It can be concluded that the relationship between Sara and her dying daughter is a positive one. They are close to each other. Sara never lets her dying
daughter undergo her illness by herself. She loves and takes care of her. Thus, Kate feels secure and comfortable with her mother’s presence in coping with her
terrible life. They also have an open and good communication.
b. The Conflicts
According to Helena Deutsch 322, one of three factors that creates conflict between a mother and a daughter deals with an authoritarian mother.
Although Sara and Kate have a close relationship, they are not always in harmony. There are some conflicts happening between them. Their conflicts are more often
caused by Sara’s over protection and different thoughts between them. While Kate is sick, her mother is afraid of losing her and becomes over protective. She
controls Kate’s life too much and asks her to follow all treatments the doctor suggests. For Kate, Sara’s action looks like an authoritarian mother.
In analyzing how Sara and Kate overcome their conflicts, a model conflict resolution proposed by Blake and Mouton is used. They are avoidance,
competition, soothing, solving and compromise. Avoidance refers to the physical and emotional avoiding the problem and unwillingness to discuss it. Competition
or pushing aggression shows no care for others’ feeling. Soothing tends to ignore their own feeling in order to prevent an open conflict. While solving involves
expressing feeling openly and directly, exploring the cause of the conflicts, clarifying misunderstanding and looking for a solution. In compromise model, one
gets what her wants and also gives up what others want. It seems less satisfactory
than problem-solving qtd. Noller and Fitzpatrick, 105-106. In this relationship, Sara and Kate use compromise and solving resolution.
First of all, the conflict happens in this relationship because of Sara’s demand for her daughter, Kate, to undergo all medical treatments. Deutsch 322
says that an excessive nursing that outlasts the period of the child’s helplessness and need for the mother’s care will lead to the child’s rivalry. In line with this
case, Sara wants to completely take care of her dying daughter. Thus, she controls her daughter’s life and makes a decision for her medical treatments. However,
Sara’s excessive care directs her relationship with Kate to the conflict. On one occasion, Kate is going to undergo the stem cell transplant and
needs to be hospitalized for the chemo. Sara has Kate follow that but she refuses to be hospitalized. She does not want to lose her time with Taylor if she spends
her day in the hospital. At first, I can’t get Kate to agree to undergo the peripheral blood stem cell
transplant. She refuses because she doesn’t want to be hospitalized for chemo, doesn’t want to have sit in reverse isolation for the next six weeks
when she could be going out with Taylor Ambrose. “It’s your life,” I point out to her, and she looks at me as if I’m crazy.
“Exactly,” she says Picoult 374. Dealing with the conflict above, Sara looks for the solution by making a
compromise with Kate and the oncology team. Based on Blake and Mouton, compromise involves getting what she wants and giving other’s want qtd. Noller
and Fitzpatrick, 105-106. Sara talks to Kate and to the oncology team for allowing her daughter as an outpatient. The oncology team agrees to let Kate
begin her chemo as an outpatient but she will be hospitalized if she drops. In reverse Kate agrees to wear a mask at home Picoult 374.
Another conflict occurs when Kate refuses to undergo kidney transplant. Her mother wants Kate to get kidney transplant from her sister, but Kate tells that
she does not want any medical treatment again. Before I could ask any of this, Kate spoke. “I’m not doing it again, all
right? I’m sick of it. The hospitals and the chemo and the radiation and the whole freaking thing. Just leave me alone, will you?”
My mother’s face went white. “Fine, Kate. Go ahead and commit suicide” . . .”It’s not sucide,”she said, ‘if you’re already dying” Picoult 448.
Feeling sick of all the medical treatments and of waiting for her relapse at
anytime cause Kate trying to commit suicide. She also asks her sister, Anna, to refuse giving her kidney Picoult 460-461. After knowing that Kate has tried to
kill herself, Sara talks and says sorry for the entire situation. Kate tells that asking Anna to stop to be a donor is a good decision. Moreover, Sara agrees with Kate
that it is the best decision and supports her daughter Picoult 468. In this case, Sara solves their conflicts again by discussing the problem with Kate and saying
sorry for what she has done. The other conflicts deal with the different perspective between them.
Noller and Fitzpatrick 99 define that the family conflict occurs because of the different point of view among others’ behavior, opinion, and decision. Sara’s
opinion that Taylor has considered Kate as a beautiful girl is against with Kate’s. At that time, Kate is disappointed and angry because she cannot find the prom
dress. She regrets herself for accepting Taylor’s invitation. When Sara tries to calm her by saying how beautiful she is for Taylor, Kate cries and tells that she is
not as beautiful as her mother said. She wants to look beautiful for one night Picoult 379-380.
Referring to the problem that Kate cannot find a proper dress for performing her beauty, Sara decides to sew it by herself. She asks her daughter to
design the dress she wanted. It shows that Sara has applied the problem-solving. “We’ll sew something,” I suggest. “You can design.”
You don’t know how to sew,” Kate sighs. I”ll learn.”
“In a day?” She shakes her head. “You can fix very time, Mom. How come I know that, and you won’t?” Picoult 380.
The different perspective also happens when Sara decides to keep Taylor’s
death in secret. She thinks that it is better for Kate not to know about the news since her daughter is admitted for stem cell transplant. Sara is afraid that her
daughter’s health gets worse when she knows that her beloved boyfriend dies. Thus, Sara conceals the news until the day Kate is well enough and feels better to
live without him. Precisely, Kate becomes angry and accuses her mother as a liar when she finally knows the truth Picoult 384-386.
Dealing with this conflict, Sara tries to talk and clarify Kate’s misunderstanding by explaining her reason. She says sorry for being dishonest
and explains that she does not want the news breaks her spirit to fight against her illness. Again, Sara applies the solving resolution.
“Kate,” I say, “I’m so sorry.” Kate’s face crumples. “But I loved him,” she replies, as if this should be
enough. “I know.’
“And you didn’t tell me.” “I couldn’t. Not when I thought it might make you stop fighting back,
yourself” Picoult 385. To sump up, the relationship between Sara and Kate is considered as close
and warm. The type of their relationship is categorized as friendship in which
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
