Secrets Never Told

by Rochelle Alers, contemporary (2003)

Pocket, $12.00, ISBN 0-7434-7030-3

Rochelle Alers' foray into mainstream fiction is like the script of the soap opera writer
they booed out of town ten years ago. Character introspection and development is
inexplicably absent. Secrets Never Told suffers from the author's usual tendency to
write Mary Sue heroines, and let's just put this way: when the heroine is written as
perfect, there's really nowhere she can go in 320 pages other than down.

Morgana-Johnson Wells has had it with her perfect marriage when she stumbles upon
her husband Franklin in bed with another woman. She returns to the home of her late
mother to weep and lament about how her perfect life isn't so perfect after all, and then
she discovers her mother's diary. This diary, told in italicized first person narration, is
actually more like a silly overwrought tale of voodoo, adultery, and other bad B grade
TV movie stuff. While gasping and going "Oh Momma, that's just so me!" at the arch
and humorlessly overwrought prose of her late mother, Morgana also finds herself
attracted to another Perfect Cardboard Cutout, Erick Wilson. But her mother's diary
teaches her that everything bad that happens is actually everybody else's fault so...
well, let's just say this book deliberately tries its best to distinguish itself as a "women's
fiction" by slapping in an ending that may or may not make readers expecting a typical
romance novel howl in displeasure.

Actually, I did howl, but that's because the author never makes her character develop or
even learn. Morgana is perfect. Everyone in this book describes her physical beauty
and inner courage ad nauseum, I wonder whether Rochelle Alers is so insecure in that
she fears I will drop her book if she doesn't remind me every two pages of the heroine's
shiny hair or perfect thighs or drop dead perky mammaries. Erick is so flat as the perfect
foil, again with his physical beauty and oh-so-wonderful artistic talents described more
meticulously than the author ever paid attention to her prose, sometimes it's as if this
book is more like a beauty pageant monologue than a decent story. But because this is
a woman's fiction thingie, the author then has Morgana doing something that will make
sense if the author shows me how Morgana comes to this decision and why. As it is, the
whole thing basically reeks of "Because Momma told me so; I may as well settle for
second best!" nonsense.

I would love to go on about the flaws of this book, but that will really mean spoiling the
whole book. Let me just say that if the author has spent more time on fleshing out her
characters instead of using every word she can find under the thesaurus entry for
"beautiful" and "perfect" to cram into her story, Secrets Never Told would be a winner.
An editor should really sit the author down and tell her to stop writing as if she's writing
an article for YM magazine. As it is, this one is just a flat and lifeless half-baked
melodrama that tries too hard to be women's fiction.
In one fell swoop Morgana Johnson-Wells loses her beloved mother and
discovers that her husband of thirty years, Frankin, is cheating on her with a
younger woman. Reeling from her mother's death and her husband's infidelity,
Morgana embraces the opportunity to head south to Georgia to settle her
mother's affairs. While in Salvation, Georgia, Morgana grows closer to her Uncle
Julian and tries to sort out her life. While sorting through her mother's
belongings, Morgana stumbles across her mother's hidden diaries. Morgana is
stunned and a bit disillusioned as she reads her mother's private thoughts, fears
and secrets.
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When Morgana meets artist Erick Wilson she is comforted by his strong male
presence. Suddenly, in Erick, Morgana feels as if she is receiving from a man
what has been lacking in her marriage with Franklin. Erick is romantic, sensitive
and selfless, providing Morgana with a sounding board by which she can deal
with the major issues in her life.
It turned out to be the worst day of Morgana Wells' life. Her mother had
passed away. Shortly after receiving the news, Morgana discovered her
husband of 28 years was cheating on her. In pain, she headed back to
Salvation, Georgia to bury her mother and think about her life. In the attic of
her childhood home, she found her mother's diaries.

As Morgana read her mother's private thoughts, she discovered truths

about her life that she would never have dreamed. Into the journey she was
taking walked Erik Wilson. Erik was a local artist who reminded Morgana of
things she had forgotten. He helped her rediscover parts of herself that had
been lost in her marriage and her life. Morgana slowly came to terms with her
grief and her anger. In doing so, she remembered that there were some secrets
that should never be told.

