‘I dreamed of the desert and the sun and the big house in Phoenix with the palm tree in the front and the orange trees and oleanders in the back. We had owned that house outright. Still owned it, I kept thinking. It was ours, the one true home we’d ever had.
“Are we ever going home?” I asked Dad one day.
“Home?”
“Phoenix.”
“This is our home now.”’ (154)
Jeannette and her family are constantly on the move. They are rarely in one place for long and when they do stay somewhere for a while the attachment the kids have is hard for them to get over especially when they move somewhere they don’t particularly like. (Example being the move from Phoenix to Welch, West Virginia)
This continuous change of environment shapes the Wells children’s lives dramatically. The shifts cause them to be much more open minded than most, especially when it comes to differences in people. However, the never ending cycle of moving the moment something happens becomes tiresome for the children and they are nearly always poor because of it. Though I’m sure it was fun for the kids at first, it must have been really hard to be always moving and switching lifestyles. Jeannette recalls bullying and sexual harassment in various places they lived and more often than not there are more bad things than good things to say about the different towns. She must have turned into a very strong woman after dealing with such variable condition all throughout her childhood.
Showing posts with label quarter 3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quarter 3. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Post #13 Form A
Vocab
usurious (111): practicing usury; charging illegal or exorbitant rates of interest for the use of money.
palatial (149):befitting or suitable for a palace; stately; magnificent.
Figurative Language
"...even if we stayed in the basement and kept as quiet as church mice." (149)
This is a simile using the word as. It compares the children's quietness to the quietness of church mice.
"One corner of the kitchen ceiling leaked like a sieve." (153)
This is a simile using the word like. It compares the leakage of the kitchen ceiling to the easiness liquid has in going through a sieve.
"...who had little eyes set practically on the sides of his head, like a whale." (165)
This is a simile using the word like. It compares the boys eyes being on the sides of his head to the eyes of a whale.
Quote
"Sew it up," he said.
"Dad! I can't do that."
[...]
"Go ahead," he said again.
I pushed the needle and felt a slight tug when it pierced the skin. It was like sewing meat. It was sewing meat.
"I can't, Dad, I'm sorry, I just can't do it," I said. (169)
This is significant because it shows the stuff Jeannette and her family dealt with when she was young. Stuff like sewing up an injury her father had gotten while fighting someone.
Theme
Life is hard but know, it can always get worse. But if it does get worse, remember, the important thing is being able to scrap by.
usurious (111): practicing usury; charging illegal or exorbitant rates of interest for the use of money.
palatial (149):befitting or suitable for a palace; stately; magnificent.
Figurative Language
"...even if we stayed in the basement and kept as quiet as church mice." (149)
This is a simile using the word as. It compares the children's quietness to the quietness of church mice.
"One corner of the kitchen ceiling leaked like a sieve." (153)
This is a simile using the word like. It compares the leakage of the kitchen ceiling to the easiness liquid has in going through a sieve.
"...who had little eyes set practically on the sides of his head, like a whale." (165)
This is a simile using the word like. It compares the boys eyes being on the sides of his head to the eyes of a whale.
Quote
"Sew it up," he said.
"Dad! I can't do that."
[...]
"Go ahead," he said again.
I pushed the needle and felt a slight tug when it pierced the skin. It was like sewing meat. It was sewing meat.
"I can't, Dad, I'm sorry, I just can't do it," I said. (169)
This is significant because it shows the stuff Jeannette and her family dealt with when she was young. Stuff like sewing up an injury her father had gotten while fighting someone.
Theme
Life is hard but know, it can always get worse. But if it does get worse, remember, the important thing is being able to scrap by.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Post #12 Form B
“After all he’d put himself through, I couldn’t believe Dad had gone back to the booze.” (123)
This quote shows Jeannette’s father’s continuing fight with alcohol. Despite numerous attempts at quitting the disastrous habit, her father always went ‘back to the booze’. It got to the point where, for her 10th birthday, all she’d asked for from her father was for him to quit drinking. And he had. For a while. He quit and went through all of the withdrawal symptoms. He had had delusions and became quite sick. He spent an entire summer, a Nevadan summer, recuperating yet he was unable to return to the dirty habit once things went south in his life. This habit shaped a lot of Jeannette’s childhood because her father became quite violent once he was drunk and the habit sucked up all of the money the family had. They were nearly always poor once her father started on booze again.
