‘Year of Wonders’ Essay Example

that's needed to save Merry. After the whole affair ends, Anna lies In her bed, reflecting on the day's events. Although sore and bruised, she Is ecstatic about their achievements. L slept better that night than I had since the nights of the poppy dreams.

.. O many lives that could not be saved and hurts that could not be healed...

At least, in that hard season, I had the satisfaction of having done a thing that had come out right. " Here Anna shows that she was not motivated to help Merry because she wanted to be seen as a good person, but because Anna herself felt that it was her duty to do what's right. This marks Anna's path to independence as she discovers that it is her own will and not the interests of others that guides her to realizing her full potential.

After the deaths of Nays and Meme Goodly, Anna sees herself helping women deliver heir newborns and so discovers her gift of "mother-hands" and her talent in 1 OFF become a stronger, more assertive woman. When Eleanor calls for Anna's help to deliver Mary Daniels child, she is at first hesitant to assist because her own mother died during childbirth when she was Just four years old.

Eleanor insists, however, telling Anna that "You know a very great deal more than you think you do" and eventually, Anna gives in and prepares to deliver the baby, recalling memories from her own first confinement to help her.

Anna tries not to think about the fact that she s about to "invade the body of a living woman", however she quickly overcomes

this thought, and tries to "... Quiet that part of my mind hammering away about modesty and violation.

" Although she is unsure of what she is doing, she acts as though she does, as she thinks it important that Mary sees her acting confidently. Once her hands were inside of Mary, however, it seemed as though her flesh "felt as familiar" to her as her own and Anna has little difficulty in helping her deliver the baby. Afterwards, they laughed and "for an hour, in that season of death," they celebrated a life.

This particular event sees Anna developing a part of her that is confident and sure of her own knowledge and skills. Due to her experiences in birthing livestock, Anna is already equipped with the skills necessary to assist in childbirth but there exists a different part of her inside that is naturally gifted in midwifery and it is this part that truly allows her to shine and take control of what she can do thus leading her to discover her natural confidence and leadership. The year of plague sees Anna develop from a shy woman into the natural born leader that she truly is.

This becomes evident in many cases during the year when Anna mess to take control a number of times, handling difficult situations calmly and with authority and assertiveness. This first shows when she nurses her lodger, George Vicars, who is the first of many in the village to fall ill to the plague. Her natural instinct was not to run in fear, but to assist Vicars through his sickness and ensure that he did not have to

pass through death alone. In doing so, Anna is slowly starting to show her natural ability to help and comfort others through their tough times, even though it places her at risk, which is a trait of true leadership.

This also shows when Meme, and later Nays, are accused of witchcraft. Anna is the only villager there who can see past her grief and see that the accusations made against the two women are false. When Anna first comes upon the angry mob torturing Meme, she does not hesitate to run and help Meme. Even when asked by Mary Hatfield, "Why do you defend her..

. Do not your own babies lie rotting in the ground from her cursing? " Anna knows that this isn't true and later when Nays resuscitates Meme and is accused of raising the dead, Anna furiously tries to defend her friend.

Although unsuccessful n keeping the mob from hurting Nays and Meme, Anna's control over herself and her attempt to handle the situation clearly shows. In later events, a rumor of a witch selling charms to heal sick villagers, spreads around Mamma. It's later found out that it was not in fact a witch, nor was it the ghost of Nays Goodie, but Anna's stepmother, Para. One woman who fell for this trickery was Little Maybe, who swore that the ghost of Nays Goodie had visited them in the dark.

Anna visits Lotteries house and handles the matter calmly, assisting her and telling her what to do next, all the while controlling her anger.

This shows clearly that Anna is able to take control of Anna's Journey of self discovery is

not without its challenges. Whilst these difficulties are seemingly insurmountable, Anna is able to overcome them and eventually become the woman that she truly is. A series of events that arise from the arrival of plague in her village lead to small discoveries about herself that slowly start to change her and allow her to become her true self. For Anna, who changes from a timid and naive servant to a confident and assertive leader, the year of plague instead becomes an anus miracles, a "year of wonders".