First Impressions

Waiting for the Barbarians: A Quest for Truth?

So far in Waiting for the Barbarians, I have found the magistrate to be an interesting and somewhat perplexing character. He is extremely relatable for several reasons including the fact that I find myself also pitying the fisher folk that are living in the barracks. But more interestingly, my first impressions of the magistrate include those of admiration. He is constantly seeking truth and the existence a higher moral ground to be present in everything around him.

His pursuit of truth is apparent in his conversations with the colonel, in his conversations with the prisoners, and in his thoughts throughout the first section. For example, he asks the colonel on the subject of torture, “What if your prisoner is telling the truth yet finds he is not believed?...How do you ever know when a man has told you the truth?” (5). He continues stressing the importance of truth when he marvels at the colonel’s statement of the tone present in truth-speaking people when he says with a hint of sarcastic humor, “The tone of truth! Can you pick up this tone in everyday speech? Can you hear whether I am telling the truth?” (5). He gathers from this conversation an interesting idea: “Pain is truth; all else is subject to doubt” (5).

The theme of truth appears several more times in this section. Once is when the magistrate is asking the boy about the confession he had made saying “Are you telling the truth?” (10) when he had previously told the boy that he “must tell the officer the truth. That is all he wants to hear—the truth” (7).

With his search for truth, the magistrate is simultaneously aspiring for a higher level of morality to be present around him. He clearly dislikes the colonel’s use of torture and the fact that the colonel brought in a bunch of fisher folk who were clearly not “barbarians” the magistrate had in mind. The magistrate also helps the first two prisoners by taking care of the boy’s wounds and making sure the father was disposed of properly.

In the first section, truth is an undeniably important theme. However, as the story progresses, is this quest for truth muddled up by other things?

And can the magistrate really be described as a seeker of truth? Or was that simply a quick interpretation of his character that can be proved inaccurate?

I am also curious whether or not the magistrate is really to create a higher moral ground in the things around him? Or is that also one of his characteristics only present in the first section? (440)

Selected Letters en Route to the Congo

· Starts with Conrad remembering his initial desire to explore the unmapped lands of Africa

· He recalls looking at a map of Africa when he was about nine and telling himself “with absolute assurance and an amazing audacity” that he would go there when he grew up

· Then admits to having lost that eagerness and confidence

· Writes to his uncle of his desire to see him next time they both are in Brussels

· Thanks his uncle for his kindness in Cracow (where Conrad lived at teenager after his father died)

· Conrad regards his aunt as both a relative and a close friend and writes to her often

· Conrad experiences a lack of faith in the future, but continues to have an optimism and persistence that is necessary in the “wicked world” of Africa. This is shown in a letter to his aunt when he writes, “One doubts the future. For indeed—I ask myself—why should anyone believe in it? A little illusion, many dreams, a rare flash of happiness followed by disillusionment, a little anger and much suffering, and then the end. Peace! That is the programme, and we must see this tragi-comedy to the end. One must play one’s part in it.”

· Reveals his uneasiness about the fact that 60% of the Company’s employees return to Europe before they completed six months’ service. Others, still, are sent home so that they shouldn’t die in the Congo and ruin the “excellent” statistics. Only 7% complete their three years’ service.

· Feels grateful for the letters from his aunt that make his existence “slightly bearable” and begs for more letters

· Refers to himself as a “humble servant”

(287)

Darkness

Within the first part of Heart of Darkness, we are able to get a clear look into the “darkness” of Africa. Marlow describes men dying amongst the trees, “they were dying slowly…nothing but black shadows of disease and starvation lying confusedly in the greenish gloom” (17). He also alludes to a different kind of darkness—the darkness and accompanying corruption of the white staff—when, soon after arriving, he says “I foresaw that in the blinding sunshine of that land I would become acquainted with a flabby, pretending, weak-eyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly” (16). Marlow meets the Company’s chief accountant, a “pretending, weak-eyed devil,” who initially appears as a “sort of vision” and “miracle” to Marlow (18). However, Marlow becomes less infatuated with the chief accountant after an exchange the two have about a sick man. Marlow expresses his grave concern that the sick man is dead while the chief accountant, “with great composure,” responds, “No, not yet" and later adds, "When one has to make correct entries one comes to hate those savages—hate them to death” (19).

