Returning to Earth-Week 5, Post B

Significant Quote:
"I said to my uncle Fred on his brief visit this summer that we tend to live withing a grey egg and rarely break through the shell to see life as it is, and he said, 'No we don't, we just think we're within the egg but we're outside of it. We feel safer in there." (154) I thought this quote was quite thought provoking. I'm not really sure which opinion I side with. David's view is that we choose to shield ourselves from the harsh realities of life by enclosing ourselves in this so-called "shell". Fred's view is that we like to believe we're in this "shell" but the realities are taking place right before our eyes. We simply choose not to acknowledge them. I can't decide on whether or not we choose to live in a world where there are no harsh realities or if we simply choose to ignore that they have an impact. These ideas are very similar, but somehow I think they aren't actually the same idea. I have a feeling they are two different views that distinguish between people who are ignorant and people who are sheltered. I find that people are more ignorant than sheltered. You see it everyday. Terrible events occur and there is a portion of our society who will choose to let it go unacknowledged. They know it's there, but they decide to not let it affect their own personal lives. In conclusion, I suppose I agree more with Fred's view on life.

Returning to Earth-Week 5, Post A

Vocab:
-Intravenous (146): Of, pertaining to, employed in, or administered by injection into a vein.
-Hubris (148): Excessive pride or self-confidence; arrogance.

Figurative Language:
"At one time I found this inconceivable because men love to think of themselves as the singular dog on the block despite the presence of others." (151) This statement represents a metaphor describing David's old reaction to Polly showing interest in other men.

"I said to my uncle Fred on his brief visit this summer that we tend to live withing a grey egg and rarely break through the shell to see life as it is..."(154) This statement is an example of symbolism in which the grey egg represents our natural avoidance of harsh reality.

"Fred and a raven in a fir tree were staring at each other as if the bird had hypnotized the man." (154) This statement represents a similie describing the strong connection felt between Fred and a raven in the woods.

Quote:
"I reminded myself that my persistent life question, "How do we live with what we know?" didn't cover everything and that I might humorously add, "How do we live with what we don't know?" (155) This quote gave me great insight into the kind of person David is. He seems to be a very intellectual and deep-thinking being. His observations on life are quite thought provoking. After reading this passage I was forced to read it several more times in order to fully understand what he was saying. It appears that Donald's recent death has caused David to see life in a whole new light. He previously viewed life a scientific journey, however I think Donald's death has allowed David to see life in a more spiritual way. He used to think he knew everything (possibly too much) about life and that used to scare him. Now, he questions whether he is truly the beacon of all knowledge and is afraid of the things in life he doesn't know. The things that very well may sneak up on him.

Theme:
The theme that seems to take place in this passage is re-examination. A death is a very powerful experience, when it's not your own. David seems to be re-examining many aspects he thought to be true about life before Donald's death.

Returning to Earth-Week 4, Post B

I am caught slightly off guard by Donald's decision to die. I knew there was talk of suicide, but honestly I didn't believe it would ever become a reality. I was reading about Clare and K's relationship and then all of the sudden K is preparing to leave for a trip to Canada where Donald would like to die and be buried. I can't even imagine to turmoil the family must be experiencing. It is extremely brave of Donald's family to allow him this decision and let him go.I know I would have severe difficulty letting a family member die voluntarily. Cynthia, Donald's wife, is not joining him on this trip so I just realized that the last couple sentences I just read would be the last moments they would spend together. That realization gives me knots in my stomach. The concept of death seems so foreign as a teenager. I obviously know that people die and that no one lives forever, but the idea that someone could say "I would like to die now" and then pass on is unreal to me. Don't get me wrong, I understand that suicide is a very real thing, but I guess I never thought about it so deeply before I read this novel. I'm sure Donald understands what he's putting his family through, however, this disease truly eats away at your body. It is excrusiating to experience and is truly a horrible disease. Living his life must be becoming more and more impossible each day for Donald. As much as I hate to see him go, I can understand why he is making this important decision.

Returning to Earth-Week 4, Post A

Vocab:
-Neural (115): Of or pertaining to a nerve or the nervous system.
-Rivulets (116): A small brook or stream; a streamlet.

Figurative Language:
"I held her but it was like I wasn't there" (114) This quote represents a similie describing the severe hurt Clare was feeling when K refused to help her bring a child into this world.

"'I was as big as a cow at your campsite.'" (115) This statement also represents a similie describing what Clare had imagined herself to look in her dream of when she was pregnant.

