Dear Esau,
I cannot believe that your mother and father would send you away to be taken care of. Clearly, you were doing fine and school was not a problem, after all, you had Kate there looking out for you. If only you knew the things that have occured while you have been gone. First of all, your mother and father got into very significant arguments. They both would drink themselves silly and then argue. Your poor sister had a very difficult time listening to them argue, that sometimes she'd have nightmares. What you won't know for a long time, is that your father comitted suicide. He just couldn't take it anymore, and your mother found him. She is very hurt, with everything reminding her of him. The smell of his clothing made her dizzy with loneliness. Your house was crowded with many visitors, bearing gifts in rememberance of your father. Soon your mother will come to your care facility and take you home. Although it is against the will of your facility and thier pyschologists, her isntinct is telling her to bring you home. Hopefully then, she will tell you about where your father really is.
-:-caitlin-:-
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
[Post A Week 6]
bewildered (123): completely puzzled or confused; perplexed.
highboy (121): a tall chest of drawers on legs
EMOTIONAL APPEALS:
"She returned, holding her hands as if they were covered in something dity."(116)
Kate's hand are not acutally dirty, but her mother is describing the way she carried them when she walked in the room.
"We visited him on Sundays, as faithful as churchgoers." (121)
They didn't go to church, but often the churchgoers go ever faithfully. Instead of going to church faithfully, they visited their the husband/father's gravesight.
"So we swam through the ark, in the car, with his voice like his hands, giding me, keeping me afloat." (129)
Esau and his father aren't in a swimming pool or a lake or even by water. They are driving to Esau's treatment center in the dark and Esau describes it as he feels like he's swimming and his father's lovingness is keeping him afloat.
PROBABLE THEME:
The way one death has a complte ripple effect, as well as the way ecach individual grieves. Death can bring both togetherness and solitude from those who loved the desceased one.
highboy (121): a tall chest of drawers on legs
EMOTIONAL APPEALS:
"She returned, holding her hands as if they were covered in something dity."(116)
Kate's hand are not acutally dirty, but her mother is describing the way she carried them when she walked in the room.
"We visited him on Sundays, as faithful as churchgoers." (121)
They didn't go to church, but often the churchgoers go ever faithfully. Instead of going to church faithfully, they visited their the husband/father's gravesight.
"So we swam through the ark, in the car, with his voice like his hands, giding me, keeping me afloat." (129)
Esau and his father aren't in a swimming pool or a lake or even by water. They are driving to Esau's treatment center in the dark and Esau describes it as he feels like he's swimming and his father's lovingness is keeping him afloat.
PROBABLE THEME:
The way one death has a complte ripple effect, as well as the way ecach individual grieves. Death can bring both togetherness and solitude from those who loved the desceased one.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
[Post B Week 5]
Sometimes I wonder if the timing of a death can have different effects on the period of grieving and moving on.
If a death ocurs in the spring, I would think that healing time would be a decent period of time, but not extensively, because it is much more difficult to be sad when there are flowers blooming and the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer. It's natural to be happier with more exposure to light--especially sunlight
If a death occurs in the summer, I think that grieving would be the shortest. The temperatures are nice and high, and the days are so long! It's hard not to spend time outside, and the Vitamin D would naturally raise your mood.
If a death occurs in the fall, it would be a more difficult grieving time. The leaves are falling off the tress and it gets kind of windy. The temperatures are getting crispy, and the days get shorter. Almost as if the light is closing in on you.
If a death occurs in the winter, the grieving time would be the most difficult. The snow puts a blanket of silence, and there is essentially very few daylight hours. The cold, sub-zero temperatures Minnesota so kindly drops in our laps make it hard to find joy. In winter, the light does close in on you...if you let it, I guess.
That is why, in the book The Center of Winter, I think that the grieving is so much more difficult. Claire and Kate are nearly suffocated underneath the dead of winter. I'm curious to the degree of how much different the grieving behaviors would have been.
If a death ocurs in the spring, I would think that healing time would be a decent period of time, but not extensively, because it is much more difficult to be sad when there are flowers blooming and the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer. It's natural to be happier with more exposure to light--especially sunlight
If a death occurs in the summer, I think that grieving would be the shortest. The temperatures are nice and high, and the days are so long! It's hard not to spend time outside, and the Vitamin D would naturally raise your mood.
If a death occurs in the fall, it would be a more difficult grieving time. The leaves are falling off the tress and it gets kind of windy. The temperatures are getting crispy, and the days get shorter. Almost as if the light is closing in on you.
If a death occurs in the winter, the grieving time would be the most difficult. The snow puts a blanket of silence, and there is essentially very few daylight hours. The cold, sub-zero temperatures Minnesota so kindly drops in our laps make it hard to find joy. In winter, the light does close in on you...if you let it, I guess.
That is why, in the book The Center of Winter, I think that the grieving is so much more difficult. Claire and Kate are nearly suffocated underneath the dead of winter. I'm curious to the degree of how much different the grieving behaviors would have been.
[Post A Week 5]
belatedly(115): old-fashioned; out-of-date
fatback(116): the fat and fat meat from the upper part of a side of pork, usually cured by salt.
EMOTIONAL APPEALS:
"[...]and trees waving their arms."(102)
The trees don't really have arms, but the author gives them personification by saying that their arms (branches) were waving in the wind of a storm.
"I felt as if I'd swallowed something warm and huge, like a child."(104)
This is how Claire says she feels after eating a bunch of sweet potatoes in sorrow for the death of her husband. When she wakes up, she explains the way her stomach feels with as if she swallowed a child, which is dark and twisty, but her husband comitted suicide. She's allowed to be.
"The corners were buried in snowdrifts of dark." (115)
The dark cannot acutally bury a corner, but it gives the reader a feel for just how dark it is.
PROBABLE THEME:
The way one death has a complte ripple effect, as well as the way ecach individual grieves. Death can bring both togetherness and solitude from those who loved the desceased one.
fatback(116): the fat and fat meat from the upper part of a side of pork, usually cured by salt.
EMOTIONAL APPEALS:
"[...]and trees waving their arms."(102)
The trees don't really have arms, but the author gives them personification by saying that their arms (branches) were waving in the wind of a storm.
"I felt as if I'd swallowed something warm and huge, like a child."(104)
This is how Claire says she feels after eating a bunch of sweet potatoes in sorrow for the death of her husband. When she wakes up, she explains the way her stomach feels with as if she swallowed a child, which is dark and twisty, but her husband comitted suicide. She's allowed to be.
"The corners were buried in snowdrifts of dark." (115)
The dark cannot acutally bury a corner, but it gives the reader a feel for just how dark it is.
PROBABLE THEME:
The way one death has a complte ripple effect, as well as the way ecach individual grieves. Death can bring both togetherness and solitude from those who loved the desceased one.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
[Post B Week 4]
After Kate's father commits suicide, the long funeral process begins immediately. Neighbors come over bearing casseroles and other hot dishes, as well as flowers. Listening to Claire discuss her emotions and happenings at the funeral immediately brought memoires of the funerals I've attended throughout my life.
Just the thought of a funeral gives me a feeling of pterodactyls in my stomach. Unlike butterflies, pterodactyl are evil, and gut wrenching, with their beaks tearing out your insides. At each funeral I've been to, essentially, the only thing that varies is the person who passed away. The most recent funeral I've attended was for one of my grandfather-like figures in my life. Papa Dave and his wife, Joann (who I had fondly nicknamed Bobes), babysat me when my parents worked. Every morning since I was 3 months old, I would get dropped of at Papa Dave's and Bobes' house. I credit my happy childhood with their personalized attention that I got all day. As I got older, their daycare was no longer needed. Papa Dave retired from his job as a cop, they moved south....about an hour away from Red Wing. I saw them during the summer and on some breaks, and they always came for my birthday. I loved staying with Joann and Papa Dave, and I espeically loved this little vanity that he made for his niece. Its ironic that the vanity he made for me was proably the last thing he made. Long story attempted to be shortened, Papa Dave battled for a long time with brain cancer, and in the final stages, I avoided seeing him, because he was no longer the Papa Dave that I love.
Papa Dave passed away peacefully.The funeral followed 3 days later. Funerals are so difficult. I personally think that the hardest part is when a family member gives the euology. Watching them try to give a speech without bursting into tears is something I can relate to, because when I was 10 years old I had to give a speech at my grandmother's funeral. I found it heartbreaking to see all the pictures, and the smudged make up of the wife, daughters, and sisters. The funeral is just a landmark of healing, and even moving on, from the death of a loved one.
Overall, funerals mean pain. It means that someone is gone forever, someones love, husband/wife, sister/brother, grandmother/father, niece/nephew.
I admire Claire's courage through the funeral. I know more than well just how hard funerals are, whether you are giving a speech, standing at the gravesite years later, or just a family member or friend there for support.
Just the thought of a funeral gives me a feeling of pterodactyls in my stomach. Unlike butterflies, pterodactyl are evil, and gut wrenching, with their beaks tearing out your insides. At each funeral I've been to, essentially, the only thing that varies is the person who passed away. The most recent funeral I've attended was for one of my grandfather-like figures in my life. Papa Dave and his wife, Joann (who I had fondly nicknamed Bobes), babysat me when my parents worked. Every morning since I was 3 months old, I would get dropped of at Papa Dave's and Bobes' house. I credit my happy childhood with their personalized attention that I got all day. As I got older, their daycare was no longer needed. Papa Dave retired from his job as a cop, they moved south....about an hour away from Red Wing. I saw them during the summer and on some breaks, and they always came for my birthday. I loved staying with Joann and Papa Dave, and I espeically loved this little vanity that he made for his niece. Its ironic that the vanity he made for me was proably the last thing he made. Long story attempted to be shortened, Papa Dave battled for a long time with brain cancer, and in the final stages, I avoided seeing him, because he was no longer the Papa Dave that I love.
