KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS

SETTING

The novel, The Lovely Bones, is set mainly in a small town near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1973 to 1981. There are also minor settings in New Hampshire and California.

CHARACTER LIST

MAJOR CHARACTERS

Susie Salmon

She is the main character and narrator of the novel, the young girl who has been raped and murdered. She tells us everything she sees happen to her family for eight years after her death.

George Harvey

This is the man who murdered Susie. The reader sees through SusieÂ’s eyes all the events in his life, including the murders he committed and the childhood that molded him into a murderer.

Jack Salmon

He is SusieÂ’s father; his undying love and devotion for her is examined by Susie and the reader in detail.

Abigail Salmon

She is SusieÂ’s mother, who cannot face SusieÂ’s death and yearns for a different life than the one she was dealt.

Lindsey Salmon

She is SusieÂ’s sister, who faces SusieÂ’s death with a silent, but stalwart wall of grief. Susie follows her life more closely than the other members of her family.

Buckley Salmon

He is SusieÂ’s little brother, who after her death, sees her and talks to her.

Ray Singh

He is the boy who gives Susie her first kiss before she dies and after she dies, makes love to her through the miracle of Ruth ConnorsÂ’ body.

Ruth Connors

She is the girl in SusieÂ’s class who becomes obsessed with seeing her and knowing her after her death and who looks to help girls and women who were murdered or who might be murdered.

Len Fenerman

He is the detective who investigates SusieÂ’s death. He falls in love with her mother, because he needs someone to help him come to terms with the suicide of his wife and all the deaths that remain unsolved.

Ruana Singh

She is RayÂ’s mother, who has been all but abandoned by her ambitious husband. She, too, must come to terms with living her life alone. Hers is a kind of grieving process as well.

Samuel Heckler

LindseyÂ’s boyfriend and future husband, he helps her by filling the void left by SusieÂ’s death and the loss of her mother.

MINOR CHARACTERS

Grandma Lynn

She is SusieÂ’s grandmother, her motherÂ’s mother, who provides support for the family after Abigail leaves.

Hal Heckler

He is SamuelÂ’s brother and runs a motorcycle shop where Susie will make love to Ray Singh. He also provides support for the family and uses a bikerÂ’s network to help track down George Harvey.

Nate

He is BuckleyÂ’s friend. He canÂ’t see Susie even though Buckley can.

Clarissa

She is SusieÂ’s friend whom Jack attacks in the cornfield, believing sheÂ’s George Harvey.

Brian Wilson

He is the young man of questionable morals who beats up Jack Salmon for attacking Clarissa in the cornfield.

Mr. Botte

He is SusieÂ’s science teacher. His own daughter dies of leukemia and this encourages him to also never forget Susie.

Holly

She is SusieÂ’s roommate in Heaven. She plays the saxophone at Eventide.

Mrs. Utemeyer

She plays the violin at Eventide and was an old lady on Earth who saw her own daughter, Natalie, in LindseyÂ’s blonde hair. She is the first dead body Lindsey and Susie ever see.

Franny

She is Susie’s “Intake Counselor.” Her job is to help Susie’s soul find release from Earth.

Holiday

He is SusieÂ’s dog who finally meets up with her in her Heaven.

HarveyÂ’s Victims - They are the various girls and women whom Susie sees both in Heaven and on Earth. Ruth often sees them as well.

Mr. OÂ’Dwyer

He is the neighbor who sings Irish ballads both at the first anniversary remembrance for Susie and in her memories of summer nights when she was still alive.

The Fergusons

They are the couple who charge fees for dumping large items into the sinkhole. Mrs. Ferguson accepts the safe that holds SusieÂ’s body for a fee of $20.