In the book we read , The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Dona Clara was the daughter of Dona Maria. When she grew up her mother worshiped her which really got on her nerves. She would take advantage of her mother's wealthiness and the way she felt made it easier to get it. When she got older she totally forgot about her mother and moved to Spain and got a very wealthy man.

In the story Dona Maria kept sending countless letters to her daughter. She never read them though. Her husband kept them and they still survive today thanks to him. Before Dona Maria died she sent a final letter that showed something her daughter had never seen before. It showed true love, love that had never been felt by Dona Clara. She then gave her mothers money to the church and orphanage instead of donating it to science which she had previously planned. The whole book has to do religion versus science.

The author used the characters to illustrate theme by showing that either by an act of god or an accident. People die and that can change people's perspective on life. If the collapse of the bridge was just a random event or those five people deserved to die, it still happened an they did die, and that combined combined with that last letter changed Dona Clara's view of her mother and her life.