John Updike, in that book you gave me, he said the dead make space. Do you know what I think? Updike doesn't know dick about what it's like to be a homicide cop in Baltimore.
In Laura Lippman's "The Sugar House," a character reflects on the insights of John Updike, specifically his idea that the dead create space in our lives. This notion is met with skepticism, as the character argues that such abstract thoughts do not resonate with the grim realities faced by homicide detectives. The everyday struggles and emotional toll of dealing with death in a city like Baltimore contrast sharply with Updike's literary perspective.
This tension highlights the disconnect between artistic interpretation of death and its harsh reality. For those working in law enforcement, each victim carries an individual story and weight, shaping the landscape of their daily lives. The character's response serves as a critique of the intellectualization of loss, emphasizing that true understanding comes from lived experience, not literary reflection.