The Differing Ways in Which People Handle Grief

Through the various tragedies described in this novel, the author depicts various ways people respond to sorrow and grief in their lives. Among the characters that react in differing ways to the sadness in their lives are Rachel, Brick, Grandma, and Roger. The children seem to deal with their grief in a more positive manner, leading the reader to wonder if children are more resilient to tragedy. The adult characters seem to let the grief in their lives build up, eventually weighing them down.

Rachel, the character most closely touched by tragedy, is the character who tries to respond most positively to her new situation. She sees herself as the “new-girl” (3) when she emerges from the hospital after surviving a fall from the nine-story apartment building in which she lived with her mother and siblings. Her mother and siblings...