After a particularly bad day, she decides that she no longer wants to keep living. The closest secondary character, Mrs Elm, is witty, but feels more like a transient character without much power to accelerate the events in the novel. She loves this life and finds herself feeling both content and fulfilled, working on a book about Thoreau and spending time with her daughter. What is the theme of the short story "Games at Twilight"? That was how she had felt most of her life. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. And yet the moment you make a move on that board, things change. I dont think polar bears look this chummy in real life. The library allows Nora to reverse her regrets and pursue different iterations of her existence. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. She explains how dissatisfied she is to the world in one final Facebook post before attempting suicide. eNotes.com, Inc. The library functions as a symbol of Nora's parallel lives. The dialogue flows naturally and the characters come to life. From as far back as she could remember, she'd had the sense that she wasn't enough. You alone, can climb the stairs of the strange, old Victorian mansion and be somewhat welcomed by your Hosts, Miranda Merrick & Mr. 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. She discovers that all the dreams she thought she lost out on were really other peoples dreams. The novels simple yet fantastical premise renders Noras story a modern day parable, exploring regret, pain and the richness of the ordinary in life. 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. I dont think I could have picked a better book to kick off this year with, definitely makes me want to explore the other what ifs and not regret the things I may have missed in the past. 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. Its a beautiful thing. Remember how much you wanted life.". I particularly enjoyed the way the library was affected by the choices Nora made, culminating in a climactic ending when Nora Seed sealed her final decision. There are so many versions of you out there. Shes lived in Alaska, Australia and England. WebThe midnight library represents a chance for Nora to erase her regrets. We know well by now I think that life isnt about being blissfully happy all the time, but often this is replaced with the idea of the pursuit of contentment a low key level of satisfaction that comes from appreciating small things in life, managing our own expectations and generally trying to keep on an EVEN KEEL. More opportunities to have. "Doing one thing differently is often the same as doing everything differently.". When she survives her suicide attempt, she awakens with a sense of peace in her life that has previously eluded her. 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. Yet, the library can only intrigue one so much. You dont need to be famous or rich or medal winning to lead a spectacular life. B) It foreshadows Noras tragic death. How did it make you feel? When I started reading The Midnight Library I figured I knew exactly what was coming its a lesson in living life with no regrets, of not always wishing the grass was greener or imagining what your life might be like if only. To see how things would be different if you had made other choices Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?". Here, she finds herself slowly slipping away, despite wishing she could stay longer, as she knows this is not where she belongs. And imagining there is just breeds more unhappiness in the life youre in., Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. from Signum University. Ed. Mrs. Elm is her guide, a figure of authority but also of companionship and wisdom. Why does Nora return to her old life at the end of the novel? This is the last line of the novel. She discovers that he cheated on her in the past and that in this timeline their relationship is deeply fractured. Log in here. With our Essay Lab, you can create a customized outline within seconds to get started on your essay right away. He tells us what life isnt through Noras Nora's father dies when she is fairly young. 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. Maybe even the most seemingly perfectly intense or worthwhile lives ultimately felt the same. Endless stacks of books tower over Nora as she walks up-and-down the isles of The Midnight Library. Would your expectations have changed, and as a result, would your reaction have changed? Nora had always had a problem accepting herself. This Study Guide consists of approximately 50 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. But once you sense that vastness, once something reveals it, hope emerges, whether you want it to or not, and it clings to you as stubbornly as lichen clings to rock.. And that chaos builds with every single move you make., When you stay too long in a place, you forget just how big an expanse the world is. 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. 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 . I was both intrigued and uneasy about the use of a fantastical library to explore something as real and horrific as suicidal depression. Writing from lived experience, Haig is right to critically examine the efficacy of powerful medication; however, in a book that treats every other aspect of mental health with such compassion, it is disappointing to find an implicit disregard for what is, for many who battle with suicidal urges, a life-saving and life-maintaining treatment. T he main themes in The Midnight Library are choice and regret, philosophy and the meaning of life, and relationships and forgiveness. In a parallel life, they are happily married. Ultimately, she is able to extend this grace and forgiveness to herself, too. Matt Haig fills his novel The Midnight Library with many literary devices, especially symbolism, metaphor, and allusion. Love