“With Dad drinking again and no money coming in, Mom began to talk about moving east, to West Virginia, where Dad’s parents lived.” (123)
Once Jeannette’s father was drinking heavily it was impossible for him to keep a steady job so he spent the money they had and didn’t bring in any new money. These drunken sprees nearly always led to the family packing up and moving in hopes of a better outlook elsewhere. But the same situation was repeated over and over again.
This quote shows Jeannette’s father’s continuing fight with alcohol. Despite numerous attempts at quitting the disastrous habit, her father always went ‘back to the booze’. It got to the point where, for her 10th birthday, all she’d asked for from her father was for him to quit drinking. And he had. For a while. He quit and went through all of the withdrawal symptoms. He had had delusions and became quite sick. He spent an entire summer, a Nevadan summer, recuperating yet he was unable to return to the dirty habit once things went south in his life. This habit shaped a lot of Jeannette’s childhood because her father became quite violent once he was drunk and the habit sucked up all of the money the family had. They were nearly always poor once her father started on booze again.
“With Dad drinking again and no money coming in, Mom began to talk about moving east, to West Virginia, where Dad’s parents lived.” (123)
Once Jeannette’s father was drinking heavily it was impossible for him to keep a steady job so he spent the money they had and didn’t bring in any new money. These drunken sprees nearly always led to the family packing up and moving in hopes of a better outlook elsewhere. But the same situation was repeated over and over again.
Post #11 Form A
Vocab
Benighted (104): intellectually or morally ignorant; unenlightened.
Mantillas (104): A lightweight lace or silk scarf worn over the head and shoulders, often over a high comb, by women in Spain and Latin America.
Figurative Language
"The cheetah licked my palm, his tongue warm and rough, like sandpaper dipped in hot water." (109)
The simile used is comparint the roughness of the cheetah's tongue to 'sandpaper dipped in hot water' using the word like.
"-and over to Beaumont, where the oil rigs bobbed like giant birds." (130)
This is a simile because it is comparint the oil rigs bobbing to giant birds using the word like.
"..the land rolled and dipped like a sheet when you shook it clean." (130)
This is also a simile using the word like. It compared the rolling land to a sheet being shook clean.
Quote
"When dad went crazy, we all had our own ways of shutting down and closing off, and that was what we did that night."
This quote is significant because it shows the family issure Jeannette grew up with. Her father, a drunk, would often become violent and the entire family suffered from it.
Theme
When life hands you a lemon, make grape juice.
Benighted (104): intellectually or morally ignorant; unenlightened.
Mantillas (104): A lightweight lace or silk scarf worn over the head and shoulders, often over a high comb, by women in Spain and Latin America.
Figurative Language
"The cheetah licked my palm, his tongue warm and rough, like sandpaper dipped in hot water." (109)
The simile used is comparint the roughness of the cheetah's tongue to 'sandpaper dipped in hot water' using the word like.
"-and over to Beaumont, where the oil rigs bobbed like giant birds." (130)
This is a simile because it is comparint the oil rigs bobbing to giant birds using the word like.
"..the land rolled and dipped like a sheet when you shook it clean." (130)
This is also a simile using the word like. It compared the rolling land to a sheet being shook clean.
Quote
"When dad went crazy, we all had our own ways of shutting down and closing off, and that was what we did that night."
This quote is significant because it shows the family issure Jeannette grew up with. Her father, a drunk, would often become violent and the entire family suffered from it.
Theme
When life hands you a lemon, make grape juice.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Post #10 Form B
After a gypsy clan stole Brian’s pogo stick and left a chicken with its throat slit on the doorstep of the family after the Mom got into an argument with the clan leader. Jeannette’s Mother decided to fight magic with magic.
