The strength of familial bonds is an important theme in Bastard out of Carolina, but also in Dorothy Allison’s writing as a whole. Allison is deeply invested in representing the lives of the working poor and working classes with humanity and nuance: Although these characters (like Allison’s own family) might lack resources, the strength of their familial bonds is unwavering. Through this, Allison means to suggest that when poverty is seen only through the lens of scarcity, it is easy to overlook the ways in which the impoverished find strength and resilience. In addition to helping one another with basic needs such as childcare, Bone’s family members provide one another with respect and support that they do not always receive from their community, and for Bone in particular her extended family becomes a source of solace as she endures years of abuse.

The way that social class impacts upbringing and identity is a key thematic interest for Dorothy Allison, and a desire to depict the working poor and working classes with dignity was a large part of the impetus for this novel. The Boatwright family is a tight-knit clan which is characterized by a spirit of mutual aid and support.