it. In The Midnight Library, thirty-five-year-old Nora finds out from a handsome young surgeon, Ash, that her beloved cat has been killed. So necessary[Matt Haig is] the king of empathyJameela Jamil, actor and host ofI Weigh with Jameela Jamil, A beautiful fable, anIts a Wonderful Lifefor the modern age impossibly timely when we are all stuck in a world we wish could be different. Jodi Picoult, author ofMy Sisters Keeper, An absorbing but comfortable reada vision of limitless possibility, of new roads taken, of new lives lived, of a whole different world available to us somehow, somewhere, might beexactly whats wanted in these troubled and troubling times. TheNew York Times, When unemployed, loveless, depressed Nora Seeds cat dies, its the last straw. WebThe Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Then, she is fired from her job of Consequently, the reader is able to focus all their attention on Nora and her sorrows. 70 episodes. Yet, with every flip of a page, they come closer and closer to burning their own book of regrets. 2. Fine is keeping yourself in check, being cautious, not using your heart and your mind to its full potential. Nora's cat's name is Voltaire, and this alludes to both the philosopher himself and his character Dr. Pangloss, who says that he lives in the best of all possible worlds. There is also a dog named Plato in the story, and indeed, Nora is searching for the ultimate reality. This theory is explored in the alternative lives generated by minor changes, like going on a date or not keeping a cat inside. Melendez, John. Copyright 1999 - 2023 GradeSaver LLC. Love and laughter and fear and pain are universal currencies. from St. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. If there are two dates, the date of publication and appearance Symbolism is especially heavy in this story. "You know what the matter is. "The Midnight Library Quotes and Analysis". Note: this article may contain spoilers for The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Like Nora, Hugo is a fellow traveler through his alternative lives. It can also be a character, or an act. 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. Dan is Nora's ex-fianc. In The Midnight Library, thirty-five-year-old Nora finds out from a handsome young surgeon, Ash, that her beloved cat has been killed. Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically. 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. The novel opens with her playing chess with Nora and talking about the possibilities of life. Brilliant point . Once a gifted swimmer and musician, she currently works in a music shop and gives piano lessons. A) They were about to sign a record deal. But it is boring. This means that the novel can only rely on Nora Seed, and if she stagnates, then so does the reader. It is odd because she is still herself but finds that everything about her life, down to the shape of her abs and the smoothness of her face, varies from life to life. She tells Nora about how it exists as a space for her to see different versions of what her life could have been. Haigs novel suggests that the purpose of life is to live. There are lives where you make different choices. Other powerful moments in the book happen when Nora is experiencing extreme emotions love, fear, pride, adoration, strength theyre feelings at the extremes. Embrace that you-ness. GradeSaver, 29 December 2022 Web. Matt Haig: The Midnight Library review - an uplifting modern parable |, Finding The Way Back review - alcoholism on the rebound, Marieke Lucas Rijneveld: The Discomfort of Evening review - lovelessness, loneliness, bodies and their limits, Sema Kaygusuz: Every Fire You Tend review an education in grief, Karl Ove Knausgaard: So Much Longing in So Little Space review smiles more than screams, Will Harris: Brother Poem review - writing the poems that could have been, Disbelief - 100 Russian Anti-War Poems (ed. WebThe midnight library is magical, for a start, the library has a limitless number of books, and these books are far from ordinary, Haig sprinkles gold dust in each book, offering Nora WebIn the Midnight Library, Mrs. Elm says that she can't overlook minor decisions, because, in chess, every piece has the potential to radically change the course of a game, just like these choices can reshape a life. There are lives in which both Joe and Izzy are dead, and their deaths can be indirectly traced to Noras presence or absence in their lives. Word Count: 924. She later reappears as a younger version of herself in the Midnight Library, where she assists Nora in traveling to her various unlived lives. English novelist and author of The Midnight Library, Matt Haig, has written several fiction and non-fiction books. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. WebMatt Haig's unique novel The Midnight Library ponders the infinite possibilities of life. The novel opens with her playing chess with Nora and talking about the possibilities of life. Matt Haig. The physical This description lays out the mechanics of this otherworldly setting, framing Nora's subsequent adventures in the rest of the novel. And between her and herself., Happy moments can turn into pain, given time.. The novel alludes to Henry David Thoreau, too, whose writings guide Nora to understand the difference between loneliness and solitude. In this library, Nora Seed finds endless books which contain different versions of the life she could have lived. I wanted to be angry about something, to feel excited, hurt, happy. Maybe even the most seemingly perfectly intense or worthwhile lives ultimately felt the same. "And Nora smiled as she stared at all the pieces she still had left in play, thinking about her next move.". In these depictions, the image of a chessboard is used to illustrate the idea that life is full of variable outcomes. WebThe Midnight Library According to Mrs. Elm , the Midnight Library