“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.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
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.)
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Athena, "The Tarot Cards (塔羅牌)" by F.I.R. 飛兒樂團
For my Soundtrack to the Days of Their Lives assignment I chose to pair the song The Tarot by F.I.R. with the Goddess Athena. This Goddess was interesting to me because she has a very powerful and important female role in the Odyssey. Athena is constantly offering her wisdom to Telemachus and goes out of her way to help both him and Odysseus.
I found that the Chinese song, The Tarot, mirrors Athena’s personality and position in life quite well. The lyrics, “Tarot Cards point out one’s way/ Uncertainties of the believers are resolved/ It reveals the future/ But can not change the designated grief” (translation courtesy of Gloria F.) could represent Athena’s ability to change the fate of mortals but also her recognition that they will still have to overcome hardships in order to be worthy in the eyes of their peers. The Goddess is always altering the fates of Telemachus and Odysseus but does not necessarily make their journeys easy.
Another set of lines which fit in nicely with Athena’s character is in the description of the Tarot Cards. Each card represents something such as strength and sacrifice just as the Greek Gods and Goddesses each represent something different. One card, the High Priestess, represents Wisdom and coincidentally Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom.
Tarot Cards (translation courtesy of Gloria F.)
Guess you never really know him in these days.
The spell of distance between your hearts, it never goes away.
Time to give up. Time to fall deeper.
Let me choose one, right now.
Consists of twenty two cards
It describes all situations in life
Flourished for hundreds of centuries
Spread from Egypt and India
Until now
The Hanged-Man represents sacrifice
The High Priestess is full of wisdom
The Moon is a subconscious dream
Tarot Cards point out one’s way
Uncertainties of the believers are resolved
It reveals the future
But can not change the designated grief
How powerless
Tarot Cards
Shall I
Choose the next card?
Would you like to master your life?
Or let the destiny arrange your fate?
Consists of twenty two cards
It describes all situations in life
Flourished for hundreds of centuries
Spread from Egypt and India
Until now
The Magician creates a new beginning
The Sun represents strength
And The Wheel of Fortune never stops turning
Tarot Cards point out destinies
Uncertainties of the faithful were resolved
It reveals the future
But cannot change the designated grief
How powerless
Tarot Cards
Shall I
Choose the next card?
Would you like to master your life?
Or let the destiny arrange your fate?
Consists of twenty two cards
It describes all situations in life
Flourished for hundreds of centuries
Spread from Egypt and India
Until now
I found that the Chinese song, The Tarot, mirrors Athena’s personality and position in life quite well. The lyrics, “Tarot Cards point out one’s way/ Uncertainties of the believers are resolved/ It reveals the future/ But can not change the designated grief” (translation courtesy of Gloria F.) could represent Athena’s ability to change the fate of mortals but also her recognition that they will still have to overcome hardships in order to be worthy in the eyes of their peers. The Goddess is always altering the fates of Telemachus and Odysseus but does not necessarily make their journeys easy.
Another set of lines which fit in nicely with Athena’s character is in the description of the Tarot Cards. Each card represents something such as strength and sacrifice just as the Greek Gods and Goddesses each represent something different. One card, the High Priestess, represents Wisdom and coincidentally Athena is the Goddess of Wisdom.
Tarot Cards (translation courtesy of Gloria F.)
Guess you never really know him in these days.
The spell of distance between your hearts, it never goes away.
Time to give up. Time to fall deeper.
Let me choose one, right now.
Consists of twenty two cards
It describes all situations in life
Flourished for hundreds of centuries
Spread from Egypt and India
Until now
The Hanged-Man represents sacrifice
The High Priestess is full of wisdom
The Moon is a subconscious dream
Tarot Cards point out one’s way
Uncertainties of the believers are resolved
It reveals the future
But can not change the designated grief
How powerless
Tarot Cards
Shall I
Choose the next card?
Would you like to master your life?
