As a woman and a minor entertainer, she has comparatively little control, and as an illegitimate orphan whose father refuses to recognize her and her twin, Nora, she has even less. Taking some form of control once in a while therefore becomes all the more essential.
This actually reminds me of the Handmaid’s Tale. The narrator takes any opportunity of power, whether that’s using “face cream” (melted butter) or taking a drag from a cigarette.
