The Line Tender

Loss is inevitable in life. During our lifetime, we are constantly losing the people and things we love. No matter what we lose, people will first experience great grief. But, in addition to immersing ourselves in sorrow, we can choose to face it and live with it.

The story begins in the hot July summer when Lucy was twelve years old. Her life was the same as usual. Although her mother died five years ago, the bereaved pain was still in her mind. At the same time, thanks to the warm company of her bosom friend Fred, Lucy was able to relieve her pain. However, the good time didn't last long. Just after the two first expressed their love for each other, Fred died in "the quarry" because of drowning. For Lucy, it was a disaster, and a huge blow. She was unable to eat, and even lost weight. When she finally accepted Fred's death, she wanted to complete her field guide assignment with Fred, as well as the unfinished research projects left by her mother.

The emotion and expression of "sadness" accounts for a large proportion of the book. Whether Lucy lost her mother or faced the death of a close friend, "sadness" was an inevitable emotion. It brought a heavy burden to Lucy. The sadness even accompanied Lucy’s indescribable loneliness. When her mother passed away and her father was busy working, she was used to being alone. She became even lonelier after Fred's death. The depression also affected Lucy's physical condition, such as swallowing difficulty, weight loss, and so on.

However, despite the elements of sadness and pain, the book contains more meaningful and important parts -- hope. On one hand, it is a tragedy, because Lucy's lost her mother and the bosom friend. But with the development of the story, however, when Lucy determined to complete her mother's research project, there was a turn of the story -- study of sharks, a project that fascinated Lucy's mother and her close friend. This helped her go through such a dark and unbearable period. It’s like a dazzling light in the deep sea, bringing "hope" to her life.

When faced with the grief of losing a loved one or a friend, I wish I could recover from it as soon as possible. Although it will be a very difficult process, I would rather choose to forget it or fight against it because I will feel less distressed and less painful. Lucy, or the narrator, by contrast, sees the situation from a completely different perspective. "Shark Research" allows Lucy to find a medium to learn to live with "sorrow" and seek solace from what her friends and family love. Lucy may still miss them or feel a little grieved, but for her, experiencing what her mother and close friends have done is like building a bridge between them. In this way, Lucy calmed herself and gained strength from them, rather than overcoming her sadness.

The Line Tender is a story which shows the grief of losing a loved one and the unique way the protagonist deals with, and confronts death. It sends a message: "No matter what pain or frustration we have experienced, or even stagnation, we should continue to move forward with gentle, determined strength." We may not be able to resolve our emotions or ignore it, but we can get along with it in peace. Just as Lucy recovers from the death of her mom and her bosom friend and finds a better goal in life. As the book reveals: One day we can look beyond what we have lost and toward what's left to be discovered.