Picoult portrays Sara as morally ambiguous by contrasting the positive and negative aspects of her within the relationships she has with each family member in order to expose the hardships facing mothers and wives. Family is a central aspect of this novel despite the plot focusing on the legal trial. Furthermore, Sara places her family on a high pedestal because she understands that family is the “emotional anchor” in their household (Benokraitis 226). Her prioritization of each member of her family impacts them differently and shapes them into the characters they become. Additionally, Sara’s moral ambiguity is relevant to every mother and wife because there
Picoult portrays Sara as morally ambiguous by contrasting the positive and negative aspects of her within the relationships she has with each family member in order to expose the hardships facing mothers and wives. Family is a central aspect of this novel despite the plot focusing on the legal trial. Furthermore, Sara places her family on a high pedestal because she understands that family is the “emotional anchor” in their household (Benokraitis 226). Her prioritization of each member of her family impacts them differently and shapes them into the characters they become. Additionally, Sara’s moral ambiguity is relevant to every mother and wife because there