Ashleigh Beckner

03/12/2015
UNWT 1103-024

The Lovely Bones Mini Project

Prompt: Is Abigail actually a mother? Biologically, she easily a mother, but is she a mother in
any other fashions, and specify those fashions you see, utilizing sampling from the novel to
bolster your explanation.
Biologically, Abigail Salmon was a mother but was she what was considered a real
mother. According to dictionary.com, the definition of a mother is someone who cares for,
nourishes and protects. At first glance, most would say that Abigail Salmon does none of these
things, and arguably they would be right. There are many instances throughout the novel that
could contend with Abigail not being a real mother.
In chapter eleven, the head detective on Susies case, Len Fenerman, came to the Salmon
household to relay to the family that George Harvey was no longer being investigated for Susies
murder. The readers could see that, unlike her husband and daughter, Abigail agreed with
Fenerman and was too giving up on the investigation of Susies murder. No real mother would be
able to come to terms with the fact that her daughters killer may never be found, but somehow
Abigail did. After her husband, Jack Salmon, is hospitalized in chapter twelve, the readers see
Abigail cope by beginning an affair with Fenerman. Again, when in a situation such as this, it
can be assumed that your typical mother would not react a way similar to how Abigail
responded. In chapter sixteen, a memorial for Susie takes place out in the cornfield, and Abigail,
unlike her family once again, wants nothing to do with it. That same night she tells Lindsay that
[she] wants to be more than a mother. Sometime later, she goes off to her fathers cabin
leaving her family behind. Many would say that, at that moment, Abigail was abandoning her
family, and I would have to agree.
Although she did have an affair and leave her family, she eventually broke off the
relationship and came back to her family. What some of those who would label Abigail as a
depraved mother did not realize is that her family and everyone around her had an unrealistic and
incorrect view of her. Even Susie came to learn that her mothers role of perfect wife and mother
was a disguise, which was masking other desires that rebelled against the domesticity of being a
married mother of three. Abigail coped with the death of her daughter the best way she knew
how, and although it could be argued that it was not in a very motherly way, we all deal with
grief differently. So maybe Abigail Salmon was not what society would view as a true mother,
but who are we to judge?
Prompt: Genre is the classification system used for arts categories. In terms of literary genre,
how would you classify The Lovely Bones? Admittedly, it is fiction, but that is the easy part. Is
it realism, romance, mystery, fantasy, horror, suspense... Or, is it something else entirely?
Support your evaluation with reasoning and logic, plus with characteristics gleamed from the
novels content.

Contingent upon the reader, The Lovely Bones could fit into several different genres
based on various characteristics presented throughout the novel. While it is in the primary genre
of fiction, this book could specifically be considered a fantasy, bildungsroman, also known as a
coming-of-age story or a mystery. Because this novel presents several characteristics which
allow it to fit in multiple genres, it may not include each and every aspect of them; therefore it
may be an untraditional form of these genres.
By definition a fantasy is often characterized by a departure from the accepted rules by
which individuals perceive the world around them [as] it represents that which is impossible and
outside the parameters of our known, reality. It frequently contains unrealistic settings, or
magic, often set in a medieval universe, or possibly involving mythical beings or supernatural
forms as a primary element of the plot, theme, or setting (Fantasy Fiction Genre, n.d.).
Allowing Susie to look down upon, what once was, her Earth from, what is now, her heaven is
impossible and outside the parameters of our known, reality. By bringing in the supernatural
aspect to the novel and using it as the primary drive for the plot, the fantasy genre can most
certainly be applied to this story. Although it may not be considered a fantasy entirely as it does
not contain magic, or mythical creatures the typical fantasies that are known to us.
Another genre that may be applied to this novel is a bildungsroman or coming-of-age
story. A bildungsroman is a book that traces the development of a character from childhood to
adulthood, through a quest for identity that leads him or her to maturity (Wiehardt, n.d.).
Despite Susies life being cut so short, she still manages to mature. Her development throughout
the novel is subtle, but the changes can be seen as she watches the struggles, both good and bad,
of the ones she loves as they continue their lives without her. Her maturation is most seen at the
end of the novel, page 320, when she says These were the lovely bones that had grown around
my absence [...]. And I began to see things in a way that let me hold the world without me in it.
It is at that precise moment that she realizes that she no longer has to hover over her loved ones;
they will be okay, as will she. Although the novel may not entirely encompass a bildungsroman
genre, it undoubtedly illustrates some characteristics of the genre.
The Lovely Bones could also be seen as a being a Mystery. By classification a mystery is
a genre of fiction that deals with the solution of a crime or the unraveling of secrets or
Anything that is kept secret or remains unexplained or unknown (Genres of Literature, n.d.).
Based on the definition, the novel contains many characteristics of a mystery. We have many
secrets, a crime, and a solution to the crime. Who killed Susie is not entirely a secret, as Susie
and Mr. Henry know, as well as the readers, but not all the characters which is why it can still be
considered a mystery. Also, there isnt a classic solution as Mr. Henry never gets caught for
murdering Susie, but he does die. Like the other genres, this novel does not fit into the traditional
elements of a mystery but does include key aspects of it.

