The Story She Left Behind

In The Story She Left Behind, Henry portrays artistic creation as a vital pathway for the characters to understand themselves and the world around them. Bronwyn’s, Clara’s, and Callum’s artwork, in particular, has helped them make sense of their internal and external experiences. These characters have used writing, painting, and invention to feel more grounded in themselves; the world hasn’t accepted them or offered them what they needed, but art has. Bronwyn invented words and stories to create worlds that were truer to her psychological experience—these worlds offered her comfort when her family and friends actively alienated her. While the words “we use [a]re made for the people who [don’t] notice the world,” her words are “for things that people like her […] notice” (51). She used language and storytelling to invent a safe space for herself. Meanwhile, Clara has turned to visual art in the wake of her mother’s disappearance, at the end of her marriage, and throughout her own mothering experience. Painting is a form of relaxation and a sense-making mechanism. Callum also found solace in writing; the practice let him record his past experiences and make sense of them. His artistic passions cross over with Clara’s and Bronwyn’s and grant them new forms of personal connection.