"When Cynthia left there was nearly interminable silence as if we three were willingly lost in our universe." (121) This statement represents a simile describing the first step David, K and Donald would take on their journey. They are going to Canada so Donald can be buried on the grounds of natice tribe. Donald has decided he would like to die and he has requested to be buried there.

Quote:
"I dropped Clare off adn drove over to my mother's and hung the tent and sleeping bag over the clothesline. Mom came out the back door and we walked down the street to the old Coast Guard station to watch the huge white-capped waves slamming against the breakwall. We've always loved storms and made this walk even in the dead of winter to watch a norther..." (117) I found this passage significant because it is the first time as far as I'm concerned that K has reffered to his mother as "Mom" or any other variation of that. Throughout the story, he continually called her by her first name, Polly, so this passage caught me off guard. Also, K never seemed particularly close with his mother so reading about them watching storms together was another unexpected element. It's as if they both have become so accustomed to watching storms together that the storm K is referring to in this passage didn't even need an explanation for them to observe it together. There doesn't appear to be any dialogue between K and Polly, just an understanding that they will both watch the storm. I have reason to believe this because K doesn't return to his parents house very often.

Theme:
The theme that seems to be present in this portion of the novel is sacrifice. Everyone in the family is making grave sacrifices for Donald. The biggest being allowing him to die as he has decided where he is going to die and where he would like to be buried.

Returning to Earth-Week 3, Post B

Previously the story was being narrated by Donald with occasional interruptions from Cynthia. Now the story is being told by K, a nephew a Donald and Cynthia. It's interesting to read the memories K tells about Donald and Cynthia's family. I find that I learn a great deal more about them from K. This family seems now to be a little more unorthodox than I imagined. For example, we learn that K and Clare, Donald's daughter and K's cousin, were lovers when they were eighteen. This is a bit odd and I later learn that Clare broke up with K because she believed that K was only dating her to get to her mother, Cynthia (K's aunt). K admitted to wanting to be with Cynthia. This novel is about Donald's written history of his family and this new aspect to the novel is confusing me. K once mentions reading the history Donald has written, but then continues with his storytelling. I'm not sure what any of these stories really have to do with the main component of the novel. I am not far in the K portion of this novel so hopefully its purpose will make itself clear to me as I read on.

Returning to Earth-Week 3, Post A

Vocab:
-Deconstructionist (78): Of or concerned with the philosophical theory of literature known as deconstructionism; "deconstructionist criticism"
-Banality (79): Something that is trite, obvious, or predictable; a commonplace

Figurative Language:
"Each new woman is an undiscovered country..." (79) This passage represents a metaphor describing Cynthia's brother's view of women.

"'I know what he's going to do,' I said, nodding at Donald and chewing my corned beef sandwich as if mortality were a fiction." (81) This quote represents a metaphor describing K's feelings at the time he made this comment. I interpret this metaphor as stating that at this moment, K felt death was a completely untrue concept.

"'He didn't die but forever after scuttled like a crab when he tried to walk freely.'" (82) This statement represents a similie describing the physical state of K's grandfather who was injured in an iron mine in his early thirties.

Quote:
"I was in a different world. Everyone seemed poor but more vivid than my life in Chicago exept for my dad's Italian friends. At the time I actually wondered if Indians and Italians might be related." (85) I found this quote interesting because I finally realized how sheltered K's life actually was. He lived in a world where different cultures didn't mix. As a child, meeting the Indians who lived in the same area as Donald and Cynthia and their family was a real wake-up call for him. He learned that Italians and Indians have many similarities, making him question whether or not they were actually two cultures that were related.

Theme:
The theme that seems to be apparent in this portion of the novel is the theme of self-discovery. K seemed to be retelling stories from his past that described a time where he learned something new about himself.

Returning to Earth-Week 2, Post B

Dear Donald,
You are beginning to let your regrets have a severe influence on your outlook on your life. This is unhealthy and I would hope you get out of this slump and begin to embrace the life you have left. Clearly, reminiscing about your past to Cynthia will bring back memories that you would like to forget. Don't allow these memories to shape your view on the life you have led. You are a good person who has done some great things. We all make mistakes. We all committ acts we wish we could take back. But living in the past will only make you last couple of years miserable. You don't want that. Cynthia doesn't want that. Your children don't want that. Also, don't dwell on the regrets of what you haven't yet done in your life either. This is equally unhealthy. So you didn't get to see a real glacier, so what? There are some people in this world who never had the experience of finding their true love and making a family. Now is the time to reflect on all the wonderful achievements you've had in your life. My advice: spend your last years remembering the good times, and also realizing the great virtues you have acquired during your lifetime.

