Bone: HOME

It was interesting to see how frequently the idea of “home” was brought up in the second half of the novel. It has often come up in class discussions how ones upbringing and culture can have a lot to do with how they look at their home. This could be the literal location of where they reside, but it can also go even further and broader. These broader generalizations could be particular locations, objects, people, and memories that they associate with home. It was interesting to see that while Leila and the family is greatly struggling with the loss of the middle daughter Ona, Leila also starts to wonder what makes her “home”.

 For the longest time, Leila thinks that her home is where she resides, on Salmon Alley.  Leila thinks to herself “It was my address; it was home, where I lived” (180). After the loss of her sister she has the urgent feeling of needing to be at home where she can be closer to her mother. This is also where her roots are, and has greatly contributed to who she becomes as an adult. What Leila does not realize is that what makes Salmon Alley feel like home to her, are the memories that she has when she thinks of the apartment there. Not many of the memories that Leila has of the apartment are positive ones. In fact, most of the memories that Leila has of Salmon Alley are rather traumatic. She vividly remembers all of the times that Leon never came back home after her mother has an affair and the countless times that Ona was locked out when she was with caught leaving the house to be with boys. This is the same address where letters would come addressed to Leila from her biological father; the letters were always saddening.  Towards the end, this is also the same place where people came to mourn and pay their respects after the suicide of Ona.

It is not until the final pages of the novel that Leila gets in touch with her similarities to Leon and how he feels about home. She recalls a time when Leon tells her “…that what we hold in our heart is what matters. The heart never travels” (190). This is the first time that Leila shows a change in opinion about what makes a home. This is when she first realizes that her “home” is where her heart is. This is the place where all of the good and the bad memories are that help mold Leila into her own person. She now realizes that no matter where she is she will always have Salmon Alley in her heart. This leaves readers feeling optimistic that only good things will come from this commonality that she shares with Leon.