Summary
Susie describes her surroundings in heaven, explaining how the setting echoes the colours and shapes of the school she would have started the year after she was murdered. We learn that each person’s heaven is specific to their own desires; Susie rooms in heaven with a girl called Holly and they share an intake counsellor called Franny. Susie realises that she cannot have the thing that she desires the most; the ability to grow up. Jack receives a phone call informing him that his daughter’s elbow has been found. Ray becomes the first suspect of the murder as a love letter he wrote was found attached to some of Susie’s notes. Nine days after Susie’s murder, Len Fenerman found her hat that was used to gag her. Lindsey is introduced fully in this chapter and is characterised as calm and closed off; she is unreceptive to the principal’s attempt to comfort her.
Distinct worlds (AO1, AO2, AO3)
Sebold creates metaphorical and literal worlds in which the characters operate; from chapter 2, we have heaven and earth. These worlds are linked through human identity and relationships. Sebold suggests that there is a thread connecting the realms; the thread being through the people that exist in each. Susie explains that heaven is a projection of our desires on earth; the dead are denied the possibility of growing up on earth but they are granted the ability to design their heavens to reflect the material possessions they most wanted in earth. Susie’s heaven is cruelly ironic as she is constantly taunted by what she can’t have. Franny takes on a motherly role but she is no replacement for Abigail.
Semantics - the Sapir - Whorf hypothesis (AO2)
The Sapir-whorf hypothesis is a linguistic theory developed by Benjamin Whorf and Edward Sapir. It suggests that there is a direct link between the words and language an individual uses and the way they interpret and perceive the world around them. It is difficult for us to interpret events around us in any other ways than the words we use will allow. The hypothesis attempts to address the relationship between language and thought.
Linguistic relativity (AO1, AO2)
Linguistic relativity suggests that language has the ability to influence the way we perceive and interpret the world; the language we grow up with and continue to se during our lives as a framework which forms our ideas. E.g. if a language lacks words which indicate time it will be much more difficult for native speakers of that language to understand ideas which strongly relate to specific times. Speakers will be limited in their ideas if their language has lots of words that embody negative ideas about women or minorities. In chapter 2, Mr Caden uses euphemistic language when he tells Lindsey he is ‘sorry to hear of her loss’. Euphemisms are often used in English to avoid using the stark and perceivable brutal word ‘death’.
Euphemism (AO1, AO2)
This method fails in conversation with Lindsey as she deliberately interprets Mr Caden’s word literally as she is aware of the meaning of ‘loss’ in this pragmatic context and attempts to force Mr Caden to use the literal words of the situation. This relates to Susie’s sense of grief and her single-minded determination to directly acknowledge her recent bereavement.
Linguistic determinism (AO2)
Lindsey’s push for a literal addressing of her sister’s death reflects on her perspective on the situation as it is. Her acknowledgement and acceptance of Susie’s death that allows her to carry on with her life. Linguistic determinism suggests that the way we use language not only has a strong impact on how we perceive the world but determines it completely. Lindsey comes to terms with Susie’s death most quickly in the Salmon family which could come from her refusal to dismiss it in euphemistic terms. Abigail clings on to the idea that her daughter is still alive by maintaining the idea that ‘nothing is ever certain’ which was initially offered by Len Fenerman but this could be seen as negative behaviour which could limit the closure they are able to get.
Characterisation and narrative structure (AO1, AO2) : the importance of items
Chapter 2 mentions several specific items which have importance to the narrative; this establishses the basis for this to happen further on in the novel. This chapter also mentions items which forge a link between Susie’s former, everyday existence and the crime which ended her life. Susie’s book and unmarked othello essay being returned to her family represents the fact that although she was moving on in school she is now frozen at that moment in time forever. Susie’s books and notes become commemorative as they are no longer simply the things she used in life; Lindsey keeps the othello essay amongst her own things. The discovery of Susie’s hat with ‘saliva’ on shows that it has been used as a gag which is a demonstration of the love on Abigail’s part into a clue in a criminal case. The love note from Ray links him to Susie; Ray’s relationship with Susie is also one of the moments in time which get interrupted by her death.
What does Susie’s heaven look like?
Susie’s heaven is made up of things that she desired in her life on earth that she was unable to have. Her heaven reflects the colours of Fairfax high which is the high school that Susie was meant to attend the year after she died and she was excited to attend.
Why is Franny Susie and Holly’s intake counsellor?
Franny helps Susie and Holly when they are new to heaven and reveals information about heaven to them as and when they think she thinks they are ready for it to help guide them through and make it easier for them, she acts as a motherly role to them.