Works Cited
"Fantasy Fiction Genre." Find Me An Author. www.findmeanauthor.com, n.d. Web. 11 Mar.
2015. <http://www.findmeanauthor.com/fantasy_fiction_genre.htm>.
"Genres of Literature." Genres of Literature. Genres of Literature, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
<http://genresofliterature.com/>.
Wiehardt, Ginny. "Bildungsroman." About.com. About.com, n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2015.
<http://fictionwriting.about.com/od/glossary/g/bildungsroman.htm>.

Prompt: Make a Case for George Harvey as a sympathetic Victim, using at least five details and
passages from the novel, which may help build your novels support.
George Harvey is the antagonist of The Lovely Bones. He is a sexual predator, a rapist,
and a serial killer. He is the 36-year-old neighbor, of the Salmons, who rapes and murders the
main character, Susie Salmon, as well as many other innocent young girls and women. He is
emotionless, cruel, and sly; the epitome of what it means to be evil. From the first pages of the
novel, most readers will grow to loathe Mr. Harvey and will want nothing but for him to pay for
his horrific crimes. Nonetheless, much like Susie, George Harvey may very well be a
sympathetic victim in his life, past and present.
From the get-go, it is easily recognizable that something is off about George Harvey; he
has some mental illness. In chapter five, Harvey tells Len Fenerman, the lead detective on
Susies case, that each year it is something I do for Leah in reference to the bridal tent (64).
Later, Fenerman tells Mr. Salmon about Leah, but Mr. Salmon is sure that [he] remembers Ms.
Stead [telling] Abigail that his wifes name was Sophie not Leah (65). Later in the novel, the
readers find out that Sophie and Leah, both women he referenced as being his late wife, were
two of his victims. Sophie Cichetti was a 49-year-old woman who rented a room to Mr. Harvey
that he murdered in 1960. Leaf Fox was a 12-year-old girl that Mr. Harvey raped and killed in
1969. Only a mentally unstable oddball would refer to his past victims as his late wives to others.
Throughout the novel, there are numerous flashbacks of Mr. Harveys childhood. The
story reveals that he lost his mother at a young age when she ran away from him and his father in
Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. As she proceeded down the road, her body disappearing in
the distance, Georges father had said Shes gone now, son She wont be coming back (97).
Before she left, she gave George her amber necklace that had a fly locked into place. The fly is
necklace is undoubtedly a symbol of the isolation that George feels due to the loss of his mother.
The fly necklace could also represent how George, like the fly, is locked in time as he aches for
his mothers love.
From a young age, Georges mother set bad examples for her son. Before losing his
mother, they often went and stole items from nearby stores in town. In Georges eyes, taking
things were "something his mother enjoyed so much". "The thrill of her laughter when they
ducked around the corner from whatever store" as "she uncovered and presented the pilfered
item to him [He] would hug her while she was occupied with her newest prize (187). Like
any other child, George craved the love of his mother, and although George knew that it was
immoral to steal, he did it for his mother. With this terrible childhood, George did not develop
like other kids, and the isolation from both society and his mother lead him to commit horrible
crimes.

While Mr. Harvey is portrayed throughout the novel as being a detached and merciless
rapist and murderer, it is discovered that he does, in fact, attempt to control his killings by
redirecting his urges onto animals. A year prior to Susies death, animals all over her
neighborhood have begun to disappear. Everyone suspected a teenage boy named Joe Ellis,
which was seen being cruel to animals. He had a small dog that he did not care for, and he
dragged it around no matter what it the dog wanted he would hit it or lift it painfully by the
tail (130). From her heaven, Susie followed Mr. Harvey into his crawlspace, where she learned
that it was he who killed the pets. It was extremely difficult for Susie to take this all in, but she
does acknowledge that Mr. Harvey had tried to stop himself every time before committing
crimes. Although killing animals is by no means a positive action, it shows that Mr. Harvey does
try to prevent himself from murdering future victims by killing animals. Therefore, as Susie once
said, he [takes] lesser lives to keep from killing a child (131).
Now, with the knowledge of Mr. Harveys rough childhood, can George Harvey be seen
as a sympathetic victim? He was isolated from society, his mother, his father and even himself
and continually struggled with the constant urge to kill.

Prompt: Which Character shows the most growth and development towards becoming a true
human being? Why so? Which character shows the least? Why so? How well does the text do its
task of helping form an idea of what it means to have a human experience (that is grow, elevate
others, evolve)?
What defines a true human being? What characteristics or traits must one possess to be
considered a true human being? A human being is one that sacrifices or submits themselves to
something they love, have the ability to love and have the ability to form complex thoughts and
emotions (Hobbs, 2011). With that being said, there are numerous characters that based on that
definition would be considered a true human being, and a few that would not.
There are several characters throughout the novel that experience growth and
development. However, there is one character, in particular, which experiences a significant
amount of growth and development towards becoming a true human being, Lindsey Salmon.
Lindsey is shown to be very close to Susie and, like everyone else, is immensely affected by her
sisters death. However, unlike the rest of the characters, she has the most positive response to
her death and refuses to allow her identity to be shaped by it. Susies death forces Lindsey to
become more independent and to take on more responsibility as she becomes the parent of her
family. She must deal with her mother leaving, her father who has lost much of his will to live,
and her younger brother who needs someone to look over him during this difficult time. She
never lets Susie's death take away from her ambitions or goals in life, unlike her mother. By the
end of the novel, she is shown to have matured into a confident and independent young woman.
She is also one of the only characters that was able to move past her sister's death, while never
forgetting her as she left [Susie] in her memories, where [she] was meant to be (327).