Papa Dave passed away peacefully.The funeral followed 3 days later. Funerals are so difficult. I personally think that the hardest part is when a family member gives the euology. Watching them try to give a speech without bursting into tears is something I can relate to, because when I was 10 years old I had to give a speech at my grandmother's funeral. I found it heartbreaking to see all the pictures, and the smudged make up of the wife, daughters, and sisters. The funeral is just a landmark of healing, and even moving on, from the death of a loved one.
Overall, funerals mean pain. It means that someone is gone forever, someones love, husband/wife, sister/brother, grandmother/father, niece/nephew.
I admire Claire's courage through the funeral. I know more than well just how hard funerals are, whether you are giving a speech, standing at the gravesite years later, or just a family member or friend there for support.
[Post A Week 4]
VOCABULARY:
viscerally(96): proceeding from instinct rather than intellect
harlequin (97): fancifully varied in color, decoration
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
"Her sharp blue eyes met mine, as if she were looking for something."(88)
Claire is describing Kate's eyes, and the adjective "sharp" doesnt mean "pointy". It means more of a direct, or intense, blue-eyed look.
"Night hovered just over the horizon, the thick dark hesitating at the edge of town." (93)
This sentence gives night a little bit of human characteristics, because night cannot acutally hover, and dark cannot be thick or cannot hesitate. The author chooses to give the night and dark human characteristics so the reader can more easily imagine the night.
"Then you disperse like a shattered atom." (96)
This is an example of a similie, used at Mr. Schiller's funeral. Claire feels amost disbelief that her husband is in a box at the front of a church, and as she walks down the aisle to her husband's casket, talks about "dispersing like a shattered atom".
PROBABLE THEME:
The way one death has a complte ripple effect, as well as the way ecach individual grieves.
viscerally(96): proceeding from instinct rather than intellect
harlequin (97): fancifully varied in color, decoration
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
"Her sharp blue eyes met mine, as if she were looking for something."(88)
Claire is describing Kate's eyes, and the adjective "sharp" doesnt mean "pointy". It means more of a direct, or intense, blue-eyed look.
"Night hovered just over the horizon, the thick dark hesitating at the edge of town." (93)
This sentence gives night a little bit of human characteristics, because night cannot acutally hover, and dark cannot be thick or cannot hesitate. The author chooses to give the night and dark human characteristics so the reader can more easily imagine the night.
"Then you disperse like a shattered atom." (96)
This is an example of a similie, used at Mr. Schiller's funeral. Claire feels amost disbelief that her husband is in a box at the front of a church, and as she walks down the aisle to her husband's casket, talks about "dispersing like a shattered atom".
PROBABLE THEME:
The way one death has a complte ripple effect, as well as the way ecach individual grieves.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Film Lit Review aka EXTRA CREDIT
A few weeks ago, when asked when it is okay to be the whistleblower, my immediate response was that it is never okay to be the whistle blower. Playing the role of whistleblower has its definite pros and cons, but becoming the “tattle tale” is far from admirable. As I viewed On the Waterfront, I was unsure about whether Terry Malloy was doing the morally correct thing by unearthing the truth about the mob’s operations at the dock. The right combination of the literary, dramatic and cinematic aspects gave me a new sense of perspective on the role of a whistleblower.
On the Waterfront takes place in the winter on the mob-organized docks of New York. On these docks controlled by Johnny Friendly, what Terry Malloy seeks is simple, employment. Terry quickly learns, after his haphazard involvement in the murder of his childhood friend that life on the docks is far from impartial. Father Barry, who is the priest at the local church, becomes suspicious about what the longshoremen know about the murder of Doyle. Throughout On the Waterfront, Father Barry symbolizes a God-like figure, saving New York from the mob. When Terry is called on for information on Doyle’s murder, Terry faces the dilemma of playing deaf and dumb or becoming a canary and singing out the truth.
The famous Marlon Brando portrays the character of Terry Malloy with ease. The emotion of confusion came through in every action he made. Brando’s physique also allows the viewer to subconsciously compare Terry as a less powerful person against the heavy-set Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). The casting of Lee J. Cobb as Johnny Friendly could not have been a better choice. The powerful dock-master’s booming voice commands the attention of both the viewer and the longshoremen who work for him. With each step, the ground seems to crumble underneath his might, as well as the people who tremble at the mere thought of him. Eva Marie Saint, who is the character of Edie Doyle, has a commanding presence in the film. She appears fragile and girlie, but when she speaks, she is truly passionate about ending the corruption on the docks by the mob. The character whose casting was disappointing was that of Charley Malloy. Rod Steiger did a poor job on balancing both the compassion and toughness in his character.
The use of costume is a strong point in On the Waterfront’s use of dramatic aspects. The best example of costume is Edie Doyle. Her bleach blonde coiffure provides contrast against all the dark haired men, which makes her character exceptionally bold. All of the men in the film, with the exception of Father Barry, wore heavy coats, as if to symbolize all that they had to hide. Father Barry was always filmed wearing his coatless costume because he, unlike the longshoremen, had nothing to hide. An extremely symbolic prop was Joey Doyle’s jacket, which after his death, his sister Edie gave to another longshoreman, Kayo. Kayo, viewed as a threat to the mob’s operation, was killed. Edie took the jacket and passed it on to Terry, who ironically enough was about to become a canary, and therefore on the mob’s kill list. A good example of use of light is in the scene where Edie and Terry are running down a shadowy alley, and a truck drives through, nearly hitting Edie and Terry. The truck’s headlights are used to illuminate the area where Terry’s brother, Charley’s dead body is hanging lifelessly.
The music in On the Waterfront significantly contributed to dramatization of the film. High pitched and choppy throughout the most suspenseful parts, the music added to the anxiousness and anticipation. During fast-moving scenes, the music becomes more rapid, quickening the pace of the film. Another good use of sound is the voices of the characters. The man with the most power also has the most booming voice, and Edie, the only woman present has a whiny tone that makes her impossible to ignore. Medium shots are the most frequent during the film. This gives the viewer the most realistic perspective of what the characters see. An effective use of a low angle is demonstrated when Father Barry is being raised up from underneath the ship, making him appear superior to the longshoremen.
Joe Keller, of All My Sons, and Terry Malloy, of On the Waterfront share the same conflict of being the whistleblower. Their decisions alike have deathly consequences; for Terry his life, as well as the life of others if they choose to report the mob and Keller puts the lives of America’s pilots at risk with the cracked cylinder heads. Both Joe Keller and Terry Malloy’s involvement in the business of dishonesty comes at the cost the life of a family member. The ultimate difference between Keller and Terry is their honesty. Keller lives his life in a tangled web of lies, claiming that he never knew about the cylinder heads, and blamed it on his business partner, who received a jail sentence for Keller’s crime. Terry decides to tell the truth about the happenings at the dock, and although the mob could easily have him killed, he decides to do what he feels is right. Terry falls under the classification of an ethical crusade, choosing a difficult task because its morally correct, and Joe Keller is a traitor, causing harm to others for personal contentment.
After watching On the Waterfront, I realized that I needed to soften my position on when it is okay to become the whistleblower. I now believe that when someone’s life is at stake, it is necessary to blow the whistle. I think when Terry tattled on the mob’s dishonest actions, it was the overall morally correct thing to do. The gripping plot, tasteful casting, effective use of costumes and props and suspenseful music helped cast a light on the importance of when being a whistleblower is necessary. I would highly recommend this movie, because I found it extremely thought provoking.
On the Waterfront takes place in the winter on the mob-organized docks of New York. On these docks controlled by Johnny Friendly, what Terry Malloy seeks is simple, employment. Terry quickly learns, after his haphazard involvement in the murder of his childhood friend that life on the docks is far from impartial. Father Barry, who is the priest at the local church, becomes suspicious about what the longshoremen know about the murder of Doyle. Throughout On the Waterfront, Father Barry symbolizes a God-like figure, saving New York from the mob. When Terry is called on for information on Doyle’s murder, Terry faces the dilemma of playing deaf and dumb or becoming a canary and singing out the truth.
The famous Marlon Brando portrays the character of Terry Malloy with ease. The emotion of confusion came through in every action he made. Brando’s physique also allows the viewer to subconsciously compare Terry as a less powerful person against the heavy-set Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). The casting of Lee J. Cobb as Johnny Friendly could not have been a better choice. The powerful dock-master’s booming voice commands the attention of both the viewer and the longshoremen who work for him. With each step, the ground seems to crumble underneath his might, as well as the people who tremble at the mere thought of him. Eva Marie Saint, who is the character of Edie Doyle, has a commanding presence in the film. She appears fragile and girlie, but when she speaks, she is truly passionate about ending the corruption on the docks by the mob. The character whose casting was disappointing was that of Charley Malloy. Rod Steiger did a poor job on balancing both the compassion and toughness in his character.
The use of costume is a strong point in On the Waterfront’s use of dramatic aspects. The best example of costume is Edie Doyle. Her bleach blonde coiffure provides contrast against all the dark haired men, which makes her character exceptionally bold. All of the men in the film, with the exception of Father Barry, wore heavy coats, as if to symbolize all that they had to hide. Father Barry was always filmed wearing his coatless costume because he, unlike the longshoremen, had nothing to hide. An extremely symbolic prop was Joey Doyle’s jacket, which after his death, his sister Edie gave to another longshoreman, Kayo. Kayo, viewed as a threat to the mob’s operation, was killed. Edie took the jacket and passed it on to Terry, who ironically enough was about to become a canary, and therefore on the mob’s kill list. A good example of use of light is in the scene where Edie and Terry are running down a shadowy alley, and a truck drives through, nearly hitting Edie and Terry. The truck’s headlights are used to illuminate the area where Terry’s brother, Charley’s dead body is hanging lifelessly.
The music in On the Waterfront significantly contributed to dramatization of the film. High pitched and choppy throughout the most suspenseful parts, the music added to the anxiousness and anticipation. During fast-moving scenes, the music becomes more rapid, quickening the pace of the film. Another good use of sound is the voices of the characters. The man with the most power also has the most booming voice, and Edie, the only woman present has a whiny tone that makes her impossible to ignore. Medium shots are the most frequent during the film. This gives the viewer the most realistic perspective of what the characters see. An effective use of a low angle is demonstrated when Father Barry is being raised up from underneath the ship, making him appear superior to the longshoremen.
