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Making It Up: A Novel by Penelope Lively - Exploring Memory, Identity, and the Creative Process

Darius Cox

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Making It Up

by Penelope Lively

4.2 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	493 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	224 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

Penelope Lively's 'Making It Up' is a thought-provoking and introspective novel that explores the complexities of memory, identity, and the creative process. Through the story of a woman recounting her life, the novel delves into the ways in which we shape and reshape our past, and the impact it has on our present and future.

The protagonist of the novel is an elderly woman named Elizabeth, who is living in a retirement home and struggling with the effects of dementia. As her memory begins to fail, she embarks on a quest to write down her life story, in an attempt to make sense of her past and preserve her identity.

As Elizabeth delves into her memories, she discovers that they are not as reliable as she once thought. Her recollections are often fragmented, distorted, and even contradictory. She begins to question the accuracy of her own memories, and wonders if she can truly trust her own mind.

Through Elizabeth's journey, Lively explores the complex and often unreliable nature of memory. She shows how our memories are constantly being shaped and reshaped by our present experiences, and how they can be used to construct and reconstruct our identities.

In addition to the theme of memory, 'Making It Up' also explores the nature of identity. As Elizabeth grapples with the loss of her memories, she begins to question who she is. She wonders if she is the sum of her experiences, or if there is something more to her than her past.

Lively also uses the novel to explore the creative process. Elizabeth's journey of writing her life story is a metaphor for the creative process itself. As Elizabeth struggles to find the right words to express her experiences, she discovers that the act of writing can be both a liberating and a challenging experience.

About Penelope Lively

Penelope Lively is a British novelist, short story writer, and children's author. She has won numerous awards for her work, including the Booker Prize, the Whitbread Award, and the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

Lively's novels are often characterized by their psychological depth and their exploration of complex social issues. She is particularly interested in the ways in which people cope with loss, grief, and aging.

In addition to her novels, Lively has also written several works of non-fiction, including 'Moon Tiger' (1987),a memoir of her childhood during World War II.

Making It Up

by Penelope Lively

4.2 out of 5