The Lovely Bones Grief Essay

Grief is a very complicated and intense emotion that destructively unravels in the lives of humans. Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones, created many relatable characters who all process and deal with grief and loss in a variety of ways. Throughout this novel, Sebold captures the unpredictability of grief and its ability to transform and shape people and their relationships for life. Grief is one of the things that humans still have no idea how to truly deal with it. Some find it easier to just wallow every day while others hide their emotions away from the chaos of sadness. Alongside the grieving of the Salmon family, we become captivated by the depth of their feelings and the enduring strength of love in the face of unspeakable death. In the novel, The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold explores

Jack Salmon, Susie's father, had experienced intense anger as well as feelings of helplessness caused by his inability to catch his daughter's killer and protect her. In the novel, Susie narrates; “...he ascended the steps to his den to jot things down in a small spiral notebook: ‘A drinker? Get him drunk. Maybe he’s a talker’” (Sebold 59). The feelings of "failing" his daughter and the ensuing anger built by loss and sadness had driven him to continue Susie's investigation on his own in the midst of his grief. Jack was determined to find justice for his daughter, seeking revenge and getting Mr. Harvey to experience pain as he has. Later on, this immense pain and anger turn into pure sadness. Susie describes, “He was about to smash the mirror over my dresser, rip the wallpaper down with his nails, but instead, he fell against my bed, sobbing, and balled the lavender sheets up in his hands” (Sebold 47). Humans, like Jack, let our emotions and grief consume us, having an impact on our lives and the relationships involved, though eventually with time, we learn to navigate our difficult emotions in healthy