Human Qualities

Humans are naturally very complex characters, which challenges an author to successfully portray a recognizable human being to the reader. Emotion is a key element that brings fictional characters to life. The reader is able to identify with an author’s characters when he or she can relate to the emotions described in the novel. The author needs to develop multi-dimensional characters that experience the same triumphs and hardships as humans. Fictional characters need to be believable and demonstrate the same elements found in everyday life. Alice Sebold, author of The Lovely Bones, utilizes colorful language to describe the emotions that flow through each character in response to Susie’s death, particularly Abigail Salmon.

The Salmon family learns that in a second, your whole world can be turned upside down. Learning that one of your children has been abducted and will not be coming home again is a thought that is extremely hard to digest. Abigail represents parents in the world today, who cannot accept the horrible truth that one of their children is gone forever. Her reaction is in sharp contrasts from her husband, who eventually learns to accept that he will not be able to see his Susie grow up. Each morning Mr. Salmon felt, “the hand of God pressing down on him” but for the sake of his family, he concealed his grief and kept it suppressed underneath a mask. Abigail, however, could not handle the incessant pressure weighing down on her. She isolated herself from Lindsay and Buckley when they needed her the most. Mrs. Salmon had gone from a busy housewife who worried about what to make for dinner, to a stranger who could not bear the sight of her own children without being reminded of Susie. She no longer associated herself as a mother; in fact, she became a stranger to her own family and learned to “despise the word” (62) mama. While the rest of the Salmons pulled together to help ease their collective pain, Abigail sought an escape and took leave by moving out to California. Filled with anger, despair, and angst, she slowly isolated herself from her family. When news came of Mr. Salmon’s heart attack, the first thought that entered her mind when she saw her husband lying helplessly on the bed was, “…she didn’t know what she was supposed to do anymore. How long would she have to wait, what would have to happen, before she could leave again?” (275) Abigail was no longer connected to the world she used to know. Sebold continuously reinforces the fact on how Mrs. Salmon became an outsider and how awkward she felt around her family.

Similar stories to the Salmon family are seen each week on the news or in the newspapers. Tragedy ripping apart families has become an all too common occurrence, which provides believability to The Lovely Bones. We see the emotions and situations described in the novel and can unfortunately relate to the Salmon family with ease. Essentially, Abigail represents the human trait of running away when things get tough. Part of the essence of being a human being is having faults; however, the object of life is to be able to cover them up as well as possible. Abigail’s weakness is exposed and she cannot bare the pain associated with it, which not only hurts herself but also her family. (561)