Joe Keller, of All My Sons, and Terry Malloy, of On the Waterfront share the same conflict of being the whistleblower. Their decisions alike have deathly consequences; for Terry his life, as well as the life of others if they choose to report the mob and Keller puts the lives of America’s pilots at risk with the cracked cylinder heads. Both Joe Keller and Terry Malloy’s involvement in the business of dishonesty comes at the cost the life of a family member. The ultimate difference between Keller and Terry is their honesty. Keller lives his life in a tangled web of lies, claiming that he never knew about the cylinder heads, and blamed it on his business partner, who received a jail sentence for Keller’s crime. Terry decides to tell the truth about the happenings at the dock, and although the mob could easily have him killed, he decides to do what he feels is right. Terry falls under the classification of an ethical crusade, choosing a difficult task because its morally correct, and Joe Keller is a traitor, causing harm to others for personal contentment.
After watching On the Waterfront, I realized that I needed to soften my position on when it is okay to become the whistleblower. I now believe that when someone’s life is at stake, it is necessary to blow the whistle. I think when Terry tattled on the mob’s dishonest actions, it was the overall morally correct thing to do. The gripping plot, tasteful casting, effective use of costumes and props and suspenseful music helped cast a light on the importance of when being a whistleblower is necessary. I would highly recommend this movie, because I found it extremely thought provoking.
Monday, November 26, 2007
[Post B Week 3]
During this section of the book, the father in the Schiller family commits suicide. His suicide changes the family and their ways greatly. There is little explanation behind his suicide, and when Claire is asked why she thinks her husband committed suicide, she says, "He was sad." This is clearly the great loss of the family that is described in the synopsis. I think suicide brings different emotions to individuals based on personal experience.
In my humble opinion, I think that suicide is very selfish. I also understand that suicide is very serious. I know that people who have this kind of issue feel like they are often alone and the world is against them, which is a probable skewed perception. However, when an individual follows through with the act of suicide, their issues do not evaporate into thin air. Instead, they are dumped into the laps of their loved ones. The loved ones have little explanation, and are left hanging. Even though suicide notes can offer closure to the parents, the siblings, the friends, the significant others, the true reasoning behind the choice to follow through can never be unearthed. Also, it shouldn't take a suicide to realize just how many loved ones that were there to support this individual. That is why I firmly believe in never ending a conversation on a bitter note, and I think it is important to always tell the people that you love that you love them. In any time of loneliness and hopelessness, I would rather a friend call me because they know that I love and care about them than turn to an extreme measure such as self harm, or even suicide.
What are your thoughts on suicide?
In my humble opinion, I think that suicide is very selfish. I also understand that suicide is very serious. I know that people who have this kind of issue feel like they are often alone and the world is against them, which is a probable skewed perception. However, when an individual follows through with the act of suicide, their issues do not evaporate into thin air. Instead, they are dumped into the laps of their loved ones. The loved ones have little explanation, and are left hanging. Even though suicide notes can offer closure to the parents, the siblings, the friends, the significant others, the true reasoning behind the choice to follow through can never be unearthed. Also, it shouldn't take a suicide to realize just how many loved ones that were there to support this individual. That is why I firmly believe in never ending a conversation on a bitter note, and I think it is important to always tell the people that you love that you love them. In any time of loneliness and hopelessness, I would rather a friend call me because they know that I love and care about them than turn to an extreme measure such as self harm, or even suicide.
What are your thoughts on suicide?
[Post A Week 3]
VOCABULARY:
commune (65): to converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity, intimacy
biddy (83): a chicken OR a newly hatched chick.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
"Spring twitches impatiently in its seat like a child wanting to go outside, straining towards summer..." (79)
This is a very good similie, and an excellent description of how the seasons are changing. It is good to see some brightness and a chance for things to look up after Katie's father's suicide.
" 'Scritchy kisses!' she strieked. i could see them without even looking, rubbing their cheeks together, lips pursed, like a pair of fish" (85)
Opa, Katie's paternal grandfather is trying to give Kate the utmost amount of love possible, due to her father's suicide. Kate's mom, Claire describes it as Kate is so sad that she doesn't even know (how sad she is) how much sadness she even feels for this loss. This is a similie, when Opa was kissing Kate.
"She surveyed her crowded kitchen, the refrigerator and freezer having long since run out of space and spilled over with covered dishes that took up every inch of counter space." (90) This is very descripitive language, because the the refigerator and freezer cannot "spill" so it's giing a different characteristic to the fridge and freezer. Hornbacher is talking about how because of the father's death, the enire town comes over with hot dishes and food to help the family mourn.
PROBABLE THEME:
I think the theme is how one family tragedy(crisis) really shows the different coping mechanisms as individuals, and as the entire family after, in this case, a suicide.
commune (65): to converse or talk together, usually with profound intensity, intimacy
biddy (83): a chicken OR a newly hatched chick.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
"Spring twitches impatiently in its seat like a child wanting to go outside, straining towards summer..." (79)
This is a very good similie, and an excellent description of how the seasons are changing. It is good to see some brightness and a chance for things to look up after Katie's father's suicide.
" 'Scritchy kisses!' she strieked. i could see them without even looking, rubbing their cheeks together, lips pursed, like a pair of fish" (85)
Opa, Katie's paternal grandfather is trying to give Kate the utmost amount of love possible, due to her father's suicide. Kate's mom, Claire describes it as Kate is so sad that she doesn't even know (how sad she is) how much sadness she even feels for this loss. This is a similie, when Opa was kissing Kate.
"She surveyed her crowded kitchen, the refrigerator and freezer having long since run out of space and spilled over with covered dishes that took up every inch of counter space." (90) This is very descripitive language, because the the refigerator and freezer cannot "spill" so it's giing a different characteristic to the fridge and freezer. Hornbacher is talking about how because of the father's death, the enire town comes over with hot dishes and food to help the family mourn.
PROBABLE THEME:
I think the theme is how one family tragedy(crisis) really shows the different coping mechanisms as individuals, and as the entire family after, in this case, a suicide.
Monday, November 19, 2007
[Post B Week 2]
LETTER TO THE MAIN CHARACTER:
Dear Katie,
This part of the book has been the hardest for you by far, because of Esau's sickness and the arguments between your parents.I know that it is very hard for you to understand why they fight,and why they won't always be happy together. Even though this is tough on you and Esau, it's important to keep out from under their feet. They have a lot more issues than you as "tween" could understand.A line that really stuck with me was: "I watched them. Froze them that way in my head. Stay there, I almost said aloud. Like that. But they broke apart. They always did." (39). Your father's issue with alcohol is a huge strain on their marriage, and not only emotionally but also financially. This is a big reason for why your mother wants to send Esau 'Away'. I think that its best for you to try and empathize with your mother and understand that the best place for Esau and his illness is definately where you call 'Away'. It was scary when Esau had an episode and you had to hold him down while your mother shoved a pill down his throat to stop the siezure. Unfortunately you and your mom cannot be there all the time in case of Esau's episodes, so even though sending Esau back "Away" is a difficult thing, and even thought it depresses you each night, maybe the best thing for Esau hurts you a little bit. Stay strong, because I have a feeling that this will not be your only loss.
<3Caitlin
Dear Katie,
This part of the book has been the hardest for you by far, because of Esau's sickness and the arguments between your parents.I know that it is very hard for you to understand why they fight,and why they won't always be happy together. Even though this is tough on you and Esau, it's important to keep out from under their feet. They have a lot more issues than you as "tween" could understand.A line that really stuck with me was: "I watched them. Froze them that way in my head. Stay there, I almost said aloud. Like that. But they broke apart. They always did." (39). Your father's issue with alcohol is a huge strain on their marriage, and not only emotionally but also financially. This is a big reason for why your mother wants to send Esau 'Away'. I think that its best for you to try and empathize with your mother and understand that the best place for Esau and his illness is definately where you call 'Away'. It was scary when Esau had an episode and you had to hold him down while your mother shoved a pill down his throat to stop the siezure. Unfortunately you and your mom cannot be there all the time in case of Esau's episodes, so even though sending Esau back "Away" is a difficult thing, and even thought it depresses you each night, maybe the best thing for Esau hurts you a little bit. Stay strong, because I have a feeling that this will not be your only loss.
<3Caitlin
Saturday, November 17, 2007
[Post A Week 2]
to thrum (32): to drum of tap idly with one's fingers
percolator (64): a kind of coffeepot in which boiling water in a repeated process is forced up a hollow stem, filters down through ground coffee in a sievelike container, and returns to the pot below
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
"My father's face crumpled like a paper napkin." (66)
I know that this is use of figurative language because its a similie, comparing 2 things using the words like or as. Katie describes her father's face as he has an argument with her mother, Claire, because Katie's father believes that there is nothing to live for, and Claire kind of tells hiim off, that he knows darn well that his children love him, and that she loves him, and that that should be enough reason to keep living.
"He was crunching on ice. In the silence it sounded like he was chewing on glass." (28)
I know that this is use of figurative language because its a similie, comparing 2 things using the words like or as.
Katie's father is contemplating whether or not to return his son, who has "episodes" back to what the family calls "Away", which I think is essentially a home for mentally disabled. From what I have read I think that he[Esau, Katie's brother] is autistic. The father thinks that Esau is fine, and Claire, the mother, thinks that Esau needs to go back to the home. Katie just wants her brother to be home with her.
"I don't know what day it was. I know the snow had fallen, had been falling heavily for days, blanketing the fields overnight, softening and silencing the world. I know winter had come." (39)
This is very descriptive language. It is mostly likely more descriptive to me, because I can really relate to Minnesota winters. Every year when we drive to International Falls, up on the Minnesota/Canadian border, all the fields really do appear to have a blanket of snow, and the space just seems to tranquil, like the snow came in with a hush.
