Grief In The Book Of Lost Things

Influential American psychologist William James once wrote that “acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.” In the fantasy-coming-of-age novel The Book of Lost Things, author John Connolly delves into and analyzes the nature of accepting one’s misfortunes and resolving personal grief. Connolly’s novel tells the story of a little boy named David, growing up in World War II England, whose mother dies of cancer. David is overcome with grief regarding his mother’s death and anger about his new stepmother and stepbrother, Rose and Georgie, being forced into his life. One night, as he follows what sounds like his mother’s voice, David finds himself transported to a mystical and fantastical

Receiving an outside perspective on the tragic recent events in his life, David clearly feels that the Woodsman is at least partially correct. As such, this is the first time in the novel where one can see David accepting his place in a family which now includes Georgie and Rose, thus showing the beginning of a shift in attitude towards accepting his current circumstances. Later, when the Woodsman tries to take him home, David protests, saying that he has yet to find his mother. The Woodsman responds in a blunt fashion, simply reminding David, “Your mother is dead. You told me so yourself”(95). David protests further, but to no avail. He once again acquiesces to the Woodsman, reluctantly acknowledging his statement to be true, and tries to go home. Again, one can see a rather straightforward interaction wherein David is not only confronted with the truth, that his mother is dead, but also with the realization that he himself knows she is dead. While David is far from giving up on saving his mother, his disillusionment begins to take root in moments like these with the