How did Nicky’s arrival change Melanie? Do you think things would have been different had Alex not left him with her?
I think Nicky’s arrival brought out a bit of maternal instinct in Melanie. It also made her realize that she had idealized her brother and demonized her parents. It made her realize that going home was not the end of the world, and that both she and Nicky would be safe and welcomed there.
I think having Nicky made it easier for Melanie to return to her parents’ home. I don’t really think she’d have done that without having an excuse to do so without admitting failure.
I agree, I think Nicky’s arrival made Melanie reassess her relationship with her brother and her parents. And it helped her to come to grips with dealing with her situation and deciding to go home. If he hadn’t arrived, I think she would have continued to stew in her dilemma and not take any action.
Nicky’s arrival helped Melanie grow up and be less self centered. Suddenly she had a small boy that depended on her. It brought out her maternal instincts and compassion. It also helped her to realize what is important in life and to reassess her relationship with her parents.
I definitely agree that Nicky was a positive influence on Melanie’s life. But can we talk about the loser brother that just dropped his kid off without a care?? Didn’t love that. Nicky was the catalyst to get Melanie back to her parents and that was a good thing.
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I don’t know if the women would have ended up helping one another without their bond with each other over caring for Nicky.
I think it made Melanie concentrate on other things/persons than herself. She was pretty self-absorbed and wallowing in her own misfortune until Nicky came along. I found it disconcerting that Alex just left Nicky there and didn’t keep in touch with his son!
@Liz_B haha re “loser brother.” You really nailed that! This is one area I wish the author had explored just a bit more. It was kinda weird to have him just show up out of nowhere, drop the kid, then disappear again.
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lol. Gotta call it what it is!
Alex leaving Nicky with Melanie forced her to shift her focus from her own needs/desires to the exclusion of all else, and take into consideration what a vulnerable little boy needed. It reminded her how important family really is, and forced her to shoulder the responsibility of protecting Nicky until his father returned. It brought out a maternal instinct she seemed not to have acknowledged or tapped into previously, and inspired her to see her parents’ actions in a new light, from the perspective of concern more than harsh judgment. That’s something that’s often hard to see when we’re young and finding our way in the world, but comes into focus when we have our own children. Nicky’s presence in her life was good for Melanie! I doubt she would have returned to Omaha if he had not materialized.
I found Melanie to be totally self absorbed in the beginning of the book. She whined constantly about her circumstances and I was getting really annoyed with her. When Nicky arrived, she final had to stop thinking about herself and focus on his needs. She suddenly was forced to grow up and be concerned about someone other than herself. If Alex hadn’t left Nicky behind, Melanie would have continued on feeling sorry for herself versus taking charge of the situation. Think about it when things got rough, Melanie was the one that held it together for both Eva and June.
Although it was not expected, there were signs that something was going to happen. Melanie had to be responsible for someone else than herself. She cared for Nicky because he was her nephew. Taking him to her parents to ensure that he was cared for and would be a better place than with her was a big step.
Nicky’s arrival helped Melanie see that there were more important things in life than her dilemma and that it was time to think about other people. It also paved a way for her to go home to her parents.
Nicky helped Melanie grow up and realize her parents deserved to know about their grandson. It was still an odd way for her brother to just appear and disappear. He and Carson were my least favorite characters.
The startling arrival of Nicky and her brother Alex’s abrupt abandonment of him in her care, very much changed Melanie by giving her something new to focus on besides her problems and unhappy situation. His presence provides a catalyst for the women to bond and join forces. Nicky also provides a vehicle with which Melanie can re-establish a relationship with her parents.