Once, in second grade, Kate drew a picture of a firefighter with a halo above his helmet. She told her class that I would only be allowed to go to Heaven, because if I went to Hell, I'd put out all the fires. ~Brian Fitzgerald
In Jodi Picoult's novel "My Sister's Keeper," a poignant memory shared by Brian Fitzgerald illustrates how children view the world. When his daughter Kate was in second grade, she depicted a firefighter with a halo, which represented her innocent belief that her father would only go to Heaven. This child's perspective highlights her admiration for her father and the purity of her thoughts about good and evil.
This anecdote also reflects a deeper meaning about the connections between family and the implications of one’s actions. Kate's belief that her father would extinguish the fires of Hell symbolizes his protective nature and the love his children feel towards him. It serves as a tender reminder of childhood innocence and the ways in which we perceive parental figures as saviors in our lives.