“Standing on the sidewalk, she held up the bone like a crucifix at an exorcism, and called down a curse on the entire Gypsy clan and their house, vowing that it would collapse with the lot of them in it and that the bowels of the earth would open up and swallow them for ever if they bothered us again. The next morning Brian’s pogo stick was lying in the front yard.” (102)
This quote represents Brian’s mother’s superstitious nature. She decides to take the matter somewhat seriously and combat the ‘magic’ with her own ‘magic’. This quote also gives a glimpse as to what kind of neighbors Jeannette had in her early years. At the beginning of the chapter she describes her neighbors as ‘weird’ but this incident really highlights that. This quote is also a good comedy relief type of thing because it comes shortly after the death of Jeannette’s grandmother. All in all it just seems to fit in nicely with what is going on yet it is random enough to require a double take over that section of the book. Kinda neat.
“Standing on the sidewalk, she held up the bone like a crucifix at an exorcism, and called down a curse on the entire Gypsy clan and their house, vowing that it would collapse with the lot of them in it and that the bowels of the earth would open up and swallow them for ever if they bothered us again. The next morning Brian’s pogo stick was lying in the front yard.” (102)
This quote represents Brian’s mother’s superstitious nature. She decides to take the matter somewhat seriously and combat the ‘magic’ with her own ‘magic’. This quote also gives a glimpse as to what kind of neighbors Jeannette had in her early years. At the beginning of the chapter she describes her neighbors as ‘weird’ but this incident really highlights that. This quote is also a good comedy relief type of thing because it comes shortly after the death of Jeannette’s grandmother. All in all it just seems to fit in nicely with what is going on yet it is random enough to require a double take over that section of the book. Kinda neat.
Post #9 Form A
Vocab
raucous (71): harsh; strident; grating; rowdy; disorderly
cajoled (95): to persuade by flattery or promises; wheedle; coax.
Figurative Language
"The way she saw it, glasses were like crutches." (96)
This is a simile comparing glasses and crutches using the word like.
"...making the entire machine dance around on the cement patio."(100)
This is personification because a machine doesn't really 'dance'.
"plopped" (104)
This is onomatopoeia because it is a word which represents the sound it sound like.
Quote
"After inspecting the house, Dad decided that the termite infestation was so severe nothing could be done about it. We'd have to coexist with the critters. So we walked around the hole in the living room floor." (101)
This is significant because this quote represents the Walls' family's way of life. When you must, you deal with what life hands you and make the best out of it.
Theme
Sometimes, even the worst situations can be a blessing in disguise.
raucous (71): harsh; strident; grating; rowdy; disorderly
cajoled (95): to persuade by flattery or promises; wheedle; coax.
Figurative Language
"The way she saw it, glasses were like crutches." (96)
This is a simile comparing glasses and crutches using the word like.
"...making the entire machine dance around on the cement patio."(100)
This is personification because a machine doesn't really 'dance'.
"plopped" (104)
This is onomatopoeia because it is a word which represents the sound it sound like.
Quote
"After inspecting the house, Dad decided that the termite infestation was so severe nothing could be done about it. We'd have to coexist with the critters. So we walked around the hole in the living room floor." (101)
This is significant because this quote represents the Walls' family's way of life. When you must, you deal with what life hands you and make the best out of it.
Theme
Sometimes, even the worst situations can be a blessing in disguise.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Post #8 Form B
I am constantly impressed by the wisdom shown by Jeannette’s parents. Though some of their ideas about things aren’t what society would consider appropriate nowadays they often have excellent pearls of wisdom. An example of this is when Jeannette tells her mom that they should get a “No-Pest Strip like Carla’s family” but her mother refuses saying, “If it kills the flies it can’t be very good for us.” (65) However, some of Jeannette’s parents’ approaches are no longer considered good parenting. One example of this is when Jeannette goes out to play with her friends and gets a large gash. When she show’s her mother the cut her mother says, “Nothing but a minor flesh wound” (59) despite the mother of the girl Jeannette was playing with saying that Jeannette’s mother should take her in to get stitches. Jeannette’s parent’s ‘hands off’ approach to parenting works both ways for the children. Though they grow up in an environment where they learn from their mistakes it also means that when they make mistakes they must deal with all that accompanies those mistakes without the help of an adult. Though her parent’s are more than capable of giving great advice and thinking of things in a way which is beneficial to their children they often choose not to ‘on behalf of their children learning from mistakes’.
