As a consequence of her self-critical thoughts, Nora overdoses and is surprised to find herself in the library, where the time on her watch is stuck at midnight. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Endless stacks of books tower over Nora as she walks up-and-down the isles of The Midnight Library. Im a voracious reader. We dont know how she will spend it or who she will spend it with. This brainy, captivating pleasure read feels like what you might get if TVsTheGood Placecollided withWhered You Go, Bernadette. People, Clever, emotional and thought-inspiring. Jenny Colgan, author ofThe Bookshop on the Corner, Amazing and utterly beautiful,The Midnight Libraryis everything youd expect from the genius storyteller who is Matt Haig. Joanna Cannon, author ofThe Trouble with Goats and Sheep, Noras life is burdened by regrets. She is a woman in her thirties, who leads a life she finds lonely and disappointing. Work hard at it. On a beautiful page titledExpectation, Nora imagines What it would be like to accept herself completely, every mistake she had made every dream she hadn't reached. You dont need to be famous or rich or medal winning to lead a spectacular life. Haigs novel suggests that the purpose of life is to live. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. The novel opens with her playing chess with Nora and talking about the possibilities of life. She explains how dissatisfied she is to the world in one final Facebook post before attempting suicide. As you might expect, shes terrified properly beside herself with fear but this moment is also the first moment where she realises that she doesnt want to die, that life might be worth living after all. She realizes, too, that she can always make new and better choices going forward. A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author ofReasons to Stay AliveandHow To Stop Time. These figures appear as both brief references and conspicuous plot points: her cat is named Voltaire; she contemplates Bertrand Russells perspective on life and his many infidelities; and in one life, a favorite line from Thoreau is tattooed on her forearm. WebThe Midnight Library is told from a third-person limited point of view. WebThe Midnight Library by Matt Haig. These relationship changes are often the best indicator of a given lifes suitabilityin lives where she is still close to Joe and Izzy, in particular, she feels a sense of relief that a universal wrong has been righted. I have no other type of thinking available., And that sadness is intrinsically part of the fabric of happiness. Endorse it. In this storyline, she owns a pub with her husband Dan. What is the main theme of The Midnight Library? This would not have been a problem had there been more to the main character. I found the title of The Midnight Library to be particularly intriguing. We just have to close our eyes and savour the taste of the drink in front of us and listen to the song as it plays. After her overdose, the novel follows her imaginative journey through the various lives she didn't lead. Long after Nora has graduated and forgotten about those after-school chess sessions, she finds herself utterly disappointed with all aspects of her life. The Last Family in England: First Few Pages, The Last Family in England: Deleted Chapters, The Last Family in England: Deleted Chapters 1, The Last Family in England: Deleted Chapters 2, The Last Family in England: Deleted Chapters 3, The Last family in England: Deleted Pages 4, The Last Family in England: Deleted Pages 5, The Last Family in England: Authors Commentary, The Possession of Mr Cave: First Few Pages. The library functions as a symbol of Nora's parallel lives. This line indicates that Nora is beginning to learn that marrying Dan would have been a huge mistake and that some of the things she regrets not doing would have turned out poorly. Finally, there are plenty of allusions in this novel. They were in a band together and their relationship was fractured when Nora decided to not pursue a record deal or tour with the band. Start your 48-hour free trial to get access to more than 30,000 additional guides and more than 350,000 Homework Help questions answered by our experts. This means that by the time you reach the middle of the story, the plot starts getting repetitive, and the development of the character stalls. It can also be a character, or an act. Love it. He asks her on a date once and she wonders if there might be something between them romantically. Then she stumbles on a library with books that enable her to test out the lives she could have led, including as aglaciologist, Olympic swimmer, rock star, and more. That was how she had felt most of her life. PartSliding Doors,part-philosophical quest, this is a moving novel with a powerful mental health message at its heart. Alice OKeeffe,The Bookseller, Haigs latest (after the nonfiction collectionNotes on a Nervous Planet, 2019) is a stunning contemporary story that explores the choices that make up a life, and the regrets that can stifle it. Easy to wish we'd worked harder, loved better, handled our finances more astutely, been more popular, stayed in the band, gone to Australia, said yes to the coffee or done more bloody yoga. And yet the moment you make a move on that board, things change. Maybe that's what all lives were though. "And within that library, the shelves go on for ever. When Nora tries to kill herself, she ends up in a library with Mrs. Elm, the school librarian she knew in her childhood. We dont know if she will live another five years or five minutes. From as far back as she could remember, she'd had the sense that she wasn't enough. 