Sincerely,
Emily

Returning to Earth-Week 2, Post A

Vocab:
-Germinal (50): Being in the earliest stage of development.
-Embezzled (51): to appropriate fraudulently to one's own use, as money or property entrusted to one's care.

Figurative Language:
"I took a pretty good haymaker to an ear, which made my head ring like a church bell." (55) This statement is a similie describing the immense pain Donald experience after being punched by a bouncer at a club.

"He [Donald] said his whole body felt like his foot did when he dropped a cement block on it, which he did a couple of times in his working life." (61-62) This statement is also a similie in which Donald's most severe seizure is being described.

"Floyd was no more than a character in one of those zombie movies I used to watch on television with Herald and Clare." (62) This statement is an example of a metaphor Donald is using to describe the state of his old classmate Floyd.

Quote:
"I kept thinking of a passage Cynthia read me once from a book where there was a Cheyenne Indian character named One Who Sees as a Bird who was an actual person in history. I don't have any faith in what they call reincarnation but if I was to return to earth in the form of another creature it would be nice if it was a bird, a raven to be exact. Once when I was night fishing in the fall with my dad on the Escanaba River down near Arnold he pointed up into the darkness at the big moon to where you could see birds like little pieces of black confetti flying south." (65) I like this passage and that's why I chose it to post on this blog. In the middle of typing it I discovered that it was the quote that represented the title and the picture on the front cover. There is a picture of a raven and the novel is called Returning to Earth. I would guess that Donald would choose to come back to earth as a bird because birds can travel the world and see other places much easier than people can. He often discusses how he regrets never seeing certain places that he is too weak to visit now in the story. Flying is second nature to a bird, so even a slightly injured one can sometimes find the will to fly. I think Donald aspires to have that ability.

Theme:
The theme that seems to be present in this portion of the novel is regret. The reader learns about many things Donald has done in the past that he regrets and also about things he wishes he had done when he was stronger.

Returning to Earth-Week 1, Post B

The protagonist in this novel is a middle-aged man named Donald who is dying from Lou Gehrig's disease. My first impression of him was that he possessed a rather cynical nature. As I have read on it seems that he is probably just quite realistic and his comments may come off as cynical when he is, in fact, simply relaying a harsh truth. The novel is about Donald's mission to inform his family of their past starting with the endeavors of his great-grandfather, Clarence. He feels that this is necessary because Donald doesn't want to die without his family knowing their history. I think this is wise of him. So far, his family has an interesting history and I believe it will be beneficial to his children to learn about it. Donald is too weak to write this history himself so he is dictating it to his wife Cynthia who often chimes in with her own thoughts which can be identified with brackets. Cynthia offers insight to the reader about the state of Donald at certain moments during his storytelling. This is where the effects of the disease reveal themselves. Reading about his state has been powerful and has filled me with deep empathy for people suffering from this horrible disease. I'm excited to continue this novel and anticipate an interesting storyline.

Returning to Earth-Week 1, Post A

Vocab:
-Venison (28)- The flesh of a deer or similar animal as used for food.
-Portaged (28)-The act of carrying; carriage.

Figurative Language:
"Donald seems asleep with his eyes open." (31) This statement is an example of imagery because it allows the reader to picture the state Donald appears to be in.

"Though he was a professor the man was as regular as a keg of nails." (34) This statement is an example of a similie describing an author Donald met once.

"Despite meeting the author I was lower than a duck's butt for a couple of months." (34) This statement is an example of a metaphor describing the melancholy state Donald found himself in for a substantial period of time.

Quote:
"He [Clarence, Donald's great-grandfather] Lost his heart for a while. I was thinking just now that I understand his feelings because I have lost my body, which has been mine for forty-five years." (26) I found this quote significant because the reader gains insight to Donald's feelings about his body and the changes it's going through. This disease truly does take over your body, forcing you to give up control. I loved his comparison between losing someone you love and losing control of your own body. I agree that they are similar losses.

Theme:
A theme that seems present in the novel so far is the theme of not letting a negative experience completely run every aspect of your life.

