Everything I Never Told You Literary Analysis Essay Sample

Life might be difficult, but you must never allow it to get in the way. In Everything I Never Told You, James has always felt like he never belonged. James is Chinese and has lived his entire life in discrimination. James wants his children to fit in the same just like everybody else in society, since he never was. Celeste NG employs grief and pressure in James in "Everything I Never Told You" to express the insecurities of his past years and to rid himself of his resentment . 

James is suffering from the absence of Marilyn. Author shows grief in James by, “ Daddy, can you believe people go practically to the moon and still come back?” and James slapped him ... “ How can you think about things like that when----”(134). Perhaps James is jealous that Nath finds an interest that sidetrack him from the absence of Marilyn while James is left thinking about Marilyn and the note she left. Furthermore, the disagreement between James and Marilyn drives him to reflect on past actions that he may have regretted. James states, “ A million little chances to change the future. They should never have married. He should never have touched her….He sees with utter clarity: none of this was supposed to happen. A mistake”(203). James is deprived not only of his daughter's death, but also of the regrets and insecurities that have shaped his life. Additionally, James can stop thinking about Lydia's death and the consequences though his mind. The author states, “ In Lousia’s bed, he can stop thinking---- about Lydia, about the headlines, about the lake. About what Marilyn must be doing at home. About who is responsible''(118) To divert his attention away from Lydia's death, Marilyn, and family tension, James is cheating.While James is in Louisa's bed, he says who is responsible, which might indicate who is to blame for Lydia's death or who is to blame for the family's dysfunction.This depicts the stages of grief and healing.

James' appearance makes him feel self conscious. Author states, “ He had never felt he belonged here, even though he’d been born on American soil”(40). James is Chinese, and his life has been marked by bigotry and a desire to blend in. In addition, he meets someone who captivates his interests. The author shows, “ Hers had been just one of the pale, pretty faces, indistinguishable from the next, and though he would never fully realize it, this was the first reason he came to love her: because she had blended in so perfectly, because she had seemed so completely and utterly at home”(37-38). James sees this woman as though she were just like everyone else (a white person), and this is what sparked his interest in her. This makes him feel something he has never experienced before. Moving forward, James gives Lydia a gift that he believes will benefit her in her life. As seen, “ She slid her finger under the wrapping paper, and a squat gold and black book fell into her lap. How to Win Friends and Influence People. A bright band of yellow slashed the cover in two. Fundamental Techniques in Handling People. Six Ways of Making People Like You. At the top, in deep red letters: ``The More You Get Out of This Book, the More You’ll Get Out of Life!”(176).James hopes that the book he gave Lydia will aid in her attempts to integrate Lydia into society, as he never did as a child. James is trying to make his daughter appear like everyone else by projecting all of his childhood desires onto her.

James thinks that Marilyn would not be at the house. James states, “ All these years he has remembered only: she ran away. He has taken this for granted: She came back. And: She stayed”(277). When James and Marlyin have a quarrel, she constantly tries to flee , rather than working to fix the situation, so this may have come as a surprise to him. Furthermore, James is playing a game with Hannah but it brings back memories of Lydia. James does , “ There she is! There’s Lydia! He’d spin faster and faster, Lydia clinging tighter and tighter, until he collapsed on the rug… Then he feels small arms curling round his neck, the warmth of  small body leaning against him. “Daddy?” whispers. “ Will you do that again?” (280). Now that Lydia is gone, James is attempting to redeem his faults as a father. Playing with Hannah transforms him back into a kind individual. Perhaps that's a coping mechanism for the agony of Lydia's absence. Additionally, When James and Marilyn see one other, they realize they need to work on putting their lives together for themselves and their children. Author states, “ James will never talk to Louis again, and he will be ashamed of this for as long as he lives...He will show her the coroner’s report; she will press the cookbook into his hands. How long it will be before he speaks to his son without flint in his voice; how long it will be before Nath no longer flinches when his father speaks”(282). James and Marylin try to directly confront each other openly, seeking support and comfort in each other. Try to be better parents for their two kids they have.