Toward the end of Part 1, after losing his steam boat, Marlow says, “being hungry…and kept on my feet too, I was getting savage” (23). After spending time in Africa, is Marlow, like the native men and the white staff, doomed to darkness and corruption? If so, what makes this environment so detrimental?

Mother and Jason

At the beginning of section three, with Jason as the narrator, we are able to observe the relationship between Jason and Mother. Through Quentin’s thoughts in the previous section, I believed that Jason and Mother’s relationship would be much different. From Quentin’s narrative we assume that the relationship between Mother and Jason is ideal—Jason is, by far, her favorite child and has never caused her any grief. This is shown when Quentin recalls a conversation with Mother and Father when Mother says, “I must go away you keep the others I’ll take Jason” and later, “Jason, he has never given me one moment’s sorrow since I first held him in my arms I knew that he was to be my joy and my salvation” (102, 103).

After our first look at Mother and Jason’s relationship, we see that Jason is not the perfect, compatible child we pictured. Rather, he is constantly arguing with Mother and Quentin about what should be done with Quentin. Perhaps mother continues to love Jason without question because he is the only one willing to stay at home and, essentially, raise Quentin for her. We later learn that Jason is also stealing money and lying about it.

Mother appears to be blind to the fact that Jason is stealing money, but many of his other undesirable actions toward her are obvious. Jason is clearly annoyed by her dramatic and emotional personality, but she is so blind with her love for him that she does not care or does not notice. So, why does Mother love Jason so much? Is Mother really blind to all of Jason’s actions? If not, why does she continue to love him? (270)

Parallel Icebergs

JSTOR Article: “Faulkner’s Benjy, Hemingway’s Jake” by Merritt Moseley

The JSTOR article I read was “Faulkner’s Benjy, Hemingway’s Jake” by Merritt Moseley. Thumbing through articles to choose, the title of this one stuck out. Since we read Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises in English last year, I felt I could understand the comparison between Jake and Benjy that this author makes. I usually enjoy hearing people’s opinions about how a character in one novel relates to a character in another novel, especially when I am familiar with both characters. This article was no exception.

Moseley focuses on the fact that Jake’s mental process is very similar to Benjy’s mental process. Hemingway’s “minimalism, leaving everything possible unstated,” often makes his characters appear dumb. Jake’s train of thought, for example, frequently consists of short, staccato statements that are initially unintelligible. While it is the nature of Hemingway’s style to be restrictive and use simple language, Jake’s original resemblance to Benjy can also be attributed to the fact that Jake is often drunk. The alcohol makes his thoughts and words slower and dumber. Because of this, Jake as a narrator is similar to Benjy because, although the language is simple in both cases, the reader must dig and work to connect the dots to understand what is happening.

Both Benjy and Jake serve to strengthen Hemingway’s iceberg principle. As narrators, these two characters simply state what they observe and let the readers figure out the rest. Besides their similar narrating techniques, Benjy and Jake don’t have much else in common—they have completely different personalities, desires, etc. The connection between the two in nonetheless fascinating. (265)

1/2bLOg

So far, I’ve read the following stories:

“Eraser” by Ben Stroud
“Nawabdin Electrician” by Daniyal Mueenuddin
“Closely Held” by Allegra Goodman

These three stories are all very different. I enjoyed reading them, but I’m not sure that I’ve found the one I want to write about. I might right about “Nawabdin Electrician” because I found some interesting themes in the story that I’d like to think about more. The story focuses on the life of an electrician and explores his personality, his journey to where he is today, and his job. The main reason I liked the story is because it takes a simple subject, like the life of an electrician, and makes intriguing and close-to-brilliant observations that I would never have thought of.

“Eraser” is a rather interesting story. I decided to read this story because the title intrigued me. The story is divided into different sections with subtitles. I have never read a short story organized this way, but it made it easy to follow the narrator’s thoughts. I also really liked that it was told from the perspective of a twelve-year-old boy. The kid has a great voice throughout the story. It reminded me of reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time several years ago because of the narrator’s youth.

“Closely Held” is a slightly depressing story. It illustrates the dissolving of a relationship. I don’t think I will do this story for my paper. However, I tend to enjoy and understand stories more the second time I read them, so we will see!