The Color of Water-Week 5, Post B

Dear James,
I sincerely enjoyed your memoir. You are a talented writer who really has a knack for appealing to the reader. There were so many emotions and events that I was able to relate to, or just understand because of your detail and feeling. I think it is quite honorable to write about your mother because it was actually beneficial to you to write this memoir. You learned about a side of your mother who you never saw. It's incredible that you lived with her your whole life and you were never given insight into this seperate life of your mother's. Clearly, you stuggled with an identity crisis for most of your life, being of mixed races. I believe that you experienced a great deal of self-acceptance when you were finally allowed into your mother's past. Even though your mother stressed all through your upbringing that you musn't identify yourself and others by race, you seemed to have great difficulty ignoring this controversial subject. Race, especially between blacks and whites, was a hot-button issue in your day. You had a father who was black and a mother who was white. That was uncommon back then. I can understand your confusion. That is why I think it was so important for you to write this memoir. You wrote about yourself AND your mother, and connecting the two was a smart move. This memoir is an inspiration to any child struggling with an identity crisis. It is important to know about your past before you can make decisions about your future.

Thank you for writing this fascinating memoir.

Sincerely,
Emily

The Color of Water-Week 5, Post A

Vocab:
-Stilted (257): Stiffly dignified or formal, as speech or literary style; pompous.
-Nebulous (262): Hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused.

Appeals:
"I watched as the worlds of blacks and whites smashed together in newsrooms and threw off chunks of human carnage that landed at my feet."(263) This passage represents an emotional appeal because obviously, the people McBride is describing are not literally ripping of human carnage from eachother and throwing them around. It is supposed to represent an emotional image the reader must create.

"The Post style section is the top of the line, the elite, the haute cuisine, the green, green grass of heaven for newspaper feature writers, and quitting there is not something you do lightly, not even for a seasoned quitter like me."(265-266) This quote represents a logical appeal because it is describing the significance of being a writer for the Washington Post.

"I envisioned her as the wise sage, sitting in a rocking chair, impassively pouring the moving details of her life into my waiting tape recorder over six weeks, maybe two months, me prodding her along, her cooperating, cringing, inching along, mother and son, hand in hand, fighting forward, emotionally wrought, until--behold! We'd be done six months later, and the world would be graced with our mighty tome." (268) This passage represents a logical appeal because it gives the reader specific details allowing the reader to envision the scene. I suppose it represents an emotional appeal as well because the reader can also imagine the emotions and feelings of the scene.

Quote:
"It was a fascinating lesson in life history--a truth-is-stranger-than-fiction marvel, to say the least. I felt like a Tinkertoy kid building my own self out of one of those toy building sets; for as she laid her life before me, I reassembled the tableau of her words like a picture puzzle, and as I did, so my own life was rebuilt."(269-270) I liked this quote because it sums up McBride's feelings about himself nicely. He seemed to be going through a constant identity crisis his entire life and now that he is finally learning about his mother's past (and part of his heritage) he is beginning to experience a feeling of self-acceptance. I think he went through his life believing that a part of him was missing and he was correct. His mother never told him anything about her life or her past and I think it ultimately halted his journey to finding out where he belongs. He must feel more complete now.

Theme:
The theme that seems present in this portion of the memoir is belonging. Trying to feel like you belong in your own skin.

The Color of Water-Week 4, Post B

Significant Quote:
"I was home and I got a call from a doctor at the hospital about six in the morning. He asked if I was Mrs. McBride. I said I was. He said, 'Mr. McBride just passed away.' I said, 'That's impossible. He wasn't that sick.' The doctor said, 'He had cancer,' and hung up. That's the first time they told me he had cancer. That's the first I ever heard of it." (243-244) This quote was shocking to me. James's father had been in the hospital so many times before he died there and the doctor's knew he had cancer and they couldn't bother to tell his family. Ruth often stated how she could hear the doctor's talking about her behind her back, thinking she couldn't hear them. She knew they were opposed of her marriage to a black man, but it seems uncanny that this view of their relationship would stop these doctors from telling her that her husband had a fatal disease. Who knows if they even did all they could to treat him? Maybe he could have survived.

The Color of Water-Week 4, Post A

Vocab:
-Haw (236): An utterance used by a speaker who is fumbling for words.
-Divinity (240): Deity; godhood.

Appeals:
"I can still hear her weeping now sometimes. I know the exact sound of it, like a note you hear or a song that keeps spinning around in your head and you can't forget it." (214) This passage definently represents an emotional appeal because the reader can completely relate to Ruth's situation. Everyone has gotten a song stuck in their head at one point or another so it is easy to imagine this feeling.

"That man was the finest preacher I've ever heard to this day. He could make a frog stand up straight and get happy with Jesus. You never heard anything like him. He was not fire and brimstone. He brought God into your everyday life in a way that made you think heaven was right next door." (233) This description is a logical appeal because the reader can create an image in their head about how this man preached.

"If you didn't get out on that sidewalk by nine A.M. on Sunday morning for the eleven A.M. service, you had to stand in the aisles, and the place seated maybe, I don't know, at least two thousand people." (234) This passage represents a logical appeal because it gives the reader clear information about how popular this church was.

