Why do you think art-making becomes so important in the story? Are there other themes that jump out at you about making a meaningful life after loss?
Art in all its forms is a healthy way to express emotions and work through them without dwelling on them—by giving a person a different focus than oneself.
I agree with JLPen that art helps express emotions and work through emotions. It can also help us remember someone in a positive way.
One other theme that seemed to pop up infrequently was the role religion may have played in the lives Ruthie/Norma’s 2 moms. On page 287 Norma said that aside from their love of her, they both believed in a loving God. I thought that was true of Norma’s birth mom, but really struggled to see/feel that Lenore felt that way.
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Art is a way to express emotion when words may not. I also think relationships to family and how important they are to help someone after loss. Joe’s mother lost so much (and the whole family) but I think having strong family connections kept her strong to get through all the losses she suffered.
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