Post #7 Form A
Vocab
barite (54): a common mineral, barium sulfate, BaSO4, occurring in white, yellow, or colorless tabular crystals: the principal ore of barium.
tobogganing (54): the noun form of the word is toboggan: A long, narrow, runnerless sled constructed of thin boards curled upward at the front end.
Figurative Language
"Dad said you could read my face like a traffic light." (54)
This is a simile because it is comparing her face to a traffic light using the word 'like'.
"Off to one side was a room with rows of slot machines that were constantly clinking and ticking and flashing lights." (55)
This uses onomatopoeia through the words 'clinking' and 'ticking' which are words that represent a sound.
"Where I tossed in the match, a cone of flame shot up with a whoosh like a jet after burner." (61)
This sentence uses both onomatopoeia with the word 'whoosh' and simile when comparing the 'flame shooting up' to 'a jet after burner' using the word 'like'.
Quote
" I thought Dad would be furious, but he wasn't. He was sort of quiet. We stood on the street watching the flames devour the shack. Dad had an arm around each of us." (61)
This quote is significant because it shows how even her dad, the father she looked up to, could be shaken up.
Theme
It's good to get out in the world, to live in it, but it's also good to be wary of it.
barite (54): a common mineral, barium sulfate, BaSO4, occurring in white, yellow, or colorless tabular crystals: the principal ore of barium.
tobogganing (54): the noun form of the word is toboggan: A long, narrow, runnerless sled constructed of thin boards curled upward at the front end.
Figurative Language
"Dad said you could read my face like a traffic light." (54)
This is a simile because it is comparing her face to a traffic light using the word 'like'.
"Off to one side was a room with rows of slot machines that were constantly clinking and ticking and flashing lights." (55)
This uses onomatopoeia through the words 'clinking' and 'ticking' which are words that represent a sound.
"Where I tossed in the match, a cone of flame shot up with a whoosh like a jet after burner." (61)
This sentence uses both onomatopoeia with the word 'whoosh' and simile when comparing the 'flame shooting up' to 'a jet after burner' using the word 'like'.
Quote
" I thought Dad would be furious, but he wasn't. He was sort of quiet. We stood on the street watching the flames devour the shack. Dad had an arm around each of us." (61)
This quote is significant because it shows how even her dad, the father she looked up to, could be shaken up.
Theme
It's good to get out in the world, to live in it, but it's also good to be wary of it.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Post #6 Form B
“I want that one,” I said.
Dad grinned. “That’s Venus,” he said. Venus was only a planet, he went on, and pretty dinky compared to real stars. She looked bigger and brighter because she was much closer than the stars. Poor old Venus didn’t even make her own light, Dad said. She shone only from reflected light. He explained to me that planets glowed because reflected light was constant, and stars twinkled because their light pulsed.
“I like it anyway,” I said. I had admired Venus even before that Christmas. You could see it in the early evening, glowing on the western horizon, and if you got up early, you could still see it in the morning, after all the stars had disappeared.
”What the hell,” Dad said. “It’s Christmas. You can have a planet if you want.”
Then he gave me Venus.’ (40)
Despite the many poor qualities Jeannette’s parents display, it is clear that they truly love their children. Despite their lives being harsh and variable, her parents do their best to make their kids feel special and to look out for them. Whether it’s making them conquer their fears or giving them planets and stars on Christmas because they can’t afford real presents, her parents are always finding creative ways to display their love for their children and care for them to the best of their ability. I think it’s really neat how creative and insightful Jeannette’s parents are. Though the actions they sometimes display aren’t necessarily what one might consider appropriate for a parent trying to be a good role model, they never allow their children to feel unequal to others. That’s really good of them and I admire them for it.
