The hospital
Rachel Aviv describes herself in a hospital to paint a picture of hopelessness. The narrator says, "Three times a day, a nurse sat with me for thirty minutes while I looked at my meals without eating more than a few bites. Each tray of food contained three hundred calories. When the tray was taken away, the nurse monitored me for forty-five more minutes to ensure I didn't throw up." Rachel’s condition is misdiagnosed and that reflects the level of nurses’ negligence in the hospital; thus leading to the patient’s hopelessness.
The description of Elizabeth
The description of Elizabeth by the narrator paints a picture of a miserable child. The narrator says, "In the early weeks of first grade, I made a friend named Elizabeth. She was the oldest child in our class but tiny, with thin, knobby limbs." The imagery shows that despite Elizabeth being a big girl, she is malnourished and unhealthy. However, Elizabeth turns out to be the most humane and friendly.