is the physical embodiment of a state between life and deathan in-between state. Indeed, Noras regrets constitute one of the major forces driving the novels narrative. Easy to wish we'd developed other other talents, said yes to different offers. When she finds herself in the Midnight Library, Nora is offered the opportunity to reckon with her regrets by finding out what would have happened if she had made other choices in her life. Nora blinked, and when she opened her eyes both she and Mrs Elm were standing in a different part of the library. C) It reveals to readers something that Nora likely does not know. I found the title of The Midnight Library to be particularly intriguing. As Nora watches the lives of those around her change shape in accordance with the fluctuating circumstances of reality, she comes to realize that the motivations of those around her are as genuine and complex as her own. "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. In the Midnight Library, Mrs. Elm says that she can't overlook minor decisions, because, in chess, every piece has the potential to radically change the course of a game, just like these choices can reshape a life. 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. Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. I am staying here. Melendez, John. It is easy to mourn the lives we aren't living. Mrs. Elm, p. 32 This quote is taken from early in the novel, as Mrs. Elm explains to Nora how lives are shaped by seemingly minor choices. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Ryan Bailey is a fictional movie star. Each book in it represents the way Nora's life might have turned out had she made different decisions. In this way, the novel highlights how her life always had a hidden potential for change. She has a difficult relationship with her brother and feels generally detached from the world around her. We don't have to play every game to know what winning feels like. Ash is a surgeon and Nora's neighbor who informs her that her cat has died. Life isnt about being fine though it it? And it became astoundingly clear to her, finally, in that moment: This quote occurs in the moment Nora is nearly attacked by a polar bear. The Midnight Library explores the complex psychological dynamics of choice and regret. Have you read The Midnight Library? Cooper, James ed. Most gossip is envy in disguise., Never underestimate the big importance of small things, A person was like a city. An exquisite Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. You have more to offer. In this storyline, she owns a pub with her husband Dan. "A Conversation About Rain" to "The Chessboard" Summary and Analysis. "This is the best life. Her discoveries ultimatelyprove life-affirming in Matt Haigs dazzling fantasy. Christian Science Monitor, Charminga celebration of the ordinary: ordinary revelations, ordinary people, and the infinity of worlds seeded in ordinary choices. The Guardian, A brilliant premise and great fun. Daily Mail, An uplifting, poignant novel about regret, hope and second chances David Nicholls, author ofOne Day, Would we really make better choices if we could step back in time? "This is the best life," she told herself, a little desperately now. In some cases, the shift in relationships is more dramatic. The citation above will include either 2 or 3 dates. 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. Work hard at it. This moment comes immediately after Nora escapes the library with the Book of Regrets. 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. The idea of success is complicated and questioned as the novel progresses. As a reviewer, my own lived experience with existential depression and suicidal ideation meant that I faced this book with a tightness in my chest. 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. He is portrayed as being more interested in the idea of being married to her than the reality of their relationship. Embrace that you-ness. The main theme of the novel is possibility. Haig bases The Midnight Library around one central theme and a common human curiosity: what is the purpose of life? Her parents who both had their own insecurities, had encouraged that idea. Nora, who is treated like a mistake in need of correction by her mother, seeks comfort and kindness from Ms Elm, after finding out her father has died. . Maybe that was the only meaning that mattered. The narrator knows all the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist, Nora, but not of any of the other characters. More books than SparkNotes. 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. The pivotal moments for Nora dont happen when shes just CONTENT. Nineteen years later, after a series of painful events, including the loss of her job and the death of her cat, Nora feels that the world would simply be better off without her. WebThat is not to say that The Midnight Library is a miss. She is a woman in her thirties, who leads a life she finds lonely and disappointing. This would not have been a problem had there been more to the main character. WebA) It tells the reader that Nora will die when she is 19. Sometimes if we fill that lack with something else the original want disappears entirely., You see, doing one thing differently is very often the same as doing everything differently., And even if you were a pawn - maybe we all are - then you should remember that a pawn is the most magical piece of all. This is the best life for me. By the end of The Midnight Library though I was left feeling like an even keel doesnt really cut it. Love it. Nora has a life, one that she has nearly turned her back on, and this life roots her, grounds her, in reality. WebThe Midnight Library Themes The Point of Life Is Life Itself One of the biggest issues with Noras root life is that Nora felt like she wasnt doing anything noteworthy. 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. 