"Forgiveness in Families" by Alice Munro

"Forgiveness in Families" was a very deep touching story written by Alice Munro. It talked about the author's mother who had gone unconscious on the bathroom floor when her brother, Cam, was supposed to take care of her due to she was vomiting before. His sister, Val, which was the author, had waited in the hospital hour and hour, waiting for the good news from the doctor. Although she didn't expect her mom would survive. "They haven't said anything to give me hope, Cam. She is dying." (Munro 114). Cam didn't come to visit her since she was sent to the hospital. After Val called him, he came with a bunch of people who were the co-priests. They prayed for their mother in the waiting room, and it turned out that a nurse expelled them. "I don't know what you call working, but you're not helping anybody. Now I'm asking you to clear out of here. Excuse me. I'm not asking. I'm telling." (Munro 115). Val got a phone call from the doctor one day while she was sleeping. "The doctor said he had encouraging news. He said she was much better this morning." (Munro 116). Val was amazed after she answered the phone. She couldn't believe it. Haro said, "It's the tension, I know. You build yourself up ready for something bad to happen and then when it doesn't, it's a queer feeling, you can't feel good right away, it's almost like a disappointment." (Munro 116). Her mother got well, and she never sank back. "She was in the hospital three weeks and then she came home, and rested another three weeks..." (Munro 117). She told everyone about her son and his friends coming to the hospital. "Well, that boy of mine may not be much of a success at anything else but you have to admit he was a knack of saving lives." (Munro 117).

"Forgiveness in families is a mystery to me, how it comes or how it lasts." (Munro 117). This statement is very true in a way because we sometimes don't even know we have forgiven our family members. The author didn't like her brother because she thought her brother didn't do anything to help his mom when she went to the hospital. The author expected her mom would not survive because if she had gone away, she could prove that what her brother was going in the hospital could not help her mother. But it turned out that their mother survived, what the author expected didn't come true. Her mother gave his son an appreciation for saving her life. After the author read the book, she started realizing that she shouldn't keep this attitude towards her brother. So she actually forgave him.

Overall this story is pretty good, I enjoy reading it, and it gives me a lot of insight. However I think the author should give more information about the relationship between the author and her mother. It's because it can give the readers to understand more about their relationship, so that the readers can compare the differences between her and her mom, her brother and her mom.

I think those who hate their family members or someone should read this story because it tells the readers to forgive their family members. In fact the author did forgive her brother at the end.

Nowadays, people seem to have difficulties in forgiving their friends, family members, children or even partners. This descriptive lovely story gives the readers a very good insight into how we should face the forgiveness in families