Quote:
"There is such a big difference between being dead and alive, I told myself, and the greatest gift that anyone can give anyone else is life. And the greatest sin a person can do to another is to take away that life. Next to that, all the rules and religions in the world are secondary; mere words and beliefs that people choose to believe and kill and hate by. My life won't be lived that way, and neither, I hope, will my children's." (229) This quote is significant because it demonstrates James finally understanding all the good his mother did by raising him to look beyond a person's color. He has now become more tolerant and seems to be giving his mother the credit he deserves.

Theme:
The theme that came to mind in this portion of the reading is self-discovery. Self-discovery cannot simply be obtained by examining just yourself, you must also examine the other aspects of your life around you. James went to the town where his mother grew up and learned about this side of the family he was never told about. He learned a lot about himself through learning about his backround.

Review of "The 400 Blows"

The film, “The 400 Blows” written and directed by François Truffaut, had fleeting moments of entertainment, but that was not enough to make this film worth watching at least for the average viewer. If the writer had a message or a theme it was virtually undetectable. Perhaps the writer’s intention was to show, through an adolescent’s eyes, that life is unfair and most of us just try to catch or dodge the curveballs. This take on life seems like a common tale told over and over again. Mr. Truffaut’s message, that adolescent angst is a problem, would have been appreciated if Truffaut hadn’t focused on all the predictable behaviors of an adolescent. It is easy to guess what will happen next in the life of this young boy. The end of the film leaves the audience literally hanging because it is anyone’s guess what will happen to the young boy. While this may sound like a great ploy to get the audience’s attention, it falls flat. Too many questions exist at the end of the film leaving the audience confused and dissatisfied. While the film has some cinematic value it fails to spark any sort of deep discussion among the audience. Without discussion the film gets classified with many other films in the category of unmemorable.
“The 400 Blows” possesses many literary aspects. The plot is a memoir in that it tells the story of a boy, Antoine Doinel, through his own eyes, during a brief period in his life. Antoine is twelve years old for the duration of the film and acts like a typical rebellious adolescent who finally got caught. He plays hooky, steals, and runs away from home on several occasions. Characterization is achieved by looking at the primary adults, such as parents and teachers, from the point of view of a twelve year old boy. Everything revealed about that character is skewed by whatever this young boy perceives. Most of these characters appear insensitive and ineffectual. This is actually one of the more interesting parts of the movie because it allows the audience to imagine other ways in which these characters can be understood. In terms of the setting, if you didn’t know Paris was the film’s location it would be easy to think the setting was anywhere in any French city. There are no distinguishing landmarks that let the audience know for sure where the film took place. In some ways, that is actually a good technique because it allows many in the audience to feel a familiarity with the setting. The theme, adolescent angst, as mentioned before is predictable and redundant. Adolescent angst can be loosely interpreted as a symbol representing internal struggles and frustrations with the people who should be trusted relied upon.
This film was well cast and the actors did an exceptional job portraying their characters in their acting. Jean-Pierre Léaud, who played Antoine Doinel, portrayed the perfect image of an adolescent boy trying to live his life on his terms. He is a rebellious child and the viewer could see through the acting that he lacked a conscience and was motivated by self gain. The viewer is able to clearly see how the negative experiences affected Antoine through convincing acting. The role of Gilberte Doinel, played by Claire Maurier, was equally as convincing. Her selfishness is apparent to the viewer from the first moment she steps onto the screen. She is a narcissistic woman who neglects her family. There is a point in the show where she appears to undergo a transformation, which is evident by her dramatic change in the treatment of her son. It is obvious to the viewer that Gilberte behaved in a false nurturing manner because she fears blackmail. Any affection she shows her son is a calculated attempt to buy his silence for her indiscretions. She never comes out with a direct explanation as to why she was treating him better, but the viewer needs no explanation because her aura gives off this impression. Antoine’s best friend, René, played by Patrick Auffay, is another role that was well cast. René is the perfect mentor for Antoine. Antoine learns all of his mischievous acts from him. René is similar to the character Dodger from Oliver!. He appears to be the wiser and more experienced of the two friends and rarely ever gets caught. The viewer could easily pick this up just from watching the way he moves. René is composed and calculated. Another strong direction the film takes is with the costumes. The costumes in this film are great representations of the time and the conditions. The viewer can also tell what kind of personality a person has by simply looking at their wardrobe. Gilberte Doinel’s wardrobe gave away, immediately, that the majority of the little money the family was bringing in was spent on her clothes and pampering herself. The rest of her family wore clothes that looked old and scuffed. Some even had holes in them. The costumes helped to gain insight to how the characters perceived themselves and how that may contrast with how others saw them.
“The 400 Blows” displayed ingenious cinematic aspects. The lighting is a dead giveaway about the feelings the protagonist has about a place. Dimly lit places were often places Antoine felt uncomfortable and scared. His home and his school were examples of this lighting. Cameras often angled down on Antoine’s home, giving the impression of feeling cramped and insignificant. This feeling of cramped helped the audience understand the pressure experienced by Antoine. Black and white photography also helped provide a sense of time, perhaps in the 1930s and 1940s. The music complimented the dismal and often hopeless mood. Sometimes the music prepared the audience for a mood change displayed by the characters. In general, the music, photography, and lighting complimented each scene.
“The 400 Blows” and Black Boy by Richard Wright, both had as its main character, young men, struggling with their lives. There were more similarities than differences between Richard and Antoine. The main difference between the boys was the social circumstances that defined how they were perceived by others. Richard was born into a community where his color was recognized before his behavioral traits. Antoine did not have to contend with that very real perception. Richard and Antoine often met their challenges with rebellion. Throughout the movie and the book it was unclear whether either boy would survive their circumstances. Additionally, both young men genuinely felt comfortable in their own skin. It was the outside world that betrayed them.
People who would find “The 400 Blows” interesting would tend to be people who appreciate cinematic and dramatic devices incorporated in filmmaking. It is hard to ignore the clever and deliberate filmmaking techniques such as camera movement, acting, and sound used within this film. Anybody, however, with a short attention span and a need for closure would find this film unsatisfying and frustrating. Technique, not plot, is what gives “The 400 Blows” credibility and merit. I would suggest this particular film to someone who appreciates the finer aspects of filmmaking. Without that appreciation it would be easy to dismiss “The 400 Blows” as dull and unfinished.

