"In this manner, the issue was decided."-- "Popular Mechanics" by Raymond Carver
They pulled the child in half. At least that's how I see this happening. Quite a twisted and brutal ending to the story if you ask me. This couple is fighting over who gets to take the child and end up doing much more harm than good. This is not a normal argument these people are having. They clearly do not actually care about the child, but about hurting one another. The man is leaving and just wants to hurt his wife/girlfriend even more by taking the child. They fight and he tries to pry the baby from her grasp, which seems like it would hurt the child enough as it is. Then the woman loses her grip and tries to yank the child back. That's how the story ends, and all I could picture was the story in the Bible where the king tells the women to cut a child in half so they each can have a piece. I believe the child is dead, which would be a good topic for discussion.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
No, You're Ugly!
"'That's not the one you were thinking of?' 'No.' There was accusation in her voice. 'Mine was different.' 'Oh.'"-- "You're Ugly, Too" by Lorrie Moore
The irony of this is that it is placed in the "irony" section of our book. Upon first reading, it doesn't seem very ironic or funny at all. The only irony I could find is that Zoe (I can't make the little dots, sorry) finds a semi-sensible and down-to-earth guy and loses him by "jokingly" attempting to shove him off a balcony. Maybe I missed the point, I think it would be good for a large group discussion. Zoe is kind of a weird character too, and she makes the entire story incredibly awkward. Almost every moment ends terribly with Earl. I kind of feel bad for her because it seems like something she can't control. Everything is just a joke to her and cannot seems to take things seriously.
The irony of this is that it is placed in the "irony" section of our book. Upon first reading, it doesn't seem very ironic or funny at all. The only irony I could find is that Zoe (I can't make the little dots, sorry) finds a semi-sensible and down-to-earth guy and loses him by "jokingly" attempting to shove him off a balcony. Maybe I missed the point, I think it would be good for a large group discussion. Zoe is kind of a weird character too, and she makes the entire story incredibly awkward. Almost every moment ends terribly with Earl. I kind of feel bad for her because it seems like something she can't control. Everything is just a joke to her and cannot seems to take things seriously.
Ah, Irony
"'It was God did it you were there. You were his guardian angel.'"-- "The Drunkard" by Frank O'Connor
What's with all the weird, messed up stories? This young boy gets drunk on his father's beer, that doesn't seem very funny at all. But it is ironic, so I guess it belongs in this section. The boy stays with his father because he wants to keep the man from getting drunk. The father is an on-and-off drinker who is sober once the story begins. He goes to a funeral and the boy knows he will try to drink after and attempts to simply take him home. In the end, the father doesn't get drunk. Because the son drinks all the alcohol the father buys and becomes intoxicated himself. The father has to drag the boy home while the young man hollers and sings down the street. The mother is initially mad, but then sees the good in the situation. The father is still a sober man, so in the end, the situation turn out to be a positive one.
What's with all the weird, messed up stories? This young boy gets drunk on his father's beer, that doesn't seem very funny at all. But it is ironic, so I guess it belongs in this section. The boy stays with his father because he wants to keep the man from getting drunk. The father is an on-and-off drinker who is sober once the story begins. He goes to a funeral and the boy knows he will try to drink after and attempts to simply take him home. In the end, the father doesn't get drunk. Because the son drinks all the alcohol the father buys and becomes intoxicated himself. The father has to drag the boy home while the young man hollers and sings down the street. The mother is initially mad, but then sees the good in the situation. The father is still a sober man, so in the end, the situation turn out to be a positive one.
Not an Uncommon Story
"The children had stones already, and someone gave little Davy Hutchinson a few pebbles."-- "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
This is a disturbing story, but I have read a book very similar to this. First though, I would like to say how disturbing this line is. Davy Hutchinson is the son of the woman about to be stoned, and the crowd expects him to participate. On to the main point: the book The Hunger Games is about a similar concept. Without getting into all the details, a society has something called the Hunger Games every year where they make children from each district attempt to kill each other. The children are chosen via slips of paper in a jar. The main character of the book is from the poorest district whose children rarely win and end up dead, which is what makes these stories similar. They both expect to die because of a twisted social construct that is out of their hands.
