My Sister’s Keeper
THE WEEKEND ANNA
by Picoult, JodieThe chapter opens with Anna reflecting on the origins of human existence, contrasting mythological narratives like the Pawnee creation story with scientific explanations such as primordial soup and evolution. She muses on the improbability of life’s complexity, noting how humans still manage to make mistakes despite their advanced cognitive abilities. This philosophical musing transitions into a scene at the hospital, where Anna, her sister Kate, and their mother distract themselves from the impending trial and Kate’s deteriorating health by engaging in mundane activities like watching *Happy Days* and solving crossword puzzles.
The tension escalates when Dr. Chance enters and delivers a grim prognosis about Kate’s condition, revealing she may only have a week left to live. The family’s fragile facade of normalcy shatters as the doctor’s honesty forces them to confront reality. Anna’s mother clings to hope for a transplant, but the unspoken legal battle over Anna’s kidney donation looms large, creating an atmosphere of guilt and unease. Kate, however, responds with quiet acceptance, thanking Dr. Chance for his honesty, while Anna struggles with the weight of her family’s expectations and emotions.
Later, Anna retreats to her father’s office at the fire station, where she confides in Julia about her awkward experiences with a boy named Kyle. Their conversation shifts from lighthearted teenage embarrassment to deeper reflections on family and identity, as Anna examines old photos and questions the authenticity of familial bonds. The juxtaposition of her adolescent concerns with the life-and-death stakes of Kate’s illness highlights Anna’s internal conflict and the complexity of her emotional world.
The chapter closes with Anna’s lingering sense of displacement and unresolved guilt. Her mother’s sharp rebuke—“No, Anna. *You* stop”—echoes the family’s collective denial and Anna’s own struggle to reconcile her role in Kate’s fate. The chapter masterfully intertwines themes of mortality, family dynamics, and the search for identity, leaving Anna—and the reader—grappling with the weight of impossible choices and the fragility of human connections.
FAQs
1. How does Anna contrast different origin stories in the opening paragraphs, and what does this reveal about her worldview?
Answer:
Anna juxtaposes three distinct origin narratives: the biblical Adam and Eve story (which she dismisses as “a load of crap”), the Pawnee creation myth involving celestial beings and tornadoes, and the scientific explanation of primordial soup evolving into choanoflagellates. This reveals her skeptical, questioning nature and her tendency to analyze multiple perspectives. The passage shows she values both cultural traditions (Pawnee myth) and scientific facts, yet finds gaps in all explanations—particularly the “huge leap” from single-celled organisms to humans. Her concluding remark about humans “screwing up” despite evolution’s complexity suggests a cynical yet observant worldview shaped by her family’s struggles.2. Analyze the significance of the “four-letter word for vessel” motif in the hospital scene. How does it reflect the family dynamics?
Answer:
The crossword puzzle question serves as a symbolic thread through the tense hospital scene. Initially, it represents superficial normalcy as Kate, Anna, and their mother focus on trivial wordplay to avoid discussing Kate’s deteriorating condition. When Dr. Chance unexpectedly answers “blood,” it becomes a stark reminder of Kate’s renal failure and Anna’s impending legal battle over organ donation. The final repetition of the question by Anna (“A four-letter word for vessel”) as she exits underscores the family’s communication breakdown—using word games to avoid confronting painful truths. The motif highlights how language both connects and distances family members during crisis.3. How does the author use television shows and manufactured imagery to comment on the family’s coping mechanisms?
Answer:
Anna draws parallels between the Cunninghams’ idealized 1950s life on Happy Days and her family’s denial tactics, noting both create artificial realities to avoid harsh truths (“pretending you’re on a movie set”). She extends this to framed stock photos of “phony families,” realizing her own family photos similarly mask complex realities. These references reveal the Fitzgerald family’s tendency toward performative normalcy—like watching sitcoms during hospital visits or displaying happy memories while avoiding Kate’s prognosis. The imagery critiques how media representations influence real-life denial, particularly Anna’s mother’s insistence on optimism despite Dr. Chance’s grave prognosis.4. What does the interaction with Dr. Chance reveal about the different ways characters process difficult truths?
Answer:
The scene demonstrates four distinct responses to mortality: Kate seeks factual clarity (“How long?”), displaying pragmatic acceptance. Dr. Chance embodies professional compassion but personal grief (his “red-rimmed eyes” and abrupt exit). Anna’s mother reacts with denial (“But after a transplant—”), clinging to false hope. Anna herself shows guilt-avoidance, wanting to “slink out” rather than face being the “debated” organ source. Their reactions form an emotional spectrum—from Kate’s courageous realism to her mother’s defensive optimism—highlighting how terminal illness strains relationships. Dr. Chance’s raw emotion (“Don’t thank me”) particularly underscores how medical professionals navigate emotional boundaries in prolonged care scenarios.5. How does Anna’s conversation with Julia about dating develop her character beyond the family crisis narrative?
Answer:
The wood shop anecdote humanizes Anna as a typical, awkward teenager amid heavy family drama. Her embarrassment about Kyle’s involuntary arousal and worry about being a “pervert” reveals her sexual naivety and desire for normal adolescent experiences. Julia’s reassurance (“you’re thirteen”) provides a rare moment of guidance absent in Anna’s family. This subplot contrasts with the hospital scenes, emphasizing how Anna’s development continues despite trauma. The ink pen fantasy (wanting to “leave your mark”) symbolically connects to her larger struggle for agency, mirroring her legal battle for bodily autonomy while exploring universal teen concerns about identity and relationships.
Quotes
1. “The really amazing thing about all this is no matter what you believe, it took some doing to get from a point where there was nothing, to a point where all the right neurons fire and pop so that we can make decisions. More amazing is how even though that’s become second nature, we all still manage to screw it up.”
This quote captures Anna’s philosophical reflection on human existence and fallibility, setting the tone for the chapter’s exploration of family dynamics and personal responsibility amidst crisis.
2. “My family is famous for lying to ourselves by omission: if we don’t talk about it, then—presto!—there’s no more lawsuit, no more kidney failure, no worries at all.”
This reveals the central coping mechanism of Anna’s family, highlighting their avoidance of difficult truths—particularly regarding Kate’s illness and the impending legal battle over Anna’s kidney donation.
3. “This isn’t the APL. This is renal failure… A week, maybe.”
Dr. Chance’s blunt prognosis marks a turning point in the narrative, forcing the family to confront the reality of Kate’s deteriorating condition and the limited time they have left together.
4. “My mother, she folds into herself, that’s the only way to explain it. Like paper, when you put it deep into the fireplace, and instead of burning, it simply seems to vanish.”
This powerful simile illustrates the emotional collapse of Anna’s mother after hearing Kate’s prognosis, demonstrating how the family processes grief differently.
5. “Maybe it’s not so different from real photos, after all.”
Anna’s realization about family photographs underscores the chapter’s theme of constructed realities, suggesting that even genuine family moments may be as performative as staged stock photos.