SIGNIFICANT QUOTE:
"I watched them. Froze them that way in my head. Stay there, I almost said aloud. Like that. But they broke apart. They always did." (39)
This is a significant quote because Katie's parents are constantly fighting. She just wants them to be happy together because with Esau having medical issues, which already put significant strain on the family, The father is also a big drinker, and Katie doesn't understand why.
PROBABLE THEME:
I think the theme is how families deal with certain crises in their individual lives, and the impact on the family as a whole.
percolator (64): a kind of coffeepot in which boiling water in a repeated process is forced up a hollow stem, filters down through ground coffee in a sievelike container, and returns to the pot below
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
"My father's face crumpled like a paper napkin." (66)
I know that this is use of figurative language because its a similie, comparing 2 things using the words like or as. Katie describes her father's face as he has an argument with her mother, Claire, because Katie's father believes that there is nothing to live for, and Claire kind of tells hiim off, that he knows darn well that his children love him, and that she loves him, and that that should be enough reason to keep living.
"He was crunching on ice. In the silence it sounded like he was chewing on glass." (28)
I know that this is use of figurative language because its a similie, comparing 2 things using the words like or as.
Katie's father is contemplating whether or not to return his son, who has "episodes" back to what the family calls "Away", which I think is essentially a home for mentally disabled. From what I have read I think that he[Esau, Katie's brother] is autistic. The father thinks that Esau is fine, and Claire, the mother, thinks that Esau needs to go back to the home. Katie just wants her brother to be home with her.
"I don't know what day it was. I know the snow had fallen, had been falling heavily for days, blanketing the fields overnight, softening and silencing the world. I know winter had come." (39)
This is very descriptive language. It is mostly likely more descriptive to me, because I can really relate to Minnesota winters. Every year when we drive to International Falls, up on the Minnesota/Canadian border, all the fields really do appear to have a blanket of snow, and the space just seems to tranquil, like the snow came in with a hush.
SIGNIFICANT QUOTE:
"I watched them. Froze them that way in my head. Stay there, I almost said aloud. Like that. But they broke apart. They always did." (39)
This is a significant quote because Katie's parents are constantly fighting. She just wants them to be happy together because with Esau having medical issues, which already put significant strain on the family, The father is also a big drinker, and Katie doesn't understand why.
PROBABLE THEME:
I think the theme is how families deal with certain crises in their individual lives, and the impact on the family as a whole.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
It's Wonderful To Have You Back [Post B, Week 1]
Dear Marya Hornbacher,
The reason I chose "The Center of Winter" is because of how much I enjoyed your memoir, "Wasted". It is really cool to know that you grew up by Concord, which is a parking lot away from my middle school. I thought I would give your first novel a try.
So far, I am enjoying it very much. Your previous life experiences (drugs, sex, bulimia, anorexia, neglect, etc.) have been intertwined into this ficticious work. I am curious about how you will develop your characters, if you are going to make them who you wished you could be at a young age, or if you will make the young girl struggle with simliar issues you did. So far, the book is set in Motley, Minnesota (sticking with Minnesota for setting, eh?), which is a teeny tiny town, and contrasts to "Wasted" which mostly took place in Edina (Pop. 47,500)...that is when you weren't in any rehabhillitaion services. I'm also anxious to see how you will carry a fmily through grief, and how you will set the characters apart from each other with their styles of grieving and paces of moving on. I have high hopes for this book!!
<3Caitlin
The reason I chose "The Center of Winter" is because of how much I enjoyed your memoir, "Wasted". It is really cool to know that you grew up by Concord, which is a parking lot away from my middle school. I thought I would give your first novel a try.
So far, I am enjoying it very much. Your previous life experiences (drugs, sex, bulimia, anorexia, neglect, etc.) have been intertwined into this ficticious work. I am curious about how you will develop your characters, if you are going to make them who you wished you could be at a young age, or if you will make the young girl struggle with simliar issues you did. So far, the book is set in Motley, Minnesota (sticking with Minnesota for setting, eh?), which is a teeny tiny town, and contrasts to "Wasted" which mostly took place in Edina (Pop. 47,500)...that is when you weren't in any rehabhillitaion services. I'm also anxious to see how you will carry a fmily through grief, and how you will set the characters apart from each other with their styles of grieving and paces of moving on. I have high hopes for this book!!
<3Caitlin
Here It Goes Again [Post A, Week 1]
VOCABULARY:
transient (Hornbacher, 16): lasting only a short time
amorphous (Hornbacher, 33): formless, having no specific shape
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
(1) "They weres stuffed into their second-best suits and dresses...which itched at the armpits and high collars."(Hornbacher, 8)
My 7th grade ELA techer always told me that an author successfully uses figurative language when you can acutally picture what the author really wants you to see. In this paragraph, they are sitting in a church. This is an image that my mind clearly depicts, and she ues a good adjective when she says that they were ""stuffed" into their suits and dresses.
(2) "The fields were lit up by the high, white moon, glistening like an eyeball in the sky." (Hornbacher, 12)
I know that this figurative language because she is comparing the moon with an eyeball using the word "like", and that is a similie, which is figurative language.
(3) "He scrambled to his feet and ran off into the dark like a frightened deer." (Hornbacher, 14)
This too is a similie because of the use of "like" in the comparison of the boy to a frightened deer.
SIGNIFICANT QUOTE:
"They always told this story at funeral parties, It was the best dead-person storiy they had, so they told it again and again." (Hornbacher, 10)
This quote is significant because so far, from what I know, death is a theme in this book, and rediscovering hope. The family seems to go to a lot of funerals for their elderly friends. There hasn't been an immediate family member's death so far, but I'm sure how funeral parties go in this tiny town is going to be a reoccuring theme.
THEME...SO FAR...
I think the theme so far is similar of that to "All My Sons" because of death, and how a family grieves, and how each person moves on and have different ideas of how far (to move on) is okay.
transient (Hornbacher, 16): lasting only a short time
amorphous (Hornbacher, 33): formless, having no specific shape
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
(1) "They weres stuffed into their second-best suits and dresses...which itched at the armpits and high collars."(Hornbacher, 8)
My 7th grade ELA techer always told me that an author successfully uses figurative language when you can acutally picture what the author really wants you to see. In this paragraph, they are sitting in a church. This is an image that my mind clearly depicts, and she ues a good adjective when she says that they were ""stuffed" into their suits and dresses.
(2) "The fields were lit up by the high, white moon, glistening like an eyeball in the sky." (Hornbacher, 12)
I know that this figurative language because she is comparing the moon with an eyeball using the word "like", and that is a similie, which is figurative language.
(3) "He scrambled to his feet and ran off into the dark like a frightened deer." (Hornbacher, 14)
This too is a similie because of the use of "like" in the comparison of the boy to a frightened deer.
SIGNIFICANT QUOTE:
"They always told this story at funeral parties, It was the best dead-person storiy they had, so they told it again and again." (Hornbacher, 10)
This quote is significant because so far, from what I know, death is a theme in this book, and rediscovering hope. The family seems to go to a lot of funerals for their elderly friends. There hasn't been an immediate family member's death so far, but I'm sure how funeral parties go in this tiny town is going to be a reoccuring theme.
THEME...SO FAR...
I think the theme so far is similar of that to "All My Sons" because of death, and how a family grieves, and how each person moves on and have different ideas of how far (to move on) is okay.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Reflection & Ending Thoughts [Post B]
Ohhh shucks. The last blog post on my outside reading memoir Eat Pray Love--just when I was getting the hang of managing reading and posting...
Dearest Liz,
Liz, as I finished the book tonight, felt sorrow as I realized that the last few pages were becoming even fewer. I feel like you have become my best friend, and mentor over the past weeks. I am so envious of your spiritual journey that made you such an amazing person. Who knew that rediscovering passion, prayer and balance could be found in traveling the world.
It's hard to believe at the end of the book that you are the same as that Liz who was on her bathroom floor, bawling her eyes out because she was so unhappy.Most everyone has done that, myself included. But that middle of the night tear-fest was one that actually changed your life.
Your little philosophies, and sayings about life stuck to me, and make me reflect at many moments of the day on my life and my actions. I'm proud of you Liz. You did a wonderful job, and through your transformation, although not as great as yours, transformed me. You are an amazing person,with an amazing heart (like when you raised all that money to Tutti and her mom to buy a new home in Indonesia!!) and I'm so happy for you and your new love, Felipe. You deserve it.
Allow me to share a word of wisdom that was passed to me from a very wise senior at Edina High School... When anyone makes you feel less than you are, especially yourself, tell yourself that "I am beautifully and wonderfully created."**
Pleased and grateful,
-C
**I would like to thank Eric for his wise words able to combat my self doubts. You inspire me, and frankly, rock =)
Dearest Liz,
Liz, as I finished the book tonight, felt sorrow as I realized that the last few pages were becoming even fewer. I feel like you have become my best friend, and mentor over the past weeks. I am so envious of your spiritual journey that made you such an amazing person. Who knew that rediscovering passion, prayer and balance could be found in traveling the world.
It's hard to believe at the end of the book that you are the same as that Liz who was on her bathroom floor, bawling her eyes out because she was so unhappy.Most everyone has done that, myself included. But that middle of the night tear-fest was one that actually changed your life.
Your little philosophies, and sayings about life stuck to me, and make me reflect at many moments of the day on my life and my actions. I'm proud of you Liz. You did a wonderful job, and through your transformation, although not as great as yours, transformed me. You are an amazing person,with an amazing heart (like when you raised all that money to Tutti and her mom to buy a new home in Indonesia!!) and I'm so happy for you and your new love, Felipe. You deserve it.
