Throughout the novel, Beth is confronted with the woman she once was versus the woman she has become. What do you think the author is saying about identity, particularly how it is shaped by love, grief and time?
All humans change. Time affects us all, and people change. Love, loss of love, and unavoidable grief - if one lives long enough- are such intrinsic parts of life that I did not stop to make notations about possible themes while reading this book. It was an unavoidable part of the plot and sometimes was very heartbreaking.
I think we can be many different things all at once and that our lives add to who we are from our experiences piece by piece. Things we experience whether they are joyful or sad, different kinds of love, different ways to make a living ect… all add to our personalities and how we see and experience life.
Wherever you go in life and whatever experiences you have become a part of you.
Beth matured, and with that maturity she could be expected to change. The experiences she had with love, loss and grief were definitely factors in her growth. It’s impossible not to change as you go through life.