The Invisible Museum Symbol in I'll Give You the Sun (Essay Sample)

Individuals try to weather their storms by coping in various ways. This concept of human nature can be found in literature, art, and real life. In Jandy Nelson I'll Give You The Sun, she depicts various individuals enduring their hardships in different ways. The book presents clear contentions that individuals have various approaches to weathering the storm, which is centered on past episodes and their mentality for what's to come. Noah is a reserved, gifted boy who does not let many people get a true sense of his feelings. The Invisible Museum is Noah’s method of expressing his true feelings and thoughts to the outside world. Therefore, as reflected in Nelson’s I’ll Give You The Sun, the way people convey their emotions is based on previous experiences and also expectations for the future.

Noah Sweetwine illustrates his thoughts to portray the sentiments and beliefs he does not express to the outside world. He paints inside his mind, called the Invisible Museum, where his greatest desires and underlying passions are. When Noah is with Brian, his neighbor, “[he] feel[s] so good, the freaking green leafy kind of good” (70). The usage of the color green is significant as it conveys emotions of youth, hope, and growth, which strongly correlate with Noah's infatuation with Brian. Noah tells Brian how he “paint[s] in [his] head the whole time" while being around Brian, a detail that he has told no one, including his twin sister (70). Noah is bewildered because he’s “never let anyone into the invisible museum before…[and] he didn't mean to” tell him. “it just popped out” (70). Noah feels excited around Brian, that he unknowingly gives Brian access to his Invisible Museum, meaning that somewhere inside Noah he trusts Brian. A few days later, the two boys are exploring nature in the same forest. It turns out that “[Brian] brought an extra magnifying glass for [him]. This makes the ground tilt”. The word choice ‘tilt’ indicates that there is still some stability in Noah’s heart, however on the off chance that he isn't sufficiently cautious, Noah will fall right for Brian. This is significant because Noah knows that he’s interested in Brian because he often makes him feel fluttery but he doesn't know if he likes him for sure. “[Brian] knew [Noah] was going to come even before he left his house. [Brian] knew. And [he] knew. [They] both knew. (SELF-PORTRAIT: I’m Standing on My Own Head!) (88).” Noah is ecstatic over the possibility of a new, blooming friendship with someone as cool as Brian. To fully experience the thrilling and exciting feelings, Noah retreats into his Invisible Museum. With the two quotes, it unmistakably appears that Noah, who is a private and cut-off individual, communicates his inward longings and encounters through his creative mind in the Invisible Museum.

Noah utilizes the Invisible Museum when he really wants support, in light of his past encounters and assumptions for what's to come. The Invisible Museum is important to Noah because it is his safe place, and so even far into the future when he is not drawing, he still retreats to his museum for protection during disasters. Right after fighting and yelling, he hated her, the phone rings, and Noah answers it, hearing an unfamiliar gruff man's voice. And at that moment, “A current zips through [Noah]—something’s wrong. [he] can hear it in his voice…[Noah] do[es]n’t know how, but [he] know everything in that moment.” This crucial moment where Noah can see the walls of his family come tumbling down is very similar to the striking realization he had after Noah outed Brian. “(SELF-PORTRAIT: The Boy Inside the Boy Stops Breathing)” Noah envisions a self-representation where a piece of him dies off when he senses an accident. This instance displays when circumstances become dire, Noah retreats into his Invisible Museum. The one place that rotates at his own pace and is easily navigable for him to hide and try to make sense of the rapidly changing world.  (338). The worst outcome arrives, and the morning after his mother’s funeral, Noah visits Guillermo, his mother’s lover. Noah discovers comfort in his arms but is struck with deep hatred and resentment toward the man who made Noah’s mother leave his family. Feeling infuriated with sharing a moment of comfort with his mother’s affair, Noah“enter[s] the crawlspace deep inside [him]” the usage of anthropomorphism phrasing of the sentence visually represents Noah opening a vault door inside of him and shut[ting] the hatch” and locking himself in. The choice of words has similarities to someone bottling up their emotions to safeguard them from themselves. This is significant because it indicates that Noah does not want to face his excruciating, weak feelings. After all, he is frightened to give up on his feelings. (342). And he’s “not coming back out. Ever. (SELF-PORTRAIT: Untitled)”. Noah stops hiding away in his Invisible Museum because of his plan and presumptions of the future. He gives up creating art, and so it gives him no great explanation for him to use his creative outlet anymore (342). The argument is logical that Noah’s way of coping gradually changes as the events in his life structure his mindset and how he wants to deal with things.

Conclusion:

Red: Restated Thesis    

Blue: Restatement of major points     

Green: So what? (reverse hook)

Noah’s Invisible Museum mirrors that the manner in which individuals convey their feelings depends on past encounters and furthermore assumptions about what's to come. To closed off and introverted Noah, the Invisible Museum is his approach to sharing his actual sentiments with the rest of the world. Despite having hardships, Noah finds comfort and familiarity in his mind, which leads him to spill his infatuations and pieces of art into his museum.