The Stages of Grief and Letting Go

Peter’s response to his father’s death and the loss of Pax demonstrate the stages of grief and letting go. Peter first tries to deny that he needs affection or other people. He is angry when he reaches his old house and recognizes how naive he was before the war. After Peter burns his old belongings and reads the letters regarding his father’s death, he is finally able to accept what has happened and move on with his life.

At the beginning of Peter’s story, he believes escaping from other people and not caring about anyone will keep him from being hurt again. He tells Vola he does not want another pet. When she refers to the cabin as his home, he is angry and insists that he does not care anything about it. Peter believes that...