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.