Analysis Of Before I Fall By Lauren Oliver

918 Words2 Pages

After The Fall
Overview
Born November 8th 1982 to a literary family, Lauren Oliver (Laura Suzanne Schechter) was encouraged to live expressively and imaginatively from a young age by creating her own stories, painting, and performing. With an upbringing in surroundings such as these, coupled with two parents both knowledgeable in literature and a house full of books, it seems as though Oliver had received from a young age the ideal push towards her career as a writer. Oliver, with a passion for reading went on to study Literature and Philosophy at the University of Chicago, subsequently returning to her home city of New York to attend a creative writing course at NYU. Her Father, aside from being a professor, is himself a published writer of true crime and has written essays on popular culture. Although this may have been a helpful and influential factor towards her career, it is by no means indicative of a lack of personal identity as a writer.
Perhaps to consolidate her individuality, she chose to publish her work under the name Lauren Oliver instead of her birth name, publishing books that are mainly targeted towards young adults and children, all of which are highly imaginative and incorporate fantastical features. Having worked for Penguin Books in the young adult’s division, where she would have gained valuable insight into what was selected and declined for publication, Oliver left to focus on writing her first book Before I Fall.
Before I Fall
Starting off her career with Before I Fall (2010) to positive reviews, Oliver demonstrates her considerable talent, insight and ability to catch the attention of young readers, as she delves into the seemingly perfect world of popular girl Samantha Kingston after her death in ...

... middle of paper ...

...ce who share many feelings and drives that the characters in Oliver’s parallel fictions do.
After That All
Oliver has already demonstrated her relevance as a young adult writer throughout her career, and for a person who is a self-professed lover of cosiness and slippers, she shows a willingness to approach difficult subjects that perhaps other writers of her genre shy away from, whilst approaching them in a unique style. After having already had interest from film production companies to adapt her work for the screen, it does not seem long before her work, which has held the attention of young adult readers since her first publication, will be televised and further popularised. Her work has shown her acuteness to contemporary movements and attitudes of her audience, and that she is capable of being a trustworthy and moral voice for young adults to look towards.

Open Document