What are the motifs in All the Little Live Things by Wallace Stegner?

Grief is a recurring idea in the story. Before telling them of her diagnosis, Marian expression the opinion to the Allstons that pain is pleasurable in certain circumstances. Marian suggests that people should embrace pain because they will be better people for the experience. Marian lost her parents when she was a small child and believes that the pain she suffered then made her the person she is today. Later, the Allstons learn that Marian's breast cancer has spread to her liver and pancreas, a condition that is likely to cause a great deal of pain toward the end of her life.