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. It might look small and ordinary but it isn't. In feeling so overcome with terror, she also realizes that she wants to continue living. 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. 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 warped logic of severe depression is honestly and clearly expressed, as Haig describes the inescapable feeling brewing in the darkness when Nora sees Voltaire, her dead cat, lying on the road. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. In these depictions, the image of a chessboard is used to illustrate the idea that life is full of variable outcomes. At the beginning of the story, Nora feels completely trapped in her bad circumstances. Look at how ordered and safe and peaceful it looks now, before a game starts. She is a professor of philosophy and has a daughter. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. What does the library symbolize in The Midnight Library? You are giving up at the worst possible moment. Work hard at it. This feels somewhat at odds with a lot of the things we are taught about the pursuit of happiness. It made me realise how, over the last year, cut off from most of my usual activities and social interactions, my range of emotions has shrunk. Julia Nemirovskaya) review - writing battle-lines, Sally Adee: We Are Electric review - currents that run through us all, Extract: The Northern Silence - Journeys in Nordic Music and Culture by Andrew Mellor, 'I let it emerge': an interview with Fiona Benson on the cusp of the TS Eliot Prize announcement, Jaan Kross: A Book of Falsehoods review - plague, power and deception in 16th century Tallinn, 10 Questions for writer and translator Saskia Vogel, Bob Dylan: The Philosophy of Modern Song review - a book that contains multitudes, Kelefa Sanneh: Major Labels review - diary of an omnivorous musicophile, 10 Questions for Bruce Lindsay, biographer of Ivor Cutler, Patrick Duff: The Singer review - agony and ecstasy of a rock'n'roll life. 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. Each book contains a life Chessboard (Symbol). To see how things would be if you had made other choices . The only reason Nora didnt end up living one of those lives instead of the life she recently chose to end is because of the choices she made leading up to the present moment. online is the same, and will be the first date in the citation. 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. 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. After visiting all these alternative lives for a temporary amount of time, Nora rediscovers lifes potential and her personal will-to-live. You just have to live it., Youre overthinking it. I have anxiety. Despite the fantastical nature of the plot, Nora is the anchor of the story: whether at home on the verge of taking an overdose, or browsing through magical books in the midnight library, she is absolutely real. How does Anita Desai use symbolism to develop a theme in "Games at Twilight"? Fine is the basis of a midlife unravelling. At the beginning of the story, Nora is playing chess with Mrs. Elm, who remarks to her that her life is full of possibility. We dont know how Nora will spend her life. WebThe talented aspiring Olympic swimmer turned aspiring rock star now aspires only to stop living. 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. Throughout the novel, readers cant help but question their past decisions, both major and minor, along with Nora. InThe Midnight Library, Matt Haigs enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. She is attempting to tell her that, as her adventures have revealed, her life still contains so many hidden possibilities. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. The Question and Answer section for The Midnight Library is a great In this excerpt, Mrs. Elm explains how the Midnight Library works and the purpose that it serves. Sitting in a gloomy high school library, she is playing chess with the schools librarian, Mrs. Elm. It is about a young woman named Nora Seed, who lives a monotonous, ordinary life and feels Acres of disappointment and monotony and hurts and rivalries but with flashes of wonder and beauty. You cant have one without the other. Eventually facing disappointment with every regret she expunges, Nora returns to the library confused. Cloud State University M.A. 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. There is also one life wherein Noras long-dead father never had his heart attack, having adopted much healthier habits after being inspired by his daughters success as an athlete. You get no sense of the length of those longitudes and latitudes. She fights for her life and succeeds in throwing up the pills she took earlier that night. 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. One of the pivotal moments in the book happens when, in one of her parallel lives, Nora is confronted by a polar bear. The Midnight Library study guide contains a biography of Matt Haig, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. When the story begins, Nora is figuratively buried under the weight of her regrets. Aim to be you. 1,304,772 ratings, 4.02 average rating, 141,977 reviews. This moment comes after Nora has traveled through a few different lives. Last Updated on July 8, 2021, by eNotes Editorial. Good choices, she comes to understand, do not necessarily correlate to good outcomes. because a pawn is never just a pawn. Nora returns to her old life because she has a renewed sense of possibility. Leave a comment and let me know. Petrified by fear, Nora realizes she has to do something to scare off the bear before it mauls her. WebNora is the main character in The Midnight Library.She is a 35-year-old British woman who lives alone with her cat in the quiet town of Bedford. 2023. 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