Dear Anna,
First of all, I cannot even begin to imagine what it is like for you to be a member of the family merely to be your sister's life support. I would grapple with the idea of not truly being wanted for the sake of having another child. I personally find it challenging with one other sibling—much more if I had two siblings, and they were the ones who were originally “wanted”. It seems like although you don’t see Jesse much, that you get along with him really well and he respects your more than just a living cell bank for your sister. Even though your mother says you’re special and because you hold the key to keeping your sister alive that it makes you that much more special doesn’t mean that you automatically feel part of the family. Mrs. Fitzgerald is always tending to Kate’s each and every whimper, often ignoring you. I guess that this is kind of understandable, but at the same time, you need attention to the same level that she does. Your undying love for your sister (even though she’s the reason why you were born in the first place!) is admirable. Like when she was having kidney pains, how you reached out over your bed for her hand so that she could have the comfort of knowing that you are there for you. It’s understandable for the two of you to be reliant on this kind of comfort, because if Kate is in the hospital, it automatically means that you are. Whenever something goes wrong with her, you have to be there in case she needs some sort of a transplant/transfusion, etc. Jesse calls you the “peace-keeper”. Although it is unfair to have you be born into a role, it’s a role that you have so far chosen to challenge.
Good luck,
<3C
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
{Post A Week 1}
Loupe (9): a small magnifying glass commonly used by jewelers or watchmakers.
primitive (17) Denoting or preserving the character of an early stage in the evolutionary or historical development.
"Actually, that's not quite true--right now she doesn't have it, but it's hibernating under her skin like a bear, until it decides to roar again." (10) This is an example of figurative language in the form of a simile because of the use of "like" to demonstrate a comparison. Anna is her sister's allogeneic donor, and currently, Kate doesn't have her leukemia, but this is how Anna is describing her sisters illness.
"The walls are paneled with wood the color of a chestnut mare's coat..."(16) Jodi Picoult compares the colour of the wood paneling with the colour of a horse's coat because it makes it easier for the reader to visualize the room the Anna and Jesse had just walked into.
"It is exactly the kind of case I want to avoid like the Black Plague--one which requires far too much effort and client baby-sitting. (20) The lawyer that Anna goes to does not take her seriously at first. He uses a simile to portray very clearly how strongly he feels about representing an eighth grader!
SIGNIFICANT QUOTE:
"See, unlike the rest of the world, I didn't get here by accident. And if your parents have you for a reason, that reason better exist. Because once it's gone, so are you." (8) Anna's purpose from the moment she was conceived in a scientific lab was to be a perfect genetic match for her sister, Kate.Anna feels that she deserves rights to her own body because she wants to free herself of the purpose of being a perfect genetic match and her sister's lifesaver.
PROBABLE THEME:
Is it okay to conceive children for the purpose of saving the ones who have already been born, and what message is this sending to the child?
primitive (17) Denoting or preserving the character of an early stage in the evolutionary or historical development.
"Actually, that's not quite true--right now she doesn't have it, but it's hibernating under her skin like a bear, until it decides to roar again." (10) This is an example of figurative language in the form of a simile because of the use of "like" to demonstrate a comparison. Anna is her sister's allogeneic donor, and currently, Kate doesn't have her leukemia, but this is how Anna is describing her sisters illness.
"The walls are paneled with wood the color of a chestnut mare's coat..."(16) Jodi Picoult compares the colour of the wood paneling with the colour of a horse's coat because it makes it easier for the reader to visualize the room the Anna and Jesse had just walked into.
"It is exactly the kind of case I want to avoid like the Black Plague--one which requires far too much effort and client baby-sitting. (20) The lawyer that Anna goes to does not take her seriously at first. He uses a simile to portray very clearly how strongly he feels about representing an eighth grader!
SIGNIFICANT QUOTE:
"See, unlike the rest of the world, I didn't get here by accident. And if your parents have you for a reason, that reason better exist. Because once it's gone, so are you." (8) Anna's purpose from the moment she was conceived in a scientific lab was to be a perfect genetic match for her sister, Kate.Anna feels that she deserves rights to her own body because she wants to free herself of the purpose of being a perfect genetic match and her sister's lifesaver.
