The Grieving of F. Lee Forest

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Kimberly Proutt Prof. Kathleen Venema Engl-1001-001 October 8, 2013 The Grieving of F. Lee Forest In the late 1960’s, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross published a book that introduced her famous hypothesis, commonly known as the “five stages of grief.” In Nashville Gone to Ashes, the narrator exhibits several of the stages. The stage of denial acknowledges that retelling a story is a method of self-protection. Throughout the story, the narrator remembers many past events, such as the naming of Nashville, the trips Flea and Nashville took together and the impressive trick Flea taught Kirby. (Hempel, 238-239) The narrator also clearly has depressed moments. When the narrator has trouble sleeping, she sleeps in her husband’s bed so that her bed is the empty one she is looking at. She also puts Flea’s socks on her hands and wears his watch. (238) I believed these were all actions that allow her to feel closer to Flea and have the luxury of forgetting that he is now gone. These actions would appropriately coincide with Kübler-Ross’s depression stage. Although the stages can occur in any order, acceptance is commonly known to be the last stage. After interacting with the two beggars, the narrator makes an epiphany-like revelation. Hempel writes that the narrator realizes “we give what we can – that’s as far as the heart can go.” (241) I think this phrase is subtly describing the way Flea showed his love for his wife. While the narrator previously complains of Flea’s unconditioned love, at this point she accepts their relationship, as well as her

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