The Lovely Bones, which came out in 2009, is about the life and death of Susie Salmon, a teenager who is killed by her neighbor. From Susie’s point of view in the afterlife, the movie shows what happens after she dies and how her family deals with the tragedy and the investigation into her murder. Does it happen that The Lovely Bones is based on a true story? Or does it show some real events and facts?
The Lovely Bones is a 2009 supernatural drama film directed by Peter Jackson. The movie is based on Alice Sebold’s 2002 book of the same name. The story is about Susie Salmon, a 14-year-old girl who is raped and killed by her neighbor Richard. Harvey. From the afterlife, Susie sees how hard it is for her family to move on without her, and she wants justice as Mr. Harvey remains free.
While Susie Salmon and her story are fictional, The Lovely Bones has roots in some chilling true events. So who killed Susie Salmon in real life? Let’s take a deeper look.
The Tragic Murder of A 14-Year Old Girl in Norristown, Pennsylvania
Though Susie Salmon is not based on any singular real person, author Alice Sebold was inspired by the tragic murder of a 14-year-old girl that occurred in Norristown, Pennsylvania in the 1970s The details of this case have never been made public out of respect for the victim and her family. But it is known that this young girl was kidnapped from her home, brutally raped, and murdered
Sebold explained that when writing The Lovely Bones, she tried to imagine how this murdered girl would feel looking down on her grieving family if she was in an afterlife. So while the characters in The Lovely Bones are fictional this real-life Norristown murder case was a heavy inspiration.
Alice Sebold’s Own Traumatic Rape Experience
In addition to the Norristown murder, author Alice Sebold also drew from her own traumatic experience of being raped as an 18-year-old university student. In 1981, Sebold was attacked and sexually assaulted while walking home through a park near Syracuse University
Her rapist was able to escape, and she reported the assault to police. By chance months later, Sebold spotted her rapist on the street and was able to identify him to authorities. He was arrested and convicted of raping both Sebold and another young woman.
Sebold has been open about how this experience shaped Susie Salmon’s character and perspective in her afterlife in The Lovely Bones. Like Susie, Sebold found herself feeling disconnected from normal life after surviving a horrific trauma. She was able to weave in these feelings of disconnection and grief into Susie’s narrative.
The Fictional Characters in The Lovely Bones
While inspired by true crimes, all of the characters in The Lovely Bones are fictional:
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Susie Salmon – The 14-year-old protagonist who is raped and murdered at the beginning of the story. From her vantage point in the afterlife, she narrates the events following her death. Susie represents the young victims of brutal crimes.
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Mr. Harvey – Susie’s creepy neighbor who murders and assaults her. He represents the threat of violence lurking in seemingly safe suburban communities. In the film, he is portrayed by Stanley Tucci.
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Jack Salmon – Susie’s father who is devastated by his daughter’s murder and becomes obsessed with finding justice. Mark Wahlberg takes on this role in the movie.
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Abigail Salmon – Susie’s mother, played by Rachel Weisz, who tries desperately to hold her family together after losing her daughter.
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Lindsay, Ray, and Ruth – Susie’s best friends who must cope with losing her and carry on with their teenage lives.
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Detective Len Fenerman – The detective, played by Michael Imperioli, who leads the investigation into Susie’s murder.
So while echoes of true tragedy are woven into the story, The Lovely Bones remains a work of fiction. The crimes against Susie Salmon only happened in Sebold’s powerful imagination as she tried to process real horrors.
The Impact of True Tragedy on Fiction
While no real Susie Salmon was murdered, The Lovely Bones profoundly resonates with many readers and viewers because of how it is anchored in reality. It captures the grief and trauma of those who have lost loved ones to violence.
Sebold was able to channel real human pain into her writing through her personal experience and connection to a true unsolved crime. While the characters are made up, their emotions and struggles feel authentic.
This is the power of fiction based on reality. It can sometimes capture truths about human nature and suffering even more profoundly than nonfiction. The Lovely Bones continues to move audiences because of how it shines a light on the all too common tragedy of young lives cut short by violence. Though Susie Salmon only lived in one author’s imagination, her story gives voice to many real-life victims.
So while no singular crime inspired The Lovely Bones, its roots in Sebold’s tragic personal experience and a chilling real murder case give the story its power. Out of real pain, Sebold was able to craft a lyrical message about the need for justice and healing after traumatic loss.
Frequency of Entities:
Susie Salmon: 18
Mr. Harvey: 5
Jack Salmon: 3
Abigail Salmon: 2
Lindsay: 1
Ray: 1
Ruth: 1
Detective Len Fenerman: 1
Norristown: 2
Alice Sebold: 5
Pennsylvania: 1
Syracuse University: 1
Mark Wahlberg: 1
Rachel Weisz: 1
Stanley Tucci: 1
Michael Imperioli: 1
Is Susie Salmon a real person?
No, Susie Salmon is not a real person. She is the main character in The Lovely Bones, telling the story from beyond the grave as she sees how her murder affected her family, friends, and community. The sudden trauma makes her more mature as she sees the effects of the tragedy in her life. She is only 14 years old.
The Lovely Bones’s real events and facts explained
The movie takes place in a suburban area in the 1970s and looks at how people react to crime and tragedy, which gives it a realistic feel. Alice Sebold’s own life experiences served as an inspiration for The Lovely Bones. She was sexually assaulted very badly, and the movie shows how hard it is to deal with your feelings after something so terrible. By making Susie and giving her a unique view of the afterlife, Alice was able to look at the psychological effects of violence.
11-Year-Old’s Cold Case Murder Cracked
FAQ
What actually happened to Susie Salmon?
Is The Lovely Bones based off a real story?
What was in the safe in The Lovely Bones?
What are Mr. Harvey’s not still dreams about?
Who killed Susie Salmon in the Lovely Bones?
The Lovely Bones follows the story of a young girl, Susie Salmon ( Saoirse Ronan ), who is murdered. Susie is lured into her neighbor George’s ( Stanley Tucci) home, where he sexually assaults and kills her.
Is Susie Salmon based on a true story?
However, despite being a fiction novel with fictional elements like a deceased narrator, its roots are firmly planted in a real story of equally real rape. The American writer allegedly based the character of Susie Salmon on a teenage girl from Norristown, Pennsylvania.
Is Susie Salmon a real person?
No, Susie Salmon is not a real person. She’s the fictional protagonist of The Lovely Bones, narrating from her afterlife and watching the impact that her murder left on her family, friends, and community. She is only 14 years old, but due to the sudden trauma, she increasingly matures and observes the aftermath of her life’s tragedy.
Who plays Susie Salmon?
The film stars Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon, Mark Wahlberg as Jack Salmon, Stanley Tucci as George Harvey, Rachel Weisz as Abigail Salmon, Susan Sarandon as Susie’s Grandmother Lynn, and Rose McIver as Lindsey Salmon.