1,304,772 ratings, 4.02 average rating, 141,977 reviews. We dont know how Nora will spend her life. Would any of these other lives truly be better? More books than SparkNotes. . But there is no life where you can be in a state of sheer happiness for ever. Though this immediate danger quickly passesNora survives the encounter with the polar bear and is complimented for her bravery by the other members of the expeditionthis is an important moment in the book as it shows her definitively deciding she wants to keep living. It is to wake up every morning and do what makes you happy, whether that happiness is found in the most extravagant or modest lifestyles. A pawn is a queen-in-waiting. Error rating book. Learn how your comment data is processed. Though Noras perspective shifts incrementally with each new life she enters, this experience particularly contributes significantly to her reframing of what it means to lead a good life. Word Count: 924. Nora had always had a problem accepting herself. These, and additional, sad occurrences leave Nora feeling unneeded in the world. In response, the wise Mrs Elm relentlessly reminds Nora of "the big importance of the small things, as Nora discovers that her actions in the root life that she tried to end, such as picking up prescriptions for an elderly neighbour, Mr Banerjee, really mattered. It is like stage fright only worse, for Nora can never really get off the stage of her own life. Instead she finds herself wandering an enormous library, where the books without titles enable her to rewrite her own life story by undoing the decisions that have haunted her as regrets. Haig bases The Midnight Library around one central theme and a common human curiosity: what is the purpose of life? Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Whether its through a fictional characters narrative or summaries of his personal experiences, Haig encourages readers to let go of their past and make the most of their present, and The Midnight Library is no exception to this trend. There arent those difficult chapters at the beginning where you have to get to know the characters, you never say it took me a while to get into but youre just THERE, in the story from page one. Why does Nora return to her old life at the end of the novel? "Between life and death there is a library," she said. Aim to be the truest version of you. This is a moment late in the book in which Mrs. Elm informs Nora that the library will cease to exist if she dies. Moments later, Nora wakes up in a personalized limbo replicating the library that once comforted her on her worst days, and with Mrs. Elm now appearing as her spirit guide. When there is a severe disruption in that power source the library is in jeopardy. Endorse it. B) It foreshadows Noras tragic death. That idea of a root life is one of the central metaphors of the story. Look at that chessboard we put back in place, said Mrs Elm softly. Maybe that was the only meaning that mattered. This is a must-read for those of us given to endlesswhat ifs. BookRiot, Haig is one of the most inspirational popular writers on mental health of our age and, in his latest novel, he has taken a clever, engaging concept and created a heart-warming story that offers wisdom in the same deceptively simple way as Mitch Alboms best tales. Independent (UK), Just beautiful . A connection between herself and the world. Where the Mind Is Without Fear (Gitanjali 35), The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child. However, on meeting Nora a complex but deeply likeable character I had faith that the book would be a compassionate illustration of an often stigmatised experience. A few chapters later, Noras cat dies, she loses her job, her This is the best life.". She fights for her life and succeeds in throwing up the pills she took earlier that night. In her present life, she wonders what might have happened if she had gone through with her engagement to Dan. "This is the best life," she told herself, a little desperately now. This moment occurs late in the novel, after Nora has spent a great deal of time in her supposed "best" life. This ability, she discovers, is double-edged: in one alternate life, she doesnt let anxiety undermine a record deal before she, her brother, and their friend Ravi sign with a major label. "The Midnight