Bryan Moreno

Lovely Bones prompts

1. Why are happy endings wanted? Did Lovely Bones have a happy ending? 3 words that
describe the ending.
We look at books to escape reality or experience another story, at least I do. We have always
grown up to believe that all stories have happy endings. Fairy tales and hero stories, blind us
from reality. As humans we always expect fairness in everything. It was unfair for Susies family
and much more Susie to suffer all that they endured. The Lovely Bones in reality, had a happy
ending, but in our terms of happy endings it didnt have a happy ending. In my view its a
satisfactory ending. Three words that describe it are Reality, morbid, and unfortunate.
2. List 5 examples of time being listed in the book. Whats easier to use a more exact date
like April, 11 1975 or a broad one like 7 years later?
The 5 dates/time examples:
1. The following morning.
2. 2 days later of December 12th.
3. December 6 1973
4. At 21 Lindsey was many things
5. Years passed as trees in the yard grew taller.
To me keeping track of a specific date is more difficult to visualize and follow. The time depicted
really depend on the situation like my birthday is March 9th, 1996 and I need that information
when Im filling out paperwork that needs my personal information. On the other hand when Im
asked what age I am by a new friend, I just say Im 19 years old and they dont worry about the
specific date I was born.
3. List three shelters and three homes and compare and contrast. Which is more prominent?
Shelter 1: The Gazebo
deathtrap

Shelter 2: Harveys shack/shelter

Home 1: Salmon house

Home 2: Harvey house

Shelter 3: Underground

Home 3: Heaven

The difference between homes and shelters is that all homes seem permanent compared to
shelters which are temporary. Homes are more prominent. A good example of this is that
Harveys home, even though he fled from it still holds traces of him and this includes the blade
which he used to kill Susie with, the bones that he hid, and blood stains from Susies death.
Compared to the underground deathtrap, it disappeared and was untraceable.

Human Experience in Book

1. Which character has the greatest evolution as a human being?
Definitely Lindsey because of her reaction to Susies death. It was hard on her but, she grieved in
silence and moved on with her life. She didnt go by lifes standards and follow along everyones
side of just losing your mind. She was the most mature one of her family. She kept living her life
making it as full as possible.
2. Which character is worst human evolution as a human being?
Abigail wasnt just the worst, she went completely backwards, I would argue that she devolved
as a human being. She want from having a family to committing adultery with the detective of
their case and leaving the family for seven years. She didnt help her family or even herself. She
didnt live a human experience because she was just surviving not living.
3. Relate novel to human experience.
Lindsey was a great example of the human experience. So many different colorful characters that
were interlaced with Susies death. The detective was trying to help the family, when he really
just contributed to their separation. If Susie had moved from her temporary heaven into real
heaven maybe things would have gone differently. Even though she didnt let go of Earth she
saw as her friends and family lived on. Even though it seemed like Abigail didnt live, she did in
her own sense. She did what she wanted and realized that it wasnt what she wanted. Ray never
really moved on from Susie, but he lived on into college. Its radical how much collateral
damage a death can have on a family.