Earlier this week we were asked a number of questions regarding literary merit and one asked which novel has stayed with us and why. Instantly the first piece that popped into my head is the oh-so-popular and magnificent novel The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I first read the book sophomore year and since then I can't count the number of times I've re-read it. I've now read it enough to know specific lines from it.
Every time I read the book I understand and recognize things I overlooked or did not comprehend during previous reads; it's almost like reading a completely new novel each time I re-read it.
Sebold's mastery of combining darkness, humor, and beauty is powerful enough to express several truths about human nature, including the most frightening parts that we often choose to ignore, pretending our society could never be so evil.
I have become increasingly obsessed with the character or Ruth Connors who is my favorite literary character of any book I've read. Her obsevations on life and death influence not only my writing, but my own thoughts about the true nature or death, the afterlife, the supernatural.
The novel is a journey, a long winding road that Sebold takes her readers down by the hand. Influenced by her own painful rape in her early life, Sebold's searing use of emotion and imagery inflict strong feelings throughout the novel and it's impossible to not feel either happy, terrified, or uncomfortable while reading this disturbing work of literary art.
-Katie M.
First off, I would like to say that for this assignment I literally almost started to write about The Lovely Bones! Having read it every year since the 8th grade, I never seem to tire of Sebold's hauntingly beautiful tale about love, loss, identity, and learning to piece life back together in the midst of tragedy. It is truly in the top ten fiction masterpieces of our generation for literature, hands down. I, however, chose to write about Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird, the only book I have read more times than The Lovely Bones. Something about coming of age novels always grabs my attention. Plus, my love of the south obviously influenced my decision. But in the end, I think the reason certain books stay with us has more to do with ourselves and where we are in our life than say the actual content of the book. Being able to understand and relate to literature is what creates fondness, if even in the tiniest of ways. It is how we interpret a novel and how we view what the characters experience that classifies our opinions on the books.
ReplyDelete- Shelby H.
I know of your love for The Lovely Bones and of course for the south ;] haha. Shelby you are so absolutely right it's scary. I never looked at it that way but now that I think about it, the first time I read the Lovely Bones, I was at a place in my life where the book was so important to me individually. I can't say I can relate to what Susie or her family experiences, I very much could relate to Ruth Connors and the time.
ReplyDeleteTo Kill a Mockingbird is definitely an AMAZING novel and I really admire that you chose that novel :D
-Katie M.
When we were asked in class about which novel "stayed with us" throughout the years, The Lovely Bones, too, came to my mind. I read it for the first time during my sophomore year and of all the books I read that year, it stands out to me the most. Reading your post has somewhat motivated me to reread it again and really pick up on the little things I missed on my first read-through. I think the reason this book is so memorable to me is because I had never encountered a book that discussed themes such as death and rape before, in the unique perspective this novel was told from.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to read all of The Lovely Bones (I've read parts), but I completely agree with your definition of what earns a novel literary merit. If a book can stick with me, and reveal new truths to me every time I read it, then it must be worth something right? :) Also, I would like to say that you are a great writer and your language always manages to make me smile. :)
ReplyDelete-Elise P.
I totally understand what you are saying here and how you are connecting it to the idea of literay merit, because to me Great Gatsby is your Lovely Bones. Sometimes its unknown reason or specific personal situations that make you connect with a piece of literature; everything has some portion of merit its just how you view it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Shelby that a book really stays with you because of how it relates to your life at the time. Probably part of the reason you keep finding new things every time you reread it is because each time you've experienced a little more in life and are in a slightly different part of your life.
ReplyDeleteZach Y.