Who were some of your favorite characters in the book and why? The first one that came to mind was obviously, Nicholas, the main character. He has obvious endearing qualities but some of the other characters were a bit rough around the edges. For instance, Nurse Trahan was one of those characters for me.
She's described as a no-nonsense type of nurse running her department with the efficiency and methodology of a military captain. She continues this efficiency until she takes Nicholas under her care. Her reaction to his heart wrenching plight is met with distance and aloofness that puzzles most people. But, the reader knows it is simply a coping mechanism. One of my favorite lines summarizes this feeling: "Although she had a brusque demeanor, it provided thesafety net needed from becoming entangled in my emotional disarray..."
Living and breathing someone else's hardship becomes your own if you're not careful. In fact, it's something Nicholas wondered about when he first met Nurse Trahan; " I didn't understand why the coldness and distance was necessary, I only wanted relief from my emotional wounds." Becoming entangled in someone else's emotional problems can almost feel like you're drowning, even when you're trying to save someone else. That's why I loved this character. She took her chances knowing that she may very well be entangled in Nicholas's misery.
And, that could be enough to change her entire way of life, as well his.
JRS
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