The Color of Water-Week 3, Post B

Dear James,
Congratulations on getting into Oberlin college! That's quite the accomplishment and I hope your pursuit for a career in music is successful. I know that throughout this exciting time in your life you are also noticing the dismal state of your mother. You can tell she's unhappy. She has made great sacrifices for you and your siblings to make sure all of you have bright futures ahead of you. Think about it. Every one of your siblings before you and including yourself have now gotten into college and many are studying for further degrees. Considering your family's financial state at home, this is quite the accomplisment for your mother. She's a single mother, with twelve kids. It's incredible that she was able to raise you all the way she did, and even through those terrible grieving periods. Now that you're older, you have been able to recognize what your mother has gone through and all of the sacrifices that she made for you. She moved to a city that she is clearly miserable in. In this city, your successful future began to take off. This city, dull as it was, offered you the opporunities to turn your life around. You're no longer the alcoholic, drug-addict you once were. This is due to your mother and her willingness to give up her own happiness for your success. You must be feeling guilty knowing this fact. You should do something for your mother. Get your siblings together, put in some money and try to change her life, because she has for sure changed yours. She always put your lives before her own, and I think it is time to let her experience a little luxury.

Sincerely,
Emily

The Color of Water-Week 3, Post A

Vocab:
-Spry (185): Active; nimble; agile; energetic; brisk.
-Bandy-Legged (187): having crooked legs; bowlegged.

Appeals:
"She [James's mother] was the unhappiest I had ever seen her. It was like her legs were cut out from under her. The day before Thanksgiving in 1974, her old Toyota broke down and she had no money to fix it, which meant we had to take a bus to some godforsaken distant supermarket to find a turkey we could afford. We found the bird, but when we got on the bus to go home the paper bag holding the frozen turkey burst; it fell out of the bag and rolled all the way down the aisle to the front of the bus, where the driver grabbed it. The passengers and driver laughed, but to Ma this episode epitomized her entire experience in Delaware, that darned turkey rolling down the darned aisle in front of all those darned people. She had few friends there. The black folks found her to be awkward. The white folks bored her." (188) This passage displays an emotional feel because the details force the reader to feel these emotions, as if it were us in this difficult situation. McBride describes his mother's experience in Delaware in such a way that the reader cannot help but feel sorry for her and wish she could be cut a break and find a way out of this place or a way to finding happiness.

"On a cloudy, rainy day in September 1975, I packed everything I owned into an old green duffel bag and Ma drove me to the Greyhound bus station." (189) This passage is clearly a logical appeal because the reader can further understand James's family's financial situation. The fact that James fit everything he owned into a duffel bag shows that James didn't need much to live a successful life and that he wasn't given much either.

