Grief Is for People

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death by suicide and mental illness.

As Crosley faces the unexpected death of Russell, she takes various approaches to coping with her loss. Some of her actions follow in the traditional vein of dealing with a death: She attends support groups, reads self-help books, researches various cultural ideas about death, and attends Russell’s memorial service. The act of holding imaginary conversations with Russell becomes a ritual that Crosley clings to. Her visiting the restaurant where she saw Russell for the last time is an important element of this ritual: Staring through the window at the table where she and Russell sat is an attempt by Crosley to stop time and prevent Russell’s death from happening. This act showcases her struggle with acceptance, as she alternates between denial and a desire to hold onto memories that feel tangible. It is also instrumental in her search for missed warning signs that Russell was unhappy and preparing to die by suicide. The imaginary conversations with Russell that she holds shift in their meaning and purpose. At times, they are a way to deny that Russell is gone; at other times, they are an attempt to maintain a close connection to Russell.