In both My Sister's Keeper and The Five People You Meet in Heaven, characters exemplify the trait of perseverance. Defined by The American Heritage College Dictionary as "persisting in a purpose, idea, or task in the face of obstacles or discouragement", perseverance is demonstrated by characters in different manners within each book. However, the ultimate essence of perseverance is captured by each character's unwavering determination to never give up. Rachel Summer's Honors English essay for the Summer 2006 term explores this theme further.
The determination of Anna, the protagonist in My Sister's Keeper, is exemplified through her continuous medical procedures to donate blood and bone marrow to her elder sister Kate who was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) at a young age. Despite the physical toll on Anna's body, she perseveres to
...give Kate a fighting chance at survival. However, when Kate's kidneys fail, Anna's parents request that she also donate one of her kidneys which leads her to take legal action for medical emancipation in order to make her own decisions about donating.
While reading the book, one may assume that Anna's pursuit of legal action is due to her exhaustion from donating lymphocytes and bone marrow to her sister for her well-being. However, the story takes an unexpected turn when it is revealed that Kate has requested this course of action against their parents' wishes. Kate no longer wants further surgeries and has accepted death, which Anna accepts with determination by constantly providing support and love for her sister. Despite disapproval from their mother regarding the lawsuit and having to sell a cherished locket from their father to pay for lawyer fees,
Anna persists in supporting Kate without revealing her influence on the decision.
My Sister’s Keeper portrays perseverance among various characters. Kate displays it by how she copes with her serious illness and the daily challenges it presents. Despite this, she remains devoted to her family and seeks to lessen the burden her illness places on them, which is why she asks Anna to file the lawsuit. Anna and Kate’s parents also demonstrate perseverance as they tirelessly seek out new treatment options to either cure or extend Kate’s life. Regardless of how many surgeries or transfusions it may take, they are determined to explore every possibility.
The characters in My Sister's Keeper and The Five People You Meet in Heaven display perseverance. Campbell, Anna's lawyer, exemplified this quality by telling people exaggerated stories about his service dog, Judge, without disclosing that the dog was for his seizures, in order to avoid pity and equal treatment. Likewise, Eddie, the protagonist of The Five People You Meet in Heaven, exhibits perseverance throughout the entirety of the novel.
At Ruby Pier, Eddie works diligently as head of maintenance, ensuring the safety of all the rides. Tragically, he passes away while attempting to save a young girl, risking his life to prevent the ride from falling on her. Following his death, Eddie ascends to heaven where he is reunited with five people who had a significant impact on his life. Together they revisit their pasts, and Eddie struggles to recall and understand the difficulties they faced. Throughout his journey, Eddie remains determined to uncover whether he succeeded in saving the little girl, refusing to give up on this question.
While visiting individuals, Eddie's
past filled with perseverance is depicted through flashbacks, such as when he was a soldier and taken as a prisoner alongside the captain and some comrades during a war, enduring terrible living conditions for several months.
The miners endured numerous hardships such as working in a dangerous environment, consuming food infested with bugs, lacking access to hygiene facilities, and facing the constant threat of death. Tragically, one comrade of Eddie's perished after succumbing to illness brought on from mining work. Despite these conditions, Eddie remained determined and eventually discovered a potential means of escape. Upon witnessing one captor attempting to juggle, Eddie bravely seized the opportunity to showcase his own juggling abilities, which proved successful in outwitting and distracting the guards until they were able to escape to safety.
Even though Eddie had to overcome difficult obstacles like losing his dad and being trapped in a job at Ruby Pier, he showed strength and never quit. He persisted in helping out his mother and spouse until they both died. Even after his wife's passing, he carried on despite the agony of living without her.
Eddie's perseverance was evident throughout his life and beyond, as was the unwavering determination of the characters in both books who persisted through difficult times. This admirable motivation inspired others, and at the conclusion of each story, it became clear how their perseverance impacted those around them. For example, in My Sister's Keeper, Anna passed away in a car accident but still managed to donate her kidney to Kate.
Anna's love for her sister was evident through her actions. Despite her initial reluctance, Anna was ultimately willing to donate her kidney to save Kate's
life. The interconnectedness of life stories is explored in The Five People You Meet in Heaven, as Eddie learns that his death resulted in saving a young girl's life. Through this realization, Eddie comes to understand that his life had meaning after all.
Through his dedication to safety at Ruby Pier, the protagonist of The Five People You Meet in Heaven unknowingly saved countless lives, proving that his seemingly pointless existence held immense value. This theme of perseverance and resilience is also present in My Sister's Keeper, as characters face challenges head-on and refuse to give up.
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