Outside Reading Blog Post #6

As the trial develops, many unexpected things happen. Characters develop in ways that the reader does not anticipate. Firstly, Brian reveals a change in heart about whether Anna should be a donor for Kate. Before the trial, he was consistently in support of Anna and in disagreement with his wife. But when asked at trial if he agrees with his wife's views on the matter, he surprisingly says, "Yes, I do.” When pressed further by Anna’s lawyer about the “right” answer, Brian turns the question back to Anna’s lawyer. In a “raw” voice filled with emotion, Brian asks, “Can you tell me what the right answer is here? . . . Because I don't know where to look for it. I know what's right. I know what's fair. But neither of those applies here. I can sit, and I can think about it, and I can tell you what should be and what ought to be. I can even tell you there's got to be a better solution. But it's been thirteen years, Mr. Alexander, and I still haven't found it" (346). It is never said why Brian changes his mind. But after hearing his wife testify about the bounty of love she has for both Anna and Kate, he seems to realize that keeping her alive is ultimately more important than respecting Anna’s wishes.

Another character who goes through a significant transformation is Julia. She comes across as being very strong willed and brave. But her vulnerability starts to show as the trial begins to develop and she is questioned by Campbell. She is asked to share what she believes is best for Anna and her family. As readers, we await an answer, but once she is on the witness stand, she realizes she doesn’t know what to say. She tells the judge, "This is the first time I've ever served as a guardian ad litem and been unable to reach a recommendation, and I know it's not acceptable....Your Honor. But you're not asking me to split a baby in half. You're asking me to split a family" (373). Her professional, business like personality is dissolving, and we begin to see her softer side.

The trial continues to be the main conflict as the novel continues. Campbell begins to realize that the probability of his winning the case is severely decreasing. He begins thinking less about Anna and more about his personal pride. He is returning to the way he acted in the beginning of the book; very self-centered. The trial is heading in a direction readers did not likely anticipate. Anna, Campbell, Julia, and Brian seemed like "powerhouses" compared to Sara. But now, they are beginning to understand, as Sara does, the true emotional scars the death of Kate may cause.

This novel is similar to our summer reading book, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. In that book, Oskar loses his father in 9-11. Throughout the novel, we see the true mental and emotional effects death can cause. During the trial, in My Sister's Keeper, a physiologist explains how the death of Kate will affect Anna and the rest of her family. She says the family will feel depressed and Anna will feel a sense of regret. This is similar to Oskar’s feelings after his father’s death. This illustrates how ideas expressed in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close relate to those shown in My Sister’s Keeper.