Kate communicates openly when she is falling in love. Since Sara loves her very much, she takes care of Kate’s health and does everything to make her feel secure
and happy living in the world. However, the frictions between them cannot be avoided. The conflicts happen because Sara controls too much over Kate’s life
and there are different points of view between them. Dealing with the cases, Sara uses compromise and solving resolution.
2. The relationship between Sara and Anna
a. The Relationship
The relationship between Sara and Anna is not as close and warm as her relationship with Kate. They tend to have a negative relationship in which
conflicts between them cannot be avoided. According to Deutsch 322, a daughter’s rebellion toward a mother can be caused by the mother’s authoritarian
power. Moreover, Baumrind as quoted by Noller and Fitzpatrick 135 points out that in an authoritarian parenting style, parent tends to shape, control, evaluate the
child’s life. Thus, obedience is regarded as a prime virtue. In this relationship, there are two primary causes of their inharmonious relationship. First is the
authoritarian of parenting style. Second is about the inequality of mother’s love. In addition, Roolins and Thomas qtd in Noller and Fitzpatrick 201-202
explain that a controlled message decreases child’s self esteem, creativity and academic achievement. As an authoritarian mother, Sara always controls Anna’s
action. Anna is born because of Sara’s secret purpose. As a result, Anna feels inferior of being a part of the Fitzgerald family. She always doubts her existence
that she would not be a part of the Fitzgerald family if Kate were not sick Picoult
8. Beside that, the way Sara takes care too much about Kate and takes a decision for the sake of her health indirectly has inhibited Anna to enhance her
achievement in playing hockey Picoult 322-323. This clearly describes that their relationship is not too warm. Her mother’s control and purpose of using Anna’s
bodily organs make Anna feel inferior and decrease her achievement. Although their relationship is not in harmony, it does not mean that Sara
lacks of love and hates Anna. In fact, both of them love each other. This shows that they can also build positive relationship.
Sara does not hate her daughter even though she has been sued. One night, Sara goes to Anna’s bedroom and convinces her how much she loves her. She
holds Anna tightly and makes sure to fix the problem. “I think…I think you must hate me.”
Even in the dark, I can see the shine of her eyes.”Oh, Anna,” my mother sights, “how can you not know how much I love you?”
She holds out her arms and I crawl into them, as if I’m small again and I fit there. I press my face hard into her shoulder. What I want . . .
My mother holds me tighter. “We’ll talk to the judge and explain it. “We can fix this,”she says. “We can fix everything.” And because those words
are really all I’ve ever wanted to hear, I nod. Picoult 68.
Troll and Bengstone explain that even when a mother - daughter relationship is not close and warm, a daughter still involves with her mother and
concerns about her qtd in Noller and Fitzparick, 267. It also happens in the relationship between Sara and Anna. Fighting her mother in the courtroom does
not mean that Anna hates her. Inside her heart, Anna loves her mother even when she hates her mother’s decision to ask her donate her bodily organ along with her
life. Anna loves her mother that she does not want her mother to worry about
herself and her sister. Thus, she lies to her mother that she has called off the lawsuit Picoult 105.
Based on Troll and Bengsten’s theory, though Anna often finds more conflicts in her relationship with the mother, Anna still loves and needs Sara. It
can be proven when she is going to endure bone marrow withdrawal. Anna slips her hand into Sara’s hand and asks her mother not to leave her. In response to her
daughter’s demand, Sara stays to accompany her till her grip slackens. Then, she gives her a kiss before leaving the room 280-281. This shows that whatever their
relationship is, Sara becomes the first person for Anna to release Anna’s fear. Anna’s need for her mother’s preservation can also be seen when she is
conscious after undergoing the operation. She shows her mother how painful it is and wants Sara to be with her. Sara, then, gets a nurse to give Roxicet, Tylenol
with codein or Naproxen in order to reduce her daughter’s illness. Even Sara has to argue with the nurse, she still wants her to ask the doctor whether one of those
medicines can be used Picoult 282. It is obvious that Sara’s effort to get medicine shows her care that she does not want Anna to get more illness.
The discussion above shows that the relationship between them is not as warm as the relationship between Sara and Kate. It is so because Sara is
categorized as an authoritarian mother for Anna. However, a mother-daughter bond is the greatest thing. Anna needs her mother’s preservation and vice versa.
Sara stays to love her and becomes the first person to release her daughter’s fear and pain.
b. The Conflicts
