Thursday, August 13, 2009

Lost

I recently read the book Lost by Gregory Maguire. Maguire is the author of Wicked and Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister, which I have also read. Lost is about haunting, in more than one sense of the word. It wasn't as good as the other two novels, but it has haunted me.

The main character in the book faces a ghostly haunting that seems to be a manifestation of her own haunted emotional state. She has fallen into a pattern of marking time, failing to move forward, because of the events of her past and emotions that she can't quite seem to acknowledge or let go of. She is stuck and she has lost herself.

I feel like that character. I have made several major life changes over the last few years, some by choice and some not, and I've lost myself somewhere in the shuffle. The fallout is more than I ever expected.

In the book, the word 'lost' applies in at least two ways: the character is lost, and she has lost (suffered loss). I don't think I would have understood this entirely if I were not in a similar state.

The main character in the book has something of a breakdown. I am not about to do that. And this doesn't mean that there is nothing good in my life. It's just that too much change too fast leaves you whiplashed. And lost.

7 comments:

secret agent woman said...

I can only say that I have some sense of this, too.

Merci said...

secret agent woman-
Yes, I thought so. I think Mommanator might understand, as well.

mommanator said...

Merci you know me all too well!

Merci said...

Mommanator-
It's my priviledge!

Zelda Parker said...

We have all been there. I think a drink is in order!

Virginia Gal said...

Too much change, too fast leavews you whiplashed...I concur!

BrightenedBoy said...

It's very true. When I was younger we moved around so much that before the nostalgia of missing one place could kick in, we'd already lived in two subsequent homes.

We moved my Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Years of high school, and it was easy to get lost in the different periods of my personal history.

It's important to remember the past while pursuing the future, to take meaning, wisdom, and happiness (where you can) from prior experiences while always applying them to the present, which you must enjoy, and the future, which you must pursue. You need to have a blend.