Allow me to share a word of wisdom that was passed to me from a very wise senior at Edina High School... When anyone makes you feel less than you are, especially yourself, tell yourself that "I am beautifully and wonderfully created."**
Pleased and grateful,
-C
**I would like to thank Eric for his wise words able to combat my self doubts. You inspire me, and frankly, rock =)
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Finding Balance in Indonesia [Post A]
Definitions courtesy of www.dictionary.com
CAPRICIOUS [Gilbert 166]: subject to, led by, or indicative of caprice or whim; erratic
STAGNATE [Gilbert 177]: to cease to run or flow, as water, air, etc.
EMOTIONAL APPEALS:
" 'What's got you all wadded up?' he drawls, toothpick in mouth, as usual.
'Don't ask,' I say, bt then I start talking and tell him every bit of it, concluding with, 'And worst of all, I can't stop obsessing over David, I thought I was over him, but it's all coming up again.'
He says, "Give it another six months, you'll feel better."
"I've already given it twelve months, Richard."
"Then give it six more. Just keep throwin' six months at it till it goes away. Stuff like this takes time." [Gilbert 148] I really have come to love Richard. He is the best friend who will tell you the naked truth because it isn't like your love life is in jeopardy with him. This is just one of the many words of wisdom from Richard that stuck with me. When you are having a hard time, Richard's way to help fix it is to just keep giving it six months. You don't have to immediately go long term, but just six months at a time. Step by step.
"But I wish me and David could--"
He cuts me off. "see, now that's your problem. You're wishin' too much, baby. You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be." [Gilbert, 150]. Again. This is Richard and his wonderful words of wisdom made simple so they are easy to remember. I do a lot of wishing sometimes about changing my past and decisions I've made, so Richard would probably be telling me to "alright, so wishbone now turns to backbone, and let's try and change the future so it turns out to be a past you are proud of.
"She says that peple universally tend to think that happinesss is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort." [Gilbert 260]
This a huge emotional appeal about how happiness is thought of. Happiness is something that is often what is sought out for an entire lifetime. Some find happiness in love, others find it in material objects. It doesn't take a guru to tell someone that happiness is the individual's personality, and nobody else's responsibility.
THEME:
Now I am STILL thinking that the theme of this memoir is how to rediscover yourself (for your personal happiness and nobody else's)and just make sure that your emotional and spiritual ducks are in a row to make sure that you are a spiritual and physical and emotional whole.
[Completely nailed ;) ]
CAPRICIOUS [Gilbert 166]: subject to, led by, or indicative of caprice or whim; erratic
STAGNATE [Gilbert 177]: to cease to run or flow, as water, air, etc.
EMOTIONAL APPEALS:
" 'What's got you all wadded up?' he drawls, toothpick in mouth, as usual.
'Don't ask,' I say, bt then I start talking and tell him every bit of it, concluding with, 'And worst of all, I can't stop obsessing over David, I thought I was over him, but it's all coming up again.'
He says, "Give it another six months, you'll feel better."
"I've already given it twelve months, Richard."
"Then give it six more. Just keep throwin' six months at it till it goes away. Stuff like this takes time." [Gilbert 148] I really have come to love Richard. He is the best friend who will tell you the naked truth because it isn't like your love life is in jeopardy with him. This is just one of the many words of wisdom from Richard that stuck with me. When you are having a hard time, Richard's way to help fix it is to just keep giving it six months. You don't have to immediately go long term, but just six months at a time. Step by step.
"But I wish me and David could--"
He cuts me off. "see, now that's your problem. You're wishin' too much, baby. You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be." [Gilbert, 150]. Again. This is Richard and his wonderful words of wisdom made simple so they are easy to remember. I do a lot of wishing sometimes about changing my past and decisions I've made, so Richard would probably be telling me to "alright, so wishbone now turns to backbone, and let's try and change the future so it turns out to be a past you are proud of.
"She says that peple universally tend to think that happinesss is a stroke of luck, something that will maybe descend upon you like fine weather if you're fortunate enough. But that's not how happiness works. Happiness is the consequence of personal effort." [Gilbert 260]
This a huge emotional appeal about how happiness is thought of. Happiness is something that is often what is sought out for an entire lifetime. Some find happiness in love, others find it in material objects. It doesn't take a guru to tell someone that happiness is the individual's personality, and nobody else's responsibility.
THEME:
Now I am STILL thinking that the theme of this memoir is how to rediscover yourself (for your personal happiness and nobody else's)and just make sure that your emotional and spiritual ducks are in a row to make sure that you are a spiritual and physical and emotional whole.
[Completely nailed ;) ]
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Goodbye Italy, Hello India Post A
Definitions from www.dictionary.com
Fennel (Gilbert, 108): a plant, of the parsley family
Intrinsic (Gilbert, 121): belonging to a thing by its very nature
Emotional Appeals:
"But Syrause, the next day, is even better. The bus coughs me up on the street coner here in the cold rain, late in the day." (Gilbert, 112) This is in the very beginning of her trip to India. I, as the reader, feel like I am right there with her. Even though Liz doesn't use very descriptive language, I can still vividly picture it in my mind.
"It was in a bathtub back in New York, reading Italian words aloud from a dictionary, that I first started mending my soul. My life had gone to bits and I was so unrecognizable to myself that I probably couldn't have picked me out of a police lineup. But I felt a flimmer of happiness when I started studyng Italian, and wen you sense a faint potentiality for happiness after sch dark times you must grab onto the ankles of that happiness and not let go until it drags you face-first out of the dirt--this is not selfishnes, but obligation. You were gven life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find someting beautiful within life, no matter how slight." (Gilbert, 115) I felt like I could relate very well with Liz when she said that beacause her life had gone to bits that she was unrecognizeable to herself. I know how that feels, so I could be empathetic with her. I understand that healing takes a long time, and when you find a the slightest ray of happiness, you have to embrace it to pull yourself out or you just get (and remain) more stuck.
"...thought is that you are never where you are. You are always digging in the past or poking at the future, but rarey do you rest in this moment." (Gilbert, 132) This quote represents me perfectly. I spend a lot fo time dwelling on the past, like broken friendships, lost pets, etc. and poking at my future , like worrying about my SAT and ACT scores, or how well I will do on my AP tests in May, or if I can find a college I will be happy with...but rarely do I think about right noww. What do I have to do right now to help align my future. That is what I feel so much of life is about. Dwelling on the past, wishing you could fix it, and laying the stones just right to have a perfect undisturbed path to the ideal future.
Now I am STILL thinking that the theme of this memoir is how to rediscover yorself and just make sure that your emotional and spiritual ducks are in a row to make sure that you are a spiritual and physical and emotional whole.
(I think I have this book nailed ;] )
-C
Fennel (Gilbert, 108): a plant, of the parsley family
Intrinsic (Gilbert, 121): belonging to a thing by its very nature
Emotional Appeals:
"But Syrause, the next day, is even better. The bus coughs me up on the street coner here in the cold rain, late in the day." (Gilbert, 112) This is in the very beginning of her trip to India. I, as the reader, feel like I am right there with her. Even though Liz doesn't use very descriptive language, I can still vividly picture it in my mind.
"It was in a bathtub back in New York, reading Italian words aloud from a dictionary, that I first started mending my soul. My life had gone to bits and I was so unrecognizable to myself that I probably couldn't have picked me out of a police lineup. But I felt a flimmer of happiness when I started studyng Italian, and wen you sense a faint potentiality for happiness after sch dark times you must grab onto the ankles of that happiness and not let go until it drags you face-first out of the dirt--this is not selfishnes, but obligation. You were gven life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find someting beautiful within life, no matter how slight." (Gilbert, 115) I felt like I could relate very well with Liz when she said that beacause her life had gone to bits that she was unrecognizeable to herself. I know how that feels, so I could be empathetic with her. I understand that healing takes a long time, and when you find a the slightest ray of happiness, you have to embrace it to pull yourself out or you just get (and remain) more stuck.
"...thought is that you are never where you are. You are always digging in the past or poking at the future, but rarey do you rest in this moment." (Gilbert, 132) This quote represents me perfectly. I spend a lot fo time dwelling on the past, like broken friendships, lost pets, etc. and poking at my future , like worrying about my SAT and ACT scores, or how well I will do on my AP tests in May, or if I can find a college I will be happy with...but rarely do I think about right noww. What do I have to do right now to help align my future. That is what I feel so much of life is about. Dwelling on the past, wishing you could fix it, and laying the stones just right to have a perfect undisturbed path to the ideal future.
Now I am STILL thinking that the theme of this memoir is how to rediscover yorself and just make sure that your emotional and spiritual ducks are in a row to make sure that you are a spiritual and physical and emotional whole.
(I think I have this book nailed ;] )
-C
Monday, October 15, 2007
Film Lit Review aka EXTRA CREDIT
The Book Movie
The movie The 400 Blows easily won me over because I love French: French culture, French literature, French fashion, the French language, French food. I have a passion for it all. The 400 Blows was a bit odd, but is easily a general crowd pleaser. Director François Truffaut wonderfully combined literary, dramatic and cinematic aspects to create a classic film that will easily continue to be viewed by generations to come.
The alarmingly troubled life of Antoine Doinel, an unwanted eleven-year-old boy is seen through the eyes of a third party who seems to be following him through his rare ups and frequent downs. The supporting characters, Antoine’s mother Gilberte, best friend René, stepfather and teacher all have very strong personalities that oblige the viewer to feel black or white about them. Gilberte never fails to demonstrate that Antoine’s birth was a mistake, and she is not interested in her husband for the love (which is shown later when Antoine sees her kissing another man). René is the only ray of happiness in Antoine’s dark and loveless world. René is the boy who gets on a bike that looks much to large for him, and bikes to the detention center where Antoine is serving time to visit his friend. Although René is a very likeable character, he is also the one who supplies Antoine with cigarettes and alcohol. The stepfather undoubtedly gets an A for effort considering the circumstances he is in. He acquired this poorly behaved boy through marriage to an unfaithful woman who has no money and no support from her child’s father. He tries to be friendly with Antoine, and it only slightly pays off, when Antoine lies to his teacher about his absence from school with the excuse of his mother dying.
