Analysis Of Madeline Whittier's Life Before Dying

Madeline Whittier has not left her house in 17 years because she is on SCID Row. She has severe combined immunodeficiency which is more popularly known as “bubble baby disease.” She takes online classes, reads books, watches movies, and plays games with her mom. Only a few people are allowed in the house- her mom, her nurse, and some of her tutors. They follow the same schedule every single day. Nothing ever changes until one day a family of four moves in next door. An angry father, a quiet mother, a mysterious brother, and a rebellious sister. Madeline’s nurse, Carla, instantly becomes worried because of an incident that happened when Madeline was eight years old. A family had moved in before and Madeline became attached even though she could

The boy next door is Olly. He takes an interest in Madeline when he sees her in her bedroom window. His mom sends him and his sister over to Madeline’s house with a bundt cake, and Olly asks about Madeline. Madeline’s mom, Pauline, turns them away and this seems to make Olly more interested. A few days after the incident with the Bundt cake, Olly throws rocks at Maddy’s window to get her attention. Olly has the Bundt cake on his window sill and he sets it up in different comedic situations for several days until finally he is actually at the window. He writes his email on his window and they start talking online. They talk for a few weeks before Maddy brings him up in front of Carla. She wants Olly to come over in person, but Carla says no until two days later. Carla says Olly can come over for 20 minutes as long as there is no touching. Maddy becomes worried after he leaves because she knows she will never have the life she wants, so she sends him an email basically saying she needs time. She goes a weekend without talking to him before Carla convinces her to talk to him again. Olly goes to Maddy’s house a few more times before Maddy’s mom finds out what has been going