Dad grinned. “That’s Venus,” he said. Venus was only a planet, he went on, and pretty dinky compared to real stars. She looked bigger and brighter because she was much closer than the stars. Poor old Venus didn’t even make her own light, Dad said. She shone only from reflected light. He explained to me that planets glowed because reflected light was constant, and stars twinkled because their light pulsed.
“I like it anyway,” I said. I had admired Venus even before that Christmas. You could see it in the early evening, glowing on the western horizon, and if you got up early, you could still see it in the morning, after all the stars had disappeared.
”What the hell,” Dad said. “It’s Christmas. You can have a planet if you want.”
Then he gave me Venus.’ (40)
Despite the many poor qualities Jeannette’s parents display, it is clear that they truly love their children. Despite their lives being harsh and variable, her parents do their best to make their kids feel special and to look out for them. Whether it’s making them conquer their fears or giving them planets and stars on Christmas because they can’t afford real presents, her parents are always finding creative ways to display their love for their children and care for them to the best of their ability. I think it’s really neat how creative and insightful Jeannette’s parents are. Though the actions they sometimes display aren’t necessarily what one might consider appropriate for a parent trying to be a good role model, they never allow their children to feel unequal to others. That’s really good of them and I admire them for it.
Post #5 Form A
Vocab
Gila Monster (35): A venomous lizard (Heloderma suspectum) of arid regions of the southwest United States and western Mexico, having black and orange or yellow scales.
Creosote (35): an oily liquid having a burning taste and a penetrating odor, obtained by the distillation of coal and wood tar, used mainly as a preservative for wood and as an antiseptic.
Figurative Language
"I wondered if the fire had been out to get me" (34)
This is personification because the author is giving the fire the human trait of being 'out to get
her'.
"He tossed the half-eaten head at me like a grenade." (46)
This is a simile because it is comparing the half-eaten head of lettuce to a grenade using the work like.
"The wind shrieked through the compartment." (49)
This is personification because the author is the wind shrieked which it can't really because shrieking is a human trait.
Quote
"She told us that both our grandmothers were angry because neither Lori nor I had been named after them, so she decided to call the baby Lilly Ruth Maureen. [...] That, Dad told us, would make everyone happy except his mom, who hated the name Ruth and wanted the baby called Erma, and Mom's mom, who would hate sharing her namesake with Dad's mom." (47)
This is is a great example of the humor which rears its head constantly throughout the book. It's a nice touch considering how serious the author's situations are.
Theme
When life throws you a curve ball make the most of it.
Gila Monster (35): A venomous lizard (Heloderma suspectum) of arid regions of the southwest United States and western Mexico, having black and orange or yellow scales.
Creosote (35): an oily liquid having a burning taste and a penetrating odor, obtained by the distillation of coal and wood tar, used mainly as a preservative for wood and as an antiseptic.
Figurative Language
"I wondered if the fire had been out to get me" (34)
This is personification because the author is giving the fire the human trait of being 'out to get
her'.
"He tossed the half-eaten head at me like a grenade." (46)
This is a simile because it is comparing the half-eaten head of lettuce to a grenade using the work like.
"The wind shrieked through the compartment." (49)
This is personification because the author is the wind shrieked which it can't really because shrieking is a human trait.
Quote
"She told us that both our grandmothers were angry because neither Lori nor I had been named after them, so she decided to call the baby Lilly Ruth Maureen. [...] That, Dad told us, would make everyone happy except his mom, who hated the name Ruth and wanted the baby called Erma, and Mom's mom, who would hate sharing her namesake with Dad's mom." (47)
This is is a great example of the humor which rears its head constantly throughout the book. It's a nice touch considering how serious the author's situations are.
