When her middle son Jake was six he was plagued by an ear infection. After a simple surgery recommended by the doctor, it was later discovered that Jake had Cholesteatoma -a fatal tumor that grows in the brain. Jake had ten surgeries in three years. Due to her devastating experiences, Picoult understands, what it feels like to be helpless, to what measure a mother is willing to go to protect her child and how the needs of a sick child can break a family. In a conversation between Anna and the mother Sara, Sara says, "Because your sister is more important than cake and ice cream; because I cannot do this for her; because I said so," (Picoult 172). This portrays Picoults anger for not being able to help solve her son's pain. The conversation also shows Picoults, unconscious feelings of frustration towards her other children, not understanding the importance of their brothers sickness. Picoult, like Sara is a mother who is ready to go to extreme measures in order to save her sick child. In the first few sentences of the novel, while Anna is introducing herself, she says, "I was born because a scientist managed to hook up my mother's eggs and my father's sperm to create a specific combination of precious genetic material because I could save my sister," (Picoult 7). Picoults unconscious mind is seen here. Picoult shows how she wishes to have been able to go to the extent her character Sara did, in order save her son. The poem First Fig by Edna St. Vincent Millay is used by Picoult in the epigraphs of her novel. Through this poem, Picoults experience of having a family break down due to the serious medical needs of a sick child is illustrated, "My candle burns at both ends, it will not last the night," (Picoult 321). "This not only represents the characters in the novel but also Picoults family. The family being the candle is metaphorically burning itself out and breaking apart.
