64 pages • 2 hours read
Meg MasonSorrow and Bliss
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Character Analysis
Martha Friel
Martha Friel is the protagonist and narrator of the book. As the book begins, she is 41, and the narrative covers the major events of her life until the present time, focusing on her mental health and her relationship with the people in her life, especially Patrick Friel. Martha is the older of two sisters; her close circle includes her immediate family, her maternal aunt Winsome and her family, with whom Martha spends Christmas, and Patrick, her cousin Oliver’s friend whom Martha marries.
A defining aspect of Martha’s character is her mental illness; however, it’s important to note that this is a function of Martha as the narrator centering this aspect of her life and viewing herself primarily through this lens. She doesn’t offer too much detail about her life prior to when she turns 17, which is when she has her first mental health crisis. Subsequently, she describes her interactions with the people around her and her reactions to situations vis-à-vis her condition. What comes through most in the process is Martha’s tendency to self-isolate; she does not speak of any friends outside of her inner circle, for instance, and even with her family, she slowly begins to withdraw over time.
However, Martha is also an intelligent and talented woman, and there are times when she acknowledges this about herself, too. For instance, she confesses that the reason she chooses not to eventually jump off the balcony is because she believes herself too clever and special to meet such an end. Albeit unambitious, she is a talented writer, and even if she doesn’t think of herself as such, is also charming and charismatic when she chooses to be.
Peregrine, her publisher, is the one significant relationship she has outside her life besides Patrick. He is the one who seeks out Martha’s friendship, and she enchants him enough that he makes a continued effort to maintain their relationship, coming to care for her dearly. Even when Martha lands a job at Waitrose, it is because she crossed paths with the editor years prior, and left enough of a mark with her presence and writing that he got in touch himself about a job.
As internal as Martha’s illness is to her self-concept, so are her ideas about motherhood. A child is the only thing Martha longs for, as she eventually confesses to herself. However, her longing for a child and her view of how motherhood ought to be are in direct conflict with her self-perception. Based on a doctor’s advice when she is 17, Martha develops a strong belief that she will not make a good mother. This belief solidifies into what Martha describes as a fear of motherhood, but can be better qualified as a fear of the kind of mother she would make. Her avoidance of motherhood thus springs from the pain it causes her to confront her genuine desires and self-doubts.
Martha’s illness, her ideas about motherhood, and her self-image, are integral aspects of her character arc. By the end of the book, Martha receives a diagnosis that gives her more clarity, and subsequently, control over her condition. This precipitates events that allow for more self-awareness and reflection about the way Martha conducts herself in relationships. By the end of the book, she makes progress in healing and strengthening the relationships in her life, as well as making peace with who she is, even harboring hopes of becoming a mother one day.
Patrick Friel
Patrick Friel is one of Martha’s love interests and her eventual husband. He is an integral character in the book, and a significant part of the narrative focuses on the development, breakdown, and eventual reconciliation of Patrick’s relationship with Martha.
Patrick is an only child whose mother passed away when he was young; his father is usually absent. His family troubles are what brings him into Martha’s life, as he begins to visit Belgravia for Christmas every year after his father forgets to buy him a ticket home. Patrick has been in love with Martha almost since the first time he meets her, although he denies these feelings initially, and Martha only reciprocates them later.
Patrick is an intensive care specialist, a profession that indicates his intelligence, capacity for hard work, and ability to handle stress for prolonged periods of time. As volatile as Martha is, Patrick is passive by comparison, remaining fairly calm in the face of Martha’s episodes of erratic behavior. However, this demeanor also works to his detriment at times, as he refrains from addressing key issues with Martha in favor of keeping the peace. He doesn’t call her out on some of her more abusive behaviors, like throwing things and verbally berating him. He supports her decision to go off all her medication without supervision. He also doesn’t even confront her about her diagnosis when he figures it out.
Despite Martha’s treatment of him, Patrick finds it difficult to extricate himself from the marriage. He has only ever loved Martha, and he chooses to be with her from the very beginning, accepting everything about her including her insistence on not having children, and the challenges that her mental health brings. Patrick makes a concerted effort with Martha, the most emblematic of which is the 40th birthday party that he throws for her.
By this point, Martha’s contempt for him is undisguised, and he is aware that she is taking medication for a specific condition that she hasn’t confided in him about. Despite this, he plans an event for her and only has wonderful things to say about her in a speech she doesn’t even let him make. The last straw, however, is the fight they have after the party, by which point Patrick is so hurt, he lashes out at Martha. Nevertheless, despite everything, his last act before leaving his wife is to refill the oil in the car as promised.
