Libertie

“I saw my mother raise a man from the dead.”

The opening line of Libertie portrays the skill of a doctor through a child’s eyes. Ben Daisy is not dead, nor is Libertie’s mother a miracle worker, but for the child witnessing the apparent resurrection what is important is the emotional reality of the situation. To Libertie, her mother is a miracle worker, and her narration frames Cathy as a woman whose skills defy reality. While the work of a 19th-century homeopath might seem outmoded to a modern audience, Libertie provides a context for her mother’s medical practice: To a young girl living more than a century ago, Cathy seems almost a magician.

“I felt panicked. Not because of their sharp teeth or their hissing, but because of their need.” 

Libertie is not worried about physical pain when she begins caring for the feral cats. Instead, she is concerned with the burden of responsibility. She has been raised to follow in her mother’s footsteps, so every medical situation is a lesson that she must learn and learn correctly. Not only that, but Libertie’s actions reflect on her mother’s reputation, so she must always perform well. Her patients’ needs are a heavy burden for a young child to bear, causing Libertie to panic.