Kindness Reflection

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Upon finishing A Complicated Kindness, I felt a sense of relief. Finally, Nomi was free. What’s interesting is that at the end of the novel Nomi doesn’t leave the community, although she now has the freedom to thanks to her father, Ray, for leaving. It surprised me that Ray left, however, it was the only way that Nomi could be free. Nomi had promised her father she would never leave him however after Nomi was excommunicated Ray knew that the only way for Nomi to leave was if he left. It was confusing why the family could not move all together at the beginning of the story? That would have saved much heartache and suffering. I suppose it’s like what Nomi said, that Trudie did not want to force Ray to choose between the church and his …show more content…

At the beginning of the novel, Nomi never would have done anything that would negatively impact her end of life outcome, but towards the end, she takes part in: doing drugs, sleeping around, and rejecting the Mennonite beliefs. Flashbacks are used throughout the novel, and each flashback is used effortlessly and is essential to the development of the story. For instance on page. 216 Nomi recalls the night after she lost her virginity. In our first reading of this on page. 173 it seems that the night ended like any other night. There is no intense emotional turmoil about what happened. However, we learn on page. 216 what happened afterward and the regret and turmoil that she went through. Ultimately, this gives us a clue into the reason behind some of her actions. A certain level of suspense is used in the novel through the questions that are left unanswered. Why did Trudie leave? What happened to cause this? As the story unravels secrets are revealed; Trudie’s affair with Mr. Quiring, Trudie's excommunication, Tash’s atheism, Rays reason for selling all the furniture. I think the motifs of blood represent that Nomi is alive. furthermore that she’s not dead yet no matter how much the town tries to oppress this feeling. Since everyone in the town wants to die and lives as if they are already dead. However, Nomi is different from the people of East Village. Incidently, proof of this is

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