Post #5

Summary: pg 230-287 

In august 1993, Clem commits suicide. She never told anyone the reason why she would do something like that. She only left a letter to the guy she was having an affair with. His name was R.B. in her letter she made a list of the things she was going to miss and talking about the relationship her and R.B had. Through the lines, she didn’t mention any reason of ending her life. While reading her sister’s last words, Louisa got really mad. She was really mad that her sister didn’t even mention her once in her letter. Louisa and her parents had flown to Florida so they could get Clem’s things. Everyone Louisa met reminded her of Clem. The whole time, Louisa wanted to know the truth about Clem’s suicide. She asked R.B and he told her that she used some of the medicine that they used to put the bear to sleep and it killed her. Years later in August 2005, Louisa has gotten married to a real estate man. She was still living in New York. Even though she had heard thousands of reasons for Clem’s death she would still not think any of those was the real reason of Clem’s suicidal. 

Quote:

           

             “And there was no mention of me. No reference at all. “You worm,” I say out loud. “You monster.” My hands are shaking. I throw the letter down on the bed, as if it’s scorching hot… “It’s like I don’t even exist,” I say” (Glass 255)

Reflection:

            This quote explains how Louisa felt when she found the letter that Clem left for R.B. In the letter Clem did not mention Louisa. Louisa was sad after her sister committed suicide and maybe she felt bad that they couldn’t fix their relationship in time before Clem was gone. Maybe that’s why she was disappointed that Clem didn’t include her in her last words. To me it seems like once again Louisa wanted to make everything about her. It seemed like she felt left out and not important since Clem didn’t mention her.

            I’m also sad that Clem killed her self. Clem’s death is still a little unclear to me. But based on what Louisa and Ralph were discussing during their dinner, I think that Clem found out she had HIV and she couldn’t go on living in the pain of knowing she was going to die at any minute. Instead of waiting for death to come slowly, she ended her life before she could suffer. I can relate Clem’s death to Antigone. Antigone refused to accept her punishment and her death to come slowly and more painful. Like Clem, Antigone also decided to end her life before suffering.