Grace has many meanings in the English language today. One of these meanings is
to be pardoned from one's actions. In "The Night Nurse," by Joyce Carol Oates, Grace
Burkhardt is pardoned many times in her life. She is pardoned from dying, pardoned from
her actions toward others, and eventually pardons herself from her actions. In life, we are
given grace, a pardon for our actions, many times,
The first example of grace being given is Grace Burkhardt's life being saved
physically. She could have died, but was instead saved, and was given more time to live.
The doctors saved her life, not because they "chose her," but because of their job. Grace
was not pardoned by the doctors, but by God, who allowed her to live a while longer on
the earth. She would have died from "pulmonary embolism," had she not been saved by
the doctors. Pulmonary embolism would have been caused by "a 'massive' blood clot in
her leg which, had it broken free" would have been carried to her heart, and would have
killed her instantly. Instead of dying, at this place and time, Grace is given more time to
I have experienced this type of grace many times throughout my life. Although
when I first received this grace, I may have not known I was receiving it. A few instances
of when I have been shown grace, is while I was driving. I took gravel roads to school,
and I've had my share of ditches. I have been shown grace in that I have never been hurt.
And the car that I was driving has never been damaged. Instead of coming out of the
accident with no injuries, I could have had really serious injuries, or not have come out at
all. There have been many deaths in my high school because of gravel roads, and I could
have been one of those deaths, had I not been given grace to continue living.
The second example of Grace receiving grace
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