In THE LAST GHOST, the Death that comes to end a person's life depends on the nature of the cause of death. There are 16 deaths, called Fatalities, in the book. Over the next 16 days, we will meet one Fatality each day, and discuss which heartbreaking fictional character death belongs with each character.
Midas, the original death, is the oldest and most mysterious of all.
"She had almost never been in his presence. Before she had met him, she had thought that he would look like the death of human imagination, skeletal body, black hooded cloak, scepter and scythe. He didn’t... No, Midas was dashingly handsome, but the dashingly tired handsome of a very genteel stranger who seemed out of place in the current world, like a time traveler mixed with a mountain. He was golden, and his hands were always gloved." --The Last Ghost
Midas created all the other deaths, and for a time, was the only death in the world. Due to this, Midas could be a death of any person, or primarily those of unknown or unusual causes. For Midas, we will examine what I think is one of the most heartbreaking Death of all literature *SPOILER ALERT*
...Beth March, in Little Women.
Beth's death is significantly tragic, and has always seemed a little unusual. When the third eldest and sweetest March sister comes down with Scarlet fever after nursing an impoverished family nearby, it seems very likely that she will die. Indeed, it has the heartbreaking "I already have," when the doctor says to send for her mother, thinking she won't last much longer.
She does recover, ultimately weakened, but does not actually die until several years later. Her tragic death affects all the characters in the book, but especially her sisters.
"Seldom except in books do the dying utter memorable words, see visions, or depart with beatified countenances, and those who have sped many parting souls know that to most the end comes as naturally and simply as sleep. As Beth had hoped, the 'tide went out easily', and in the dark hour before dawn, on the bosom where she had drawn her first breath, she quietly drew her last, with no farewell but one loving look, one little sigh.
With tears and prayers and tender hands, Mother and sisters made her ready for the long sleep that pain would never mar again, seeing with grateful eyes the beautiful serenity that soon replaced the pathetic patience that had wrung their hearts so long, and feeling with reverent joy that to their darling death was a benignant angel, not a phantom full of dread." -Little Women
What are some other most heart breaking Deaths in fiction? Which Fatality do you think they would receive?