Semansky publishes widely in the field of twentieth- century culture and literature. In the following essay, he examines the idea of sympathetic identifi- cation and describes how it relates to the narrator's behavior.

The central mystery to be solved in Amy Bloom's story "Silver Water" is why the character of Violet allows her sister Rose to commit suicide. "Silver Water" attempts to realistically depict a family strained by the mental illness of their oldest child. It is told through the point of view of Violet, the younger sister who witnesses Rose's decline and ultimately decides her fate. The point of view is a significant choice, since the sisters are so close. Both are named for flowers, reflecting the fragile, ephemeral qualities of those objects. Violet shadows Rose, and is shadowed by her; and their fates, interwoven and dependent on each other, determine one's death and the other's...