"She was wearing a brown raincoat and a scarf over her head, a lone white woman marching back forth on a dim street in front of the dilapidated bus station in Wilmington, Delaware, beneath a rumbling Amtrak train trestle and a cloudy sky." (190) I think this passage represents a logical appeal because McBride is describing a scene in such a way that the reader can truly picture it in there mind.

Quote:
"She [James's father's aunt] came up from North Carolina and cared for y'all after Dennis died, because I was grieving and lost and I couldn't move. I couldn't move." (195) After I read this quote I found myself intrigued by the repeat of the phrase "I couldn't move". I had read earlier in the memoir about Ruth's grieving for her first husband but I was never understood it quite as well as I did after reading this one passage. I thought I had understood it, but this passage proved me wrong. It's brilliant how one passage can make you see a situation in an entirely different light.

Theme
The theme I have noticed to be occuring throughout this section is the theme of how grieving can transform your life. Ruth goes through a grieving period that proves to be very negative for her. She loses control of her children and her emotions. James also experience a transformation from his grieving that turns him into a juvenile delinquent who has lost all self-control to drugs and alcohol.

The Color of Water-Week 2, Post B

Significant Quote:
"Just Like Mommy did years before me, I began my own process of running, emotionally disconnecting myself from her, as if by doing so I could keep her suffering from touching me." (138) I found this quote significant because it represents an adult reflection by the author. He experienced this process of "running" when he was in the tenth grade. It's also an accurate connection between himself and his mother. James's mother considers herself "dead" from her family. She doesn't know where any of them are now or even if they are alive. James is gradually disconnecting himself from his mother just as she did with her family. At this point in the memoir, James's father has just died and his mother is undergoing a deep stuggle to recover. James seems to have great difficulty seeing his mother in this state and probably finds it necessary to emotionally disconnect himself from his emotionally unstable mother.

The Color Of Water-Week 2, Post A

Vocab:
-Jettison (97): To throw off (something) as an obstacle or burden; discard.
-Arraignment (97): A calling into question or a finding fault, esp. with respect to the value or virtue of something; critical examination.

Appeals:
"They went wild, but even as I sat down with their applause ringing in my ears, with laughter on their face, happy to feel accepted, to be part of them, knowing I had pleased them, I saw the derision on their faces, the clever smiles, laughing at the oddity of it, and I felt the same ache I felt as I gazed at the boy in the mirror. I remembered him, and how free he was, and I hated him even more." (105) This passage represents an emotional appeal. As I was reading this I could imagine what the scene looked like as if I were there. I can picture the student's faces that show both excitement and mockery as James dances around the classroom for their pure enjoyment. I could also imagine the feeling James had as he watched these children laugh and point and smile.

"His father was a black man, a railroad brakeman, and his mother a Native American, so he had a lot of Indian in his face: brown skin, slanted brown eyes, high cheekbones, and a weather-beaten outdoor look about him, a very handsome dude." (120) This appears to be a logical appeal because the description of James's stepfather is quite explicit and it is easy to picture what he might look like.

"When they tore down his house, it was like they ripped out half his arteries." (125) This is definently an emotional appeal because it is a similie that pertains to an emotional reaction. I am able to comprehend what it would feel like to be in the situation James's stepfather was in and understand his feelings about it.

Quote:
"He said that since I was the oldest living at home, I had to watch out for Mommy and my little brothers and sisters because 'y'all are special,' he said. 'And just so special to me.' It was the only time I ever heard him refer to race in any way, however vaguely..." (128) I found myself reading this quote several times because I couldn't understand what the referance was to race. The only conclusion I have come to is that James's stepfather is referring to race when he says "y'all are special".

Theme:
I belive the most prominant theme in this memoir is tolerance. There are clear elements of tolerance of race, tolerance of religion, and tolerance of people who are different from you or unusual in some way.