Ms. Alers has written a powerful book about a woman dealing with
broken trust and death. All of her characters grow throughout the story to
achieve a certain maturity by the end. The use of the mother's diary to tell
background facts is well-done. The reader can become tangled up in the
turbulent lives of the characters, losing track of time to find out how the story
will end.
 It's no surprise that Morgana's hometown is called Salvation. SECRETS
NEVER TOLD is about forgiveness. It proves that one can never be too old to
accept that no one is perfect. The reader is reminded, just like Morgana, that
there are some secrets that should be kept quiet. Even though they are never
told, they will make you stronger.

Examples of Symbolism
7th grade8th grade9th gradeMiddle SchoolHigh SchoolCollege

image: http://www.yourdictionary.com/image/articles/15687.SymbolismExample.jpg

Symbolism is the practice or art of using an object or a word to represent an abstract idea. An
action, person, place, word, or object can all have a symbolic meaning. When an author
wants to suggest a certain mood or emotion, he can also use symbolism to hint at it, rather
than just blatantly saying it.

Symbolism in Literature
Symbolism is often used by writers to enhance their writing. Symbolism can give a literary
work more richness and color and can make the meaning of the work deeper.
In literature, symbolism can take many forms including:
 A figure of speech where an object, person, or situation has another meaning other than
its literal meaning.
 The actions of a character, word, action, or event that have a deeper meaning in the
context of the whole story.
Metaphors As Symbolism
A metaphor is a figure of speech that uses symbolism.
 It compares two things that are not similar and shows that they actually do have
something in common.
 In a metaphor, there is an additional meaning to a word. This makes it an example of
symbolism.
Examples of symbolism that take the form of metaphors include:
 Time is money: This is symbolic because it warns you that when you spend your time,
you are giving up the opportunity to be doing something else with that time (just as when
you spend your money, you give up your chance to do something else with the money).
Further, like money, time is not infinite.
 Life is a roller-coaster: This is symbolic because it indicates that there will be ups and
downs in life that you have to weather.
 He is a rock: This is symbolic because it signifies that he is strong and dependable.
 Love is a jewel: This is symbolic because it suggests that love is rare and pressure.

Allegory As Symbolism
Sometimes symbolism takes the form of a literary tool called an allegory. Allegory is an
extended use of symbolism and metaphors. A story, a poem, or even a whole book can be an
allegory and the symbolism will permeate throughout.
One example of an allegory is the monologue from Shakespeare in “As You Like It.”
“All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely players;they have
their exits and their entrances;And one man in his time plays many parts,”
This is symbolic of the fact that people are putting on a show and that they play many roles
over the course of their lives.

Symbolism in Poetry
Many poets used symbolism to deepen the meaning of their poems. Here is an excerpt
from William Blake's “Ah Sunflower.” In it, Blake refers to life cycle and uses sunflowers to
represent humankind and that they desire everlasting life.
“Ah Sunflower, weary of time, Who countest the steps of the sun; Seeking
after that sweet golden clime Where the traveler’s journey is done;”

Symbolism in Everyday Life

Our language contains an immense number of symbols whose intended meaning or
significance is well-known and accepted by the majority. Of course, many of these do wind
up in books, magazines, stories, and other written works.
Symbolism is found in colors:
 Black is used to represent death or evil.
 White stands for life and purity.
 Red can symbolize blood, passion, danger, or immoral character.
 Purple is a royal color.
 Yellow stands for violence or decay.
 Blue represents peacefulness and calm.
Symbolic Objects
Objects are often used to symbolize something else:
 A chain can symbolize the coming together of two things.
 A ladder can represent the relationship between heaven and earth or ascension.
 A mirror can denote the sun but when it is broken, it can represent an unhappy union or a
separation.
Flowers as Symbols
Even flowers can have a symbolism:
 Roses stand for romance.
 Violets represent shyness.
 Lilies stand for beauty and temptation.
 Chrysanthemums represent perfection.
Symbolism, as you see, can be found almost anywhere. Any time there is something that
represents more than its literal meaning, this can be an example of symbolism.