PROBABLE THEME:
Is it okay to conceive children for the purpose of saving the ones who have already been born, and what message is this sending to the child?
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Penelope is Holding Out For A Hero
Holding Out For A Hero--Frou Frou
I chose Penelope for my mortal in The Odyssey. She inspires me because she is so sure of her husband's return (even if it is "someday") and she is strong to that belief. She is even willing to unravel her weave just to prolong the amount of time Odysseus has to return and save her from having to remarry to a suitor. Even though we as the readers don't hear as much about Penelope as we do her son Telemachus, her faith in her husband's existence shows her strength of character. However, even though she shows strength in holding out for her husband, her vulnerability is shown when Athena sends the ghost (who is like her sister) to comfort an anxious Penelope, whose son has just left on a voyage to find word of her husband. Penelope can only so much as dream that her husband will return home safely, even though it has been an excruciating amount of time for him to be missing.
I chose the song Holding Out For A Hero, because that is exactly what Penelope is doing, she is holding out from marrying a suitor for her hero of a husband to come home. The title just seemed to fit her character and what is happening in her life seamlessly.
LYRICS:
Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night toss and turn and dream of what I need
(Chorus)
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet
(Chorus)
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I would swear that there's someone somewhere
Watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach
Like the fire in my blood
(Chorus)
I chose Penelope for my mortal in The Odyssey. She inspires me because she is so sure of her husband's return (even if it is "someday") and she is strong to that belief. She is even willing to unravel her weave just to prolong the amount of time Odysseus has to return and save her from having to remarry to a suitor. Even though we as the readers don't hear as much about Penelope as we do her son Telemachus, her faith in her husband's existence shows her strength of character. However, even though she shows strength in holding out for her husband, her vulnerability is shown when Athena sends the ghost (who is like her sister) to comfort an anxious Penelope, whose son has just left on a voyage to find word of her husband. Penelope can only so much as dream that her husband will return home safely, even though it has been an excruciating amount of time for him to be missing.
I chose the song Holding Out For A Hero, because that is exactly what Penelope is doing, she is holding out from marrying a suitor for her hero of a husband to come home. The title just seemed to fit her character and what is happening in her life seamlessly.
LYRICS:
Where have all the good men gone
And where are all the gods?
Where's the street-wise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night toss and turn and dream of what I need
(Chorus)
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night
He's gotta be strong
And he's gotta be fast
And he's gotta be fresh from the fight
I need a hero
I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light
He's gotta be sure
And it's gotta be soon
And he's gotta be larger than life
Somewhere after midnight
In my wildest fantasy
Somewhere just beyond my reach
There's someone reaching back for me
Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat
It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet
(Chorus)
Up where the mountains meet the heavens above
Out where the lightning splits the sea
I would swear that there's someone somewhere
Watching me
Through the wind and the chill and the rain
And the storm and the flood
I can feel his approach
Like the fire in my blood
(Chorus)
Saturday, January 5, 2008
[Post B Week 7]
One of the greatest changes in the storyline so far has been Claire's active social life. She is now involved with the bartender. She has a lot of mixed feelings about being close to him, or even just spending time with him because of her deceased husband. When is it right to start seeing other people after the death of a spouse/significant other?
Claire's children also feel a need to be taken into consideration when it comes to their mother spending so much time with another man. They often ask her if she has kissed Frank or not, which causes Claire to question if persuing a new relationship is too soon. In fear of losing their mother, her kids (as well as a family friend's child--their family issues too are numerous)set up a back up plan, saving money and medication and making blueprints of the house that they are going to build in case their mother marries Frank and they have to be all on their own.
Claire's best friend, Donna, is also having marritial issues of her own, dealing with her drunk husband who is emotionally absent from the lives of both her and her children. Donna and Claire spend a lot of time at the local bar, where Claire's husband used to spend a large amount of his time, drinking his life away, and Claire would often come pay the tab and take him home. Arnold (Claire's now desceased husband) spent so much time at the bar, spilling all events that were happening at his home, with his wife, and with his children to the bartender, Frank.It seemed as if Frank already knew Claire, making it near impossible for her not to fall in love with someone who understood her so well with her putting little effort into the relationship.