The Color of Water-Week 1, Post B

Dear James,
You must learn to allow your mother time. I know how much you want to learn about your grandparents and other distant relatives, but clearly your mother has a reason why she refuses to talk about them. You may be a young boy but you can still catch on to signals that your mother prefers to keep her past private. It is easy to assume that your mother experienced a horrifically difficult childhood by her abrupt dismissal of any conversation of her past. I ask you to please give her sufficient time. She is a strong woman who loves you unconditionally. She will tell you when she is ready.
James, you must also learn to accept the fact that your mother is different. Yes, she is a white woman raising 12 mixed race children on her own living in a predominantly black town. People will stare. People will gossip. This is a harsh reality of life that will take some getting used to. When you’re receiving these strange looks, rather than feel ashamed of your mother you should be proud of what she has accomplished and recognize her unfailing strength.
Finally, you need to learn to let your mother cope with situations in her own way. I understand that bringing up your successful brother Dennis when you seem to be faltering in your studies or behavior can be annoying, but think of how she must feel to have brought up a child by herself who is now on his way to medical school. “The heights he attained, heights we puny mortals could only dream of achieving, were trumpeted and crowed by Mommy in every corner of the house. Dennis had finished college. Dennis had gone to Europe. And now, for his crowning achievement, Dennis, oh glorious Dennis, oh mighty Dennis---Dennis! Dennis!---sought the highest, most wonderful, most incredible achievement any human being, any son, could hope to achieve.” (70) It’s normal to feel this way about your high esteemed brother but, you shouldn’t let your mother know how obnoxious she’s being when she rants about him. Let her have that moment to be proud of her self when she has devoted her life to raising you.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, be kind to your mother. Show her appreciation. Show her devotion. Make her proud to be your mother and never allow yourself to feel ashamed to be her son. It doesn’t matter what color she is, she is your mother and she loves you as any other mother would.

Sincerely,
Emily

The Color of Water-Week 1, Post A

Vocab:
-Fedora (6): A soft felt hat with a curved brim, worn with the crown creased lengthwise.
-Typify (7): To represent by a type or symbol.

Appeals:
"I still remember the smell of the South. It smelled like azaleas. And leaves. And peanuts. Peanuts everywhere. Planters peanuts had their headquarters in Suffolk...You could buy peanuts by the pound in Suffolk for nothing. There were farmers growing peanuts, hauling peanuts, making peanut oil, peanut butter, even peanut soap. They called the high school yearbook The Peanut. They even had a contest once to see who could make the best logo for Planters peanut company. Some lady won it. They gave her twenty-five dollars, which was a ton of money in those days." (39) This passage represents an emotional appeal because the reader feels a full understanding of life in a small town. This town had one aspect about it that made it unique and they truly embraced it. The reader can understand how living in this peanut-obbssessed town could drive a person out of their mind, which explains the reasoning for the sarcastic tone it is described with.

"The biggest event Suffolk had seen in years was a traveling sideshow that came through town on the railroad tracks, with a stuffed whale in a boxcar. The folks loved that. They loved anything different, or new, or from out of town, except for Jews. In school the kids called me "Christ killer" and "Jew baby." That name stuck with me for a long time. "Jew baby." You know it's so easy to hurt a child. (39-40) I feel that this is an emotional appeal. This passage struck me hard and the reader can feel a real understanding for how she was treated in this small and small-minded town. Any reader knows what is it like to be picked on by other children when they were young, even if it was a rare and a small experience. From those experiences we can easily agree that it is indeed easy to hurt a child.

"...but even as a boy I knew that God was all-powerful because of Mommy's utter deference to Him, and also because she would occasionally do something in church that I never saw her do at home or anywhere else: at some point in the service, usually when the congregation was singing one of her favorite songs, like 'We've Come This Far by Faith' or 'What a Friend We Have in Jesus,' she would bow down her head and weep. It was the only time I ever saw her cry...Mommy's tears seemed to come from someplace else, a place far away, a place inside her that she never let any of us children visit, even as a boy I felt there was pain behind them."(50) This passage also represents an emotional appeal. The reader has learned that James's mother is an extremely strong woman. One can assume that she would not be very prone to tears because she is too stong-willed to allow herself to appear weak in front of others. So when I read this passage I can truly understand her emotions she feels in church and how significantely they affect her.

Quote:
"A short silence. 'My mother died many, many, many years ago,' she said. 'My father, he was fox. No more questions tonight. You want some coffee cake?'" (25) This is the most information James has received about his mother's past at this point in the book. The statement "he was a fox." caught my eye. All James had asked was why he never met his grandparents and Ruth went on to tell him that his grandmother died, however, she then tells him his grandfather was a sly, untrustworthy man (aka, a "fox"). The reader knows the grandfather has also died and that is the reason James never met him, yet this is not the reply Ruth chooses to answer James's question. Clearly, Ruth feels very strongly about the kind of person her father was. This could possibly be the reason Ruth keeps her past an extremely private matter.

Theme:
Feeling ashamed of one's family is a theme that is quite apparent in this memoir. Ruth constately talks about her family in a sarcastic, embarrased tone. James displays this emotion as well when talking about his white mother and his 11 other brothers and sisters.