As for dramatic aspects, the most prominent in The 400 Blows is the use of lighting. The brighter a scene, the brighter Antoine’s mood seemed to be. The apartment where he resides with his distant mother and inexperienced stepfather is dark and shadowy. For Antoine, the apartment is sorrowful, because he doesn’t feel like he belongs. He doesn’t even have his own bed and his clothing appears to have been worn for a long time. Another dark place is school because of the harshly structured environment his teacher runs. On the contrary, the city of Paris is always much more of a cheerful illumination because it represents freedom in the form of no adult constraints on Antoine. Lighting can also take on a double meaning, for example, when Antoine is with René, the lack of light is not because he doesn’t enjoy the company of his best friend, but perhaps because he is doing things he shouldn’t, such as using tobacco and alcohol. Claire Maurier played the character of Gilberte flawlessly. Maurier had me fooled that she was only acting by the way she didn’t hesitate to yell at her troubled son, and the expression in her eyes often showed how she was really feeling. The French teacher also seemed to take on his role naturally with disciplining everything that was the slightest bit out of line. I’m sure that the actor, Guy Decomble, was a very kind man, but his steel like appearance is likely a large factor got him the part. René was love at first sight. His cute and innocent appearance fooled the viewer just long enough to believe that he would be the best influence for Antoine. The sweet looking Patrick Auffay was the perfect René. If I had read the book before watching the movie, this is exactly how I would have pictured him.
I often left the Language Arts room with the same little tune playing through my mind. The music seemed very similar, just at different tempos and dynamics. Very much like the lighting, the music varied in synch with the tone of how Antoine felt about his environment and how little control he had over it. Happy, more briskly paced, music box sounding music played most often in Paris. At his family’s Paris apartment there was little music played at all. He is very sad and unhappy at home which is most likely the explanation for Truffaut’s lack of background music. The camera was Antoine’s shadow. There was rarely a scene without Antoine in it; however, he never seems to notice it is there. Antoine only makes eye contact with the camera at the very end when he appears to be looking back, almost reflecting for a second on his life.
Both Antoine and Richard have very troubled childhoods trying to find their place in the world. There is a higher power: for Richard it is the white people, for Antoine the adults. Under the heat of the constraints of their superiors, they are very rebellious and make poor decisions because of their need to challenge the authority. On the contrary, what is very different is their parents. Although Richard’s mother is very strict, she loves him and wants what is best for him. Antoine’s mother wishes that he had never been taken back from the wet nurse. He is only a burden to her life.
Overall, I would recommend this film. The characters are very dynamic and actors merge flawlessly into their roles. Truffaut combined the important literary, dramatic and cinematic aspects tastefully into an easily enjoyable movie. The French culture that backs this movie made it all the more rich. It would be uncommon to find this film sold out at Blockbuster on a Friday night, but it is a classic, designed to captivate current and future generations
The movie The 400 Blows easily won me over because I love French: French culture, French literature, French fashion, the French language, French food. I have a passion for it all. The 400 Blows was a bit odd, but is easily a general crowd pleaser. Director François Truffaut wonderfully combined literary, dramatic and cinematic aspects to create a classic film that will easily continue to be viewed by generations to come.
The alarmingly troubled life of Antoine Doinel, an unwanted eleven-year-old boy is seen through the eyes of a third party who seems to be following him through his rare ups and frequent downs. The supporting characters, Antoine’s mother Gilberte, best friend René, stepfather and teacher all have very strong personalities that oblige the viewer to feel black or white about them. Gilberte never fails to demonstrate that Antoine’s birth was a mistake, and she is not interested in her husband for the love (which is shown later when Antoine sees her kissing another man). René is the only ray of happiness in Antoine’s dark and loveless world. René is the boy who gets on a bike that looks much to large for him, and bikes to the detention center where Antoine is serving time to visit his friend. Although René is a very likeable character, he is also the one who supplies Antoine with cigarettes and alcohol. The stepfather undoubtedly gets an A for effort considering the circumstances he is in. He acquired this poorly behaved boy through marriage to an unfaithful woman who has no money and no support from her child’s father. He tries to be friendly with Antoine, and it only slightly pays off, when Antoine lies to his teacher about his absence from school with the excuse of his mother dying.
As for dramatic aspects, the most prominent in The 400 Blows is the use of lighting. The brighter a scene, the brighter Antoine’s mood seemed to be. The apartment where he resides with his distant mother and inexperienced stepfather is dark and shadowy. For Antoine, the apartment is sorrowful, because he doesn’t feel like he belongs. He doesn’t even have his own bed and his clothing appears to have been worn for a long time. Another dark place is school because of the harshly structured environment his teacher runs. On the contrary, the city of Paris is always much more of a cheerful illumination because it represents freedom in the form of no adult constraints on Antoine. Lighting can also take on a double meaning, for example, when Antoine is with René, the lack of light is not because he doesn’t enjoy the company of his best friend, but perhaps because he is doing things he shouldn’t, such as using tobacco and alcohol. Claire Maurier played the character of Gilberte flawlessly. Maurier had me fooled that she was only acting by the way she didn’t hesitate to yell at her troubled son, and the expression in her eyes often showed how she was really feeling. The French teacher also seemed to take on his role naturally with disciplining everything that was the slightest bit out of line. I’m sure that the actor, Guy Decomble, was a very kind man, but his steel like appearance is likely a large factor got him the part. René was love at first sight. His cute and innocent appearance fooled the viewer just long enough to believe that he would be the best influence for Antoine. The sweet looking Patrick Auffay was the perfect René. If I had read the book before watching the movie, this is exactly how I would have pictured him.
I often left the Language Arts room with the same little tune playing through my mind. The music seemed very similar, just at different tempos and dynamics. Very much like the lighting, the music varied in synch with the tone of how Antoine felt about his environment and how little control he had over it. Happy, more briskly paced, music box sounding music played most often in Paris. At his family’s Paris apartment there was little music played at all. He is very sad and unhappy at home which is most likely the explanation for Truffaut’s lack of background music. The camera was Antoine’s shadow. There was rarely a scene without Antoine in it; however, he never seems to notice it is there. Antoine only makes eye contact with the camera at the very end when he appears to be looking back, almost reflecting for a second on his life.
Both Antoine and Richard have very troubled childhoods trying to find their place in the world. There is a higher power: for Richard it is the white people, for Antoine the adults. Under the heat of the constraints of their superiors, they are very rebellious and make poor decisions because of their need to challenge the authority. On the contrary, what is very different is their parents. Although Richard’s mother is very strict, she loves him and wants what is best for him. Antoine’s mother wishes that he had never been taken back from the wet nurse. He is only a burden to her life.
Overall, I would recommend this film. The characters are very dynamic and actors merge flawlessly into their roles. Truffaut combined the important literary, dramatic and cinematic aspects tastefully into an easily enjoyable movie. The French culture that backs this movie made it all the more rich. It would be uncommon to find this film sold out at Blockbuster on a Friday night, but it is a classic, designed to captivate current and future generations
Sunday, October 14, 2007
w0Rd [post B]
"[...]that every city has a single word that defines it, that identifies most people who live there[...]"(Gilbert,103)
While Liz visits Rome, she has a language exhange partner, who helps her with her Italian, and in turn helps him with his English. Guilio is the name of her partner, and he is frequently helping Liz not only with her spoken language but with the Roman culture.
Giulio says that the word that defines Rome is SEX. When Liz was asked what defines New York, she said ACHIEVE.
What comes to mind that identifies when you think of: I called a few of my friends and asked some family about what they thought!!
America: [independent] {obese} (beautiful) ~opportunity~ /big\
Minnesota: [cold] {watery} (cold) ~variety~ /strong\
Edina: [affluent] {rich} (wealthy) ~classy~ /designer\
Edina High School: [ {prestigious} (busy) ~elite~ /intense\
Your home: [cozy] {tiny} (peaceful) ~charming~ /exciting\
Your family: [interesting] {odd} (loving) ~semi-normal~ /supportive\
You: [cool] {beautiful} (happy) ~meticulous~ /flawed\
While Liz visits Rome, she has a language exhange partner, who helps her with her Italian, and in turn helps him with his English. Guilio is the name of her partner, and he is frequently helping Liz not only with her spoken language but with the Roman culture.
Giulio says that the word that defines Rome is SEX. When Liz was asked what defines New York, she said ACHIEVE.
What comes to mind that identifies when you think of: I called a few of my friends and asked some family about what they thought!!
America: [independent] {obese}
Minnesota: [cold] {watery}
Edina: [affluent] {rich}
Edina High School: [ {prestigious}
Your home: [cozy] {tiny}
Your family: [interesting] {odd}
You: [cool] {beautiful}
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Short Discussion With Elizabeth Gilbert
http://youtube.com/watch?v=lCHDJV-4DCE
If you are interested.....
If you are interested.....
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Italy=Indulgence[post A]
Definitions from Dictionary.com
Dilettante [Gilbert, 73]: A person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement, esp. in a desultory or superficial way; dabbler.
Chakra [Gilbert, 49]: Yoga
Emotional Appeals:
Here, Liz is keeping a journal, where she talks to herself. It may sound silly but it works for her. She gets kind of schizo and talks about how Depression and Loneliness found her in Italy.
"In response, somewhere from within me, rises a now-familiar presence, offering me all the certainties I have always wished another person would say to me when I was troubled. This is what I find myself writing to myself on the page.
'I'm here. I love you. I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long will stay with you. If you need the medication again, go ahead and take it-I will lve you through that, as well. If you don't need the medication, I will love you, too There's nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death, I will still protect you. I am stronger than Depression and I am braver than Loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me." [Gilbert, 55] This is a huge emotional appeal. Anyone would love to be told this when they are having a struggle and they feel weak. I think that the most imporant--and difficult thing to do--is to give yourself your love.
