The Lovely Bones Lesson Plan

What emotional experiences are behind Jack's heart attack? Why is this a significant event in the novel?

There are several things that students should be able to point to that "cause" Jack's heart attack. Buckley's argument with his father about the use of Susie's clothes and Jack's behavior since her death is the most direct "cause" of his heart attack. However, the emotional need goes deeper. Jack's heart can't take it when others around him are moving on with their lives while he cannot. His grief is still so all-encompassing that even something as small as Buckley using Susie's old clothes has tremendous emotional impact. Right before his heart attack, Jack hears...