Read more at http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-

symbolism.html#5yrVVtYh8bx85iL0.99

Heroine Morgana learns her husband is cheating on her the very day her mother dies. She is
unsure of what to do next, but duty says she must go home to bury her mother properly. While
down south, she feels enveloped in her mother's love and after the funeral decides to stay a
while in order to sort out her thoughts about her husband's infidelity. While living in her mother's
house and packing up her mother's things in preparation to sell the house she comes across
her mother's hidden diaries. One revelation after another rocks Morgana's world. Her mother,
her father, nor her favorite uncle are who she believed them to be! Plus, she's met a local
teacher/artist who has awakened passions in her she thought were reserved for her husband.
Read this novel. It will make you think twice before embarking on an affair. The consequences
can be devastating. Great job, Ms. Alers.
Renee Spivey
5.0 out of 5 starsExcellent book! A must read!
28 July 2003 - Published on Amazon.com
Verified Purchase
This was an excellent book! I hated to see it end. Ms. Alers has done it again. This was a very
believable story and it makes you wonder what kind of "secrets never told" are in your family
history. This book also makes you realize that no one, no situation is perfect, and that in the
blink of an eye, your world can come crashing down. It also teaches you that you don't have to
let situations dictate the rest of your life. Morgana could've bemoaned her fate, and let it affect
her life in a negative manner, but she didn't. She grieved, she suffered, she grew, she forgave,
and she moved on.
I highly recommend this book to current Rochelle Alers fans, and to those who have never read
any of her work, pick up this book. It's a great read! Kudos Ms. Alers on another outstanding
novel.
7 people found this helpful.

Janet Johnson-Hunter
3.0 out of 5 starsThis book was recommended to me by a friend
5 August 2017 - Published on Amazon.com
Verified Purchase
This book was recommended to me by a friend. I really tried to like it, but I just didn't like the
protagonist.

Gloria Fletcher
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars
24 July 2014 - Published on Amazon.com
Verified Purchase
Great!

DeeDee Hawk
4.0 out of 5 starsMany Secrets Never Told
23 September 2014 - Published on Amazon.com
My first book by this author. This was a pretty good book. I was a little confused at the beginning
because of the change in characters, but once I realized that the characters in the beginning,
Edward and Randolph were Morgana's parent and grandparent, I understood more. This was
different from the romance novels that I usually read, but a welcomed change. Morgana was an
educated woman who was married to a successful lawyer. He took her for granted and cheated
on her. When she got the news of her mother dieing and then learned of her husband cheating
on her within minutes of the news, she fled to where her mother was to handle her affairs, bury
her, and determine what to do about her marriage, alone. Morgana uncovered secrets that were
truly never told. Great storyline and great title. A book about undieing love and committment. I
listened to the audiobook and was engaged the entire time. Good book Rochelle Alers. I
enjoyed it. I recommend this book to those who enjoy reading romance novels.

Married to one of Washington, D.C.'s, most powerful African American attorneys, mother of two
wonderful grown children, and owner of an elegant bridal gift shop, Morgana Johnson-Wells
seems to have it all until her mother suddenly passes away and she learns that her husband
has been unfaithful. Desperate to escape, Morgana returns to her mother's home in Salvation,
Georgia, where she visits with her kind Uncle Julian and discovers her mother's journals. Soon
Morgana learns that her mother also suffered deeply, and harbored destructive secrets of her
own. She also meets sexy photographer and painter Erick Wilson and is instantly attracted to
his zest for life and art. The two share a passionate affair that begins to heal Morgana's
damaged spirit and to give her hope again. But eventually Morgana must choose between her
husband of 20-plus years and the man who reawakened her heart. Alers' engaging tale is rich in
family secrets, lost love, and women who never forget their strength, or their roots. Megan Kalan