Patrick’s life and experiences are not showcased in the narrative at all, until the very end when he finally talks about what marriage was like, in response to Martha’s reflection in the journal. This is a function of the narrative being carried out entirely through Martha’s voice, who as a character solely centers her own experiences. As Celia points out to Martha, Martha’s “personal tragedy” also deeply affects Patrick, who has already had his own fair share of tragedy, from his mother’s early death to the lack of parental warmth in his life growing up. It is the reason why he eagerly and willingly integrates with Winsome’s family, thus intertwining his life with Martha’s. Patrick’s ability to keep going in their marriage despite the challenges shows the support that Martha receives from others without noticing or appreciating until the very end. His willingness to try again, albeit cautiously, despite all that has passed, is a demonstration of the deep love he holds for Martha, which in turn is one the biggest saving graces of Martha’s life.
Ingrid
Ingrid is Martha’s sister, 15 months younger and so alike in appearance, that Martha is often mistaken as Ingrid’s children’s mother by strangers in public. Ingrid and Martha are extremely different—unlike her older sister, Ingrid does not complete university, and she only briefly works as a model agent until she marries and has her first child. By the end of the book, Ingrid has four children, and her life largely revolves around taking care of her family.
Ingrid is as outspoken and vocal as Martha is reserved and uncommunicative. She expresses her opinions easily, and vents her frustrations about marriage and motherhood without restraint on multiple occasions. However, she also displays immense strength of character and a capacity for nurturance, as despite the challenges, she remains committed to making her marriage work and keeping her family together. Ingrid’s caretaking is also extended to Martha, whom she deeply loves, as she stands by her sister and supports her through most of the setbacks in Martha’s life.
Despite this, Martha feels somewhat lonely after Ingrid has her first child and has to devote some of her energy and attention to motherhood. While Martha is happy to spend time with her nephews on occasion, she is not consistently present or helpful to Ingrid. Martha’s demands on Ingrid’s energy and time without much reciprocal support or communication are what cause the only rift in their relationship, following Patrick’s departure. However, Ingrid is quick to forgive her sister and reconcile, once Martha offers a sincere apology. Ingrid’s relationship with Martha is one of the latter’s biggest pillars of support, and evidence of the strong community of people that has always been present for Martha.
Fergus Russell and Celia Barry
Fergus Russell and Celia Barry are Martha and Ingrid’s parents. Fergus is a one-time poet and Celia is a sculptor who makes art out of repurposed material. Between them, they do not make enough money to give their children a stable life, and most of their life, from their house to their children’s education, is financed by Celia’s sister, Winsome. Fergus and Celia have a volatile marriage, especially when their daughters are younger, marked by frequent separations but eventual reconciliations.
Throughout Martha’s early years, Fergus is the stable, present parent, who supports her through the initial phase of her illness. He stays by her side as much as he can, taking her to different doctors to ensure she receives adequate treatment and care. Thus, Martha’s relationship with Fergus is a strong one, marked by affection and ease. Martha’s relationship with Celia, on the other hand, is a strained one for a long time.
Celia possesses the same tendency to center her own experiences and disregard that of others that Martha eventually displays. She operates selfishly for much of her daughters’ childhoods, making Martha’s illness about herself and drinking to cope with it. Celia’s alcohol addiction embarrasses her daughters, and Martha actively avoids her mother as an adult, not expecting support or concern from her in difficult times. It is only following Martha’s diagnosis and the subsequent breakdown of her marriage that Martha reconnects with a changed Celia. Martha’s diagnosis marks a turning point for Celia, who is finally able to shift her perspective on her life’s experiences and exhibit real empathy and self-reflection for Martha.
In some ways, Celia’s character arc mirrors Martha’s own, as she ends the book with genuine self-understanding and a renewed attempt at bettering her life. She stops drinking alcohol, is present for and supportive of her daughters, and eventually creates a piece of art that is worthy of being scouted by the Tate. The health of Celia and Fergus’s relationship is evidenced by how Celia is not the only one creating. Fergus finally publishes an anthology, a collection of his most popular poems on Instagram, where he has over a million followers. The long overdue acknowledgment that Fergus finally receives for his work is a reflection of the same happening in his personal life as well.
