The Suicide of Therese

Therese's method of choice was sleeping pills and gin. The sleeping pills were probably stolen from her mother, who Lux mentions is an insomniac. Suicide by drugs is the most widely used method of ending life in females. It is usually thought of the most painless choice, however, this is not always true. By ending her life by drugs and alcohol, Therese indicated that she wanted to die painlessly and quietly without drawing attention to herself. It mentions earlier in the novel that she suffered from low self esteem, and this is probably an indication of her choice of methods. She also (presumably) didn't die alone, as she was the first to go. However, this shows that she most likely trusted her sisters the most.

"They were ready to assist each other, if need be" (Eugenides 281).
This quote reflects the grim truth that lies in sisterhood. A bond between sisters is arguably the strongest bond one can have. In the execution of the suicides, Therese died first. After her death, Bonnie kicked out her suitcase from beneath her, which was a signal for Mary to put her head in the oven. This shows that even in death, the sisters were an indestructible force, a potency that could not be broken.

"Another reporter ended his broadcast by reading a letter Therese had written to the Brown's admissions officer only three days before she put an end to any dreams of college...or of anything else" (Eugenides 291).
This factor really puzzles me. It becomes apparent that Therese was most definitely the smartest member of the group of sisters, and the least reckless. She is always associated with science, and Brown is one of the more prestigious schools in the United States. I would love to know what was in the letter that she sent to the admissions officer. Perhaps she wasn't sure if she was going to end her life. Perhaps she wanted to keep an air of normalcy by writing it. perhaps she knew she was going to die, but wanted to pretend that she was interested in a future. Perhaps she wrote it out of boredom.