The Lovely Bones

The Lovely Bones is a book written by Alice Sebold, published in July of 2002. It brings us to the abrupt realization that bad things do happen with the rape and murder of Susie Salmon (like the fish).In this crime thriller Sebold connects the real world of domestic, sexual, and teen violence to the events in this novel.

Author Biographical Information
Born Madison, Wisconsin in 1963, she grew up in Philadephia, Pennsylvaina. She Graduated from Syracuse Universtiy 1984. She also recieved a Masters in Fine Arts for a degree in creative writing. Her first novel is Lucky which is a memoir of her won rape as a freshman at Syracuse.

Setting: Historical Information
This novel takes place in the 1970's. She wrote on growing awareness of issues of domestic,sexual, and teen violence. In several ways this reflects concerns as a cultural climate of the 1990's.

Genre
Crime Thriller. A murder is committed therefore it is crime. I think it is a thriller because there is tension even though you already know who did it you want to see that person caught.

Plot Summary
Stepping into the novel we first hear of an innocent 14 year old, Susie Salmon (like the fish), getting rapped and murrdered by the 36 year old George Harvey of course the first thing the family does is deny the fact this horrific event happened when they hear of the news. The whole time Susie is watching from heaven, but up in her own personal heacen she has met other girls Harvey murdered and realizes he tried to stop killing but was unsiccessful. They eventually find evidence linking him to the murder of Susie and all the others. When he returns to Norristown he returns to the sinkhole where Ray and Ruth are when Susie some how gets in Ruth's body and makes love to Ray. In the end Harvey is hit with a falling icicle and dies from the impact. Everyone is joyus.

Characters
Susie Salmon the main character was murdered then proceedes to narrate the story from heaven. She was young when she was raped and murdered. Jack Salmon, Susie's father, was consumed with guilt and determined to find the murderer. He was determined, enraged and loving. Lindsey Salmon, Susie's sister, was the helper to the father's investigation. She was only a child, but even though she was sad she was helpful. Abigail Salmon, Susie's mother. When Susie is murdered Abigail drifts away from reality and leaves her family. She is grieving, mornful and distant. Buckley Salmon, Susie's brother, is to young to fully understand but claims to see Susie sometimes. He is watched out for, loved and young. Grandma Lynn, Susie's grandmother comes to help with the children after Abigail leaves. She is an alcoholic, while trying to be helpful. George Harvey, Susie's murderer. This is the man that rapped and murdered Susie. He is selfish, crazy, and insane. Ruth Connors, a girl Susie went to school with. She claims Susie's spirit touches her as she is going up to heaven. She is weird and obsessive. Ray Singh, Susie's crush. He liked Susie very much ansd finally gets to 'reunite' with her in the future. He is sweet and Indian. Sam Heckler, Lindsey's boyfriend, keeps Lindsey going after her sister dies. He is a cool punk who likes to chill. Len Fernerman was the lead detective on Susie's case. He had an affair with Abigail Salmon. He wants love, he is also smart and caring. Holly Susie's best friend in heaven. She is nice and very similar to Susie Franny is Susie and Holy's mentor in heaven. She is caring and seems to be all-knowing. Holiday Susie's dog. he was the comforter to the family in the time of their loss.

Author's Style
The authoe Alice Seabold, I have noticed, likes to use leterary techniques such as dialogue, pino of view, first person but an omniscient character, frame device, and flashback. Examples would be frame device- as Susie watches she reflects on her life telling stories so it is a story inside a story inside a story. Another would be Point of View is first person. Even though she uses first person Susie is an omniscient character.

Setting
The novel is set mainly in Norristown which is a town near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is set from 1973 to 1981. The minor settings are: we folow Ruth Connors to New York City. Follow Harvey to Conneticut and Maine. Abigail Salmon to California. And last but not least we partake in Susie's two heavens.

Themes
Grief- Grief is different for everyone. In a time of tragedy people need to work things out in the best way possible for them.

Love and Acceptance- even though that person is gone you can still love them but you have to accept the fact they are gone.

Symbols
Charm bracelet- Represnts Susie Old shoe from Monoploly- represents Susie to Buckley Susie's room- serves as a place for the family to believe she is still alive The porch light- hope that Susie will return home

Significance of the Opening/Closing Scenes
The book starts out with Susie getting rapped and murdered therefore entailing this is a story of her life and events leading up to this tragic and tramatizing moment. At the end she wraps up the storyt by telling how everyone is doing and where they have gone in life. Sort of an epilogue.

Memorable Quotes
"My name was Salmon, like tthe fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered on December 6,1973" page 1 This is the first sentence of the book it's the hook, grabs you and smacks you in the face but we now know what this book is going to be all about. "And he turned, grinning. He had begun to like the experiments, he was not thinking of me anymore- Though he couldn't tell that to Ruth." page 202 This shows Ray is moving on finally a year after the incident he can finally move on and have feelings for another girl even though he still like Susie. "But when they held up the evidence bag with my hat inside, something borke in her." page28 This intales that the mother is coming to a more brutal realization that her baby girl is gone forever...dead. "My sister had dutifully hovered for weeks now, paying court to our mother regardless of the signals she gave. There was something on the other side of the icy surface. Lindsey was sure of it." page 204 We know the mother has had an affair with the detective and I think the sister might be on to something here.