"In return, Giovanni told me that empathizing Italians say 'L'ho provato sulla mia pelle', which means 'I have experienced that on my own skin'. Meaning, I have also been burned or scarred i this way, and I know exactly what you're going through."[Gilbert, 71]. I really liked this Italian expression. I thought to myself that it is a lot more of an interesting way of saying "I have experiencd that." I feel like it has more of a personal connection.
"My sister is not a religious person. Nobody in my family really is. (I've taken to calling myself the "white sheep" of the family.) My spiritual investigations interest my sister mostly from a point of intellectual curiosity. 'I think that kind of faith is so beautiful,' she whispers to me in the church, 'but I can't do it, I just can't..." [Gilbert, 90] How many people acutally consider themselves "white sheep"? All families have their differences about religion. Some choose to take it more seriously than others. I wonder, however, what makes faith beautiful? Is it the location? Or the belief in a superior being that is invisible to the eye but vivid to the mind?
I still am keeping the same theme as I believed before, but it's also about making onself happy, for nobody else but you.
-C
Dilettante [Gilbert, 73]: A person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement, esp. in a desultory or superficial way; dabbler.
Chakra [Gilbert, 49]: Yoga
Emotional Appeals:
Here, Liz is keeping a journal, where she talks to herself. It may sound silly but it works for her. She gets kind of schizo and talks about how Depression and Loneliness found her in Italy.
"In response, somewhere from within me, rises a now-familiar presence, offering me all the certainties I have always wished another person would say to me when I was troubled. This is what I find myself writing to myself on the page.
'I'm here. I love you. I don't care if you need to stay up crying all night long will stay with you. If you need the medication again, go ahead and take it-I will lve you through that, as well. If you don't need the medication, I will love you, too There's nothing you can ever do to lose my love. I will protect you until you die, and after your death, I will still protect you. I am stronger than Depression and I am braver than Loneliness and nothing will ever exhaust me." [Gilbert, 55] This is a huge emotional appeal. Anyone would love to be told this when they are having a struggle and they feel weak. I think that the most imporant--and difficult thing to do--is to give yourself your love.
"In return, Giovanni told me that empathizing Italians say 'L'ho provato sulla mia pelle', which means 'I have experienced that on my own skin'. Meaning, I have also been burned or scarred i this way, and I know exactly what you're going through."[Gilbert, 71]. I really liked this Italian expression. I thought to myself that it is a lot more of an interesting way of saying "I have experiencd that." I feel like it has more of a personal connection.
"My sister is not a religious person. Nobody in my family really is. (I've taken to calling myself the "white sheep" of the family.) My spiritual investigations interest my sister mostly from a point of intellectual curiosity. 'I think that kind of faith is so beautiful,' she whispers to me in the church, 'but I can't do it, I just can't..." [Gilbert, 90] How many people acutally consider themselves "white sheep"? All families have their differences about religion. Some choose to take it more seriously than others. I wonder, however, what makes faith beautiful? Is it the location? Or the belief in a superior being that is invisible to the eye but vivid to the mind?
I still am keeping the same theme as I believed before, but it's also about making onself happy, for nobody else but you.
-C
How Do You Define Passion & Happiness [post B]
PASSION: the object of such a fondness or desire
When I thought about how I dfeine and what I think passion is, I found it suprisingly difficult! I thought it would be very easy to come up with a list of things that could define passion, but I couldnt. I finally came to my definition of passion, as general and vague as it may be. I think passion is love. Tough love, genine love, love from friends, family, significant others.
HAPPINESS: the quality or state of being happy.
Thinking about what happiness is and means to me was much easier than thinking about passion. Everyone has a different list of what brings them happiness, but here is mine.
To me...
happiness is laughing so hard you cry.
happiness is watching Grey's Anatomy.
happiness is shopping with my friends.
happiness is dancing until we get too sore to continue.
happiness is trying on hideous clothes and just cracking up.
happiness is falling asleep with your best friends after a night filled with adventures.
happiness is taking a nice long nap.
happiness is cooking dinner with my family.
happiness is colouring in a colouring book.
happiness is reading my favourite books over and over again.
happiness is playing with my dog Maeve.
happiness is painting my nails.
happiness is watching Gossip Girl.
happiness is writing in my journal.
happiness is going for a run--until I hurt my ankle--now it's walks.
happiness is laughing at the sight of each other in our marching uniforms.
happiness is going to bed early.
happiness is when my dad says "You drive." ;]
happiness is dancing in the rain with rainboots and a raincoat.
happiness is wearing an adorable outfit.
happiness is listening to my iPod.
happiness is walking around Centennial Lakes.
happiness is watching The Hills.
happiness is going party dress shopping.
happiness is never letting go of the dumb things you and your friends say and repeating them over and over again.
happiness is doing yoga.
happiness is taking fun pictures with photobooth.
happiness is hitting the snooze button.
happiness is loving, and being loved.
What's your definition of passion? What's your definition of happiness? Where do you find them?
-C
When I thought about how I dfeine and what I think passion is, I found it suprisingly difficult! I thought it would be very easy to come up with a list of things that could define passion, but I couldnt. I finally came to my definition of passion, as general and vague as it may be. I think passion is love. Tough love, genine love, love from friends, family, significant others.
HAPPINESS: the quality or state of being happy.
Thinking about what happiness is and means to me was much easier than thinking about passion. Everyone has a different list of what brings them happiness, but here is mine.
To me...
happiness is laughing so hard you cry.
happiness is watching Grey's Anatomy.
happiness is shopping with my friends.
happiness is dancing until we get too sore to continue.
happiness is trying on hideous clothes and just cracking up.
happiness is falling asleep with your best friends after a night filled with adventures.
happiness is taking a nice long nap.
happiness is cooking dinner with my family.
happiness is colouring in a colouring book.
happiness is reading my favourite books over and over again.
happiness is playing with my dog Maeve.
happiness is painting my nails.
happiness is watching Gossip Girl.
happiness is writing in my journal.
happiness is going for a run--until I hurt my ankle--now it's walks.
happiness is laughing at the sight of each other in our marching uniforms.
happiness is going to bed early.
happiness is when my dad says "You drive." ;]
happiness is dancing in the rain with rainboots and a raincoat.
happiness is wearing an adorable outfit.
happiness is listening to my iPod.
happiness is walking around Centennial Lakes.
happiness is watching The Hills.
happiness is going party dress shopping.
happiness is never letting go of the dumb things you and your friends say and repeating them over and over again.
happiness is doing yoga.
happiness is taking fun pictures with photobooth.
happiness is hitting the snooze button.
happiness is loving, and being loved.
What's your definition of passion? What's your definition of happiness? Where do you find them?
-C
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Meditation--The New Lunch Break
Watching Liz Gilbert go through the junk drawer of her life is really fascinating. I know that in my life I already have many live and learn experiences.
Reading this book and learning about Liz's styles and questions that she asks herself to detox her life has really made me think about how my life might be different if I took time to unwind and set aside the time, instead of thinking "...well...maybe if I can afford the couple minutes of not doing my AP World notes...". I realize that if I do not set aside time or put it in my planner, it will not get done. Just like the physical therapy that haunts me by an uncontrolled clumsiness in my right ankle. I never have the time to acutally do my physical therapy, therefore it has left my right ankle and leg [up to my knee], very weak and unable to support me.
I think I just overally wish that I could have more time to know and recognize being at peace with myself. Maybe instead of taking a lunch break, a meditation break might do just as much good--to you know...just, recollect. :)
-C
Reading this book and learning about Liz's styles and questions that she asks herself to detox her life has really made me think about how my life might be different if I took time to unwind and set aside the time, instead of thinking "...well...maybe if I can afford the couple minutes of not doing my AP World notes...". I realize that if I do not set aside time or put it in my planner, it will not get done. Just like the physical therapy that haunts me by an uncontrolled clumsiness in my right ankle. I never have the time to acutally do my physical therapy, therefore it has left my right ankle and leg [up to my knee], very weak and unable to support me.
I think I just overally wish that I could have more time to know and recognize being at peace with myself. Maybe instead of taking a lunch break, a meditation break might do just as much good--to you know...just, recollect. :)
-C
Week 2 Post A
Definitions found at www.dictionary.com
abysmal:(Gilbert, 17) A greatness beyond measure
disaphanous: (Gilbert, 25) Having two heads
androgynous: (Gilbert, 27) Having both male and female characteristics
EMOTIONAL APPEALS:
"True wisdom gives the only possible answer at given moment, and that night, going back to bed was the only possible answer." (Gilbert, 16). I definately think this is an emotional appeal and it definately provokes thought in people. Here, when Liz is praying, she wasn't expecting a definate answer to her current problems that she is praying about. The honest rational voice said just to go back to bed, because that was the most logical thing to do. That voice didn't say "stay up all night and think about if deciding to divorce is the right decision" because then she would be so exhausted and wasted the next day tat she wouldn't be able to thin clearly. I think that sometimes, the right answer is just expected, when relly, the thing that most likely comes to mind is generally wahts best for the moment. True wisdom. Word.
"To find the balance you want [...] this is what you must become. You must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs instead of two. That way, you can stay in the wold. But you must stop looking at the world through your head. You must look through your heart, instead." (Gilbert, 27) So far in the book I am under the impression that Liz has a very hard time staying grounded,so when the medicine man in Indonesia tells her that she must stay grounded in order to be closest to God. I think it is interesting that the medicine man would say that you must be so grounded as if you have four legs instead of two.
"Because how could two people who were so in love not end up happily ever after?" (Gilbert, 22) This is where I really feel for Liz. She has such a hard time with love and finding a commitment to a man who doesn't "burn out" on loving her. First its her failed marriage with her soon to be ex husband, and then David, who she keeps breaking up with, and then aquiring more confidence outside the relationship and then goes back to him. She just cannot seem to get the men situation right--even though the "men situation" is part of the foundation for this book.
SIGNIFICANT QUOTE:
"It is better to live a life of single-pointed focus, he [Rumi] taught." (Gilbert, 29). Liz has spent most of her life doing everything the right and expected way. She pays her bills on tie, she never misses a deadline, voted, took care of loved ones, etc., but since her life has so many points of focus, she finds her life more scattered and as far from complete as most people get in heir lifetimes.
