The novel which I chose to read was "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult, a controversial yet engrossing tale of a family's fight for survival in the midst of both physical and emotional unrest.
At the mere age of two, Kate Fitzgerald is diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, a rare form of blood cancer with a survival rate of only 20-30%. After discovering that neither Sara, Brian (Kate’s parents), nor her brother, Jesse, were a match for Kate, Sara and Brian grasped at the only opportunity of prolonging Kate’s life – a genetically engineered child, who would be a perfect match for Kate, thus suitable for donating whatever necessary, such as cord blood, lymphocytes and most recently, a kidney.
Ultimately, the novel outlines the heartbreaking story of a family torn apart by the tormenting question of morality vs. legality. At the age of thirteen, valiant and incorruptible Anna files a lawsuit against her parents, seeking medical emancipation – the rights to her own body and the ability to make her own decisions regarding her medical well-being. With highly established solicitor, Campbell Alexander on her side, Anna embarks on a journey which would, through a series of unexpected twists and turns, alter the lives of her entire family in years to come. Sara, a former lawyer, decides to represent herself and her husband Brian in the trial and despite her best efforts, fails to convince her daughter to drop the lawsuit and succumb to her wishes. During the trial, the truth behind the formerly nebulous origin of the case was reluctantly offered - it was Kate's wish to die. The highly anticipated verdict of the case ruled in Anna’s favour, declared by Judge DeSalvo and Campbell is granted medical power of attorney for her until she reaches the age of eighteen.
The phrase “Even if we win, we do not win” which was adopted by Anna throughout the length of the lawsuit, proved truer than anybody had previously expected, when she was left brain dead following a collision en route to the hospital. The young girl who was finally free of obligations towards her sister, finally enabled to lead a life independent of her family, found herself once again saving Kate's life. It is at this point where the irony in the novel really shines through; after a life-long battle, striving to prolong Kate's deteriorating health, it is the wrong sister who's life has been stolen without consent, the wrong sister who was swallowed into the abyss. After the surgery, Kate remained in remission for eight years, while a once audacious and insolent, Jesse, graduated from police academy. The Fitzgerald's maintained their strength by thinking of Anna as a gleaming gold star, watching over them with proud eyes.
The book is set in modern day USA and is composed of various anecdotes, intertwined into the main plot. I thought that the book was very uniquely and effectively written in the sense that the chapters were divided up into the mindsets of the main characters – Anna, Sara, Brian, Jesse, Campbell and Julia (guardian ad litem in the case). The novel was structured like a spider's web; out from the main storyline of Kate's struggle with her illness, spun countless other predicaments, individual to each character, weaved together into a mesh of dishonesty, misunderstanding and animosity. One example of this would be Jesse's pyromania, perhaps because of his parents subconscious neglect, resulting in his unyielding need for affection. One other thread in the tangle I enjoyed was the love-hate relationship between Campbell and Julia. As the story progressed, we watched in anticipation as the feelings they had been repressing for so long, slowly unraveled and they relight an old flame; rekindle their love. This allowed us to delve completely into the personal lives of the characters and come to a better understanding as to the why they turned out the way they did. These episodes enabled us to develop relationships with the characters and although in most cases, unable to empathize, feel some semblance of sympathy for each one of the characters.
Although unquestionably contrasting, all character's share one common quality - their need of a voice; their deep need of love. I found Jesse and Campbell to be the two most intriguing characters; both put up such a tough barrier and withdrew themselves entirely from the rest of society. Both men, whether unable to, or perhaps in order to preserve their pride, did not express this longing for affection and were perceived by those around them as delinquents, apathetic or simply insensitive to the feelings for others. In reality, all they ever wanted was to be given a chance, to not be judged, to be listened to. It has proved a sad truth that in the midst of leaving the inviolable cocoon of childhood, we get so caught up in our own problems that we become ignorant and oblivious to everything happening around us, we lose that zest for life that had once been so prominent. The majority of the time, children are treated as inferiors, seen as unintelligible or infantile, while in fact, it is them who hold the capacity to look at the bigger picture, to always remain optimistic & believe that anything is possible. "Kids think with their brains cracked wide open; becoming an adult, I’ve decided, is only a slow sewing shut" - Anna.
The novel emphasizes the reality that nobody comes without fault, that nobody is indefectible, that perfection is not attainable. Whether it be as simple as facing a lost-love and watching helpless as you are thrown back into the realm of the unknown, somewhere you never thought you'd return, or coming to terms with the death of a loved-one...behind every door, every fake smile, every confirmation of strength, is a person falling apart.
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