Theme
When life throws you a curve ball make the most of it.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Post #4 Form B
“But when Dad pulled out a bottle of what Mom called “the hard stuff,” she got kind of frantic, because after working on the bottle for a while, Dad turned into an angry-eyed stranger who threw around furniture and threatened to beat up Mom or anyone else who got in his way. When he’d had his fill of cussing and hollering and smashing things up, he’d collapse. But Dad drank hard liquor only when we had money, which wasn’t often, so life was mostly good in those days.” (23)
It’s so astonishing to me that Jeannette’s ‘good days’ were the ones when her family didn’t have money and therefore her father couldn’t buy booze. It’s terrible to think that Jeannette and her siblings grew up in that kind of environment yet saw their father as a wonderful man and believed that time in their life to be good. I suppose this is also some foreshadowing to future days which aren’t nearly as good. It makes me wonder what could possibly be in store for Jeannette and her family. I suppose this quote also just goes to show that, if you grow up in it, anything can seem normal to someone. It’s amazing what people can get used to if they have no other options.
It’s so astonishing to me that Jeannette’s ‘good days’ were the ones when her family didn’t have money and therefore her father couldn’t buy booze. It’s terrible to think that Jeannette and her siblings grew up in that kind of environment yet saw their father as a wonderful man and believed that time in their life to be good. I suppose this is also some foreshadowing to future days which aren’t nearly as good. It makes me wonder what could possibly be in store for Jeannette and her family. I suppose this quote also just goes to show that, if you grow up in it, anything can seem normal to someone. It’s amazing what people can get used to if they have no other options.
Post #3 Form A
Vocab
shiftless (20): lacking in resourcefulness; inefficient; lazy.
sluice (24): an artificial channel for conducting water, often fitted with a gate.
Figurative Language
'thowck' (21) is onomatopoeia because it is a word which sounds like the sound it represents.
"the way the sky at sunset looked like a sheet of fire" (21) is a simile because it is comparing the sky at sunset to a sheet of fire using the word 'like'.
"Sometimes they hit without warning, and other times you knew one was coming when you saw batches of dust devils swirling and dancing their way across the desert." (21) When this sentence says the dust devils were dancing their way across the desert it is personification because dust devils can't really dance. The author is instead applying a human quality to an inanimate thing.
Quote
“Dad always fought harder, flew faster, and gambled smarter than everyone else in his stories. Along the way, he rescued women and children and even men who weren’t as strong and clever.” (24)
This quote shows how, as a child, Jeannette was easily convinced of her dad’s heroics. However, now that she is an adult and is looking back on her father’s stories she sees the clear embellishment on her father’s part.
Theme
You can get used to anything if you have to.
shiftless (20): lacking in resourcefulness; inefficient; lazy.
sluice (24): an artificial channel for conducting water, often fitted with a gate.
Figurative Language
'thowck' (21) is onomatopoeia because it is a word which sounds like the sound it represents.
"the way the sky at sunset looked like a sheet of fire" (21) is a simile because it is comparing the sky at sunset to a sheet of fire using the word 'like'.
"Sometimes they hit without warning, and other times you knew one was coming when you saw batches of dust devils swirling and dancing their way across the desert." (21) When this sentence says the dust devils were dancing their way across the desert it is personification because dust devils can't really dance. The author is instead applying a human quality to an inanimate thing.
Quote
“Dad always fought harder, flew faster, and gambled smarter than everyone else in his stories. Along the way, he rescued women and children and even men who weren’t as strong and clever.” (24)
This quote shows how, as a child, Jeannette was easily convinced of her dad’s heroics. However, now that she is an adult and is looking back on her father’s stories she sees the clear embellishment on her father’s part.
