Quote No. 3

Nothing is ever certain. (21)

     This mantra helped the family continued to hope that Susie would come home. Later, when they were sure that Susie is not coming home, they used this statement to hope that they would find out what happened to Susie and that justice is going to be given to her. The Salmon family never found out who killed Susie, they were gripped with misery with her death, Jack and Abigail separated, Lindsey and Buckley grew up and moved on with their lives. However, time healed this grieving family and they were able to start over as a family, with Susie in their memories. So in a sense, nothing is really ever certain. Mourning may turn into healing. Rainbow may appear after the rain.

Quote No. 2

“Murderers are not monsters, they're men. And that's the most frightening thing about them.” 

     Monsters are not real. Vampires, dragons, aliens-- these are fictional beasts that devour and kill people. In media, they can appear merciless, cold-blooded, and frightening. These characters can taunt and kill. However, no matter how frightening they may be portrayed by the media, they are still just figment of someone's imagination. 

    Men, on the other hand, is a different matter. Men walk, talk, and breathe-- they are alive and they are real. When a man is merciless and cold-blooded, then they can indeed be really frightening. This quote from Salmon is on point. Murderers are human beings. They are alive and they exist. That is really scary. 

Quote No. 1

“My name is Salmon, like the fish; first name, Susie. I was fourteen when I was murdered.”

This is the first and one of my favorite quotes in the book the Lovely Bones. I love how the narrator and main character started her story by stating her name and what she is known for. I like this quote because aren't we all like this? Don't we all love telling people who we are and what we're known for?
      "My name is Jet, like the plane. I am a guitarist", or "My name is Paul, like the apostle in the Bible. I was fifteen when I first won a basketball championship." Don't we all love to flaunt who we are and what we have achieved. But what I like about Salmon's way of introducing herself is the acceptance in her statement. She's like broadcasting her achievement and in a way, maybe it is an achievement. Accepting that you're dead and being at peace that your family has moved on without you, is quite an accomplishment.

Figurative Language

Imagery

I heard his heart. I smelled his breath. The dark earth surrounding us smelled like it was, moist dirt where worms and animals lived their daily lives. I could have yelled for hours.(14)

In Mr. Harvey's house the bathroom and kitchen were spotless. The porcelain was yellow and the tile on the floor is green. He kept it cold...He had a straight chair where he would go to sit sometimes and stare out the window over at the high school, listen for the sound of band practice wafting over from the field...(128)

The author used many imagery in the novel. By using imagery, she was able to make the readers see, hear, smell, taste, and feel everything that was going on in each of the character's lives as the they unfold.


Simile  

He wore his innocence like a comfortable old cloak. (26)

...as his consciousness woke, it was as if poison seeped in. (58) 

The author used simile to describe the actions and guilt a muderer such as Mr. Harvey may have been feeling while pretending to live a normal life.


Flashback

We both listened together to the rain pour down and the thunder clap and smelled the earth rising to greet us. (211)

Through the use of flashback, the author showed the readers a different side of Susie and Lindsey. She brought us to the time away from violence and grief. Using this particular figurative language, the readers are given a glimpse of a childhood that is young, innocent, and free.


Foreshadowing

Are you going to leave us?" Lindsey asked. My mother wobbled. How could she say what she already knew? Instead she told a lie. "I promise I won't leave you. (207)

The fact that Alice Sebold made Lindsey ask her mother this question is a foreshadowing or a hint that their mother will indeed leave her family later in the story.

Abigail Salmon

         Rachel Weisz portrayed Abigail Salmon in the movie The Lovely Bones.

      Abigail is Susie’s mother. She was so devastated when Susie died, she grew apart from her family. Hoping to forget the tragedy, she had an affair with Len Fenerman--the detective. Susie always mentioned how behind a good mother and a good wife is a different woman. She decided to leave when she found her grief too much to bear. She told her husband that, "Let's pretend it is the ocean and that I am going away and we might never see each other again." (p.213) It took her eight years to realize that she really loves her husband and she wants her family back. She finally returned when she heard about her husband had a heart attack.

Jack Salmon

   

Mark Wahlberg as Jack Salmon in the movie The Lovely Bones.

   




     Jack is Susie's father who was heartbroken by the sudden and violent death of his daughter, Susie. After developing suspicion about Mr. Harvey's involvement in Susie's death, he became obsessed in proving that Mr. Harvey is the murderer especially after the police withdrew their investigation surrounding her daughter's case. For example, Jack was hurt when he was thought to be harassing  a girl in the cornfield when he was only chasing Mr. Harvey after seeing him from across his porch pursuing another victim. In the process of grieving, he slowly drifted away from is wife because he couldn't bear to comfort her in her grief when he himself is agonizing his loss.

Mr. Harvey

George Harvey was portrayed by Stanley Tucci in movie The Lovely Bones.

      George Harvey is Susie's murderer. Susie is not the only one that he murdered but other female as well. Everyone in the neighborhood thought Mr. Harvey was weird, but in the beginning of the story no one else has suspected him but Jack. Len Fenerman investigated him but didn't find any traces of Mr. Harvey's connection to Susie's death. Mr. Harvey left, after Linsey trespasssed into his house. Later at the story, Mr. Harvey died in trying to pursue another victim.