That day she was deeply grieved in spirit. She went in tears to an upstairs room in her father's house with the intention of hanging herself. But she reconsidered, saying to herself: "No! People would level this insult against my father: 'You had only one beloved daughter, but she hanged herself because of ill fortune!' And thus would I cause my father in his old age to go down to the nether world laden with sorrow. It is far better for me not to hang myself, but to beg the Lord to have me die, so that I need no longer live to hear such insults." (Tobit 3: 10)

The author gives us two unsympathetic characters, an embittered old man and a widow who beats her maids. We are, though, encouraged to empathize.

Each character has been the victim of cruel fate. Despite Tobit's admission of sin, he has almost certainly suffered beyond what he is due.

There is nothing in the story to suggest that Sarah's tragedy has its origin in her choices. The demon is external to her. She is stung by the - unfair - accusations of the maid. In considering suicide she is constrained by devotion to her father.

But the sense of oppression has become so keen as to prefer death. In my early 20s I also seriously considered suicide. In my case the cause was a deep sense of separation from others and self-alienation. There was only being alone.

A similar sense of separation afflicts Tobit and Sarah. But for each, one positive connection remains. Both turn to God in prayer.