“Divorced, Beheaded, Survived” is a short story written by the author Robin Black in 2010.
Everyone copes differently, some cry for the loss of a loved one others smile because they know they will see them again, and some hide the trauma of a death tragedy. It is just this, our main character Sarah copes with in Robin Black’s short story “Divorced, Beheaded, Survived”.
Everyone dies, no one lives forever, eventually we all experiences losing someone dear to us. This time around, we hear about a mother of two, who lost her brother when she was young. The trauma of this event in her life has never been treated; this has resulted in her keeping her feelings hidden, …show more content…
The second wife of Henry VIII was beheaded. The last wife of Henry VIII died a natural dead, this is why the title “Divorced, beheaded, died” was chosen.
The death of Terry has serious consequences for Sarah, it has left her scarred for life. Sarah has come to acceptance of the death of Terry. The death first shocked her, but she later realized it was inevitable.
“…but then died in ’74, which shocked me when it happened, nut now, thirty years later, it seems to have been as inevitable a conclusion as the strike of Molly’s axe”.(Page 3, line 49-51)
Many years later, in Sarah’s adulthood, she stills carrying grief and sorrow for Terry. Sarah is very affected by Terry’s death, even though many, many years has passed. Sarah lives with her husband and two children in Manhattan. Sarah is very superstitious; she does not want her children’s life to be effected by death, like hers was. She even mentions, that it might be superstition that made her wait an extra stretch of time before getting pregnant again, just so the age difference between her children, and her and Terry wasn't the …show more content…
“He’s dead?” I nodded. He shook his head. “No. That's impossible. Just yesterday…”I nodded again; and he still shook his head. “Mom, he can’t be dead,” I didn't speak. Can’t be. I know that feeling. Can’t be. But Is” (page 5 line 118-126)
Sarah, can easily relate to the feelings and thoughts going through her sons head. Sarah tries to help her son with dealing with the sorrow and loss he I currently experiencing. She makes the hard decision to hide the picture of Terry, she had carried with her since his death. Sarah is afraid that the picture of Terry would scare Mark.
“It just seemed to be too hard on the children, too hard on Mark particular to have that happy boy face smiling down, and to know what had happened to that other boy” (page 5, line 136-137)
After Peter’s funeral, Mark asked Sarah for the first time ever, what it was like when Terry died.
“What was it like, Mom?” Mark asked me for the first time ever, yesterday. “What was it like when Uncle Terry died?”(Page 6 line 156-157)
Sarah reacts to this, by finding the picture she had hidden of Terry, and finally she lets all her feeling