Theme
You can get used to anything if you have to.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Post #2 Form B
Dear Jeannette Walls,
With a life as busy, spontaneous, and adventurous as yours, did you ever grow tired of it? One moment you were in a trailer park lit aflame while making hot dogs. The next your father is taking you out of the hospital ‘Rex Walls Style’. The next you are in the Blue Goose traveling to yet another unknown destination sleeping under the desert stars along the way. Pain, joy, fear, friendship, love, and loss. All of these things moved by so quickly for you in your childhood. Did you ever just want to stop for a while? Keep to one place and not move around quite as much? Or were you content with your constant change in scenery. Happy with the never-ending excitement, the frequent moves, and spontaneous movements of your family. I’m sure it was all very thrilling. But there must have been times when you felt hurt by your family’s behavior. I know I would have been hurt if “Mom told me she had entered my name in a raffle at a fair, and I’d won a helicopter ride.” and I had asked “When do I get to go on the ride?” with the reply of “Oh, we already did that. It was fun” (13) How did you bear through your oddball family. Or was it just the only thing you knew, or was it your age, or were/are you just a stronger person than I?
A new fan and admirer,
Virginia
With a life as busy, spontaneous, and adventurous as yours, did you ever grow tired of it? One moment you were in a trailer park lit aflame while making hot dogs. The next your father is taking you out of the hospital ‘Rex Walls Style’. The next you are in the Blue Goose traveling to yet another unknown destination sleeping under the desert stars along the way. Pain, joy, fear, friendship, love, and loss. All of these things moved by so quickly for you in your childhood. Did you ever just want to stop for a while? Keep to one place and not move around quite as much? Or were you content with your constant change in scenery. Happy with the never-ending excitement, the frequent moves, and spontaneous movements of your family. I’m sure it was all very thrilling. But there must have been times when you felt hurt by your family’s behavior. I know I would have been hurt if “Mom told me she had entered my name in a raffle at a fair, and I’d won a helicopter ride.” and I had asked “When do I get to go on the ride?” with the reply of “Oh, we already did that. It was fun” (13) How did you bear through your oddball family. Or was it just the only thing you knew, or was it your age, or were/are you just a stronger person than I?
A new fan and admirer,
Virginia
Post #1 Form A
Vocab
Gestapo (19): the German state secret police during the Nazi regime, organized in 1933 and notorious for its brutal methods and operations.
Posse (19): a body or force armed with legal authority.
Figurative Language
"Ten the flames leaped up, reaching my face." (p. 9)
This is an example of personification. The author is personifying the flames by saying they leaped, which is not something flames can actually do.
"Burns need to breathe" (p. 13)
This is an example of personification. The author is personifying the burns by saying they need to breathe, which is not something burns can actually do.
I found the quote "You don't hae to worry anymore, baby," dad said. "You're safe now." (p 14) to be ironic because he says this just after taking her out of the hospital which she was in because of her parent's neglect.
Quote
One of them squeezed my hand and told me I was going to be okay.
"I know," I said, "but if I'm not, that's okay, too." (p. 10)
This is significant to the story because it shows just how mature Jeannette was even at the age of three. Despite being in a very scary situation she was calm and logical.
Theme
Don't let your fears get the best of you, rather, let you get the best of your fears.
(Jeannette starts playing with fire despite having just returned from the hospital after being severely burned.)
Gestapo (19): the German state secret police during the Nazi regime, organized in 1933 and notorious for its brutal methods and operations.
Posse (19): a body or force armed with legal authority.
Figurative Language
"Ten the flames leaped up, reaching my face." (p. 9)
This is an example of personification. The author is personifying the flames by saying they leaped, which is not something flames can actually do.
"Burns need to breathe" (p. 13)
This is an example of personification. The author is personifying the burns by saying they need to breathe, which is not something burns can actually do.
I found the quote "You don't hae to worry anymore, baby," dad said. "You're safe now." (p 14) to be ironic because he says this just after taking her out of the hospital which she was in because of her parent's neglect.
Quote
One of them squeezed my hand and told me I was going to be okay.
"I know," I said, "but if I'm not, that's okay, too." (p. 10)
This is significant to the story because it shows just how mature Jeannette was even at the age of three. Despite being in a very scary situation she was calm and logical.
Theme
Don't let your fears get the best of you, rather, let you get the best of your fears.
(Jeannette starts playing with fire despite having just returned from the hospital after being severely burned.)
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