In the books Prince of Tides and The Sweet Hereafter, a traumatic event occurs and results in the contracting of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the main characters.

As an individual walks through the winding path of life, he will encounter many bridges that must be crossed; it is these experiences that forever shape his existence. What waits for him on the other side of these bridges he does not know. What waits on the other is unpredictable, depending on how he has crossed other bridges in the past. Some experiences can be good and some horrible. The reactions to these experiences can …

…novel can never be returned or ever forgotten. The one thing that is obvious from the books is that each character seems to be crying for help in their own personal mourning of themselves. The problem with PTSD is that sometimes one digs their own grave so deep that they cannot be helped out. Lily Tomlin says: "The trouble with being in the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat."