The Second Life of Mirielle West

The head nurse at Carville, Sister Verena, is a mentor figure to Mirielle. She is stern and takes her work at Carville very seriously and is instrumental in acclimating Mirielle to her new life. Sister Verena is just as strong-willed as Mirielle; she refuses to bend to any of Mirielle’s complaints or requests for special treatment. At first, Sister Verena is a foil to Mirielle. While Sister Verena is hard working and relentless, Mirielle is (at first) unfocused and self-interested. As the novel unfolds, she becomes a role model for Mirielle through her skill as a nurse and her unwavering commitment to treating Hansen’s disease.

By the end of the novel, Sister Verena’s character has undergone a shift. She and Mirielle become closer when she learns of Felix’s death. This prompts her to share a deeply held secret about herself as well; the revelation that she is a mother whose child was taken away at birth. Her kinship with Mirielle leads her to her most uncharacteristic act of all: breaking the rules to help Mirielle escape. This shows Sister Verena’s deep humanity even though she presents a tough exterior.

Frank Garret is an important secondary character and another mentor figure for Mirielle. Frank’s first appearance in the novel is when he conducts a tour of Carville’s ground for Mirielle and the other recent arrivals. He is consistently cheerful, upbeat, jovial, and warm, and it is evident that he is well-known and well-liked by the other residents. He is fun-loving, as evidenced by his role in leading the What Cheer Club. Through the club’s efforts, Frank brings joy to the otherwise mundane (and, in some cases, unhopeful) lives of the Carville patients. Initially, Mirielle is annoyed by Frank’s cheerful and seemingly optimistic approach to life at Carville. She regards herself as highly different from him, scoffing at his Bayou accent, which she deems evidence of lower-class status. As the two grow closer, however, Mirielle learns to trust Frank.

Frank is repeatedly hurt by Mirielle throughout the novel and often slow to forgive. Much of their disagreement stems from differing approaches to living with the disease; Mirielle doesn’t understand why Frank is fine with living with Hansen’s disease, while Mirielle is bent on leaving Carville and finding a cure. The disease affected Frank’s hands, and the sight of them makes Mirielle uncomfortable. However, Frank does not allow this to limit his life nor does he allow his condition to define him. He is keenly aware of the negative judgments society at large makes of him, yet he does not hide at Carville but often escapes to New Orleans. He relies on his charm, humor, and wit to draw attention away from his condition and seems to make friends wherever he goes.

Ultimately, Frank is a role model for Mirielle by showing her how to live with purpose and love despite having a life-changing diagnosis. He is also a foil for Charlie, who represents the superficial life Mirielle lived in Hollywood. Rather than feeling ashamed of Mirielle, Frank respects and cares for her, providing her with the love and support she needs to thrive at Carville.

Irene is a patient at Carville and a foil for Mirielle. They initially meet via Irene’s role as the orderly in house 18. Irene is a boisterous person who is not ashamed of her condition. She is unafraid to speak her mind; like Sister Verena, Irene does not handle Mirielle with kid gloves, often taking it upon herself to point out Mirielle’s shortcomings or advise her whether Mirielle welcomes her guidance or not.

Irene is adamant that her work at Carville has purpose. In this way, she maintains the foundation of who she has been outside of Carville, which is something with which Mirielle struggles. Like Mirielle, however, Irene is in denial about the acceptance she will receive upon returning home. Her death by suicide is a tragic reminder that to the outside world, Hansen’s disease carries a lifelong stigma; although Irene achieved the 12 negatives, her son’s rejection means that in his mind she will never be free of the disease. Seeing this happen to someone with whom Mirielle was close makes her reevaluate the life she imagines outside Carville.

Jean is a nine-year-old resident at the colony. She is established as a prankster: Her jokes—such as adding a tadpole to Mirielle’s drinking glass—are relatively harmless though she is repeatedly reprimanded for them. The reprimands do little to deter Jean, who does not attend school at Carville as is expected of her. At the beginning of the novel, Jean does not speak. This indicates that she feels separate from the women of house 18, which is understandable as she is a child. Her pranks and lack of speech are trauma responses: Jean’s family has not spoken with her since they dropped her off at Carville, and she knows they have abandoned her. Indeed, when Mirielle speaks with Jean’s father at the end of the book, he confirms that—though he is saddened by it—he has chosen to end all ties with the child to prevent the stigma from harming his livelihood and other children.

Mirielle proves instrumental in Jean’s character development. Early in the novel, Jean often reminds Mirielle of her daughter Evie and, as time passes, Mirielle feels an affection toward Jean though Mirielle resists this at first. A bond gradually develops between the two, beginning with the reading aloud from movie magazines Mirielle does. As Mirielle assists Jean with reading and homework, Jean blossoms, even speaking aloud and ultimately giving up her silence entirely. That Jean has needed mothering is apparent. Mirielle fills that role for her and Jean, in turn, fills the gap created by Mirielle’s separation from her daughters.