Have_the_Events_and_Changes_That_Have_Happened_to_Claire_Had_a_Positive_or_Negative_Effect_on_Her_

Have the events and changes that have happened to Claire had a positive or negative effect on her' Claire deals with many remarkable events and goes through unusual changes to deal with each event. She goes through three stages after Steven’s death, first going into a cocoon like state where she protects herself. Secondly, changes her identity to Sophia Lupe which could be perceived as very strange. Finally she finds herself again after finding the answers to her brother’s death. Claire’s changes and the events that have happened to her have been dramatic, but I believe they have been a positive effect on her. After Steven’s death Claire could been seen as going into a cocoon like state, Claire moves into Steven’s room, and becomes even more disconnected to the outside world. Scientists believe there are five stages of grieving, this cocoon state can be related to the second, yearning, denial because she moves into Steven’s room to surround herself with his possessions. Trying to not let go him by encircling herself with the memory of her brother. The first stage of mourning is denial; I think she would find it difficult to feel this emotion because she witnessed Steven’s death. The third stage is Anger; after coming to terms with his death and deciding she needs to find answers. She wants revenge for Steven’s death, this could be a good and a bad thing because it does allow her to try and find answers about his death; finding closure. However, it does make her vulnerable to making bad decisions, as seen when she instantaneously believes Victor telling her that Steven’s murderer is Benjamin. Claire’s obsession with finding answers about her brother’s death is unhealthy, but her mental state after an event like this is understandable. Justifiably she wants to consider the possibility that he can help her find an answer but she is too trusting and this is her downfall. Subsequently she takes the next stage in her changes, changing her identity to Sophia Lupe. Claire’s new self allows her to completely change her personality, becoming a much more extroverted person. I believe she had to make this change so that she was able to be a revengeful person; her old characteristics would not have enabled her to do the things she had to do. The Blue-footed Booby had no fear because it has no predators; we could compare Sophia to these birds (177). Claire’s change allowed her to have no fear because Sophia is a completely different person, it lets her open herself to the world more because she has no worries about what people think about Sophia. She has no fear what happens to Sophia because she can always revert back to the person she always was. I deem this a positive thing because she can experience emotions and views that she had not been able to previously. However, lying about who she really is deceitful and leads her to cause great emotional pain for Benjamin. We would also see this as very vindictive conduct, leading someone to believe you were someone you are not causing them to fall in love with you. Claire’s dishonesty results in her having a child with Benjamin which again has positive and negative connotations. It will force her to become more responsible very quickly, which will make her mature. Even though the child was unexpected, it will be brought into a very loving environment. The author uses the piano in different ways but the central theme being love. The piano is emblematic of romance, which is shown in Benjamin’s letters, but it is used in Claire’s deception. She acquires Milo to write responses to Benjamin’s compositions, which in itself is dishonest. The piano is also used at the end of the book to bring everyone back together, representing the love of the family. In becoming a new person, ending the Sophia stage and also completing her grieving. Claire’s change sees her scientific side dampened and her musical aspect to awaken. Biology is an observational science and is reflected in her; at the beginning of the book her nature was withdrawn, keeping herself away from the outside world. This changes when she starts writing to Benjamin using the art of music; art in any form is a way of communicating. This shows that she has replaced her old introverted ways with new outgoing habits. Claire experiencing the musical side of herself is a positive thing because her communication skills are enhanced. In the first lifeguard chair a child expresses his view of the eye; he believes that there are two sides to the eye (14). We can relate this to Claire’s change from biologist Claire to musical Claire; the introverted Claire would be the inside of the eye, looking inward most of the time using her imagination. The outgoing Claire translates to the outside of the eye, seeing the world for what it is. Claire’s changes and the events she has experienced, in my opinion, have made her a very different person. I think in the end she has prospered from her encounters; gaining better communication skills from the Sophia stage, also more confidence from becoming more extroverted, furthermore she has a baby now to look after and nurture. The negative events along her path, her deceitfulness and naivety, had to have happened to allow her to become the person she is now.