The War That Saved My Life

Ada is accustomed to mentally escaping from abuse and instinctively takes her mind elsewhere when she’s uncomfortable, such as when Susan wraps her twisted foot. Ada resists physical contact until her late-night conversation with Susan, after which she invites Susan to share the bed with her and Jamie. This is significant because it demonstrates that Ada is beginning to trust having Susan close to her.

Ada continues to grow more comfortable with physical interaction, which is evident when Grimes drives her home after Margaret’s fall: “[He] patted my hand, which was odd but okay with me” (104). The pat on the hand seems strange to her, but Ada doesn’t flee to a place inside her head. Ada begins to accept small physical gestures of affection from those around her, which is a step forward in learning to trust people.

Ada rushing to Susan’s open arms at the end of the novel symbolizes her final acceptance of physical contact as a form of comfort. Trust and happy relationships are new to Ada, and their development is progressive and parallels her growing physical strength and health.