Friends,


Ok I know that what I am about to say might not be completely relevant to the wholeness of the plot of Susan Beth Pfeffer's book Life As We Knew It, but this certain thing un the book really bothered me.  So on page 247 it states,

        "Mom hobbled her way (which she probably shouldn't have done) into the pantry this afternon.  Matt and Jonny were doing their wood-chopping things.
        I left Mom alone in the pantry for a while (I'm losing all sense of time), but then I figured I'd better make sure she hadn't fallen.  So I went into the panty and found her sitting on the floor weeping.  I put my arm around her shoulder and let her cry.  After a while she calmed down and then she embraced me.  I helped her up and she leaned on me as we went back to the sunroom.
        I have never loved Mom as much as I love her now.  I almost feel like some of Mrs. Nesbitt's love for Mom has seeped into me."

Ok so when I first read this I was a bit annoyed at Miranda a this point.  I mean from the beginning of the book she has been acting like a spoiled child.  When she and her family were at the grocery store, all Miranda did was complain and whine.  I mean when the world is in such a chaotic period, you would think she had the decency to stop complaining every five seconds.  And I'm not a huge fan of her mother but what she was doing at the times seemed extremely practical to me.  She asked to get water, canned food, band-aid, vitamins. . .  if you ask me she is a genius compared to Miranda, who seemed only like a cry baby throughout the whole ordeal.  So back to this quote.  After seeing what Miranda had said and argued with her mom about, I was really annoyed when I read this.  Why?  Because she just randomly says that she loves her mom when she is at her weakest point.  I hate the idea that Miranda starts to confromt her love for her mother just because she showed her moment of weakness.  What kind of message does that give people?