The Small Boat of Great Sorrows, Dealing with the Past

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Discoveries of the Past Disturbing the Present How a person emotionally deals with their past directly influences their present life. When they reflect inward and uncover those emotions, it continues to carry inside of the person. When a person holds onto unhealthy emotions rather than accepting and letting the emotions flow through them, they find themselves feeling uncomfortable. The emotions may generate a knot or emptiness in their stomach or possibly a feeling of tightness in their throat. It is how a person deals with the past, either by moving on or acceptance, that allows them to release themselves and fully heal. If one does not meet this criteria and do not resolve their problems, they become emotionally numb. The past continues to signal them in forms of emotions, all of which can manifest in an unhealthy living style, physically and mentally. The Small Boat of Great Sorrows by Dan Fesperman proposes that the past does in fact intrude on the present. This concept is proven in the novel through the lives that Vlado Petric affects during the war, his assignment at the Tribunal, and the discovery of his father's corrupt history, all of which haunt him for the rest of his life rendering him unhappy. Over thinking about the past may lead into much distress and anxiety, especially when the past may be about the responsibility one has on the death of others; Vlado Petric is a prime example of this. Vlado often dwells from the past and takes a blow to the heart when hearing about the deaths he is held accountable for. Vlado's pain and affliction is quite evident throughout various segments of the novel. Petric has a past that he is completely ashamed of which varies from a death of a good friend's first son, to his assistance in the murder of a famous war criminal. The first greeting of adversity Vlado encounters is his meeting with his old friend Amira; the

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