Hopefully, I will have the chance to read several more short stories before I decide which one to write about. I’m a fan of short stories =). (287)

Physical and Emotional Burdens

“The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien explores the innermost desires and worries of a unit of soldiers in the Vietnam War by listing what each man carries. With a focus on the group’s lieutenant, Jimmy Cross, this story reveals the physical, emotional, and psychological weight the soldiers “humped” (626). Physically, the soldiers carry, among many things, food, clothing, and artillery. Psychologically, the soldiers carry “the emotional baggage of men who might die. Grief, terror, love, longing…” (634). It is by looking closely at this “emotional baggage” that the reader can fully understand the complex mentality of these soldiers.

At the beginning of the story, Lieutenant Cross spends a significant portion of his time obsessing over Martha. He reads and re-reads her letters every night, delicately holding the letters with the “tips of his fingers” (625). He frequently pulls out two pictures of Martha, which make him think about “new things he should’ve done” when he was with her. Lastly, he becomes fixated with a pebble she sent him, turning it over in his mouth during long marches and fantasizing about spending time with her. Lieutenant Cross carries the weight of his imagination. Day after day during the war, Lieutenant Cross spends more time with Martha than he spends protecting and guiding his men, which ultimately leads to him blaming himself for the death of his fellow soldier, Ted Lavender. At the end of the story, he realizes that he is in a situation where “men died because of carelessness and gross stupidity…Boom-down, and you were dead…” (636). His mistake is reiterated when he says, “he had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was now dead” (632). After this realization, he makes a concerted effort to end his daydreaming, telling himself, “no more fantasies,” and starts to become “realistic” (636). Through this, a significant weight—the weight of his emotional baggage—begins to fall.

Throughout the story, the physical weight of each item is specifically noted. While ammunition, food, and other survival necessities make up the majority of this physical weight, the lighter items, such as Lieutenant Cross’s letters, are significantly heavier in emotional weight. O’Brien effectively sets up this contrast between heavy and light, between something seemingly unimportant, like a pebble weighing no more than an ounce, and something vital to the soldiers, like the PRC-25 radio weighing 26 pounds. The radio served as protection—a means of communicating and evaluating danger. The pebble served as a distraction; it took Lieutenant Cross’s mind away from his duty, “his mind wandered,” and “he had difficulty keeping his attention on the war” (628).

“The Things They Carried” illustrates that much can be learned through the things a soldier carries. From the objects Lieutenant Cross carries, he is portrayed as a leader, “carrying the responsibility” of the lives of his men, and as an idealistic thinker, imagining Martha loves him and hoping for more chances to be with her (627). Ted Lavender carries tranquilizers, which demonstrate his scared nature. Rat Kiley carries medical supplies and comic books showing his profession as a medic in conjunction with a desire to stay light-hearted in spirit. Like looking into someone’s closet, investigating the things these soldiers carried reveals essential information about their characters.

The dramatic burning of the letters and photographs toward the end of the story exemplifies the importance of the things they carried—even the small, seemingly unimportant things—and their powerful effects. The grim war added with a longing of the impossible makes for a heavy load. By burning these mementos, Lieutenant Cross is eliminating their physical weight and beginning a journey to eliminate their emotional weight.

While the emotional weight of Martha on Lieutenant Cross will begin to disappear, a new emotional weight is added to Lieutenant Cross’s load, the death of Lavender, “something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war” (632). The soldiers will always carry “the burden of being alive,” the immense sorrow in loss, and the longing for a more peaceful time (633). The narrator states toward the end of the story, “there was at least the single abiding certainty that they would never be at loss for things to carry” (632). (703)

What's Next?

The ending of Bobbie Ann Mason’s "Shiloh" is filled with ambiguity. Norma Jean had just told her husband, Leroy, that she doesn’t want to be with him. She then walks toward a bluff by the river. The reader is left with a comparison of the sky to the dust ruffle Mabel had made for them, and the story is over. We are then free to make assumptions or ask questions about what happens next. We can assume that Norma Jean and Leroy go their separate ways or we can ask some questions. Is there hope for them to stay together as a couple? Where is Norma Jean going? How will they interact after this? Will Leroy try to convince her to stay with him? Will Norma Jean say anything else to Leroy? Will she ask him for a ride home? Does Norma Jean intend to go home?

