Lack in All the Living

Lack is a pervasive element of All the Living. Nearly every struggle that the characters face is due to lack, from the beginning of the novel to the end. Aloma is introduced as a character who had “never lived in a house” (1), and coming from a family that “couldn’t handle her anymore” (5) because of their seven other children. In addition to the lack of material possessions, Aloma is also an orphan, and though she is in a relationship with Orren she still describes his family as “not her people” (3). Even Aloma’s talent for playing piano is plagued with lack. Despite her talent and promise, she first stays at her mission school for another three years after graduation due to her lack of other opportunities and material wealth. Then, when she finally leaves the mission school, she is stuck in a place where her only two options are a piano that is decrepit that it’s unplayable, or a piano with “pitches sagging and unclean” (86).  Overall, this shows how even the brighter sides of the characters in the novel are constantly plagued by lack, and how they struggle to overcome this constant obstacle to their happiness.

Additionally, I found it interesting how the setting reflected lack. When Aloma first comes to the house, she describes how “the soil had leached to chalky dust” (1). Additionally, when describing other areas, such as the store, the landscapes are always barren and give the impression of a deprived world. This sense of desolation affects the characters in many ways, with Aloma describing the farm as “the dust you feel unholy bound to” (30). This leads to the characters, especially Aloma and Orren, feeling trapped in the lack and helpless.