SuitabookThe thing about jellyfish
Ali Benjamin
- Reading
- Read in manageable sections and check in after passages about Franny’s death or Suzy’s regret. Invite the reader to share thoughts, stay quiet, or return later rather than pressing for conclusions.
- Themes
- Grief and bereavement: Suzy is trying to understand Franny Jackson’s death and the end of her friend’s life. The book?s stance on this remains unclear.
- Regret and self-forgiveness: Suzy believes she must make up for the worst thing she had done to Franny before Franny’s death. The book?s stance on this remains unclear.
- Knowledge, imagination and wonder: Suzy knows detailed facts about ants, jellyfish, Shakespeare’s atoms and the universe, and retreats into imagination. Facts and wonder seem to be important ways for Suzy to engage with difficult feelings, though their ultimate role is unclear.
- Worth knowing
- Give space for discussion rather than expecting immediate reactions. It may help to pause around the death, Suzy’s regret and her movement towards forgiveness, allowing the reader to decide what feels important.