Dan Lafferty (TL6)

Dan is the second oldest brother of the family, is favored by his father, and very much treated like the eldest child. When the parents leave on their mission, he is given responsibility over the family house, chiropractor business, and their overall legacy. Essentially, he is the person who is entrusted with the Lafferty family reputation, and is the new patriarchal figure. However, that responsibility and legacy weighs heavily on his shoulders. Not having learnt much about the business prior to their departure, Dan is not able to keep up with everything. He doesn’t have the required knowledge or skills to deal with all of the bills, taxes, and legal requirements associated with running a business. Moreover, Dan has very little knowledge and training when it comes to chiropractic work, and is adamant to not outsource work to a practitioner. It’s no wonder that the expectations placed on him from his community begin to weigh him down. His once playful and lighthearted nature turned, becoming filled with stress / anxiety, and sprinkled with lunacy. 

Throughout this process of taking on the Lafferty family reputation, Dan relied heavily on his wife Matilda. Originally from England, she moved to the US after becoming a member of the church. She had a desire to be around more members, and people of the culture. Later on, she met Dan, and he convinced her to marry him. They now have a family, one where the husband makes the majority of decisions. Dan had the final say on the house that they bought, and her staying at home to raise the children. While living in England, Matilda was moderately ambitious. However, in the context of Mormonism, her passions have dwindled. This has left her feeling insecure, self conscious, and out of place. Finally, Matilda often seeks validation from her family to fill those gaps. 

*Return (A6)