Dealing with Death / Loss

Death and dealing with loss is a major theme in this novel as Finch first helps Violet deal with grief from her sister’s death, and then helps her to understand his death wasn’t her fault. Along with Violet’s reaction to both her sister’s death and Finch’s death, the reactions of other characters in the novel to death are also described. Constructive ways to deal with death are also discussed in the novel.

When Finch first meets Violet, she is at her most vulnerable, teetering physically at the top of a bell tower because she has not yet learned how to deal with the death of her sister. Even though she is hesitant, Violet accepts Finch’s friendship and lets him help her overcoming the stumbling blocks that have been in the way of her emotional healing. She begins...