The lovely bones mini-project
(E-Copy of my 2-page paper: /uploads/5/1/4/4/51440829/the_lovely_bones_paper.docx)
Zachary May
English 1103
R.A. Brown
11 March 2015
Discussing prompt 3, the ending of The Lovely Bones is by far one of the happiest endings you could get when it came to the tragic death of a fourteen-year-old girl. I would not categorize this ending as one that is “happily ever after”, though. I believe that all that this book’s ending is, is justice. As quoted in Chapter 10 of the novel, “How to Commit the Perfect murder was an old game. I always chose the icicle: the weapon melts away. In that context and also to probably most other readers is that feeling of good heartedness and smiling at the end of the novel, but a feeling of satisfaction. It most definitely fulfills what it takes to give you a better feeling in the end than what had occurred the whole book with Susie’s death and the scramble to solve it.
Discussing prompt 12, in my opinion the Salmon family is portrayed in somewhat of a realistic way. You see in the whole book that the family does have many ups and downs as does many novels and real life situations, but having lost a child I believe that some dysfunction has to occur that is sort of drastic, only because it is natural. Having tragically lost a loved one, I have seen and been through changes and your way of life is altered in an obscure way. In the book, Abigail deserts the family to find herself and to be something or feel something new. As this family was already broken, she broke down herself. A part I saw interesting was that her mother actually moved in with Jack and the kids immediately after the moving of Abigail. This part shows that even though they are in context falling apart, they have an arm of strength helping them keep straight being Grandma Lynn, and lets not forget about Susie.
The major concept marked as Caterpillar Dreams is a concept I saw that I could dig more deep with because of the tragedy in the book and what it can really do to someone or a family. Firstly, Susie was not put on my list of four. In my opinion, Susie received the emotional stability of her Lord, and did not stand up to the credentials I see fit for this concept. She does get advice from her grandfather, telling her that you do still feel painful emotions in Heaven. She has her seat on the fifty-yard line of how her family was to be affected and also the years to come.
The first character I noted with a change of personality and perspective is Jack Salmon, Susie’s father. After the death of Susie, Jack went off the deep end and is shown as going some-what crazy knowing whom Susie’s killer is, and also losing his wife in this battle of sorrow. Susie states in chapter five talking about Jack, “Every day he got up. Before sleep wore off, he was who he used to be. Then, as his consciousness woke, it was as if poison seeped in. At first he couldn’t even get up. He lay there under a heavy weight, but then only movement could save him, and he moved and he moved and he moved, no movement being enough to make up for it. The guilt on him, the hand of God pressing down on him saying, you were not there when your daughter needed you.” Jack began as a father who has flaws like all, and ends with what he shows as “a hole in his heart”, with the loss of his daughter, but knowing Mr. Harvey was caught brought justice to him and his family. Abigail also came back after eight long years, so Jack does gain more morale with his trail of life.
Abigail Salmon, Susie’s mother, is one with not knowing what she really wants in her life, and is caught hiding who she really is with being a mother and a wife. Unhappy with life before the tragedy with Susie, she begins to gain distance after, eventually leaving and resenting her role as a mother. Mid-novel, she leaves to a winery in California, pursuing just being an individual. In chapter two, Susie tells readers about how her mother is the only one who knows the meaning of every charm and where they had got it. This shows the caring attitude she had toward her children and to Susie herself. The main change with Abigail is the loss of sight of her family. She may not have been happy before the turmoil but she was there for them as role of mother. After all of the justice had been done, Abigail found her way back to her family and with a loving heart.
A large role I seen in the novel was the role of Susie’s sister. Lindsey was given a hefty plate with the loss of her sister. Being very close to age of Susie, she is seen as another Susie, making people maybe think differently of her. With Susie having to live her young live lost out someway, the best way was through her sister. To explain this, at one point of the novel Susie lives up graduation day through Lindsey, as she jumps on the back of Samuels motorcycle. By that, we see the change that comes upon her. Her death forced Lindsey to become more independent, taking on more of a parenting role when her mother leaves the family, even with Buckley leaning on her. Lindsey is one in the story that keeps her thoughts and feelings inside for the sake of the family.
The final drastic, and by far best change that needs to be introduced from this novel is the changes of Mr. Harvey. Early in the book Susie finds out about the murders of the other small girls that Mr. Harvey had committed cold-heartedly. It shows that he keeps a very low head and is very quiet. Through out the book it is shown to break under the pressure of Jack. Lindsey, who actually breaks into his home and finds the evidence, also contributes this change. We got to see inside the childhood of the killer, showing his mother as a caring and nurturing. This shows that he went behind all that she stood for teaching him growing up. With the downfall of his antics coming from the falling icicle, Mr. Harvey at the end of the novel was given a swift dose of justice that comforted the Salmon family.
In my opinion, the true human being in this novel would have to be Lindsey. My reason is because of the shoes she filled throughout the book with her mother, and also her baby brother and grieving father. Whether she knew it or not, Lindsey was a huge part of Susie’s life after death, with her following Lindsey through the milestones of life she had missed. Her selflessness and leadership was shown and improved the difficult environment the family had to endure.
The character that displayed being a true human least would have to be Abigail. The reason for this is because of the desertion of the family for many years, and also not being true to herself. I believe with her leaving the pressure of the loss of her child shown that she was incapable and inadequate of being there for her children or Jack.
I believe this novel shows the upmost of how a family can be so torn and troubled from a disaster, such as loss. In showcasing examples, this novel does a great job. My reason is that for the human experience, it has to impact you in such a way that it alters who you stand for, or what you thought was right. It also shows that everyone makes mistakes in trying to do things that couldn’t have been reversed. It is an experience of troubles, but also happiness, which sometimes can also coalesce. This example of the human experience may be somewhat moving and un-easy, but it is life and also an experience some may go through, and this novel is great to show just these things.
The Lovely Bones Mini-Project Reflection
Copy of reflection: /uploads/5/1/4/4/51440829/lovely_bones_reflection_2_(1).doc