Library Essay Questions". The main themes in The Midnight Library are choice and regret, philosophy and the meaning of life, and relationships and forgiveness. You are the power source. Its no coincidence that this strong emotion triggers such a powerful feeling in her, but Im just not sure Ive given this enough thought lately. Going to go away and think about that. eNotes Editorial, 19 Feb. 2022, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-literary-devices-are-used-in-the-midnight-3023590. Cloud State University M.A. In feeling so overcome with terror, she also realizes that she wants to continue living. Symbolism is the practice of employing symbols. WebThe library is a symbol of possibilities and choices. Eventually, Nora finally slips into a life shed like to stay in. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance In one life, she is a rock-star. Completely agree, feeling all of the feels is being alive even when the tears flow. To be the world, witnessing itself. He is depicted as pushing her to work hard and pressuring her to try to compete in the Olympics. The experiment offers evidence suggesting that an unseen cat might, by the laws of physics, be understood to be both dead and alive at the same time. She takes a bottle, hoping to die, but wakes up at midnight in a massive library. It isnt long, however, until disappointment slowly creeps back into Noras heart and transports her, unwillingly, back to The Midnight Library. He is described as being somewhat aloof and cold as a result of his continual journey through parallel timelines. It is easy to mourn the lives we aren't living. Yet, it also means enduring the most painful and heartbreaking moments of life. The Midnight Library explores the complex psychological dynamics of choice and regret. In this way, the novel highlights how her life always had a hidden potential for change. How does LIFE make you feel? Symbolism is especially heavy in this story. online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. You might not be uplifted by Nora Seed, but the book deals with some dark themes in a quirky and sensitive manner, and for that, I would suggest you keep it in your reading list, albeit closer to the bottom than the top. After being able to see many different iterations of her life, and the impact her choices can have, she realizes there is still so much she can do to make her life better. The second is the date of Embrace that you-ness. What are the main themes in The Midnight Library? In another she is a swimmer and Olympic gold medalist. This is the best life for me. Log in here. Already a member? It makes for a great philosophical read about the regrets we have in life. In The Midnight Library, thirty-five-year-old Nora finds out from a handsome young surgeon, Ash, that her beloved cat has been killed. Nora has a crush on him and in her alternative life as a rockstar, she dates and breaks up with him. However, I foundthe depiction of antidepressants reductive: when Nora enters one of her favourite potential lives, she views the absence of antidepressants in the bathroom drawer as evidence of a happy life. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. You are giving up at the worst possible moment. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Matt Haigs thought-provoking, uplifting new book,The Midnight Librarydiscusses just that, exploring our relationship with regret and what really makes a perfect life. Harpers Bazaar (UK), British author Matt Haig is beloved in his home country, and hes a champion of mental health, which makes him a great person to follow on Twitter. B.A. Melendez, John. In these depictions, the image of a chessboard is used to illustrate the idea that life is full of variable outcomes. Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. He tells us what life isnt through Noras journey, who demonstrates that life isnt meant to be lived to please others, nor is it meant to be spent alone, completing mindless tasks you lack passion for, or beating yourself up over past decisions you wish you could change. Overall Rating: 3/5 Reviewed by: Haris Arman Thong ReadNUS Team Member What is the atmosphere in the short story "Private Tuition by Mr Bose" by Anita Desai? Throughout the novel, readers cant help but question their past decisions, both major and minor, along with Nora. Plain and simple. In fact, in her life as a rock star and her life as a competitive swimmer, she has severe mental health struggles and some fractured personal relationships. In this way, Noras understanding of choice becomes somewhat more nuanced. This moment occurs at the end of Nora's first adventure in a parallel life. She is portrayed as a thoughtful and sympathetic person, often thinking about the emotions of the people around her. Of course, they come in different degrees and quantities. They itch for ever., It was interesting, she mused to herself, how life sometimes simply gave you a whole new perspective by waiting around long enough for you to see it., She realised that you could be as honest as possible in life, but people only see the truth if it is close enough to their reality., Maybe that's what all lives were, though. Melendez, John. Consequently, the reader is able to focus all their attention on Nora and her sorrows. The narrator knows all the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist, Nora, but not of any of the other characters. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Through the terrifying encounter with the polar bear, Noras survival instinct is triggered, and she has a very clear and concrete thought that has previously eluded her: I dont want to die. Although Nora may never fully grasp the meaning of life, she does come to appreciate its value. Hugo references Schrdingers Cat, a well-known thought experiment that exists at the intersection of physics and philosophy. She is despondently lonely and thinks that she no longer has a purpose. After a particularly bad day, she decides that she no longer wants to keep living. The library is a symbol of possibilities and choices. Nora likens herself to a black hole because her life is imploding daily; when the novel opens, the omniscient narrator mentions that Nora will commit suicide. When she survives her suicide attempt, she awakens with a sense of peace in her life that has previously eluded her. eNotes Editorial. TW: mentions of suicide ideation and attempted suicide, Somewhere between life and death, Nora Seed finds herself wandering the marble hallways of a never-ending library; The Midnight Library.. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Each book in it represents the way Nora's life might have turned out had she made different decisions. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place. And don't give a second thought when people mock it or ridicule it. Other than the symbolically interesting locale, the story is largely driven by the choices made by the protagonist, Nora Seed. As readers, her journey is our journey, and by the end, my own book of regrets felt considerably lighter. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. An exquisite depiction of existential depression and the lessons it can reveal, The Midnight Library is a captivating story and an uplifting antidote to the cult of self-improvement: a manifesto for true self-acceptance. This acts as an easy analog for Noras circumstances: each of these lives exists as truly and completely as the others, even those that directly contradict others. "You know what the matter is. Most gossip is envy in disguise., Never underestimate the big importance of small things, A person was like a city. We don't have to hear every piece of music in the world to understand music. T he main themes in The Midnight Library are choice and regret, philosophy and the meaning of life, and relationships and forgiveness. eNotes.com, Inc. Web Matt Haig, The Midnight Library 1115 likes Like If you aim to be something you are not, you will always fail. Ed. from Signum University. because a pawn is never just a pawn. Where she is in her life now, she finally realizes, is the result of having done the best she could with the emotional resources she had available. While the More opportunities to have. One of the pivotal moments in the book happens when, in one of her parallel lives, Nora is confronted by a polar bear. "And Nora smiled as she stared at all the pieces she still had left in play, thinking about her next move.". The novels simple yet fantastical premise renders Noras story a modern day parable, exploring regret, pain and the richness of the ordinary in life. I am staying here. She later reappears as a younger version of herself in the Midnight Library, where she assists Nora in traveling to her various unlived lives. We are as completely and utterly alive as we are in any other life and have access to the same emotional spectrum.. The basic premise is that a woman called Nora decides to kill herself, and before she dies she finds herself in the Midnight Library. I want more than fine. Each book contains a life Chessboard (Symbol). The Question and Answer section for The Midnight Library is a great 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Proudly brought to you by the fine folks at the Astonishing Legends Podcast- Not just another show but a place you can go: The Midnight Library. Seeing this allows her to realize that Dan was never the right person for her and that she shouldn't regret having broken things off with him. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. You might not be uplifted by Nora Seed, but the book deals with some dark themes in a quirky and sensitive manner, and for that, I would suggest you keep it in your reading list, albeit closer to the bottom than the top. Love and laughter and fear and pain are universal currencies. . As the main character, Nora Seed, traverses through her different life possibilities, the library becomes the main place where she returns to reflect upon the paths she could have chosen. The author of Reasons to Stay Alive, Notes on a Nervous Planet, and How to Stop Time, in his latest novel The Midnight Library, Matt Haig charts her story, from the hours before she attempts to kill herself, to the days she spends hopping between infinite possible lives on a time-travelling adventure. publication in traditional print. This moment comes after Nora has traveled through a few different lives. But there are also limitations to this style of narration. If you aim to be something you are not, you will always fail. WebSymbolism In Night By Elie Wiesel. Welcome back. She decides to overdose on pills,but does not meet the oblivion she was hoping for. Once a gifted swimmer and musician, she currently works in a music shop and gives piano lessons. The theme chosen really is a fantastic one. Nora's father dies when she is fairly young. And with all the knowledge she gained from jumping to and from the many lives she could have potentially lived, Nora is determined to make her current reality one she would check out from The Midnight Library., About Annenberg Media Mrs. Elm is her guide, a figure of authority but also of companionship and wisdom. I got the sense that if three-quarters of the novel were cut, we would have reached the endpoint all the same, and with less stagnation. Discuss the theme of childhood as presented in "Games at Twilight" by Anita Desai. The basic premise is that a woman called Nora decides to kill herself, and before she dies she finds herself in the Midnight Library. Throughout the novel, Nora contemplates the meaning of life in terms that are often influenced by major figures of Western philosophy. Log in here. It also shows her that her choices often have surprising outcomes. In my head, Im thinking of libraries with grand architecture and hallways full of hidden secrets and rare books. She quickly learns that they are not very happy in this life, as he is continually dismissive of the things she says and seems distant. Then, she is fired from her job of twelve years. My views may probably be a little surprising for some, given that this book is an award-winner and has a rating of more than 4 out of 5 on various review websites. This both suggests the potential for change in Nora's life and reveals the mechanism that allows her, using the "Midnight Library," to travel to different versions of her life. Yet, with every flip of a page, they come closer and closer to burning their own book of regrets. "A Conversation About Rain" to "The Chessboard", "The Only Way to Learn Is to Live" to "System Error", Read the Study Guide for The Midnight Library. Shes been an Olympian, a dog-walker, and a glassblower. Simply enter your email address in the box below, Expressing the warped logic of severe depression: Matt Haig, This masterful novel is a more powerful guide to self-acceptance than any self-help book. While Nora sees many different versions of her life throughout the book, the story ends with her back in Bedford. When I finished The Midnight Library I wasnt left wanting a nice sit down on a comfy sofa reading a magazine, as nice as that is I was left wanting to come face to face with a polar bear, to feel a rush of adrenalin standing up to speak in front of hundreds of people. This is the last line of the novel. Maybe even the most seemingly perfectly intense or worthwhile lives ultimately felt the same. Nora blinked, and when she opened her eyes both she and Mrs Elm were standing in a different part of the library. After losing World War One in 1918, the Germans were in an utter state of disillusionment and despair. The idea of success is complicated and questioned as the novel progresses. Her family resides in Cambridge. Have you read The Midnight Library? The library offers her the chance Nora has a life, one that she has nearly turned her back on, and this life roots her, grounds her, in reality. Ultimately, she is able to extend this grace and forgiveness to herself, too. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. Shes lived in Alaska, Australia and England. Get a weekly digest of our critical highlights in your inbox each Thursday! Self-harm is discussed throughout the novel, with calmness and grace, as Haig describes the tell-tale scar lines that Nora notices on her body in some of the different lives that she enters. Nora feels sad that they have drifted apart over the years. And Symbolism is especially heavy in this story. Refresh and try again. from St. C) It reveals to readers something that Nora likely does not know. If you follow me on Instagram stories, youll know that I accidentally stayed in bed until lunchtime one day this week reading The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Haig himself is an accomplished writer, and his books have been very successful in approaching the darker themes of mental illness, regret and death, often in unique ways.
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