In my opinion, their marriage is not necessarily over. Although they lack the communication necessary for a marriage to function properly, I don’t think it’s too late for them to start talking. Perhaps this is just my nature to root for the seemingly hopeless, but looking at the end of the story—their time in Shiloh, that is—there are glimpses of hope through a couple of successful shared moments. After being in Shiloh for only a short period of time, Norma Jean sarcastically says, “Well we’ve seen it. I hope she’s satisfied.” Referring to her mother’s desperate desire for Norma Jean and Leroy to visit Shiloh, Norma Jean spurs Leroy and herself to “burst out laughing together.” Although this may seem simple, laughter and humor are two vital elements that have been missing from this marriage.

The following conversation between them is noticeably less humorous. Norma Jean voices her desire to leave Leroy. Looking closely at Norma Jean’s exact words, I noticed that she said she didn’t “want” to leave Leroy. Author Joyce Carol Oates could have completely rid the scene of any ambiguity by having Norma Jean say, “I’m going to leave you,” with no uncertainty present. This conversation is the first long dialogue between the couple throughout the story. And although it is not pleasant, the conversation is honest. It gives each a chance to voice an opinion. After this conversation, Leroy contemplates his next move—an assurance to the reader that he still has hope. During these thoughts, however, Norma Jean is “far away, walking rapidly toward the bluff by the river.”

So, while Norma Jean left to her own devices may never want to go home, Leroy’s voice is still audible in her ears, and I believe that the next chapter in their lives does not necessarily have to mean separation. After reading the story for the first time, the title appeared to be significant because it established the end of the central couple’s relationship. However, I believe that it could signify the end of one chapter in the couple’s lives, and the beginning of a new one—with more honest communication. I’m not saying that things will suddenly be perfect because of their brief shared laughter and a glimpse at an honest exchange. I do wonder, though, if Mabel sent them to Shiloh because she saw their marriage dissembling and hoped it would help them. Shiloh is undeniably a turning point in the story—whether it is for better or for worse, we shall never know.

And perhaps what happens next doesn't matter. But, then again, maybe it does. (582)

On the Verge of Death

When you know you are about to be killed, what should you do? Should you accept death with a gracious, “thank you” or should you beg and plead for your life? Similar questions arose during our class discussion of “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Conner. After Bailey and one of his sons are killed, the grandmother and mother, waiting with fearful anticipation for their own deaths, are left to face The Misfit and his men. The mother, with the baby and her daughter, June, is politely asked by The Misfit, “Lady, would you and that little girl like to step off yonder with Bobby Lee and Hiram and join your husband.” Without seeing this sentence in context, it appears merely as an invitation for a “lady” to reunite with her husband. However, in actuality, her husband is dead and this “invitation” is not for a reunion, but for murder. Because of the polite language of The Misfit, the mother responds courteously by saying, “Yes, thank you.” While, indeed, out of context, this response seems bizarre, looking at it in the text, the mother’s answer was more or less articulated unconsciously. Accepting her fate but paralyzed with shock of the murder of her husband and son, she is only able to murmur a quiet and gracious answer. Unfortunately, this shock, or some other unexplained reason, prevents the mother from trying to save her children.

The second notable pre-murder reaction is the grandma’s. Because the reader will never know what was going on in the grandma’s mind, her actions, or lack thereof, appeared selfish. While she was pleading for her own life, not once did she try to convince the killers to let her son, daughter-in-law, or grandchildren survive. She could have been in shock, but observing her talkative manner and focus on her own survival, it seems like she was fairly calm, compared to the mother, and simply being selfish. And unlike the mothers’ immediate acceptance of death, the grandma is persistent in her begging. Since she first met The Misfit, she tries to convince him—and herself—that he is a “good man.” She continues that she knows, “he wouldn’t shoot a lady!” and then, trying to convince herself of this, says, “Pray! Jesus, you ought not to shoot a lady.” Although this desperation and constant begging is not appealing; in the face of a murderer, it is certainly justifiable.

These interactions analyzed above demonstrate different characters’ reactions to death. In other words, a person’s actions and words when facing death largely depend on that person’s personality and the way in which the possibility of death confronts them. In the face of death, the grandmother does not act out of character—in the beginning of the story, she is begging to go to Tennessee and not Florida, despite the wishes of the rest of the family. In both situations she is acting selfishly through persistent begging, although in differing degrees.

