“It hurts to let go, but sometimes it hurts more to hold on.” -unknown This quote shows how when we are faced with painful memories we must make a choice to let go and face to the future, or the pain will continue. “Night Calls” by Lisa Fugard uses a young protagonist Marlene with a depressing voice and a somber mood to argue universally that that we all go through loss, and that when we, or our loved ones are in pain, we must be there to support each other, so that eventually they can learn to let go and move on. The author is attempting to reveal that we all go through loss, and that when we, or our loved ones are in pain, we must be there to support each other, so that eventually they can learn to let go and move on. Marlene, loses her mother at a young age and is not emotionally close to her father. She goes to boarding school and is hardly ever home. She observes her father when she comes and stays with him but doesn’t really interact with him. The father lives on a wildlife reserve which Marlene’s mother was extremely passionate about. He feels trapped at the park caring for a rare bird when he could leave the park filled with the memories of his wife. “For ten nights the heron called and my father followed.Slowly I tilted my head back until my throat was wide open and a tremulous wail slid out.Again I made the sound, again and again.” (page 662 & 663) The father lets the bird go thinking that he will be free but in the end still has to live with the memory of the bird, just like how he lives with the memory of his wife. His daughter who is gifted in animal calls, calls him at night imitating the bird so that he can let go of his grief. “Night Calls” symbolizes Marlene’s love for her father, through her gift of mimicking animal calls. She stands on the river bank at night and makes the bird call for her father so that he can be free. She does not question any of his actions but supports him with what he does