Topics for Further Study
- Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D., introduced the five-stage grief model, which describes the phases a grieving individual experiences while healing. Research this model, identify and define the five stages, and then write an essay detailing how Jack Salmon, Abigail Salmon, and Susie Salmon in Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones navigate through each stage.
- Imagine if Susie had not been killed by Mr. Harvey. Considering her aspirations, interests, and goals, do you think Susie's life would have mirrored Abigail's or Lindsey's more closely? Would Susie have married Ray, or pursued a bohemian lifestyle in the city like Ruth? Write a short biography of Susie's life, including her family, exploring who she might have become if she had not been murdered at fourteen.
- Conduct historical research on the Women's Movement in the 1970s and discuss how Abigail Salmon, Lindsey Salmon, Ruth Connors, and Ruana Singh in Sebold's The Lovely Bones reflect elements of that movement. In other words, what aspects of the Women's Movement do each of these characters represent? Write an essay integrating your research to support your analysis.
- It is easy to interpret Sebold's The Lovely Bones as a coming-of-age story. Identify which characters undergo this transition and explain why. What rites of passage does the novel propose for growing up? Are these rites specific to the novel's time period? In an essay, compare the rites and rituals of adolescence depicted in The Lovely Bones with those of today's teenagers. Address any differences by considering relevant cultural, political, or social factors.
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