I certainly hope that Claire does not give up on the relationship with Frank, despite the opinions of her children. I think that this is truly what Claire needs to help her move on and get the optimal closure from her husband's suicide.
Claire's children also feel a need to be taken into consideration when it comes to their mother spending so much time with another man. They often ask her if she has kissed Frank or not, which causes Claire to question if persuing a new relationship is too soon. In fear of losing their mother, her kids (as well as a family friend's child--their family issues too are numerous)set up a back up plan, saving money and medication and making blueprints of the house that they are going to build in case their mother marries Frank and they have to be all on their own.
Claire's best friend, Donna, is also having marritial issues of her own, dealing with her drunk husband who is emotionally absent from the lives of both her and her children. Donna and Claire spend a lot of time at the local bar, where Claire's husband used to spend a large amount of his time, drinking his life away, and Claire would often come pay the tab and take him home. Arnold (Claire's now desceased husband) spent so much time at the bar, spilling all events that were happening at his home, with his wife, and with his children to the bartender, Frank.It seemed as if Frank already knew Claire, making it near impossible for her not to fall in love with someone who understood her so well with her putting little effort into the relationship.
I certainly hope that Claire does not give up on the relationship with Frank, despite the opinions of her children. I think that this is truly what Claire needs to help her move on and get the optimal closure from her husband's suicide.
[Post A Week 7]
VOCABULARY:
indignant(168): feeling or showing anger or annoyance
pointedly (189): expressing criticism in a direct
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
(1) "Kate's tiny red head bobbed like a buoy." (208)
This is an example of figurative language because Hornbacher is comparing Kate's head to a buoy using like or as--making it a similie.
(2) "Kate, Esau and Davey dangled off the furniture like melted candy." (203)
This is an example of figurative language because Kate, Esau and Davey aren't acutally melted candy. Hornbacher is making a comparison to better help the reader a better picture of how they behaved during the summer when it was hot. It is a similie because of the use of 'like' or 'as'.
(3)"They shruged in unison. They were like a two-headed monster."(172)
This too is an example of figurative language because Kate and Davey is not the name of a two headed monster, rather this is just how they looked because they behaved in unison.
SIGNIFICANT QUOTE:
" 'Tell you one thing,' he said, shaking his head. 'We don't get along so good, but I sure did love your momma. Time was, I'll tell you.' He put his arm on the back of the couch and petted Davey's head. 'I sure did.' He looked at Davey to see how he took this. 'Easy to love a woman,' he said. 'Not so easy, getting her to love you. See how it is?' " (260)
PROBABLE THEME:
The passage of grief and moving on after a family tragedy, and how it affects each minute of every passing day.
indignant(168): feeling or showing anger or annoyance
pointedly (189): expressing criticism in a direct
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE:
(1) "Kate's tiny red head bobbed like a buoy." (208)
This is an example of figurative language because Hornbacher is comparing Kate's head to a buoy using like or as--making it a similie.
(2) "Kate, Esau and Davey dangled off the furniture like melted candy." (203)
This is an example of figurative language because Kate, Esau and Davey aren't acutally melted candy. Hornbacher is making a comparison to better help the reader a better picture of how they behaved during the summer when it was hot. It is a similie because of the use of 'like' or 'as'.
(3)"They shruged in unison. They were like a two-headed monster."(172)
This too is an example of figurative language because Kate and Davey is not the name of a two headed monster, rather this is just how they looked because they behaved in unison.
SIGNIFICANT QUOTE:
" 'Tell you one thing,' he said, shaking his head. 'We don't get along so good, but I sure did love your momma. Time was, I'll tell you.' He put his arm on the back of the couch and petted Davey's head. 'I sure did.' He looked at Davey to see how he took this. 'Easy to love a woman,' he said. 'Not so easy, getting her to love you. See how it is?' " (260)
PROBABLE THEME:
The passage of grief and moving on after a family tragedy, and how it affects each minute of every passing day.
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