Image Study #1

   
     In Nineteen Minutes, time is a reoccurring symbol seen throughout the story. Clocks specifically represent the fleeting life of youth and how that can drastically change in a small amount of time. The novel starts out with an extensive list of tasks one can accomplish in a mere nineteen minutes. "In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game (Picoult 5)." Picoult is trying to emphasize how many people take their time in this world for granted, yet everything can be ripped apart in seconds. She ends her first paragraph with, "In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can just jump off it. In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge (Picoult 5)." The image of time is the backbone of the plot, because throughout the story the characters question how drastically different their lives could have turned out in a matter of seconds.
     Time is meticulously noted on the first page when the author notes how Alex Cormier takes exactly thirty two minutes to drive to work each day, and has been a superior court judge for thirty four days. The author is using what may seem to be unnecessary details as a broad rocognition of how one chooses to spend their precious time in life. This image of clocks and time starts on the very first page and continues throughout the book. For her daughter Josie specifically, time is of the essence. One moment she is the confident queen of Sterling High School, and ten seconds later she is disgusted with herself and bombarded with her inner insecurities. Time also kept Josie alive when her mother accidentally missed her appointment for an abortion. This is ironic because had Alex been punctual, Josie would not have been on this Earth, would never have affected Peter, and all of these characters lives could have played out much differently.
     As for Detective Patrick Ducharme, time is one of his most prominent regrets. He feels personally responsible for not getting to the scene of the shooting in time, and firmly believes he could have prevented Peter from  more casualties, and could have saved the lives of the stidents who didn't recieve medical attention in time. As he is in command of the chaotic situation, Picoult takes the reader through his mental suffering and thought process. "He could not be everywhere at once; he could not talk fast enough or think quickly enough... everyone else was looking at him to be in charge (Picoult 46)." The entire plot revolves around the decisions one makes, how small moments have momentous impacts, and how time specifically can be cut short, meaning every second must be cherished.