Geraldine Brooks 'The Transformation Of Anna Frith'

“All I had to do was put the glass around you. And now, how you shine!” Year of wonders takes us on a journey through the 16th century at the time of the dreadful plague that struck hard. Throughout her tragic ordeal Anna Frith finds some undying strength to help loved ones and becomes more independent from such experiences. Geraldine Brooks shows how it is the transformations within an individuals mind that are the most prevailing and essential for one to better from it. Since the plague had already destroyed and taken everyone who Anna had once loved, all she had left was time, time to help those in need, time to see the unearthly happenings around her, time to find the true Anna Frith.

Several catalysts contribute to Anna’s change, the
Some of those characters could not cope but Anna however seized this opportunity to become even stronger and still always put others before herself. At first Anna struggled as any human being would, “let it be done unto me according to thy word.” Anna was asking to die. This was after she had lost her two young boys within weeks of each other due to the plague, but somehow Anna pulled through and still put others before herself so unselfishly. “The plague had already taken from me the greatest part of what I had to lose”, Anna’s pride and joy was in her two sons Jamie and Tom but when they were taken away from her she decided to stay in the village “because she had small will to live.” Anna presents her real strength when she delivers Mrs. Daniels baby despite her past experiences, “you know a great deal more than you think.” It is evident that Anna underestimates her ability to do things and to help others but this is cured during the novel as she becomes a confident, brave women. Due to the fact that Anna had lost her two darling sons and her loving husband Sam, Anna found happiness in giving help in the deliveries of village women’s babies, as she not only got to see the beginning of a family but she took part in that beginning. This made Anna realise that although there was so much darkness around her there was also light at the end of the tunnel. Although deaths were occurring each day new life was growing all around