Development of Anna Fitzgerald Character – My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult school and last name deleted
December 9, 2011
PSYCH1323

Adolescence development relies upon many factors. In order to accurately examine its growth, it is useful to look at some developmental theories. Anna Fitzgerald is thirteen years old; however, she is not like any other teenager with some ordinary problems. Anna was born for a specific purpose she was born to save her sister’s life and to serve as a matched tissue donor. When Anna was born, her umbilical cord was collected and since then she was constantly donating blood, stem cells or bone marrow. That resulted in her undergoing more serious and risky procedures. But when she reaches the age 13, …show more content…

7-8).
This inner id, pushes her to rebel against her parents wishes, and results in Anna seeing a lawyer to help her end the suffering and release her from the heavy responsibility towards her sister. This unconscious part of her personality resurfaced, in her reply to the lawyer, when she says: “Because, she says simply, it never stops” (Picoult, 2004, p. 22).
Some may find this very selfish, with total neglect for her sister’s future well being. It results in confrontation with her mother, who tries to make her realize
“You went to a lawyer and made him think is all about you – and it’s not. It’s about us. All of us –“(Picoult, 2004, p. 54).
Thus, her id rises up and does not care if it destroys other people – parents, brother and her sister. In Anna’s case her id prevails over ego. The ego is supposed to negotiate a compromise between her id, current reality and constraints. Anna feels some guilt, as her ego makes her think over and ask herself about her decision regarding kidney.
“I started thinking about this. Would I have to be in the hospital? Would it hurt? Could people live with just one kidney? What if I wound up with kidney failure when I was, like, seventy? Where would I get my spare?”(Picoult, 2004, p.377).
Anna’s superego, is supposed to be her