Discussion Topic
Description of Susie's Heaven in The Lovely Bones
Summary:
Susie's Heaven in The Lovely Bones is a personalized world that reflects her desires and comforts. It is a serene place where she can watch over her family and friends on Earth, and it evolves to include elements that bring her peace and joy, such as her school, friends, and favorite memories.
How is Susie's heaven described in the first two chapters of The Lovely Bones?
Susie Salmon's heaven is an amalgamation of her own dreams and wishes as told by Alice Sebold . It is in no way the "traditional" image of heaven (with angels, pearly gates, and clouds). Susie's heaven is very personal and specific to the charcter. We learn this gradually, as Susie herself at first thinks heaven looks the same for everyone when, in fact, she learns after a while that everyone's heaven is different (because each person has different dreams, desires, and wishes). Very simply, Susie's heaven contains her family, her boyfriend, the detective assigned to investigate Susie's murder, and her "intake counselor" named Franny. Furthermore, Susie's heaven is forever expanding as she explores it deeper, meets more people, and has more heavenly experiences. For example, Susie meets Holly, her roommate, on the third day. Susie still wishes she could grow up in the real world, but (thanks to Franny) she become content...
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to watch what happens on earth from above.
What is the description of Susie's heaven in The Lovely Bones?
The answer to this question can be found in Chapter Two of this great novel. This, of course, occurs directly after the brutal murder of Susie by Mr. Harvey in his structure that he had built in the field. Let us consider how Susie's heaven is constructed:
When I first entered heaven I thought everyone saw what I saw. That in everyone's heaven there were soccer goalposts in the distance and lumbering women throwing shot put and javelin. That all the buildings were like suburban northeast high schools built in the 1960s. Large, squat buildings spread out on dismally landscaped sandy lots, with overhangs and open spaces to make them feel modern. My favourite part was how the coloured blocks were turquoise and orange, just like the blocks in Fairfax High.
Soon, Susie begins to realise as she spends more time in "her" heaven that actually you make your own "version" of heaven which reflects your own understanding of life and the world. The javelin throwers and shot putters are actually in their own heaven too, just like Suzie. Their "version" found a "fit" with Susie's heaven, and thus they were there too. Thus Susie's heaven features her own school buildings and even things such as the coloured blocks which are a direct copy of her own school.