Fear

Fear is apparent in almost every scene of Greenberg's I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. There are less intense examples, such as with the protagonist's sister, Suzy, who fears the loss of love of her parents, and more intense instances, such as the massive and consuming fear that the protagonist must face in her battle against her illness.

Suzy's fears may cause her to feel at times somewhat insecure or maybe jealous of her sister, but these emotions affect her interpretation of her life and possibly create quirks in Suzy's personality. Deborah's fears, by contrast, are debilitating. They threaten her existence, leading her to hide in the shadows of her subconscious mind, which contorts reality to the point that Deborah has trouble functioning. Deborah's fears also drive her to drastic measures, to the point of causing herself physical harm. Her fears terrorize her and have the power...