When I heard of Maurice Sendak's death in 2012, I was mostly unfazed. I really didn't know much about him. I remember, Where the Wild Things Are fondly enough … however, it was too long ago to invoke much emotion.
Then I listed to his final interview with Terry Gross on NPR's Fresh Air. What I heard was a lovely, old man with so much sorrow in his heart. Sendak expressed his sorrow for the people in his life who have passed on and how he was glad that he would go before Terry, so that he wouldn't have to miss her. The sweetness of him made me cry.
My Brother's Book is the final book written by Sendak. It is filled with a longing. Though,he was a devout atheist -- to his dying day --and did not believe in an afterlife, this book expresses a deep desire to be with the ones he loved. The brother of this book, Jack, is the characterization of Sendak's brother of the same name.
I believe differently than Sendak, I am not an atheist. I'm a aww-who-the-hell-knows-ist, so when Guy (the second brother - and representation of Sendak himself)finds peace with Jack. My heart is glad. I hope that Sendak has found that same peace.
Now, let us dry our eyes and let the wild rumpus begin.
