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viraadelia99 · 5 years

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An Essay about "Lincoln in The Bardo" by George Saunders

Vira Adelia

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At first, I had trouble read this book. Don't know how to read "Lincoln in the Bardo" by George Saunders. I felt confused with the narrative. But, i enjoyed the story. This book make I kept curious. This book tells the story very emotional, until the impression that I had get after finished reading this book and then pay attention to the back the cover. From his writing style, George Saunders described the background of the third viewpoint and omniscient prespective. Like being felt the emotion, the thought through every word by word in this novel. Perhaps the way it will help us to can feeling what the character feels.

Lincoln in the Bardo that the storyline has the uniqueness of its own. It took the focus that high to read this book. Sometimes forward sometimes down. Maybe this is one of the cause why some readers feel less comfortable and difficult to understand the viewpoint of the story that are served of the chapter beginning to end including me confusion at the first time reading. Because the background when was a Civil War happened. Thus, all chapters in this book using letters Roman.

The story begins opening dialogues from hans vollman and roger bevins.

"On our wedding day I was forty-six, she was eighteen."

Hans Vollman explains during in his life he worked at printing office, explains he died immediately because of hit by falling beam in his office.

Another scene appeared with the background of Civil War that was still fierce, the Lincoln family; Mr. Lincoln, Mrs. Lincoln, young Willie and his brother, Tad was dinner in winter. When ahead of the night and the weather became cold, their son, young Willie laid sick. He drew every breath with difficulty. The Lincoln's family experienced a tragedy in their life with the death of one of the family members that they were very love including Mr. Lincoln who felt deep sadness. Willie Lincoln, who was still aged 11 years old died of typhoid fever.

"The fever, which had been diagnosed as a cold, developed into typhoid." -leech, op.cit- (page 283)

The irony of Willie Lincoln, he get fever after the start of the civil war just in few hours.

"The saddest eyes of any human being that I have ever seen." (page 197)

Then, Willie was buried in the Georgetown. Afterward, President Lincoln came to the location of the funeral to hug and rock his son. He can't believe his son died. It seems clear from his eyes were sad. His love and grief so great to drown awareness him. While the spirit Willie can't go to the next phase. Therefore, Willie tries to struggles to stay for his father.

In the Bardo, Willie met three spirits, they are Roger bevins, Hans vollman , and Reverent everly thomas, are three spirits oldest.

The Bardo symbolize a life transition between phase of death and headed into afterlife.

There are finally decided to encourage Willie to immediately go along with an angel into the afterlife, as they know that the Bardo is a dangerous place. Three spirits won't Willie stuck in the Bardo like Elise Traynor, a young woman who was stayed in the Bardo too long and became trapped there forever.

"We wished the lad to go, and thereby save himself. His father wished him to be "in some bright place, free of suffering, resplendent in a new mode of being." -hans vollman- (page 161)

Mr. Lincoln is wish for the best for his son, Willie. He won't Willie feels the pain and the grieve.

"Mary Lincoln's mental health had never been good, and the loss of young Willie ended her life as a functional wife and mother." -Jayne Coster- (page 181)

The health of Mary Lincoln worsen after the incident Willie died. Also the condition of the willie's mother, Mary Lincoln, so bad after her son died. She felt the loss of young Willie ended her life as a mother.

"Tried to "see" his boy's face." -roger bevins iii-

"Couldn't." -hans vollman-

"Tried to "hear" the boy's laugh." -roger bevins iii-

"Couldn't." -hans vollman- chapter XLVI, (page 149)

This part really emotionally draining, I can feel the emotion of the loss, when u missed someone you loved. The father-son relationship actually real. The grief father that makes the spirits there be realized right, how a family they had left them and never visited back show love and affection they like when they are still alive. Most of them do not even aware if they're already dead. They think they were a merely sick. For those of life as continues as usual, the fact that makes them becoming increasingly stuck in the Bardo. The presence of the Willie's soul still pure, took them into a new understanding and considering memories of a long time.

The story are located in White House and Oak Hill Cemetery in Georgetown. The White House where the president Lincoln and his wife, his family lived with staff and servants. Georgetown is the place where Willie buried.

So many characters in this book. They are who living and who dead. The figures who was still alive of course there are Mr. Lincoln, and his wife, Mrs. Lincoln. Also the people around President Lincoln like officials, staffs, servants and friend that their impression written in the book as part of the witnesses at the period of this story took place. The others character are already dead there are three spirits, Roger Bevins, Hans Vollman, and Reverend Everly Thomas. Three spirits oldest it was the most appeared the narrative in the book.

"Go on, Mr. Bevins said gently. It is for the best." -hans vollman- "Off you go, Mr. Vollman said. Nothing left for you here." -roger bevins iii-

"Goodbye then, the lad said. Nothing scary about it, Mr. Bevins said. Perfectly natural." -hans vollman-

"Then it happened." -roger bevins iii-

"An extraordinary occurrence." -hans vollman-

"Unprecedented, really." -the reverend every thomas-

"The boy's gaze moved past us." -hans vollman- "He seemed to catch sight of something beyond." -roger bevins iii-

"His face lit up with joy." -hans vollman-

"Father, he said." -The reverend everly thomas.- (Page 41-42)

In this part, Willie actually is ready to go left the Bardo. Three spirits there's been pushed him to go. But Willie suddenly changed his mind when Willie seen his father came to his funeral for the first time.

"He looked down upon the lad's form in the sick-box." -hans vollman-

The sick-box symbolize hopes in vain. The characters stay in the Bardo until they accept their death and must passed through into afterlife.

"And touched the face and hair fondly." -hans vollman-

"As no doubt he had many times done when the boy was" -roger bevins iii-

"Less sick." -hans vollman-

"A gasp of recognition, as if to say: Here he is again, my child, just as he was. I have found him again, he who was so dear to me." -the reverend everly thomas-

"Who was still so dear." -hans vollman- "Yes." -roger bevins iii-

"The lost having been quite recent." -the reverend everly thomas- (Page 46-47)

This part, President Lincoln rock Willie, pushed his hair full of love, his face full of grief until the spirit was felt choked the feeling that had been long lost in themselves.

"Willie Lincoln was the most lovable boy I ever know, bright, sensible, sweet-tempered and gentle-mannered." -In "Tad Lincoln's Father" by Julia Taft Rayne- (page 51)

Willie is a good boy during his life. He is friendly to everyone that he knows. No wonder his soul so pure and his death into a tragedy.

"Mouth at the worm's ear, Father said: We have loved each other well, dear Willie, but now, for reasons we cannot understand, that bond has been broken. But out bond can never be broken. As long as I live, you will always be with me, child.

Then let out a sob

Dear Father crying. That was hard to see. And no matter how I patted & kissed & made to concole, it did no.

You were a joy, he said. Please know that. Know that you were a joy. To us. Every minute, every season, you were a - you did a good job. A good job of being pleasure to know."

-Willie Lincoln- Chapter XXI, Page 61

In this book sometimes Willie that brought his own narrative. This part is also feel very touching my emotions. Every words worthy like a poetry. How Willie felt love from his father are so great, heard were whispers his father in his funeral. Describes his father was very deep sadness about Willie.

This novel not only focused on Willie tragedy but also themes of family love, father-son relationship, humility, human being, sympathetic, the living and the death, and serious themes of the grief and the loss.

Thank you for reading this. I'd be glad if you give me criticism.

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