Closure at the RiverIn his novel Saints at the River, Ron Rash develops the struggle to maintain the environment as well as spiritual peace. A young girl drowned and is now trapped in the Tamassee River, bringing heartache and sorrow to Oconee County. The father, Herb Kowalsky, is very troubled and is trying to find help from anyone. This incident brings many diverse people together to support the Kowalsky family. One of the main supporters was the writer Allen Hemphill, who felt great empathy towards the family. Although Allen and Herb are very different men, they display similar qualities throughout the novel. Some of their similar characteristics include being outsiders from Oconee County, victims of family tragedy, and crusaders to bring in. Allen and Herb are similar in this way because both suffer from family tragedy. It's obvious that Allen is traumatized. Allen, at first, is very nervous about meeting new people. He doesn't want to get attached to someone new and lose them too. When Maggie discovers his wedding ring, she thinks it indicates that he is still clinging to the past and "wonders if it symbolized a lingering attachment to an ex-wife" (13). Later, to find out, Allen's wife, Claire, and daughter, Miranda, died in a car accident while picking up Allen from the airport. One day, while Maggie and Allen were going to get coffee, Maggie caught Allen's attention when she accidentally stepped in front of oncoming traffic. Allen was stunned and explains to him how his family died. The stunned expression on his face made Maggie wonder "if Herb Kowalsky had looked the same way when he watched his daughter go down the river" (135). Herb develops frustration and despair in his moments of suffering. He tries to be nice and considers the county's way, but gets no results, saying, "'I was told Ruth would be out in a day...'" (48). Frustration overwhelms him, he insists on getting her out himself. The desperation of his suffering is captured in a photo taken by Maggie Glenn. As he stares at the river, longing for his daughter, Ruth, to return, Herb now just wants her body out of the river to give him spiritual power.