Ian answers “I'm wondering the paternity of Elsie's...”

Ian asked this question about The Strangers:

I'm wondering the paternity of Elsie's three children. We know that "Shawn" is the father of Cedar-Sage, the middle child. Was the father of Phoenix, the eldest, ever specified? Similarly, I assumed "Jimmy" was the father of the youngest child Sparrow but I'm not sure about this. There was also an dark allusion to something terrible done by "Sparrow's father". Can anyone help here?

Ian Having just reread "The Break" I have some more detailed answers to my own questions. If you haven't read "The Break" yet, this comment contains numer…moreHaving just reread "The Break" I have some more detailed answers to my own questions. If you haven't read "The Break" yet, this comment contains numerous spoilers for that novel.
As to the paternity of Phoenix, she is the child of a gang rape perpetrated upon Elsie shortly after the death of her Grandfather Mac. He doted on Elsie and his loss precipitated a depression which may have led her precipitously down a path towards loss of self-worth and hence vulnerability to rape.
The identity of Sparrow's father is not revealed in "The Break". It remains possible that it was the "Jimmy" of "The Strangers". We know that he was responsible for physical abuse of Phoenix when she was a child. In fact, it was the discovery at school of bruising on Phoenix that led to the apprehension of both Phoenix and Cedar-Sage, and their placement in foster homes and/or institutions. Tragically, Phoenix feels she is to blame for the break-up of her family because she dressed in a manner that revealed the evidence of her physical abuse by Sparrow's father.
It is never explicitly stated that Phoenix was sexually abused. However, this possibility is alluded to in a conversation between the Metis police officer Tommy and his mother. Tommy wonders why a female would rape another female with a glass bottle. She replies "It's a power thing. Rape is about power. She wanted power. ... She was probably messed with. Kids that are messed with get messed up." I think this exchange is intended by the author to tell us that Phoenix was both physically and sexually abused by Sparrow's father and that the rape of Emily was a consequence of her horrific childhood.
On a different note, the indigenous counsellor "Ben" who plays a great part in trying to rehabilitate Phoenix in "The Strangers" is briefly mentioned as the policeman Tommy's indigenous language teacher.(less)

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