I Ll Give You The Sun Literary Analysis

“A broken heart is an open heart” (Nelson ___). This quote very simply defines the theme of the book, I’ll Give You the Sun written by Jandy Nelson. The novel is written from two very different perspectives, the sides told by a set of twin, Jude, and Noah. The novel takes place roughly over the course of three and a half lovely and dreadful years at the Sweetwine resident. Noah speaks about their early teen years, but mostly about his epic yet secret love affair with Brian. Then years later we hear Jude’s perspective; we hear about their challenges with love, the English boy, ghosts, and sculpture. Tragically between the two paradigms, their beloved mother dies ripping the Sweetwine family in half. Throughout the course of the novel, I found

Brian did truly love Noah to the best of his ability. This is first explained with Brain’s secret language with Noah. Without even saying the words he told Noah he loved him: “ ‘ I love you,‘ I say to him, but it only comes out, ‘ Hey ‘ “ says Noah (Nelson _____). Brian causally replies to Noah but Noah preserves it as an “I love you”. Their moment shared at the movies was another moment that showed Brian’s true feelings for Noah. At the movies, Brian followed his heart as he let his knee slip closer and closer to Noah’s. Then as soon as their knees touched it was electric, like a lighting bolt had lit them both up on the inside ☺. Brian did not stop at the slight knee press that seemed to make their hearts explode. Brian carefully and quietly deployed his hand under the armrest. Soon Noah followed suit and the couple started holding hands. According to the novel, it felt as if fireworks were going off in that movie theater. Although Brian’s love for Noah may seem nonexistent with clarification his guised love was exposed.

I greatly enjoyed reading the novel I’ll Give You the Sun, and would consider it one of my favorites. I was fond of how relatable Jude was; I enjoyed the way Jude’s action in the closet made me think as a reader, and the way Brian’s feelings were in need of clarifying made the novel interesting. The theme “A broken heart is an open heart” (Nelson ___), remained on every page bringing the reader always wanting more, to see if any hearts were ever mended.