Missing May, by Cynthia Rylant, narrates the sudden death of May which makes Ob and Summer extremely agony, and Ob has a goal which is to find May’s ghost and unite his struggle, but obviously, this supernature event will never occur in real life. Ob tried to almost kill himself in order to see May for a few seconds, and travel to Putnam County to find the witch that can empower individuals’ ability to see the ghost. Unfortunately, neither of them works for Ob. At the end, Ob and Summer realized that he needs to move forward with his life. He understands that holding onto grief isn’t healthy, and he must find joy again, especially for the sake of his niece, Summer.
The death of a family member in a novel teaches important lessons about the fragility of life, coping with grief, the value of relationships, and the personal growth that can arise from loss. These kinds of novels is trying to teach us how people survive without two people who love you the most in this world, which shows the theme of both physical self-independence and mentally strong. the author wants to tells us people should cherish and accompany their family now, all the actions and emotions people have after the family member died is meaningless. "Grief is a strange thing, Summer. It’s like a room in your house that you can never get out of. You just learn how to live with it.". This quote highlights the enduring nature of grief and how it becomes a part of the grieving person's life, showing how Summer learns to navigate her sorrow after May's death. It captures the emotional complexity and personal growth that come with loss. "I had to grow up without her, and it made me strong. I had to find my own way, even though I didn’t know how." This quote demonstrates Summer’s emotional growth and her realization that, in the absence of May, she must learn to navigate life on her own, which ultimately leads to her developing greater self-independence. Although the death of a family member will bring endless pain to Summer, at the same time, she has also grown a lot in her mental strength
Accompanying and supporting family members when they are in a difficult physical or psychological situation can provide individuals with power to get out of the dilemma. In the novel, Ob brings summer to for May after Summer has already accept the death of her. Even though, Summer still supports and accompany with Ob traveling 3 hours to the “witch’s” church without any complaining. After Ob didn’t meet May first time, he said ‘I never was no hand at housekeeping. Maybe there was a time I could’ve learned. But it’s too late for me now, and I don’t know that I can do all that needs to be done to keep this place running’ which shows now, Ob have no more value for this family, and cannot take care of Summer, but Summer said ‘I can take care of myself, Ob.’ Which shows that she’s trying to comfort Ob. Within the comfort and support to Ob, finally, he realized the meaningless of looking for May, and look forward to their own life.
sadness and sorrow is shown through the characters' struggle with grief and the emptiness they feel after losing someone they love. The sadness of the death of a family member brings deep grief and a sense of loss. It can feel overwhelming, like a part of you is missing. Understanding this feeling involves accepting the pain, allowing yourself to mourn, and eventually finding ways to remember and honor them. In Missing May, "It was the strangest thing, how you could have someone and then, suddenly, you didn't." This quote captures the shock and emptiness that comes with the sudden death of a loved one. "You can't make someone stay. You can't stop time. You can't fix what's broken." This quote reflects the feelings of helplessness and sorrow that come with the realization that loss is beyond our control. Through Summer’s experience, The death of a family member is like a dream, very unreal, but when people really react, they will fall into endless agony.
In conclusion, Missing May by Cynthia Rylant shows how the death of a family member affects a person in many ways. The story touches on the themes of independence, the importance of family, and the sadness that comes with losing someone you love. After May’s death, Summer is forced to become more independent and learn how to live without her. At the same time, the novel reminds us that having the support of family members can help us through tough times, even when we feel overwhelmed by grief. In the end, Rylant shows that while losing a loved one is painful, it also helps people grow stronger and teaches them the value of the relationships they have.
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