The Lovely Bones

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. According to the novel, after great trauma comes the deconstruction of a person followed by reconstruction.

• Which character in the novel best represents this notion of deconstruction followed by reconstruction? (topic sentence)
• Describe at least three details or situations with this character that depict their deconstruction/reconstruction process.
• In your concluding statement, explain whether you agree with the novel’s depiction of deconstruction and reconstruction after a traumatic event and summarize why you feel this way.

2. Harvey manages to avoid capture throughout the novel.

• What three personality traits best help Harvey to elude the police? (topic sentence)
• Describe the ways in which each trait serves to help Harvey avoid capture by referencing plot points or details from the text.
• In your concluding sentences, summarize how these traits work in combination to help Harvey escape the police’s notice for so long.  

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. How does the novel depict parenthood? Describe Susie’s parents and Ray’s parents by explaining how each parent approaches parenthood and grief differently. Then explain whether you think the parents in the novel are “good” parents. Some specific points you may want to think about include these questions: How are Jack and Abigail different in the way they approach parenthood? What clues does Lynn provide as to why Abigail decided to leave her family? What is the relationship between Ray and his parents compared to that of Susie and hers?  

2. Susie Salmon narrates the novel in first-person point of view from heaven, even addressing the reader at some points. Although this choice of narration shares many qualities with the third-person omniscient, Susie is a character in her own right. Why does Sebold choose to narrate the story this way, and what does it add to our understanding of the story? How is Susie’s own perspective unique to the story as compared to a third-person omniscient perspective? What elements of the novel would have been lacking had Susie been absent from the novel? What form of justice does Susie’s perspective serve?

3. Compare and contrast the novel’s treatment of adult relationships with those of Susie’s peers. Why does Sebold portray Lindsey and Samuel’s relationship in an idealized fashion? How might the differences in the age of the characters contribute to the characters’ actions? What cultural differences could have contributed to the friction in the adult relationship as compared to that of the next generation?