American Literature

Pain has always been an eternal feeling, thought, idea and concept. It has long been part of humanity that even how grave the emotional struggles it causes men are, it still remains an inescapable reality and as inevitable as pain is the sought for truth. Over the years, great minds have tried explicating what the truth is, in relation to the common objective of deciphering why it appears so significant in humanity. And as what most of their studies found, truth, just like pain is an irreversible part of humanity. These two ideals have been typical subjects in literature as well. Their universality actually made it easy for a lot of authors to create stories that would allow people to see the reflections of their perspective about pain and truth in those works. One of the most common situations which these two ideals create is the dilemma of searching for the truth through pain. This, as well, is another universal feat people go through in their lifetime. This is a very typical and inescapable situation. People would always seek what is true. As the saying goes, the truth sets people free. It frees people from doubts and confusions, as well as from their fears and anxieties. However in their sought of truth, there often comes pain. And in facing this feat, different people appear to have varying ways of coping with the dilemma. Does knowing the truth serve a sufficient purpose and reason for going through pain And is the pain worth it in peoples sought of what is true These questions were addressed in Anita Sherves The Pilots Wife, and in Alice Sebolds The Lovely Bones. These are stories of people who sought truth and had to go through the most painful of experiences. Thus, this discussion shall focus on delineating the relevance of pain in peoples sought of truth. Apart from this, this discussion shall also differentiate the characters ways of dealing with pain in their quest for the most important truths in their lives.

The Pilots Wife
The Pilots Wife by Anita Sherve is a captivating depiction of a tragic news which knocked on a wifes door one tranquil evening. Kathryns Lyons life was always at its best despite the some occasional dilemmas. At one point of her life, he grew contented of having a humble yet pretty home, a good daughter, and a good yet always-away husband, who is a pilot. She was having the time of her life, until the bad news eventually knocked on her door one fine evening. Her husband died in a crash. Just like what is expected to be observed from any other wife who just knew her husband tragically died in an accident, Kathryns heart terribly got crushed after hearing the sad news. However, despite the frequent stabs of pain due to the loss of her husband, Kathryn was able to move on. However, in the process, she realized the urge to know more about the incident and some seemingly secret things about her departed spouse. It is at this point where the struggle between pain and a persons quest for truth becomes observable. In this situation, the value of truth is on Kathryns wanting to find closure. She wanted to know everything about her husbands death as she wanted to stop from thinking and imagining things that have recurrently put her in a state or paranoia. However in the process, she goes through some of the most painful discoveries. At this point, a terrible emotional struggle enveloped Kathryn. The author specifically notes, She was, she thought, like a woman after a divorce looking at a wedding dress. Could the dress no longer be cherished if the marriage itself had disintegrated (Shreve 231).

The kind of pain Kathryn went through was a very familiar kind. It is safe to assume that the readers of this work will easily relate to such kind of depiction. However the depth of and extent of pain would appear inconceivable as Kathryn utters, Its like a train rolling over me...A train that doesnt stop (293). Obviously, the pain of losing her husband deeply crushed Kathryns soul. However, it also appears that Kathryn was determined to know the truth about her husbands tragic death no matter what as it shows, sometimes, she thought, courage was simply a matter of putting one foot in front of another and not stopping (207).

In this story, the importance of truth can be understood in realizing the importance of closure in ones life. Some things are indeed meant to be closed and ended. However in the Kathryns situation, she still had to go through some painful discoveries as she sought truth. But apparently, as strong as her will to carry on is her will to face whatever it takes just to find closure in her painful loss of a partner. The depiction of pain in this story is very familiar. It seems understandable that Kathryn was ready to face pain, since readers know that every wife will be willing to face such kind of pain so as to solve the mysteries of their husbands death as well. And as it appears, the weight of truth in this story really prevails over pain. Sherve succeeded in portraying a reality that indeed, in some situations, a need for closure and truth will certainly be stronger than the fear of pain.

The Lovely Bones
Just like in the previously discussed story, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold also deals with peoples quest for the truth while having to go through the defying feat of pain. This story tells the tale of a young girl, Susie, who has been raped and murdered. The tragedy was  not as simple as that as the murderer even cut off Susies vulnerable body into pieces and hid them into the most undisclosed places only he knows. And just like the tragedy portrayed in the first story, Susies death has been very difficult and painful for her family to bear and accept. But just like Kathryns need for closure to her mourning for her husbands death, Susies family who initially could not accept what happened to her, also found the urge to close and finish their suffering by learning all the facts about their beloved, Susies death. Just like in Sherves story, this work by Sebold circles around the universal emotion of pain by the loss of a loved one. It is very easy to understand the characters pains as people know that losing a loved one is one of the most painful things there are in the world. The agony of forcing ones self to accept such a painful reality was very evident as Sebold describes Susies fathers agony. Sebold notes,

Last night it had been my father who had finally said it, Shes never coming home. A clear and easy piece of truth that everyone who had ever known me had accepted. But he needed to say it, and she needed to hear him say it (Sebold 289).

This passage clearly describes the kind of pain Susies family had to go through so as to overcome their longing. However, as it appears, the pain was not on Susies family alone, Susie, herself suffered from the pain of not having any clue of her death, as she wandered the earth as a lost soul. Susie would utter, Had my brother really seen me somehow, or he was he merely a little boy telling beautiful lies (95). She would say this as she wanders and looks after her family, as she carries the desperation to let them know she is always watching and protecting them. Apparently, the kind of pain portrayed in this story was equally unimaginable as the first one. However, it was also apparent that each character held a strong conviction and belief that they had to overcome the pain in order to know the truth about Susies death and eventually accept and overcome the tragedy. And evidently, all they needed was indeed some hints as to what really happened to Susies body, as well as the defeat of her murderer. Susie even notes an interesting revelation How to commit the perfect murder was an old game in heaven. I always chose the icicle the weapon melts away (195). She said this as she watched her murderer died as a huge icicle fell on him. This also presents how pure and merciful Susies soul really was, for even in revenge, she never wanted to cause to much pain. Eventually, as Susies soul came to a peace, her family also meets with peace as they finally learn everything about her death, after all the struggles and painful discoveries they had to face. Evidently, this story also depicts the reality that the need for truth will always be weigh more than the fear for pain. It presents the reality that people will always be ready to face pain  so as to eventually achieve piece. The best passage which could exemplify this would be Susies realization, as her own pain of longing for closure comes to an end

These were the lovely bones that had grown around my absence the connections - sometimes tenuous, sometimes made at great cost, but often magnificent - that happened after I was gone. And I began to see things in a way that let me hold the world without me in it. The events that my death wrought were merely the bones of a body that would become whole at some unpredictable time in the future. The price of what I came to see as this miraculous body had been my life. (320)

Thus, after being able to analyze both Sherve and Sebolds depiction of death and the quest for truth, it appears the lost of a loved one is indeed the most painful experience any person can go through. But aside from this, the quest for truth regarding their loved ones tragic death also appears very agonizing. But the most interesting realization in these stories is that, pain is but a transition. It is indeed a transition every person had to go through in their quest for truth and peace. And this claim has been clearly depicted in these two captivating works.