Three Important Aspects of Life and Character in A Constellation of Vital Phenomena Alison Georgescu 11th Grade

In Anthony Marra’s A Constellation of Vital Phenomena, there is a passage in the novel which depicts one of the main characters, Sonja, leafing through the pages of a medical encyclopedia, only to find a surprisingly poetic definition: “Life: A constellation of vital phenomena—organization, irritability, movement, growth, reproduction, adaptation” (317). Three of these phenomena, movement, adaptation, and irritability, are channeled through Havaa, Akmed, and Sonja, the three main characters of the novel, to illustrate the most fundamental aspects of surviving a time of war and hardship.

Havaa is portrayed one-dimensionally throughout the book, and because of that, she seems to float along with the plans and instructions of her guardians. After causing a raucous and annoying Sonja, the doctor asks her about the blue suitcase she has, telling her to take clothes from it and change: “No. It’s my just-in-case suitcase.” “Just in case what?” “In case there is an emergency. So I’ll have the things that are important to me” (44). Havaa has prepared herself for drastic life changes by protecting all of her prized possessions in a blue suitcase with determination. Because she has all of her treasures tucked away safely, she has gained...