Sparrow is about a twelve-year-old boy who commits suicide. That’s only the general idea of the piece, however. It’s so much more than that. It’s about how his death and his decision affect his family members. The narrator is unnamed; the gender is unknown.
My intent was for the reader to be able to view Sparrow’s short life through the lens of his sister or brother, the narrator. I wanted the reader to appreciate the daily joys that Sparrow experienced, as well as his struggles and triumphs. And at the end of the story, I want his decision to be respected. While it may not be accepted, I want it to be respected. And I know that’s hard. But sometimes it has to happen.