The Wonder

Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) was an English social reformer and the founder of modern nursing. As Lib Wright’s teacher, she is an invisible but important presence, reflecting the strict, scientific nature of modern medicine. In Chapter 1, Wright correctly guesses that she was hired because, as a Nightingale, she can “give some credence to the O’Donnells’ mad story” (16). This suggests the prestige of Nightingale’s name.

Throughout the novel, Wright refers to Nightingale’s book Notes on Nursing in the same way that Anna refers to the Bible and her prayer book: As a source of wisdom, and of comfort. The most significant of Nightingale’s precepts was that nurses “weren’t allowed to follow the prompts of the heart—to take a quarter of an hour, for instance, to sit with a dying man and offer a word of comfort” (108). Breaking this precept by bonding with Anna allows Wright to correctly identify the reason for her fast, and to convince her to break it. Ultimately, the novel suggests that strict obedience to medical procedure is not always in the best interest of the patient. As the novel progresses, Wright’s identity as “a Nightingale” becomes less important to her, mirroring her growing intimacy with Anna and Byrne.