The River By Mary Jane Beaufrand Book Report

In the book The River, by Mary Jane Beaufrand, the young girl, Ronnie learns an Important lesson about letting people into her life. Though the book Ronnie learns to allow friends and family to help her through hard times see the truth.

In the beginning of the book The River Ronnie is depressed Karen died and is blocking out friend's and family and it is preventing her from seeing the truth. The first piece of evidence is showing that Ronnie is in shock that she found her best friend dead. “Slowly i began to realize that heat was a very bad idea, the rain-numbness was wearing off and the feeling returning to my limbs. As soon as the feeling came back so did the memory; that plunk” (41)! Ronnie is in shock that she found her best friend

The first piece of evidence shows she is still sneaking around after dark and still doesn’t understand how this happened but she is letting herself open to Tomas. “I told myself that i wasn’t looking for karen herself- i was looking for karen signs.”..... “Jesus, you scared the hell out of me.” i said. You’re one to talk. Why did you just wander off like that” (89)? Ronnis is still sneaking out and is still curious how Karen died. While talking to Tomas she realizes she needs to be more attentive toward other people's feelings and needs to let her friend's back into her life. The second example shows that she is starting to take his feelings into consideration and she is starting to understand how to let people in.“I wonder if he was mad because i was inconsiderate, or if he was mad because he was afraid. I had gone missing the day the body had turned up. “You're right,” i said, because he was”(90). Ronnie is starting to let Tomas in and listening and processing what her friends and family say. Even though Ronnie is still mourning her best friend's death she still is starting to process everything. Now that she is talking to her friend's again she is starting to understand the death of Karen. The last piece of evidence shows that Ronnie is starting to work again and is getting into her normal daily routine . “I’m ready to work.” i said. You

Before Ronnie wanted to go back to the city with just her and her family. Now that they are back she is happy and is letting her family make her happy. “We are back in our home in the city, mom, dad and Petunia and I” (209). Ronnie is back in her original home she grew up in, she happy to be back but sad to move away from her friends that she just became close to again and they were helping her understand Karen's death. Ronnie is finally running with her friends again even though she might be a bit slower than normal and is close with them again. “Gretchen points to the starbucks across the street and i step swing. They are faster than i am. I try not to mind” (211). Ronnie is hanging out with her friends and she is running again. The last time she ran she found Karen dead. She can finally run without the feeling of hurt or anger. She is finally in a place where she understands what happened to Karen. The last piece of evidence shows Ronnie coped with her anger or any other feelings she has had about the death of Karen.“this the most important thing; those of us left standing are wobbly, but at least were standing together. Its enough, the river would whisper. It's enough” (215). Ronnie has been though a lot within the past year with Karen dying and her parting from her family and friends for a amount of time and she learned how to cope with all