Death is a hard concept to accept and may never be understood. Everyone will know someone who will die while they are still alive and they will have to cope with their loss, this is inevitable. For some, this task appears to be easier than others. But it is crucial that it is dealt with or it may fester into a number of other separate incidents. There are some ways to deal with problems that are more positive and helpful than others. Although the process amy be difficult, it is worth it to ensure healing. In Barbara Kingsolver 's Poisonwood Bible, the Price family suffer the loss of their youngest member, Ruth May: daughter of Orleanna and Nathan Price and sister to Leah, Adah and Rachel. Similarly, In Ann-Marie MacDonald 's Fall on Your
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To start, the roles that their late sister 's left behind was filled by another sister. In The Poisonwood Bible, Adah took Ruth May 's place as the youngest sister. This is significant in Adah 's relationship with Orleanna. After Ruth May 's death, Orleanna forces herself out of the Congo and takes Adah with her. Years later, Adah knows that she was saved by her mother only because she was the new youngest child. This is evident because when the driver ants plagued Kilanga, Orleanna forsake Adah as she carried Ruth May to safety. Adah says, "In the end [Orleanna] could only carry out one child alive of Africa and I was that child . . . Am I alive only because Ruth May is dead?" (Kingsolver 413). In comparison, Mercedes took over for Kathleen 's place as the oldest child in the Piper Family. This affects Mercedes ' relationship with her father, James. Kathleen was James ' favorite child. He was obsessed with her and did everything he could for her to shine, to the point where he became sexually attracted to her. When Kathleen passed away and he no longer had his wife as well, it was Mercedes that he turned to. Mercedes recognizes this when the narrator says, "[James] speaks to her - to her alone – oh it seems for the first time since she was a very little girl" (MacDonald 209). As he raises Frances and Lily, Mercedes co parents as she does her best to keep Frances in line. They grow to have a close relationship, as James once had with Kathleen, as Mercedes says, "[James] has never mentioned his mother to anyone but me, now, at this moment . . . and perhaps once long ago to Kathleen (MacDonald 209). Furthermore, some sisters have acted out after their sister 's death. For example, In Kingsolver 's The Poisonwood Bible, Rachel marries Axelroot, a man who she doesn’t love. Rachel goes against her morals and marries Axelroot, who is a less than reputable character. Despite
To start, the roles that their late sister 's left behind was filled by another sister. In The Poisonwood Bible, Adah took Ruth May 's place as the youngest sister. This is significant in Adah 's relationship with Orleanna. After Ruth May 's death, Orleanna forces herself out of the Congo and takes Adah with her. Years later, Adah knows that she was saved by her mother only because she was the new youngest child. This is evident because when the driver ants plagued Kilanga, Orleanna forsake Adah as she carried Ruth May to safety. Adah says, "In the end [Orleanna] could only carry out one child alive of Africa and I was that child . . . Am I alive only because Ruth May is dead?" (Kingsolver 413). In comparison, Mercedes took over for Kathleen 's place as the oldest child in the Piper Family. This affects Mercedes ' relationship with her father, James. Kathleen was James ' favorite child. He was obsessed with her and did everything he could for her to shine, to the point where he became sexually attracted to her. When Kathleen passed away and he no longer had his wife as well, it was Mercedes that he turned to. Mercedes recognizes this when the narrator says, "[James] speaks to her - to her alone – oh it seems for the first time since she was a very little girl" (MacDonald 209). As he raises Frances and Lily, Mercedes co parents as she does her best to keep Frances in line. They grow to have a close relationship, as James once had with Kathleen, as Mercedes says, "[James] has never mentioned his mother to anyone but me, now, at this moment . . . and perhaps once long ago to Kathleen (MacDonald 209). Furthermore, some sisters have acted out after their sister 's death. For example, In Kingsolver 's The Poisonwood Bible, Rachel marries Axelroot, a man who she doesn’t love. Rachel goes against her morals and marries Axelroot, who is a less than reputable character. Despite