What did you think of Elizabeth's reaction when Teresa told her Henry was dead? Did your opinion of her response change over the course of the book? Did you ultimately feel sympathy for Elizabeth, or believe her fate was just?

What did you think of Elizabeth's reaction when Teresa told her Henry was dead? Did your opinion of her response change over the course of the book? Did you ultimately feel sympathy for Elizabeth, or believe her fate was just?

When Elizabeth burst into laughter, a cackling high-pitched maniacal laugh, upon hearing Teresa's words that Henry had died in the explosion, we know she was inebriated, having been drinking wine and smoking by the creek and having fallen asleep. I think her reaction was one of shock, not delight. It was hard to feel sympathetic toward Elizabeth though. She spent all her time on Henry's treatments and clinics and was not outgoing with neighbors or acquaintances; she was standoffish and perhaps shy and had no friends. I felt sorry for her when, on the last day as she was canceling all Henry's appointments, and deciding he'd have to do the last HBOT because she didn't want to lose the $100 paid for it, she'd finally come to realize that Henry had recovered and dreamed of when he came out of the last session she was going to kiss his chubby little cheek and start doing things differently. I was sorry that she couldn't see her path in life after Henry died. Suicide is never the answer.

I felt sorry for Elizabeth and was sad that she could have been found not guilty. Of course, she may not have been able to live with herself.

I personally experienced Elizabeth’s behaviors in my own sister when she became the caregiver for my mother with dementia. My sister expressed the same hatred and dislike for our Mom that Elizabeth did for Henry to others while she went well beyond the call of duty as a caregiver. She reached the same stage of exhaustion and confusion as Elizabeth before Mom passed away. I thought Elizabeth was believable as a character because of my experience. She was a person to feel empathy for because of the tremendous she took upon herself and not being willing to share it with others.

At First I thought that Elizabeth's reaction was one of a complete psychopath and couldn't understand her reaction to her son being dead. However, as the story when on and we learn that the same day she finally accepted her son for himself, not to try and make him "better" and canceled all his appointments is the day he died, I re-saw her laughter as one of shock, disbelief and guilt.
She probably realized the irony of the situation that if she had also canceled his Miracle Submarine appointment instead of worrying about the loss of money, her son would still be alive.