Saint Maybe Themes

Saint Maybe Themes

The myth of the perfect family is once again exposed in this novel. On the first page, the Bedloes are described as the "ideal, apple-pie household" and their philosophy of life is "Don't worry. Everything will turn out fine." But Danny kills himself; Lucy dies; they are stuck with three children unrelated to them; and Ian takes religion seriously, dropping out of college to take care of the children. The Bedloes are not the perfect family after all, but they have a bedrock closeness and love that keeps them together and helps them overcome their trials. When the children are planning what to do in the event of a nuclear attack, they decide to commandeer a grocery store just for their immediate family. They make a point of including Ian, who is, in fact, not related to them at all, because he is the one that holds them together. The...
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