measles, an occurrencein life that no one can prevent. Still, the mother tormentsherself on the thoughts that she only went to sit with Emilytwice. Granted that twice was not very much, the more shecame in contact with Emily, the greater risk of endangeringthe life of Emily’s sibling. Here is when Emily begins toslowly adjust to the absence of her mothers physicalaffection. When Emily is sent away to a convalescent home in thecountry so she can have the “‘kind of food and care(154)’”her mother cannot provide for her, her adjustment to theabsence of physical warmth from her mother is finalized. Emily and her mother write letters to each other every otherday and on sundays are able to see each other. But, thereis never any sort of touching. Because of the strict rulesof this place where she is at, Emily is subjected to conformwith the letters and weekly visits from her mother as theonly form of nurture from her mother. By the time themother is able to be close to her daughter again, she isn’taccepted with open arms. She rushes to Emily’s bedside atany slight sound of restlessness coming from there. Insteadof accepting her mothers nurturing, Emily coldlyresponds,”’I’m all right, go back to sleep, Mother(154)’”. It is too late. Emily no longer yearns for the touch orcomfort of her mother. Another dent has been made in theirrelationship by a difficult circumstance in life of whichthey have to deal with.Aside the mothers condemning thoughts, Emily’srelationship with her evolved into a rather cold, yet notdistant one, as a result of these incidents. Although thepresence and touch was not always there in theirrelationship, communication clearly was. ...
