My Sister’s Keeper
WEDNESDAY ANNA
by Picoult, JodieThe chapter opens with Anna’s morbid reflections on her own hypothetical funeral, imagining sparse attendance and minimal impact. She contrasts this with the grand funeral her sister Kate would receive, highlighting the disparity in how their lives—and potential deaths—are perceived. Anna’s vivid imagery of her own unnoticed passing versus Kate’s highly publicized mourning underscores her feelings of invisibility within her family dynamic, where Kate’s illness dominates all attention.
Anna then shifts to a courtroom scene where she meets Judge DeSalvo, who wears flip-flops—a detail that momentarily comforts her. Their conversation begins casually, discussing Coke’s corrosive properties, but quickly turns serious as the judge probes Anna’s conflicting statements about her lawsuit for medical emancipation. The judge’s informal demeanor contrasts with the gravity of the situation, emphasizing Anna’s internal struggle between familial loyalty and personal autonomy.
A flashback reveals Anna’s close bond with Kate, as they share a darkly humorous prank involving apple juice and a nurse. This memory, triggered by the judge’s drink, momentarily distracts Anna from her composure, leading to an emotional breakdown. Her tears expose the depth of her conflict: she loves her family but cannot continue being a medical donor for Kate. The judge’s observation of her distress prompts him to appoint a guardian ad litem to assess her best interests.
The chapter concludes with Anna’s mother reacting to the judge’s decision, hinting at the urgency of Kate’s deteriorating health. Anna’s lawyer signals cautious optimism, while the unresolved tension between familial duty and individual agency lingers. The scene sets the stage for the upcoming legal battle, with Anna caught between her love for her sister and her desperate need for bodily autonomy.
FAQs
1. What does Anna imagine her funeral would be like, and how does this contrast with her sister Kate’s imagined funeral?
Answer:
Anna envisions a sparsely attended funeral with only immediate family, a few teachers, and possibly some hockey teammates present. She pictures a modest obituary on page 24 of the newspaper and hopes for meaningful touches like “Amazing Grace” being sung in full. In stark contrast, she imagines Kate’s funeral as a major event with overflowing crowds, front-page news coverage, and an abundance of flowers. This juxtaposition highlights Anna’s feelings of being overshadowed by Kate’s illness and her perception that Kate’s life holds more significance to others than her own.2. How does Judge DeSalvo’s informal demeanor affect Anna, and what does this reveal about her emotional state?
Answer:
Judge DeSalvo’s flip-flops and casual offer of a drink initially put Anna at ease, showing she responds well to authenticity rather than rigid formality. However, when he drinks apple juice—a detail that triggers Anna’s painful memory of a prank with Kate—she becomes emotionally overwhelmed. This reaction reveals how deeply intertwined her grief, guilt, and trauma are with everyday objects and interactions. Her breakdown demonstrates that beneath her attempts to appear composed, she’s struggling with unresolved emotions about her sister’s illness and her own role in it.3. What is the central conflict in Anna’s legal petition, and how does her conversation with the judge complicate it?
Answer:
Anna has filed for medical emancipation to avoid donating a kidney to Kate, while her mother claims Anna wants to drop the lawsuit. The judge identifies this contradiction and probes deeper, uncovering Anna’s conflicted position: she loves her family but cannot continue being a medical donor. The conversation reveals Anna’s fear that adults dismiss children’s objections to medical procedures as routine complaints. This complicates the case by showing Anna’s autonomy is entangled with family loyalty, medical ethics, and her traumatic history as a donor.4. Analyze the significance of the “dissolving tooth” anecdote in the context of Anna’s emotional journey.
Answer:
The judge’s story about a tooth dissolving in Coke serves as a powerful metaphor for Anna’s emotional state. Like the tooth, she feels herself being eroded—by medical procedures, family expectations, and grief. The imagery recurs when she recalls laughing with Kate until they “dissolved,” linking the metaphor to both her joy and pain. Her subsequent breakdown suggests she fears complete emotional dissolution if forced to continue sacrificing for Kate. This motif underscores the chapter’s theme of the fragility of identity under prolonged trauma.5. Why does Judge DeSalvo appoint a guardian ad litem, and what might this indicate about his assessment of the situation?
Answer:
The judge appoints a guardian ad litem because he recognizes the complexity of Anna’s position—caught between her stated legal petition, her mother’s claims, and her evident emotional distress. This decision shows he doubts either side is fully representing Anna’s best interests and wants an impartial investigation. It suggests he views Anna as a vulnerable minor caught in a high-stakes family conflict that requires careful evaluation. The two-week timeline also implies he sees urgency in resolving this medical-ethical dilemma while allowing for thorough assessment.
Quotes
1. “I DON’T THINK ANYONE WOULD COME, to my funeral. My parents, I guess, and Aunt Zanne and maybe Mr. Ollincott, the social studies teacher.”
This opening line establishes Anna’s bleak perspective on her own significance and mortality, contrasting sharply with her later description of her sister Kate’s hypothetical well-attended funeral. It introduces the theme of sibling comparison and Anna’s feelings of invisibility.
2. “At Kate’s funeral, everyone will come… They will have to turn mourners away at the cemetery gates.”
This stark contrast between Anna’s imagined funeral and Kate’s highlights the central tension of their relationship - Kate’s illness has made her the focus of attention and community support, while Anna feels overlooked.
3. “I can’t give a kidney to my sister. I just can’t.”
This emotional outburst to Judge DeSalvo represents the climax of Anna’s internal conflict - her desperate need to assert bodily autonomy against family expectations, while still loving her sister. It’s the raw confession underlying her legal petition.
4. “When you complain because someone’s sticking a needle into you for the tenth time, it’s considered standard operating procedure… The kidney—that’s just today. Tomorrow it’ll be something else. It’s always something else.”
This quote powerfully conveys Anna’s experience of medical trauma and her fear that donating a kidney won’t be the end of her bodily sacrifices for Kate. It explains her motivation for legal action.
5. “Because I love her… I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
Anna’s tearful admission to Judge DeSalvo reveals the complex emotional truth - her lawsuit isn’t about lacking love for her mother or sister, but about needing to set boundaries while still caring deeply for them.