at a lawsuit is not the right thing to do, “It just wasn’t right-to be alive…and then go out and hire a lawyer; it wasn’t right.” (171). As we discover, not only is Nichole a victim of this accident but she is also a victim of her father’s weakness. When we realize what is happening to Nichole we feel deeply for her and even feel protective of her but she comes across to the reader so strong that we know she will make it through. The whole lawsuit comes to an end when Nichole proclaimed this to be an accident and they cannot blame anyone. “Because the truth was that it was an accident, that’s all, and no one was to blame.” (186).The points of views presented convey the meaning across in a powerful yet roundabout way. The individual insight of each person combines together making the story so much more meaningful. Kakutani does an excellent job of summing up the meaning of the story in a short and straight to the point message,In the end, of course, there is no one person or agency responsible for the accident. The accident is just that -- an accident, one of those frighteningly random events that occasionally disrupt the even flow of daily life, underscoring the innate precariousness of life, our susceptibility to grief and loss and hurt.There are things that happen without reasons; maybe it is just the cruel twist of fate with no one to blame. The story ends in August representative of warmth and the total opposite of winter where people learn to accept the fact that it was uncontrollable the accident and no one could have done anything to stop it… and now they begin to experience “the sweet hereafter”. A time of healing and recovery. ...