Now I am STILL thinking that the theme of this memoir is how to rediscover yorself and just make sure that your emotional and spiritual ducks are in a row to make sure that you are a spiritual and physical and emotional whole.
-C
abysmal:(Gilbert, 17) A greatness beyond measure
disaphanous: (Gilbert, 25) Having two heads
androgynous: (Gilbert, 27) Having both male and female characteristics
EMOTIONAL APPEALS:
"True wisdom gives the only possible answer at given moment, and that night, going back to bed was the only possible answer." (Gilbert, 16). I definately think this is an emotional appeal and it definately provokes thought in people. Here, when Liz is praying, she wasn't expecting a definate answer to her current problems that she is praying about. The honest rational voice said just to go back to bed, because that was the most logical thing to do. That voice didn't say "stay up all night and think about if deciding to divorce is the right decision" because then she would be so exhausted and wasted the next day tat she wouldn't be able to thin clearly. I think that sometimes, the right answer is just expected, when relly, the thing that most likely comes to mind is generally wahts best for the moment. True wisdom. Word.
"To find the balance you want [...] this is what you must become. You must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs instead of two. That way, you can stay in the wold. But you must stop looking at the world through your head. You must look through your heart, instead." (Gilbert, 27) So far in the book I am under the impression that Liz has a very hard time staying grounded,so when the medicine man in Indonesia tells her that she must stay grounded in order to be closest to God. I think it is interesting that the medicine man would say that you must be so grounded as if you have four legs instead of two.
"Because how could two people who were so in love not end up happily ever after?" (Gilbert, 22) This is where I really feel for Liz. She has such a hard time with love and finding a commitment to a man who doesn't "burn out" on loving her. First its her failed marriage with her soon to be ex husband, and then David, who she keeps breaking up with, and then aquiring more confidence outside the relationship and then goes back to him. She just cannot seem to get the men situation right--even though the "men situation" is part of the foundation for this book.
SIGNIFICANT QUOTE:
"It is better to live a life of single-pointed focus, he [Rumi] taught." (Gilbert, 29). Liz has spent most of her life doing everything the right and expected way. She pays her bills on tie, she never misses a deadline, voted, took care of loved ones, etc., but since her life has so many points of focus, she finds her life more scattered and as far from complete as most people get in heir lifetimes.
Now I am STILL thinking that the theme of this memoir is how to rediscover yorself and just make sure that your emotional and spiritual ducks are in a row to make sure that you are a spiritual and physical and emotional whole.
-C
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Dearest Elizabeth
Dear Elizabeth
What I cannot seem to stop thinking about is how after all the dreaming you have as a child, that you don't want the "Trophy Wife" life. You say that you are supposed to want a baby and a big country home and a homecooked meal that you prepared all day just waiting for your husband to come home and for your big happy family home filled with children is the happiest place on Earth. You don't want to be pregnant, you dont want to be a mom. It is funny how the idealistic American dream is to find the absolute love of your life, get married at the gorgerous church and the white dress and then all the kids and the amazing career you give up to raise your family. Your career as a writer means that much to you for you to give that up. The wise words of your friend about "Having a baby is like getting a tattoo on your face. You really neeed to be certain it's what you want be fore you commit." (Gilbert, 10).
What makes you one day say that you don't want what is expected of you? Do you feel that your life was going just fine anyways, and why would you dare put a tailspin on it? Or would would you be afraid that a baby would not bring your relationship with your husband to a closer point but make him push farther away? Why when you realize that you don't want what is expected of you do you want to just drop everything and travel across the world?
I hope that by reading on I can get more into your head, and farther into your heart, and your quest to get your spritual ducks in a row ;]
-C
What I cannot seem to stop thinking about is how after all the dreaming you have as a child, that you don't want the "Trophy Wife" life. You say that you are supposed to want a baby and a big country home and a homecooked meal that you prepared all day just waiting for your husband to come home and for your big happy family home filled with children is the happiest place on Earth. You don't want to be pregnant, you dont want to be a mom. It is funny how the idealistic American dream is to find the absolute love of your life, get married at the gorgerous church and the white dress and then all the kids and the amazing career you give up to raise your family. Your career as a writer means that much to you for you to give that up. The wise words of your friend about "Having a baby is like getting a tattoo on your face. You really neeed to be certain it's what you want be fore you commit." (Gilbert, 10).
What makes you one day say that you don't want what is expected of you? Do you feel that your life was going just fine anyways, and why would you dare put a tailspin on it? Or would would you be afraid that a baby would not bring your relationship with your husband to a closer point but make him push farther away? Why when you realize that you don't want what is expected of you do you want to just drop everything and travel across the world?
I hope that by reading on I can get more into your head, and farther into your heart, and your quest to get your spritual ducks in a row ;]
-C
How To [try?] To Appeal Emotionally
(1) "Of course, I've had a lot of time to formulate my opinions about divinity since that night on the bathroom floor when I first spoke to God directly for the first time." (Gilbert, 15). This is really important to her emotionally, because this is during her emotional breakdown. She starts to pray, not only in English but in many other language, which she says is just to get her point across [to God] but I think it's a lot deeper than that, it is such a quest inner peace.
(2) "We'd been fighting and crying, and we were weary in that way that only a couple whose marriage is collapsing can be weary. We had the eyes of refugees." (Gilbert, 12) I would definately say that this is a big emotional appeal because the whole reason she even considers this spiritual quest is because the whole thing with her husband.
(3) "This was what my voice would sound like if I'd only ever experienced love and certainty in my life." (Gilbert, 16). I really liked this and it did appeal emotionally. It made me thing about how when I'm upset, and I think about all these crazy things that only once my vision is cleared that I acutally think "hey, where did that voice come from. I don't recognize it...it's so...rational." ;)
-c
(2) "We'd been fighting and crying, and we were weary in that way that only a couple whose marriage is collapsing can be weary. We had the eyes of refugees." (Gilbert, 12) I would definately say that this is a big emotional appeal because the whole reason she even considers this spiritual quest is because the whole thing with her husband.
(3) "This was what my voice would sound like if I'd only ever experienced love and certainty in my life." (Gilbert, 16). I really liked this and it did appeal emotionally. It made me thing about how when I'm upset, and I think about all these crazy things that only once my vision is cleared that I acutally think "hey, where did that voice come from. I don't recognize it...it's so...rational." ;)
-c
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
The Beginning of a Soul Search
Some Vocabulary:
I found my definitions on www.dictionary.com
japa malas(Gilbert,1): Japa mala is a string of beads to assit Hindus and Buddhists in staying focused during prayer. It is used by holding the string of beads in one hand and with the other hand, touches one bead at a time. The beads are symbolic for each time a mantra is said. Mantra is to be 108 times, and there are 108 beads. The 109th bead is to remind not to forget to thank your teachers. [I thought that was pretty cool. This is where other european religions got the idea of a rosary.]
Ambivalent (Gilbert, 11): Uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
I haven't gotten as far as really thinking about the emotional appeals yet so I will come back to that.
I think the most significant quote so far is:
"In the end, what I have come to belive about God is simple. It' like this--I used to have this really great dog. She came from the pound. She was a mixture of about ten different breeds, but seemed to have inherited the finest features of them all. She was brown. When people asked 'What kind of dog is that?' I would always give the same answer: 'She's a brown dog.' Similarily, when the question is raised, "What kind of God do you believe in?' my answer is easy: 'I belive in a magnificent God." (Gilbert 14)
The significance of this quote is that her whole quest involves rediscovering the aspects of her faith. Gilbert talks about how she does't want to offend anyone by using the letters G-O-D, in that order. She knows of a superior being, but she does not say it is necessarily Jesus Christ, Buddah, Jehovah, Allah, Shiva Braham, Vishnu or Zeus.
The theme of this memoir is how to rediscover yorself and just make sure that your emotional and spiritual ducks are in a row. :)
I found my definitions on www.dictionary.com
japa malas(Gilbert,1): Japa mala is a string of beads to assit Hindus and Buddhists in staying focused during prayer. It is used by holding the string of beads in one hand and with the other hand, touches one bead at a time. The beads are symbolic for each time a mantra is said. Mantra is to be 108 times, and there are 108 beads. The 109th bead is to remind not to forget to thank your teachers. [I thought that was pretty cool. This is where other european religions got the idea of a rosary.]
Ambivalent (Gilbert, 11): Uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow
I haven't gotten as far as really thinking about the emotional appeals yet so I will come back to that.
I think the most significant quote so far is:
"In the end, what I have come to belive about God is simple. It' like this--I used to have this really great dog. She came from the pound. She was a mixture of about ten different breeds, but seemed to have inherited the finest features of them all. She was brown. When people asked 'What kind of dog is that?' I would always give the same answer: 'She's a brown dog.' Similarily, when the question is raised, "What kind of God do you believe in?' my answer is easy: 'I belive in a magnificent God." (Gilbert 14)
The significance of this quote is that her whole quest involves rediscovering the aspects of her faith. Gilbert talks about how she does't want to offend anyone by using the letters G-O-D, in that order. She knows of a superior being, but she does not say it is necessarily Jesus Christ, Buddah, Jehovah, Allah, Shiva Braham, Vishnu or Zeus.
The theme of this memoir is how to rediscover yorself and just make sure that your emotional and spiritual ducks are in a row. :)
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Eat Pray Love
The book I have chosen to read for our outside reading project is Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.
From reading the back of the book, my understanding is that Elizabeth Gilbert is in her thirties and after her divorce, she sets out to find herself through travels to India (to develp devotion), Italy (to develop pleasure) and Bali Indonesia to find harmony between enjoyment and transecendence.
So far its awesome!!
Friday, September 14, 2007
First Post
This weekend, I am going to get my memoir. I'm thinking something like Wasted, or the one about the wife of a CIA Agent.
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