When Lily is asked to face the fact that her mother did in fact leave her for a short period of time, she is floored. The perfect mother figure she had painted in her mind dissolved into the very image she had dreaded most. “It sat like an ice sculpture in the center of my chest. Nothing could touch it.” Lilly couldn’t forget and she couldn’t forgive. Even the knowledge that her mom had come back could not save her from the despair that enveloped her. August noticed her silence and gave her some wisdom. “People in general, would rather die than forgive. It’s that hard. If God said in plain language, ‘I’m giving you a choice, forgive or die,’ a lot of people would go ahead and order their coffin.” We see August as a sort of conscience. She plants these ideas of healing in Lilly’s mind without being too forward. The way that she does it is like a seed. She coats the idea in something more easy to swallow, and let she watches it grow. She is a source of wisdom, almost like a walking proverb. Her character in the story is very much like a spiritual aid or mentor.
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