Sarah, Amanda’s daughter working in Durban, hears of the news about the fire and mother’s death
and is so shocked thatshe later suffers from catastrophic neurosis and is unable to work for 15 months.
Some 2 years earlier, Sarah had been a voluntary patient at a mental hospital, where she had been
treated for a neurotic condition. Lethula, Penny’s other guest, is shocked at what he sees happening
at Penny’s house and as a result suffers from extreme grief and later needs extensive psychiatric
counselling to overcome his post-traumatic stress disorder caused by what he witnessed.
(the loss suffered?
The loss suffered in this scenario is the loss of a loved one and the emotional trauma experienced by Sarah and Lethula as a result.
In this scenario, both Sarah and Lethula have suffered losses as a result of the events described.
Sarah has suffered the loss of her mother, Amanda, in the fire. This loss has had a significant impact on her mental health, leading to catastrophic neurosis and the inability to work for 15 months. Additionally, it is mentioned that Sarah had a pre-existing neurotic condition for which she had previously been treated as a voluntary patient at a mental hospital. Therefore, she has not only suffered the loss of her mother but also a relapse or worsening of her existing mental health condition.
Lethula, on the other hand, has not suffered a personal loss in the same way as Sarah, but he has witnessed a traumatic event at Penny's house. This traumatic experience has caused him extreme grief and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As a result, he requires extensive psychiatric counseling to overcome his psychological condition.
In summary, Sarah has suffered the loss of her mother and a relapse of her mental health condition, while Lethula has suffered from the trauma and resulting PTSD caused by witnessing the events.