In "All the Little Live Things," Wallace Stegner presents a profound reflection on the dual nature of love. He suggests that love, while a beautiful and defining experience, also carries with it a heavy burden— the inevitability of loss and the confrontation with death. This realization challenges the notion that sin is the primary force driving humanity away from paradise, emphasizing instead that love’s depth and intensity can lead to pain and sorrow.
Stegner implies that understanding love’s complexities is essential to grasp the fullness of life. By acknowledging the connection between love and mortality, readers are invited to appreciate how love gives meaning to our experiences, including the sorrow of loss. Ultimately, love's role in our lives transforms how we perceive both our joys and our inevitable grief.