Anything Is Possible

In contrast to their sister Lucy, Pete and Vicky have no choice but to continue dealing with their traumas. Pete and Vicky live humble lives of unfulfilling work and relative loneliness. They stayed in Amgash, forced to face neighbors who remember their parents with suspicion and disgust. Although Pete and Vicky didn’t leave Amgash, they represent the potential of living and dealing with your demons. Pete may not have friends or a good job, but he’s kind and shy. He thinks about his effect on other people; for example, he worries for days that he was supposed to tip his barber. Pete comes from a place of kindness, even if on the outside his life seems stuck in the past. Vicky struggles financially and works in a job she finds degrading. However, Vicky’s job helps other people, and she takes pride in the few moments in which a patient endears themselves to her. Pete and Vicky are imperfect and, in many ways, unhappy, but they have a clear sense that their lives could have been much worse. They learn to appreciate small joys and open themselves up to other people in ways that Lucy can’t.

Patty Nicely has stayed in Amgash, her hometown. After failed marriages and the irreparable destruction of her family, Patty develops a deep depression. The medication she takes to treat it makes her gain weight, which subjects her to shame and ridicule. She feels stuck in her cycles of depression, resentment, and low self-esteem. However, Patty is kind and forgiving; she works hard to think positively of her mother and her most difficult students. Through Lucy Barton’s memoir, Patty learns that it’s never too late to change her mindset. Despite her anxiety and depression, Patty tries to do good for others—but she must learn how to do good for herself. Although certain circles mock Patty for being childless, a failed wife, and overweight, she can learn to avoid internalizing these judgments and go after what she wants in life. Patty is a relatable character who represents the hope for brighter days.

Mary and Angelina Mumford are a mother-daughter pair who re-establish their relationship in Italy. Although their reunion notably occurs away from Amgash, gossip from their hometown enables them to superficially connect with one another. However, this superficial connection eventually paves the way for deeper conversations. In confronting their resentments, Mary and Angelina try to forgive one another for the hurt they’ve inflicted. Mary represents a guiding light for Angelina because she teaches her daughter to embrace life’s unpredictability. Mary has come out on the other side of decades of pain, whereas Angelina is entering her phase of pain. In reconnecting on the foundation of their relationship—true love—Angelina and Mary represent the importance of working on family bonds. Rather than giving up on each other, Angelina and Mary try to repair their relationship so that they can find happiness both as individuals and as a family.

Charlie Macauley is a Vietnam War veteran with mental health conditions who struggles to express the love he’s capable of feeling. The world passes him by; his psyche is firmly rooted in the past, and society has progressed without him. This enhances Charlie’s anger and propels his cycle of self-abuse and lack of compassion for others. However, Charlie’s redeeming quality, which might help him live a happier life, is his understanding that pain is necessary to the human experience: If he embraces his pain, he won’t become so “broken” that he’s unfixable. The gaps in Charlie’s otherwise acute self-awareness demonstrate that identity formation is a lifelong process. Imperfect but capable, Charlie represents the importance of finding kindness to self before you can extend kindness to others.