Essay Questions

Why is Mary suspicious after her husband, Jay, gets a phone call from her brother-in-law, Ralph?

Mary is nervous that something might be seriously wrong because Ralph's character is questionable. Ralph tells Jay that their father is dying for a minute, which prompts Jay to check on his father immediately. However, Mary's instincts tell her that something terrible is about to happen. When Jay heads home to see his father, he gets involved in an accident and dies. Therefore, Mary's instincts were right because she suspected something terrible was about to happen, and as a result, she loses her husband.

How difficult is it to break sad news such as the demise of a parent to children?

A child's brain is still young to be abruptly fed with shocking news. When jay dies, Mary does not know how to break the news to their young children. Mary tells the children that their father is asleep because he is having a conversation with God. However, Hanna puts the point straight and tells the children that their father is dead and will never wake up again. The reader does not justify Hanna's decision to tell the children directly that their father is dead, but the process should be slow to allow them to absorb the shock.

How does religion conflict with atheism in the book ‘A Death in the Family’?

Mary is a catholic, but she is married to Jay, who is an atheist. Atheists do not believe in the existence of God because they often question the validity of the Bible. Religious people condemn atheism because they think that it is satanic to be a pagan. When Jay dies, Mary decides to bury him according to religious traditions, and she invites father Jackson to preside over the ceremony. Ironically, the father agrees to conduct the burial ceremony despite knowing that Jay was an atheist.