Much like the characters that experience growth and development, there are also a few
that remain static. The most evident unchanging character is George Harvey, Susie Salmons
murderer. At the beginning of the novel, Mr. Harvey is a murderous rapist. He kills Susie and has
killed before her. After Susies murder, Mr. Harvey feels no remorse and [wears] his own
innocence like a comfortable, old coat (26). After almost being caught, he goes on to kill an
unnamed waitress and attempts to kill another teenage girl before ultimately plummeting to his
death in a ravine. George Harveys lack of guilt and empathy shows how far from being a true
human being he really is. For this reason, he is the character that experiences the least amount of
growth and development towards becoming a true human being.
The Lovely Bones demonstrates what it means to have a human experience through the
idea of grief and acceptance. The characters of this novel have to deal with the loss of someone
very close to them, Susie; a daughter, sibling, or friend. The novel illustrates how certain people
react differently to tragedies such as death, and what they do to cope with and get past it. As the
novel progresses, the readers see each character deal with the daily struggles of losing Susie.
Many, if not all of the characters believe that Susies death is an event that they believe they will
never be able to recover from. It is through each characters hardships that the idea of their
human experience is seen. As each character reaches the final stage of their human experience,
they realize that it is acceptable to let go of Susie and to move on.

Works Cited
Hobbs, Devinai. "What Is the Meaning of Being Human?" Quora. Quora, 11 Jan. 2011. Web. 17
Mar. 2015. <http://www.quora.com/What-is-the-meaning-of-being-human>.

1The Lovely Bones

An Observational Reflection

1. What is the value of this novel: In this regard, why is it important to expose readers to situations which
may make readers uncomfortable?

Exposing readers to situations in which they may feel uncomfortable is, most of the time,
necessary for the readers to make a connection with the characters and the novel itself. In the
case of The Lovely Bones, an uncomfortable situation, such as rape, is something that can
happen to anyone at any time, therefore, Sebold is merely exposing the readers to the reality of
life. People need to be exposed to situations, like rape, in order to gain valuable knowledge about
it. Situations such as these should not even be considered uncomfortable, but since todays
society is seemingly so focused on condemning these events and silencing any talk about them,
they become uncomfortable.
2. What is the value of this novel: In this instance, why expose readers to characters which are not
perfect, or for that matter, what do you consider the danger of moral relativism?

Readers need to be exposed to characters which are not perfect, so they can form a connection
with them. By creating a perfect character, the author would be creating a character in which no
real person could relate with. Who wants to read a book about someone they cannot associate
themselves with in some way?
Based on the understanding of moral relativism, we cannot judge someone based on their
actions, good or bad, because we do not know the circumstances in which they were performed.
The outcome is relative to eachs situation. In this sense, relativism could cause chaos and a lot
of gray areas when it comes to evil actions or decisions.

3. What is the value of this novel: In this regard, what do you consider if any, the noteworthiness of ideas
you found new or original, if not even innovative?

Having the story told from a ghosts perspective, from her personal heaven, was certainly an
original, or innovative idea. Also, having Susie in the afterlife juggling with justice until her killer is
caught and she can rest in peace is another innovative idea from the text.

4. If you could tell the writer your opinion of the text, what would you state? Please be elaborative, not
merely it is spiffy kind of responses!

This text hit on a lot of touchy subjects that need to be talked about in todays society, such as
rape, murder, and the loss of a loved one through a horrific way. No one wants to hear about a
fourteen-year-old girl being raped and murdered by her neighbor, or the struggles her family must
face coping with the loss of their daughter and sibling. This novel was, in many ways, a reality
check and I for one, loved that about it. One thing in particular that I do not like about this book
was the personal heaven idea. I felt that it became confusing, especially when trying to decipher
which character was talking and from where. All in all, I do not feel like the personal heaven

added anything significant to the novel.

5. What do you feel you have learned this novel, from the in-class prompts, and from this reflection?

First and foremost, the in-class prompts and the reflection brought to my attention all the hidden
meaning and lessons that this novel had to offer. When I read a text, I do not normally get very in
depth or read between the lines. The prompts made me realize that George Harvey may very well
be seen as a sympathetic character, which I did not think before. Also, it made me view Abigail
Salmon in a different light than when I initially read the novel. The reflection made me realize that
the text touches on some important, but uncomfortable, situations in which I believe everyone
should be informed about. It also made me realize just how modest our society is when it comes
to these unpleasant situations.