Bone: A Lack of Understanding

Something I found very interesting in my read of Bones, is the lack of understanding. Whether it is between characters or between the audience and the text, the lack of knowledge gives a sense of mystery that Ng wants her readers to experience.

Among the family members there is insufficient communication. Leila deals with problems in sharing her feelings and thoughts. In chapter 11, when Ona’s death was discovered, Leila conceals her feelings many times despite discovering her sister’s suicide. When she is in her classroom surrounded by students and co-workers, Leila visibly expresses little. It is only when she is alone in the restroom that she breaks down. In the same chapter, she recalls the time when she did not ask her Ona why she was crying. Instead, Leila ignores her sister and focuses on how her mother might react to Ona’s ruined dress. There is no communication here, and it becomes a habit that is seen in Leila’s adulthood. On page 146, when Mason picks Leila up after learning of Ona’s death, Leila says nothing to him except, “The Baby Store.” However, on the same page, she also admits, “I was never so glad to see him.” Her inability to talk to Mason even though she wants him there reveals her secretive nature. This situation shows a piece of character that constrains feelings and chooses to ignore them. This is a trait that is shared among the family, and when looking at the aggregate, readers sense the lack of communication causes the lack of understanding.

I also thought it was interesting that prior to when we read about Ona’s death in chapter 11, it was confusing because no one in the book really knew why she killed herself (Perhaps due to no communication!). There were theories and “maybe’s,” but no one really understood why and the readers obviously do not know either. The interesting part is when we finish the book, we still do not know the true, concrete reason behind the suicide; readers know as much as the characters do in the future and we must assume why she may have died. In this case, even the reader will never understand Ona. I believe Ng wanted her readers to experience confusion and the misunderstandings between characters in a beautiful abstract way.