“His death took place on the same day, at the same time of the same month as Katie’s: Monday 12th November at 4am in the morning, on her tenth year anniversary. The old radio suddenly came live and the song Immortality by Celine Dion played. Emma proved you can love the man and hate the disease. She was relieved Ronan’s suffering had ended and that he had gone before her as he was so ill”
"His death took place on the same day, at the same time of the same month as Katie’s: Monday 12th November at 4am in the morning, on her tenth year anniversary. The old radio suddenly came live and the song Immortality by Celine Dion played. Emma proved you can love the man and hate the disease. She was relieved Ronan’s suffering had ended and that he had gone before her as he was so ill" - Annette J Dunlea.
In this poignant quote from Annette J Dunlea's work, the author describes the emotional and bittersweet moment of Ronan's passing, which coincides with the anniversary of Katie's death. The use of the same date and time underscores the interconnectedness of their lives and the lasting impact of their loss. The imagery of the old radio suddenly coming alive with Celine Dion's song "Immortality" adds a sense of serendipity and poignancy to the scene. Emma's mixed emotions of love for Ronan and hatred for the disease highlight the complex feelings that can arise when caring for a loved one who is suffering. Ultimately, Emma finds relief in Ronan's passing, as it signifies an end to his suffering and allows him to be at peace.
In this poignant passage from Annette J Dunlea's work, the author highlights the intertwined fates of two characters, Katie and Ronan, as they both pass away on the same day years apart. Despite the sadness of their deaths, there is a sense of relief and peace in knowing that their suffering has ended. This theme of finding solace in difficult times and cherishing the memories of loved ones resonates deeply with modern readers who may be dealing with their own losses and struggles.
After reading this passage, take a moment to reflect on the following questions:
“Carter dragged her onto his lap and held her in the same way, in the same loft, like seven years had never passed. This time though, he shed a few tears along with her.”
“How many times in her thirty years had she heard the same remarks, the same feeble jokes about her name?”
“His passion she had expected, even his expertise, for a man of his years would not have been without women. She had even, in the long days of yearning, suspected his tenderness, which led him now to kiss her temples and the inner crook of her elbow with the same attention he gave to her lips and breasts. What she had not anticipated was that he would be vulnerable as well.”
“In a train...smash. In his arm her last...breath.' He had loved her. But he hated himself more. Such suffering, so much pain. And he thought it made him hateful. As if suffering was shameful, disgusting, as if pain were a crime. Who can judge another man's suffering?”
“Long after her death I felt her thoughts floating through mine. Long before we met we had had the same dreams. We compared notes. We found strange affinities. The same June of the same year (1919) a stray canary had fluttered into her house and mine, in two widely separated countries. Oh, Lolita, had you love me thus!”