What would you do in the face of death? What do you think you should do? Should you act honorably and politely or should you plead for your life? If my son and husband had just been shot, it might be easier to quietly agree to death. But I think (I hope) my inner instinct, even after such a tragedy, would urge me to resist (run fast or beg for my life)—if not for me, than for my kids. (575)

What Could Daisy Have Done?

One of the questions raised in class was, what could Daisy have done to be a better parent and stop Donny’s poor behavior? Throughout the story, I was frustrated with Daisy because she never seemed to take a stand against her son’s actions. Earlier in our class discussion on Teenage Wasteland, we talked about how Daisy acts more like a teenager than Donny does. In my opinion, this is the root of Daisy’s problem. Her lack of self-confidence and her quick change of opinions—both common characteristics of teenagers—hinder her ability to be a good mother. Her lack of self-confidence is shown when she and her husband are sitting in front of the principle, “worried about how they must look....an overweight housewife and a too-tall, too-thin insurance agent.” Later in the story, her inability to stand firm in her own opinions and her tendency to readily take the advice of others is shown when, after talking with Cal about her “controlling” nature, he tells her that Donny has low self-esteem and that Daisy should back away some. Daisy is quick to respond, “Well, I guess you’re right,” and proceeds to feel sorry for Donny. Soon after that, Donny’s history teacher calls and tells Daisy that Donny is progressively doing worse in math. After hanging up, Daisy “felt a rush of anger at Donny.” Then, Daisy calls Cal and gets upset with him about for not trying to improve Donny’s grades. Cal tells Daisy that there is more to life than grades, and quickly, Daisy changes her opinion, “it was Miss Evans she was angry it. What a narrow woman!” Empathy for her son, then anger at her son, then irritation with Cal, then great annoyance with Donny’s teacher—all felt by Daisy in a short period of time.

Through my experiences, the most effective parents have been those who aren’t preoccupied with being their kids’ friend. Instead, they are willing to go to any measure to protect their kids and keep them happy in the long run. Daisy is too focused on her appearance—not only does she not want to be seen as a failure, she also does not want appear as the “bad guy” with her son. She does take some action like trusting Cal to help her son, but inside, she is just craving for her little blonde-haired boy to be back, not sure how time flew so quickly.

Despite all of this criticism of Daisy, I do believe that Donny’s situation is delicate and has no easy solution. Daisy certainly tried to make her son happy, but didn’t go about it in the best way. In my opinion, Daisy needed to try different things—go to a different therapist, place more restrictions on Donny’s life outside of school, create a more enjoyable situation at home—to help Donny. Although Daisy should have been able to get help from therapists, teachers, and, at least, her husband, something needed to be done with Donny, and if no one else was going to do anything, she needed to make a move. (513)

12 books that have stayed with me over the years

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
I read this book in middle school and it has stayed in my mind since then. The characters seem to come to life, and the unique story line keeps you wanting to know what happens next. It's a story that explores both the theme of racism at the time and the theme of learning to love after significant loss. This book has stayed in my mind all these years because of the relatable imperfections of the characters and the love that they find in the most unthinkable places. This is a beautiful story.

The Giver by Lois Lowry
I also read this book in middle school. I don't remember many details from this book, but I remember it bringing up some incredible notions about conventionality and the beauty of the world. This book is difficult to describe in words, but it is wonderful and the images created by the author have remained in my head for many many years.

The Girl Who Owned a City by O.T. Nelson
Another book I read in middle school. This has to been one of the neatest books I've ever read. The premise of this book is that a disease wipes out everyone in the world over the age of 12. The book begins after this catastrophe and children are left on their own to take care of themselves. As a pre-teen myself when I read this, I loved to imagine being the girl and finding a place to turn into a place of refuge and fill with food, water, etc.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
A story about love and sacrifice and forgiveness and regret. Full of powerful messages.

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
This novel is disturbing. But I was completely engaged the entire time and was constantly waiting to find out what happened next. The characters are in situations, some of which I can't imagine ever being in, but I found myself relating to their thoughts and worries easily.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
One of the saddest books I've ever read, but also one of the best. Hopefully you have read this and understand what I mean.

The Pearl by John Steinbeck
Similar to to Of Mice and Men in it's deeply saddening ending. This book brings up several important lessons. One of these is to not become consumed with money and material things, when, underneath it all, all you really want to protect is your family.

