The Stages of Grief in Swallowing Stones

 

Stage Character Chp. Excerpt from the novel
Denial Jenna 6-8 She keeps saying, “I’m waiting for him to come home from work.” She is like this is not happening. She isn’t accepting it. On the other hand, Michael knows that he killed a man, and he has to accept it.
Anger Jenna and Michael 8-10 Jenna is mad and wants to found out who the killer is. Michael is mad, because he knows he killed a man. Eventually, everyone is mad, because of Michael’s actions.
Bargaining Michael All chp. In all chapters, he is thinking, if I wasn’t messing around, if I wouldn’t have shot that gun in the air, and if my grandpa wouldn’t have gave me that gun. Michael is thinking of all these what ifs.
Depression Jenna All chp. In all chapters, Jenna doesn’t want to cry, because when her dad dies, she didn’t want to feel bad about it. She is kinda keeping it in. She won’t let it out, so it’s building up. Keeping it in, is going to affect her later, because something is going to happen and she is just now going to let it out, and she is going to get more depressed.
Acceptance Jenna and Michael 6-8

All chp.

When Jenna got the letter that Amy got her, Jenna realized that it was okay to cry and to be sad. Jenna accepted that he isn’t coming back. She also realized that there was someone experiencing the same thing. For Michael, really in all chapters, he is saying “I killed a man.” He says stuff like “I am the Ward murder.” So, Michael is accepting that he killed someone.