Or let the destiny arrange your fate?
Consists of twenty two cards
It describes all situations in life
Flourished for hundreds of centuries
Spread from Egypt and India
Until now
The Magician creates a new beginning
The Sun represents strength
And The Wheel of Fortune never stops turning
Tarot Cards point out destinies
Uncertainties of the faithful were resolved
It reveals the future
But cannot change the designated grief
How powerless
Tarot Cards
Shall I
Choose the next card?
Would you like to master your life?
Or let the destiny arrange your fate?
Consists of twenty two cards
It describes all situations in life
Flourished for hundreds of centuries
Spread from Egypt and India
Until now
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Post #14 Form B
“Fenris the Feared turned slowly to the high table, raising his great tattooed fist, opening his chasm of a mouth, a hideous spasm running over his face. ‘Angland!’ he screamed, louder and more terrible by far than the Lord Chamberlain had ever been. The echoes of his voice bounced off the domed ceiling high above, resounded from the curved walls, filling the great space with piercing sound.” (140)
This quote gives a very terrifying image of this thing-ish person. It gives a distinctive image of what Fenris looks like, acts like, sounds like, etc. You already are glad that you aren’t at the scene right now. I find that the author does a great job at describing this scene. He doesn’t force a specific image into your head, but rather, he give the basic outline for the character and you create the rest of the image based on what each individual person would feel was more fearsome. Personally, I think this is an excellent display of the skill of this author, and I think that more parts like these give the book more potential to be decent to people who don’t read this genre very often. Hopefully, this book will seem more worth it to have read after some time has passed and I begin to forget the … gory parts.
This quote gives a very terrifying image of this thing-ish person. It gives a distinctive image of what Fenris looks like, acts like, sounds like, etc. You already are glad that you aren’t at the scene right now. I find that the author does a great job at describing this scene. He doesn’t force a specific image into your head, but rather, he give the basic outline for the character and you create the rest of the image based on what each individual person would feel was more fearsome. Personally, I think this is an excellent display of the skill of this author, and I think that more parts like these give the book more potential to be decent to people who don’t read this genre very often. Hopefully, this book will seem more worth it to have read after some time has passed and I begin to forget the … gory parts.
Post #13 Form A
Vocab (all definitions are from dictionary.com)
Gall (105): impudence; effrontery, bile, something bitter or severe.
Intoned (106): to utter with a particular tone or voice modulation, to give tone or variety of tone to; vocalize.
Figurative Language
"crash to the floor with a sound like a cupboard full of saucepans." (103) A simile because it is comparing the sound to a cupboard full of saucepans.
"creaking" (118) is onomatopoeia because it represents a sound.
"patter" (141) is onomatopoeia because it too represents a sound.
Quote
"Hard words are for fools and cowards. Calder might have been both, but Logen was neither. If you mean to kill, you're better getting right to it than talking about it.. Talk only makes the other man ready, and that's the last thing you want." (101)
This quote is significant because it shows a realistic approach to fighting rather than the kind you tend to see in movies and such.
Theme
There are many types of people in the world; know who you can beat and who you can't.
Gall (105): impudence; effrontery, bile, something bitter or severe.
Intoned (106): to utter with a particular tone or voice modulation, to give tone or variety of tone to; vocalize.
Figurative Language
"crash to the floor with a sound like a cupboard full of saucepans." (103) A simile because it is comparing the sound to a cupboard full of saucepans.
"creaking" (118) is onomatopoeia because it represents a sound.
"patter" (141) is onomatopoeia because it too represents a sound.
Quote
"Hard words are for fools and cowards. Calder might have been both, but Logen was neither. If you mean to kill, you're better getting right to it than talking about it.. Talk only makes the other man ready, and that's the last thing you want." (101)
This quote is significant because it shows a realistic approach to fighting rather than the kind you tend to see in movies and such.
Theme
There are many types of people in the world; know who you can beat and who you can't.
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