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Glass Castle is one of the most fascinating books I have ever read. It is based off of Jeannette Walls's childhood--growing up with hardly any money, often being homeless, and living with parents that are, well, kooky. I think of this book quite often.

The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
I thoroughly enjoyed it because it gave the reader a look into the thoughts and pains of the Confederate and Union generals and soldiers during the Civil War. More so, I enjoyed this book because the characters were fascinating and honest, and I found myself wanting to be their friends.

A Separate Peace by John Knowles
I read this book a couple of years ago. I loved the simplicity of the book and the central friendship between the two boys at boarding school. With the war serving as a constant backdrop to the story, tension existed among families and friends. And as the story came to a close and poor Finny died at the end, I cried.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
One of my best friends at camp told me that I had to read this book. It is one of her favorites and since I enjoy her taste in other things, like movies and music, I decided to read it. I finished it in about three days. Interestingly, Holden's adventures in the book last about three days. I found this neat because in most books I've read, the story takes place over weeks, months, or years. Holden's narration throughout the book is full of detail and silly anecdotes that made me feel like I was on the journey with Holden. Overall, (if you really want to hear about it), Holden is hilarious, and it was so much fun to listen to his thought process.

The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
The books in this series are hardly literary masterpieces, but I was enthralled with them when I was younger. In the books, three siblings struggle to survive after the death of their parents in a house fire. Their only living relative they have (who gains legal custody of them) is an evil man named Count Olaf. These books are filled with misery, suspense, and sadness--every book has a depressing ending--but they are unique and fun.

I'm sure I'm forgetting several books that have meant a lot to me...! (824)

LOVELY BONES

Two things struck me after reading this book.

The first thing is the initial murder, including the murderer, Mr. Harvey. After reading the first few pages of this novel, I was greatly disturbed. Susie Salmon, a young teenager, is raped and killed. Mr. Harvey, the murderer, takes her into an underground hole in the cornfield, and after he rapes and kills her, he tears apart her bones and keeps them. Sebold's crude and detailed description of the rape and murder is horrifying. I was thoroughly disgusted and, in my head, I was pleading for Susie to escape. But instead, Mr. Harvey continues in his killing of Susie Salmon. And no, this was not the first, or last, time he commits such a horrid crime. Mr. Harvey has a strange addiction to murder and saving the bones of his victims. So after seeing Mr. Harvey as a crude murderer with no moral center whatsoever, I assumed that he is a one-sided character--simply an insane killer because who murders women (and animals) and--as if that's not bad enough--then proceeds to de-bone them? But author Alice Sebold made me do a double-take. Sebold lets the reader peek into Mr. Harvey's lonely world. Mr. Harvey's house is clean and organized. He does not stay up at night laughing evilly about his next murder. Rather, he spends his time building dollhouses. A murder who builds dollhouses? After discovering a couple of Mr. Harvey's non-murderer-like qualities, I began to wonder what Sebold would reveal next about Mr. Harvey. What was his motive for killing all of these living things? Why did he keep their bones? What's with the dollhouses? But instead, Sebold left us hanging...letting us think of our own answers to these questions.

The second thing that struck me as interesting after reading this book is Sebold's description of heaven. Initially, Susie's heaven is quite dull. There is a school building, some swings, and various familiar and pleasant things from her years on Earth. But there is nothing...magical. Although none of us knows what heaven looks like, we often think of heaven as a beautiful place of infinite content--probably because of the way books and movies have depicted it. Nonetheless, it is slightly disappointing when Susie reaches her quiet, lonely, strange heaven. While Susie's family is struggling to deal with her loss, Susie is struggling to find her place in heaven and comprehend that, although she can watch her family and friends from above, she can't help them. Instead, she has to help herself. Although Susie doesn't grow up on Earth, Sebold shows that Susie is maturing in heaven, in a close-to-human-like fashion. The more she grows and remembers, the more she can discover of heaven.

Overall, The Lovely Bones is emotionally draining. Characters make life-changing mistakes and the murderer is not discovered. But through these mistakes and through Sebold's unique plot, interesting questions are raised. For example, why does Sebold create Mr. Harvey as an atypical murderer? Why is heaven depicted the way it is? How can we learn from the shift in relationships throughout the story? How is love complicated by death? Are the actions of Susie’s mother attempts to live without regret? How does death hurt and help simultaneously? And lastly….why dollhouses? (543)