The Hunger Games is being made into a movie, and this is the trailer!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgssLmsOa2s
This is a disturbing story, but I have read a book very similar to this. First though, I would like to say how disturbing this line is. Davy Hutchinson is the son of the woman about to be stoned, and the crowd expects him to participate. On to the main point: the book The Hunger Games is about a similar concept. Without getting into all the details, a society has something called the Hunger Games every year where they make children from each district attempt to kill each other. The children are chosen via slips of paper in a jar. The main character of the book is from the poorest district whose children rarely win and end up dead, which is what makes these stories similar. They both expect to die because of a twisted social construct that is out of their hands.
The Hunger Games is being made into a movie, and this is the trailer!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgssLmsOa2s
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
What kind of bedtime story is this!?
"... the alarm set up wailing against the screams while the bleeding mass of the little boy was hacked out of the security coil with saws..."-- Once Upon a Time, Nadine Gordimer
I don't understand the purpose of the frame story here. The person who wakes up tells themself a story of a boy dying because of his over-precautious parents. The parents put up so many signs and security measures around their house that the cat cannot get around without setting off the alarms. The sign saying "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED" is directed more towards the parents than any intruder. The boy thinks all these security measures are just a game, playing cops and robbers with the intercom at the gate. Eventually he pretends to be in a fairy tale and tries crawling through barbed wire, acting like it is a tunnel. The parent's fear and attempts to protect the family ultimately led to the death of their son.
I don't understand the purpose of the frame story here. The person who wakes up tells themself a story of a boy dying because of his over-precautious parents. The parents put up so many signs and security measures around their house that the cat cannot get around without setting off the alarms. The sign saying "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED" is directed more towards the parents than any intruder. The boy thinks all these security measures are just a game, playing cops and robbers with the intercom at the gate. Eventually he pretends to be in a fairy tale and tries crawling through barbed wire, acting like it is a tunnel. The parent's fear and attempts to protect the family ultimately led to the death of their son.
A Worn Woman
"'My grandson. it was my memory had left me. There I sat and forgot why I made my long trip.'"-- A Worn Path, Eudora Welty
This is a rather sad story. I think this woman is blind and senile, making this long trip because she does not realize her grandson is long dead. The nurse tries to lead her into the realization by asking if the boy is dead, but Phoenix insists he is alive. She does not know any better. The boy swallowed lye, and while I do not know what lye is, I can assume it does a lot of harm to people and swallowing it does some pretty bad things. I sympathize for Phoenix because she does not know what else to do. The title and nurse imply this trek she makes is not uncommon. She says they are the only two people left in the world. It's sad to see her so oblivious to the fate that likely befell the boy.
This is a rather sad story. I think this woman is blind and senile, making this long trip because she does not realize her grandson is long dead. The nurse tries to lead her into the realization by asking if the boy is dead, but Phoenix insists he is alive. She does not know any better. The boy swallowed lye, and while I do not know what lye is, I can assume it does a lot of harm to people and swallowing it does some pretty bad things. I sympathize for Phoenix because she does not know what else to do. The title and nurse imply this trek she makes is not uncommon. She says they are the only two people left in the world. It's sad to see her so oblivious to the fate that likely befell the boy.
Hesitation said it all
"She had consented to go away, to leave her home. Was that wise? She tried to weigh each side of the question."-- Eveline, James Joyce
Poor Eveline could not make up her mind, and that should have told her what choice to make. She thought so hard for the entire story about what to do. She hesitated to go away with Frank. Such a life-changing decision takes much thought, which she had. If she still could not make up her mind by the time the night came, she should have realized leaving was a terrible choice. She had two children and her father to take care of at home, and it is the only place she had ever known. She grew up in the same house and promised her mother she would do everything she could to keep the family together. Eveline could not go back on that promise, but she didn't realize it until the situation was close to being irreversable. Had she left with Frank, she would have regretted it for the rest of her life. Just goes to show we should trust our instincts first and foremost.
Poor Eveline could not make up her mind, and that should have told her what choice to make. She thought so hard for the entire story about what to do. She hesitated to go away with Frank. Such a life-changing decision takes much thought, which she had. If she still could not make up her mind by the time the night came, she should have realized leaving was a terrible choice. She had two children and her father to take care of at home, and it is the only place she had ever known. She grew up in the same house and promised her mother she would do everything she could to keep the family together. Eveline could not go back on that promise, but she didn't realize it until the situation was close to being irreversable. Had she left with Frank, she would have regretted it for the rest of her life. Just goes to show we should trust our instincts first and foremost.
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