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Gift From The Sea is a book about the life of women in the twentieth century. It was written by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, who was known as both an author and wife to Charles Lindbergh. During their time together, they were suspected of being Nazi sympathizers because of Charles’s book “The Wave Of The Future”, which had been labeled as such by Franklin Roosevelt’s administration during World War II. Gift From The Sea details how Anne spent her vacation at Captiva Island in Florida and reflects on what it means to be a woman in today’s society.
The author, Anne Lindbergh, went on a vacation to the beach. She was initially reluctant to go because she didn’t want to leave her family behind. However, once she got there, she realized that it was actually very peaceful and enjoyable. The sea is like life in many ways: unpredictable and beautiful. If you’re patient with the sea (or life), then you can find rewards just as easy as finding shells at the beach (or achieving success).
The first shell Lindbergh collects is the Channeled Whelk. She reflects on how perfectly designed it is, and wonders why a creature would leave such a safe home to venture out into the unknown. These musings also reflect possible reasons people might have for choosing to do so in their own lives. The second shell she turns her attention to is the Moon Shell, which has a black eye at its center. Lindbergh describes this as solitude, and notes that many people live in fear of being alone, and try to fill every moment with music or television instead of taking advantage of what solitude can offer: an inner life.
The author then examines the Double-Sunrise shell, a metaphor for a couple’s relationship. She takes issue with the idea that one can be someone else’s only love and points out that it is not realistic to expect to remain their only object of affection forever. Then she looks at the Oyster shell, which represents middle years in marriage. The oyster works hard within its shell to adapt itself to its environment and survive; similarly, people must work on their relationships by building and maintaining them together. Still, as with the Double-Sunrise, Lindbergh addresses permanence: Will the Oyster still be an apt symbol for marriage in later years when children grow up?
Ultimately, Lindbergh becomes content with her beach vacation. She is aware that the tranquility will not last as she must return to her normal life in Connecticut. To remind herself of this fact, she takes the shells home with her and places them on a table near her bed. The shells remind Lindbergh that there are phases to life and they all come naturally.
Anne Morrow Lindbergh engages with a number of poets and philosophers in her book, Gift From The Sea. She died in 2001 but the book is still popular today and has sold millions of copies. It has been translated into forty-five languages. Writing for The Huffington Post, Honey Good said that even fifty years after its publication, the gift from the sea remains fresh as dew and glorious as a beautiful sea.
