Blog 5: The Interpreter of Maladies

In the short story "The Interpreter of Maladies," on page 16, Mr. Kapasi notes that Mr. Das's son is slightly paler than the other children. I believe this is foreshadowing that  this boy is getting sick, because Mr. Kapasi is an Interpreter of Maladies. The author focuses on this moment because he wants the reader to recognize that something is going to happen, and the child might become ill. 

The Red Convertible

1. Setting: North Dakota 1974

2. Main characters opinion: The main character is not a big fan of war. 

3. Symbolism: The red car symbolizes the relationship between the two brothers. 

4. Due to the time period this story was written, the author tried to use plot elements from the time to show the relationship between the brothers. 

Blog 3: A White Heron

Sylvia felt a connection with the white heron because she felt like she could relate to the animal's around her. I would connect the relationship between her and the heron, with sylvia and the cow because Sylvia feels very much like these animals. I believe the white heron and sylvia have a lot in common, such as being scared/afraid. Also i believe they are both timid. 

Blog 2: The Body of Christopher Creed Ending.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this novel because it was different from all of the other novels we have read this year. This book was by a teenage boy who at first was very easy to relate to, as the book went on it turned into a murder mystery and made me want to read more to find out what happens next. 

At the end of the story we read the responses from from his webpage, I thought this is when the book came together in my head. I know that most people did not like this ending, but I found it to be very clever and thought it happened to be a great ending to this novel. In the response that Torey awarded "Reply that makes me believe totally that Creed is alive" I thought it was interesting how the author could get her point across that Creed is still alive, with out ever actually saying it. 

The author gets this point across by stating "And thank you for sharing your name." In this simple statement we now know that Creed used Torey name in his new name "Victor Adams" because he wanted to start a new life somewhere, away from Steepleton. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I also believe the ending fit this novel very well. 

mp4: Woobee

On page 185 Torey references to the word "woobee". This word does not have an exact definition, but is something that makes you feel comfortable, such as a "blanky", or pacifier. In Torey's situation he is calling his guitar a "woobee" because right now he feels very alone and needs his guitar to calm himself down from all of the stress he is being put through, with the Creed situation. Torey is also scared he is going to get in trouble from the phone call he made to Mrs. Creed, because the police are now involved. 

The Body of Christopher Creed

"He all but admitted he might kill himself because he wasn't me. And he had been so damn honest."(pg. 38) I chose this quote, because while reading this quote I could tell that it really hurt Torey that Chris was actually thinking this. Torey and his friends Alex and Ryan hacked into the school files, to read the letter that Chris had sent before he went missing. 

In the letter Chris had mentioned the people who he wished he could be as athletic and popular as. Torey and Alex were mentioned in the letter, which is why Torey states the quote that I had chosen. I found this quote to be interesting because i felt there was a lot of emotion in it. This quote makes us aware that Chris's disappearance is already personally affecting Torey. 

Chapter 23: Graduation Speech

Dear Class of 1940,

Today, at this very moment, you all have the choice of who you want to be, not only as a person, but in life as well. As I look around, I can see by the looks on your faces that everyone here has a different dream and wants to go in different directions in life. I hope that each of you know that the road you take will have many different paths and shortcuts but no matter which ones you choose, follow your heart and don't let stereotypes, segregation, or discrimination stop you. People in life may try to hold you back, but it is your job to prove that you are in charge of your life and to express that the color of someone's skin doesn't make anyone less of a person.  Let this day be full of joy, and allow yourself to aspire to be a famous inventor like Elija McCoy, or even an educator like Booker T. Washington., or to become a musician like Bert Williams or George Walker. For all of the ladies out there, look at Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to receive a pilot's license, or even Hattie McDaniel, the first African American woman to receive and oscar. Everyone, please allow yourself to accept that the sky is the limit. Go out and live life.