Death is a looming specter in Splendors and Glooms, especially when it comes to the Wintermute home. Clara's family has suffered from the deaths of her four siblings for seven years, and the mourning doesn't seem to be abating any time soon. There are paintings and death masks and reminders of her siblings everywhere. She's even expected to sleep in the nursery with all of their old belongings. So morbid, right? The other children in the book have experienced death and grief, too. Parsefall has an older sister who died, and Lizzie Rose is still mourning the loss of both of her parents.
Questions About Mortality
- Why do the Wintermutes go to the mausoleum on every holiday and occasion? How does Clara feel about this? What effect does doing this have on the family?
- How does Grisini die at the end of the book? Do you think that he deserves it? Why or why not?
- Do you think Grisini would have really killed the children like he threatened to? Why or why not? Remember to give evidence from the book.
- Why does Clara's mother get so upset at her for laughing at the skeleton puppet?
Chew on This
Instead of celebrating their living child, Clara's parents spend all of their time focusing on the dead children and, in doing so, alienate Clara and make her feel as though she's not as loved as her deceased siblings.
Although on the surface it appears that Clara has nothing in common with Lizzie Rose and Parsefall, they understand each other because they have lost people close to them and are therefore more used to death than most children.