What is the author's tone in the novel, What Are You Going Through?

The novel is inherently tragic in that it partially centers on a terminally ill woman. Thus, the novel’s tonal modes often focus on grief and fear. Additionally, the novel also explores several dysfunctional interpersonal dynamics. However, despite the many pessimistic aspects of the story, the novel ultimately seems to be melancholically hopeful. For example, in the final lines, the narrator reflects upon her attempt and failure to write about her friend’s death: “I have tried. Love and honor and pity and pride and compassion and sacrifice—What does it matter if I failed” (210). This line could either be interpreted to mean that her attempts were in vain, or that her attempts are still valid and meaningful even if she failed.