
I think her unique perspective shows how she survived. She survived and did not end up on the street (or worse) because of her ability to "see" the adventure or the positives in the obstacles life threw at her. It's her coping mechanism.

Her parents seem mentally unbalanced and she seems to be more balanced than they were. Is there a way that we can take this questions to uncover something deeper than plot?

Just well done; good thread questions as well. It's a well written book but certainly not one that I loved reading.
If you're looking for a book that you get lost in, love the characters, & fly through (DIWC was a tough, long read) then maybe Book Thief or Glass Castle. Those 2 were loved by the group's that read them.

I'm still confused regarding the foot pain. I felt the author never fully resolved this.

The two men represent the great abilities of men do "do good" or "evil." The polarity between the two is as interesting as the close connection (passion and perfectionism).