The story that has meant the most to me so far would have to be the chapter Love. Okay so I love all of that cheesy romance, unreal relationships you read about and see in movies. All of that junk makes me smile and feel as though there is hope that we could all find love like that. In this chapter we learn that Jimmy Cross is still in love with Martha after all of this time. Even after how guilty he felt for Lavender's death. Even though Martha had made said she didn't want to marry and made it seem as though she really did not want a relationship with Jimmy he still was in love with her. Her mere image and thought of her made him smile and joyful.
I don't feel as though I connect with any of these characters at all. I don't think that I could ever image myself in the lives that they are living and I would never have the ability to do what they have done. I don't find myself being as courageous as they are.
A specific convention of narrative that I would like to point out is on page 55 in our book. Tim is in the boat with Elroy and Tim is imaging what it would be like to jump off and swim to the border and just be gone. In his hallucination he is seeing all of these people judging him and calling him names and scrutinizing him for fleeing the country. This is when he decides that he must stay and go to the war.
On page 57 in our book a passage that stood out to me is "I would kill and maybe die because I was too embarrassed not to." This made me realize how many things do we do because we feel like it's what we need to do to "fit in". Everything from our clothes, cars, friends, music, and lifestyle. The world around has a big influence on what we choose in life and it's not necessarily what we want but what others want for us or think that we should do. We are suppose to be individuals but if we have an open mind or speak our opinion some people don't respect it and want to shut us down as a person. I try to respect that everyone is there own person and has to do what they need to do to make themselves feel accomplished. But doing something because you think you need to or are too embarrassed to do otherwise is not being honest with yourself and letting yourself be happy.
I like how you compared that passage on page 57 to us. It's sad that we really do things because we almost feel as though if we don't we will not fit in. I agree that the world does have a huge influence on how we do things.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read the passage the comparison was the first thing that came to my mind. I had to think about the choices that I make as a person and who or what influences it. No matter how much we think of ourselves as independent we sometimes rely on others for our decisions.
DeleteI agree with Devon. . . Its sad that the majority of things people do is to fit in and please others. We need to be our own person and don't worry about what others think of us.
DeleteI also felt for Jimmy in "Love". You can tell how much he truly is in love with Martha, but at the same time you realize that he is pretty much a hopeless romantic. I feel bad for Jimmy but at the same time I admire how much he loves Martha.
ReplyDeleteI love stories like that, too! In the first chapter I wondered Jimmy was truly in love with Martha or if he just longed for the affection that the war couldn't give to him, but after reading this chapter I definitely feel that he truly loves her.
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