tells her to act normal and... (full context)

...the year since he left, and Cady isn’t interested in reconnecting with him. But her mother insists, so Cady suffers from migraines, vomits, and blacks out throughout the Europe trip. She... (full context)

...Her family had always been deeply attached to their possessions, and when she asks her mother why she needs so many useless objects, Penny replies that they provide her with beauty,... (full context)

...tree while watching a bonfire. She had nothing but snippets, and when she asks her mother to tell her what happened, Penny would get frustrated and complain that she had already... (full context)

...what happened the night of her accident. But the trip is already paid for, and Penny will not let her back out of it. Harris comes to Burlington to stay for... (full context)

After Harris leaves Burlington, Penny cancels the Australia trip and decides to let Cady go to Beechwood for the summer.... (full context)

Penny sees that Cady is upset, and commands her to be normal and not to cause... (full context)

...then begins to pull the books off the shelves to get rid of them. Her mother comes in and asks her not to give away her books, commenting that they have... (full context)

...about to argue but are interrupted by the three golden retrievers bounding up the stairs. Penny, who is dressed and wearing fresh makeup for dinner, informs Cady that she has the... (full context)

...attacking her until Cady decides to take some pain pills and turn off the light. Penny calls from the hallway, reminding Cady that it is time to go to Clairmont for... (full context)

The younger cousins ask Cady if she will take them tubing, but Penny tells Cady that she is not allowed to drive the boat. After lunch, Cady goes... (full context)

...some point, either in college or afterwards. When Cady is back at the house, her mother asks her if she is playing tennis, and praises her for getting back into an... (full context)

...wants him to do with the house, and if she would help him remodel it. Penny, who is drunk at that point, accuses Harris of cutting the other sisters out, and... (full context)

...has good reason to be mad but won’t say any more. When Cady sees her mother, Penny knows that she has taken the boat out without permission and lectures her about... (full context)

Cady wonders why Harris would fund such a trip, and why he wouldn’t send Penny along as well. She tells Gat that she knows she is privileged and lucky, and... (full context)

At that moment, Penny calls for Cady to come and help make lunch, and Cady tells Mirren that she... (full context)

...still getting migraines, and her supply of medicine is getting low. She wonders if her mother or cousins are taking her pills and considers the possibility that she is taking more... (full context)

Cady remembers Penny asking her to write a sympathy card to Harris to remind him that she cares... (full context)

...past and is thus more deserving of their possessions. They would involve their children, as well—Penny asked Cady to tell Harris how much she loves a certain set of tablecloths, and... (full context)

...he should leave the majority of his estate to Harvard to fund a student center. Penny overheard and was upset by this idea, but the grandchildren played along, suggesting that he... (full context)

...stay-at-home mom with four kids to support and had lost her house when she divorced. Penny had a dog breeding business that hardly paid anything at all. All of Harris’s daughters... (full context)

...family was gathered for cocktail hour at Clairmont, Harris casually commented that according to Bess, Penny and Cady were probably very lonely in Windemere on their own. Bess tries to deny... (full context)

Penny was upset with Cady on the walk home, and asked her why she didn’t back... (full context)

Penny responded that Cady was acting superior and just parroting what she had heard from Gat.... (full context)

...got into the pantry and began rummaging for snacks, they heard the voices of Carrie, Penny, and Bess, who were drunk and arguing in the kitchen. They were fighting over the... (full context)

Penny spoke with Cady about her relationship with Gat, explaining that her “summer fling” was putting... (full context)

...the garden of Red Gate and could hear Harris and his daughters arguing at Clairmont. Penny was drunkenly complaining about how she had to repeatedly win Harris’s love, and that she... (full context)

...summer fifteen. Johnny tells her that after the argument, Carrie left the island with Will, Penny went to see a friend of hers on Martha’s Vineyard, and even Harris left the... (full context)

...actions: Carrie wanders the island at night, and Bess cleans obsessively until her hands bleed. Penny watches Cady’s every move, and they all drink way too much now. But Cady reminds... (full context)

Cady finds her mother at Windemere, and Penny lectures her about spending so much time at Cuddledown. She tells... (full context)

Cady is annoyed that her mother is shielding her in this way, just because she has headaches and has lost some... (full context)

...the hospital on Martha’s Vineyard, under blue sheets with an IV in her arm. Her mother and Harris were there, with fudge from Edgartown, and Cady was touched that Harris remembered... (full context)

...of why she needed to burn down the house, and she punched a portrait of Penny, Carrie, and Bess as children. (full context)

Penny knocks on Cady’s door, asks if she has a migraine, and tells her that she... (full context)

...Cady is invited. Everyone knows Cady has remembered everything, though she hasn’t mentioned it yet. Penny can tell. (full context)

Penny Sinclair Eastman Character Analysis

Penny Sinclair Eastman Quotes in We Were Liars

Part 1: Welcome Quotes

Part 2: Vermont Quotes

Part 3: Summer Seventeen Quotes

Part 4: Look, a Fire Quotes

Part 5: The Truth Quotes

Penny Sinclair Eastman Character Timeline in We Were Liars