Ten days after the war ended, my sister Laura drove a car off a bridge. The bridge was being repaired: she went right through the Danger sign. The car fell a hundred feet into the ravine, smashing through the treetops feathery with new leaves, then burst into flames and rolled down into the shallow creek at the bottom. Chunks of the bridge fell on top of it. Nothing much was left but charred smithereens.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A detailed account of a tragic accident highlights the suddenness of death and the indifference of nature.
- In plain terms
- A sister dies in a car crash while a bridge is being repaired showing how quickly life ends.
- What can you take from it?
- Tragedy often strikes without warning in moments of routine.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you remember sudden loss?
- What stays after tragedy?
Another view
This is a specific narrative and not a general lesson.
More from Margaret Atwood
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