Literary Criticisms 

When discussing the unique writing of Jefferey Eugendies novels, a commonly discussed topic is his first person plural narrative in The Virgin Suicides. In the novel, a group of nameless men tell the story of the Lisbon sisters leading to them taking their own lives. The narrators are numberless and try to uncover the mystery of why these sisters choose to take their own lives. The novel uses documents and interviews to portray what the narrators are looking through. This raises the question of the reliability of the narrators. For one, we are unsure of the amount of men telling the story or who they are. They don’t allow the readers to truly understand the Lisbon sisters and their thoughts. Which leads into the next point of representation in the novel. 

Because the narrators are outsiders, this causes concern for the representation that the novel really shows. Since, the narrators are telling a story of these young girls the readers are denied complete understanding. The story doesn’t have access to the thoughts of the girls, only the research of the narrators. This affects the reader's interpretation of the novel, “Understanding the point of view in literature is crucial for reader interpretation” (Konkewicz). The “we” narrative in the novel instead of “I” forces the reader to not be able to distinguish one single perspective. It also displays the obsession in the girls making it apparent that the town may be partially responsible. Making it more difficult to understand the deeper meaning of the novel. The limited perspective displays the idea that suffering and depression is harder understood by others. 

Similar to Konkewicz analysis, Odilovna explores the role of the narrative in The Virgin Suicides. In the novel The Virgin Suicides, the shift between the present narrations and past memories, creates feelings of loss and alternate interpretations of the novel. The conflicting narrative causes the reader to alter between what is reality and what is unknown. The multiple interpretations of the novel show how indescribable psychological pain experienced. The novel shows the progression of depression and neglect from society ultimately leading to self destruction. The unreliable narrators following the acts of the sisters and trying to investigate their tragic death, shows that suicide functions as both a ending but also a ongoing investigation.

“Suicide has been a profound and complex theme in literature” (Odilovna). The Virgin Suicides offers a multifaced description of suicide. Eugendies uses word choice to create a melancholy environment in the novel to show the feeling of an unfulfilled life. A strong metaphor in the novel is the idea that life is poisonous. Using symbolism, the novel uses suicide as a “radical redefinition of existence” (Odliovna). Suicide is the chance to reclaim oneself in a world of suffering. Eugenides dives into the idea that there are multiple factors in suicide. There are dimensions to suicide that can be examined through the characters and are shown through Eugenides mysterious and tragic narrative. He expresses the idea that suicide is linked with the collaspe of social norms and societies neglect for people in need. 

The Virgin Suicides is set in an American suburb where the Lisbon sisters live.Their home, seemingly normal at first, begins to take on a different shape as the novel progresses.  In the novel their home is able to disconnect from the rest of the world. It offers a symbolism for how the social and cultural factors effect the sisters. The home becomes a confinement of the sisters. Also, the neighborhood is not just a setting but is a “lived space, suffused with longing, guilt, and failed understanding” (Miruna). The neighborhood changes to match the tone in the story. 

The intersex identity of Cal in Middlesex serves as a space of transformation and complex emotions. The novel moves from blank to blank which helps construct "cultural and personal identities across generations” (Miruna). The locations throughout the novel, for Cal, are able to represent differing identities throughout their life. Cal's body represents a “thirdspace” or as “in between” which is where society's gender laws collapse and it becomes a state of freedom.

Middlesex, strongly represents the idea of reinventing one's identity through their gender, culture, or ethnicity. It is a novel of quest that is able to bridge the gap between gender and ethnicity. The narrator is set on a journey of identity throughout the entire novel. Middlesex presents the idea that identity is fluid along with gender, as it is not fixed or permanent. Cal’s image of oneself changes throughout the novel as they grow up and experience more.