Granny Torrelli Makes Soup

In these resolution chapters, both Rosie and Bailey demonstrate The Value of Empathy and The Power of Forgiveness. Rosie initially wants to be Bailey’s savior and for them to be just like each other. Unfortunately, at first, she does not realize that these two desires are damaging her relationship with Bailey. She lacks the empathy to understand that Bailey does not need or even want to be fixed or protected; he has learned to flourish, and he has his own strengths to rely on. She also lacks the empathy to respect Bailey’s unique lived experience rather than treat it as a gap between that she wants to close. Bailey’s outburst, when taking Rosie’s lack of empathy into consideration, makes much more sense. Bailey is keenly aware that there are things that Rosie can do that he cannot, and as such, he is especially proud of his ability to read Braille, because it is one thing that Rosie cannot do. Bailey therefore becomes upset with Rosie not merely for learning Braille, but for presenting her new ability to read Braille as if it is not a terribly special skill, giving him no context for why she has learned it or how hard she had to work to do so. It is only after some space apart and time for reflection that they both practice empathy and, as a result, ask each other for forgiveness—and grant it.

After Rosie finally confesses to Granny Torrelli the nature of her current fight with Bailey, Granny Torrelli tells Rosie how her relationship with Pardo ended and about Pardo’s demise. On the surface, the situations that caused each dispute are different. What unites the two stories, however, is the lack of empathy from all parties involved. The Power of Storytelling is especially evident in the ending of Granny Torrelli’s story—namely, in the complete destruction of the relationship. Storytelling allows the listener, in this case, Rosie, to visualize an ending that has not come to pass, but which could come to pass. Through her own story, Granny Torrelli demonstrates her own regrets, thus allowing her granddaughter to choose a different outcome. Because Rosie is able to learn from the experiences of others, she is able to make better choices than she would have had she been on her own. On hearing this story, Rosie realizes the importance of her own actions in this moment. Relationships are not a guarantee; people must demonstrate empathy toward each other to maintain relationships over time, just as Granny Torrelli does with Rosie. Rosie thereby realizes that she can either nurse her anger and stay away from Bailey, or she can choose empathy and offer an apology to heal the relationship to the degree that Bailey will allow her to.

When Granny Torrelli tells Rosie the story about Pardo, Rosie begins to realize that the decisions people make in life both close and open doors. Rosie wonders why her grandmother did not follow her heart and stay with Pardo. Instead of reflecting on this question longer, Rosie starts to think of the implications should her grandmother have made that decision. In short, if Grandma had chosen Pardo, Rosie, her granddaughter, would never have existed. The motif of Blindness is not explicit here, but it is relevant. A recurring issue throughout the novel for Rosie is that, at first, she has difficulty seeing things from outside of her own perspective; thanks to her grandmother’s perspective, she is able to consider new ways of thinking and acting. With the story about Pardo, Rosie not only learns that her grandmother experienced a rift in her relationship with her friend just as Rosie is experiencing one with her own friend; Rosie also learns that decisions have consequences beyond just whether the relationship will continue or not. Rosie’s own limited experiences have not yet allowed her to learn fully that making one decision may prohibit another, but she slowly comes to that realization through her grandmother.

Finally, while Rosie has some character weaknesses such as her stubbornness, she also demonstrates that she is willing to make changes and take action when she becomes convinced that her previous actions were wrong. This willingness relates to another side of The Power of Forgiveness, namely being willing to admit your mistakes. Rosie is active in her admission, going to Bailey’s house with soup in hand. She does not wait for him to come over. She wants to go immediately. Rosie learns from her grandmother’s mistakes, and she does more than just internalize the lessons. She acts to make things better. She admits her mistake. Even before Rosie has come to this conclusion and arrived to apologize, Bailey has taken the time to write “I’m sorry” in Braille, demonstrating that he, too, is willing to admit his mistakes and try to make amends. The two friends seal their forgiveness with a meal. In the novel, forgiveness is not just about words. It is also about writing wrongs and taking action.