The other side of the bridge

The Other Side Of The Bridge Essay
By:Brontë Forster-Tan

Loss is the process of losing something or someone that is important to you. Many characters in the book The Other Side Of The Bridge by Mary Lawson are effected mentally and emotionally by the loss of a loved one. We see throughout the book how Arthur Dunn, Dr.Christopherson and
Laura Dunn cope and deal with loss during their everyday lives.

Arthur Dunn suffered the most throughout the book with the loss of his friends and family. The three Luntze boys, Eric, Gunter and Carl were both Arthurs neighbors and friends. They were all killed while fighting in the war. The Luntzes received a telegram stating “Eric and Gunter had been killed”(179). They found out later that Carl was missing but had been found dead. This was very hard for Arthur to hear about his friends because they were out there fighting for their country while he stayed in Struan. It was difficult for Arthur to carry on knowing his three friends would never return home.Another one of Arthurs friends, Ted Hatchet who fought in the war as well returned home safe but was badly injured. Ted committed suicide shortly after returning home from Struan on “Ted Hatchett had shot himself” (314). This was another loss of a friend for Arthur. Ted and Arthur had grown close and he made many visits to Ted. When Ted passed away this brought back the memories of loosing his other friends. Ted’s death also helped
Arthur look at things and life in a new perspective. A huge loss in Arthurs life was when his father was killed in a tractor accident. This came as a shock to the whole family especially Arthur
“As for Arthur, he had no words” (193). He had lost his father but also his friend. They became closer while working on the fields together and were similar in many ways. This put a lot of pressure on Arthur having to take on running two farms on his own. Arthurs father was the only other person who stood up and believed in Arthur. He also saw through Jake just like Arthur did.
He lost a part of himself when his father passed.

The Christopherson family experienced a different type of loss caused by divorce. Ian’s mom ran off with his geography teacher because she fell out of love with Ian’s father. Ian asked his mother “If I won’t go will you go anyways?” (66). At that moment Ian felt abandoned by his mother because she chose someone else instead of him. He missed having her there everyday taking care of the family. After she left Ian experienced emptiness in his life, in the house and with his father. Ian’s father had become depressed about the absence of his wife. His wife left him which took him by surprise. It took him awhile to get over the loss but he used his work to distract him from his new home life. He blamed himself “...It is my fault really” (95). He didn’t know how to carry on with his new life with just him and Ian. Ian’s mom experienced a great loss as well. She lost her son and her husband. She left Struan on the wrong foot on Ian’s mom was trying to say goodbye before leaving to Toronto, “Darling how can I go if you won’t say goodbye?” (69). She had to live with that everyday. She even tried calling Ian and writing him letters but she was shut out of his life. She had a new life that Ian wasn’t a part of.

Laura Dunn experienced the loss of many loved ones. When Carter died it was a hard loss for
Laura. She was there when it happened and she saw the whole thing on it describes “His body somersaulted right over the top of the car” (344).Not only was Carter her first born child but he was Jake’s child as well. Carter was the only connection she had left to Jake. Laura also lost Jake when he left Struan without an explanation only a note saying “Sorry to go without saying goodbye.Love Jake” (317). Laura was head over heels in love with Jake and he left her without a proper goodbye. She gave everything to Jake which lead to her pregnancy with Carter. She was all alone with a baby on the way and a broken heart. She had no one in Struan and didn’t know anyone except for Arthur. Arthur was the greatest loss for Laura. Laura hated the fact that Arthur wasn’t sure that her love towards him was real or if she still loved Jake. Laura said “I want you to know,now, while Arthur is still here, that I love him.And I loved him then” (350). Laura wanted Arthur to understand that he meant more to her then he could ever imagine and that she loved him the way he had always loved her.

The characters deal with loss in the book TheOther Side Of The Bridge that effect them mentally and emotionally. With the loss of Arthurs friends who fought in the war and his father, the impact of a divorce in the Christopherson family and all the loss of loved ones close to Laura, the characters learn to cope and carry on with their lives.