Before eHarmony

If I were to create "How I Met My Husband" into a feature length film (which would blow apart the box office) I would change a few things.
Characterization
While the roles of the characters would remain as they did in the story I would expand the character role of many people. First Lorretta Bird would become more of a main character. For example in the part of the story where Edie is trying on the dress, the scene would flash to Lorretta meeting Alice in town. Of course this trip in town would portray all of Loretta's annoying habits. The idea would that Lorretta would be the stereotypical goofy character to making this romantic movie into a romantic comedy (similar to Betty White's character in "The Proposal"). Also Alice would be a bit more stalker-ish than she is in this story.
Plot
The plot would remain more or less the same, although in addition to the added town scene. I would also add a scene that shows a flashback to Chris and Alice's relationship. Also there would be a scene of present day Edie and her husband, with Edie's husband saying things like "and your mother would wait for me at the mailbox everyday" and Edie would agree with him, but the movie viewer would then see the entire story (later in the movie). This scene would occur at the very beginning. I think the addition would explain the point of view of this story a bit better.
Point of View
The point of view would remain the same in this movie, the irony of the story would not work out any other way. So Edie would continue to drink her Ginger ale with ice cubes.
Setting
I envision a more modern (perhaps 1950s or 1960s) instead of the 1920s-1940s this story is set in. That way I can have cheesy 50's songs playing the background (for example "Hound Dog" by Elvis). These songs don't really add anything other than a cheesy factor. Which would make this movie swing into more of a comedy than a chick flick.
This story really would only need some additions to it, the story itself is okay. Chris would still be a nomadic bachelor and Edie would remain a naive child. The climatic scene (where Alice accuses Edie of having sex with Chris) would remain very close to what was written, and Mrs. Peebles would save the day.

I Won't Shed a Tear, Just as long as you stand, "Stand By Me"

"Stand by Me" the movie based on Stephan King's "The Body" remained pretty accurate towards the overall work. Really the movie was just the work times Hollywood.

Lets start with the main character Gordon. In the story, Gordon's brother Denis dies and this affects Gordon's relationship with his parents. Now in the original story Gordon really doesn't know his brother and "only cried at the funeral because of his parents" but in the movie there were several brother-ly scenes to tug at the heart strings. This changed the over character of Gordon as he went from a mature but invisible boy (in the orginal) to a heart broken little boy left behind (in the movie). The movie also changes Chris into a more father-ly character for the gang of boys. He seemed a lot more mature than the other boys as he led them through the forest weather they were crying or fighting, and he "kept the peace". Vern went from another boy in the gang into the movie stable "funny fat kid" role, and Teddy was crazier in the movie than the book.
The Setting was riddled with more pop culture in the movie than in the story. The large amounts of 50's music added a time stamp element on the setting that wasn't really there before. It made the story seem more dated. In way this made the point of view an easier pill to swallow. However I found it harder for me to relate to the characters due to this time stamp. Also the movie carried more scenes of the older boys than in the book, making the older boys more evil and cynical. And finally the boys walked straight through the night in the movie but I'm pretty sure they didn't do that in the book.
The Point of the View was the same person in both pieces (the older Gordon looking back on his life). However in the movie the view hears the older Gordon far more than the reader does. I think this has to do with transitions of the movie more than the script writers trying to add the older Gordon character. For example at one point the action of the movie stops and the Older Gordon explains something, but in the book that interruption wasn't in there at all. I guess Stephan King didn't feel the need to explain everything to his readers. There was a random scene of the older Gordon with his kids that added another dimension on the older Gordon's character.
Finally the overall theme of this movie was more of a tale about how Gordon is inspired and pushed to not let other people hold him back. This is mainly carried by Chris as he has many one on one talks with Gordon that didn't occur in the book. Actually the viewer sees a lot of separation of the group into the two pairs (Vern and Teddy, and Gordon and Chris) they don't seem as much of a group. By the end of the film, for Gordon the "Town seemed different...smaller". In someways this was because Chris had told him he was being held back in that town and that he shouldn't let other people's opinions stop him.
Overall the movie and story are close, it's really small details that affect this story.

It's all fun and games until you have a gash above your eyes

Today Mr. Christian Powers made an excellent point about the story "The Drunkard" which I also noticed as I was reading. This story might be funny but it is the irony that really carries this story's message. For example the whole little role-reversal is the entire plot of this story. However without the background story the reader wouldn't be able to understand/appreciate the drunk boy at all. But with this info the irony of this story pulls this story from a story of slap-stick comedy to a story of ironic situations.
Also the title "The Drunkard" also carries some ironic merit. I personally think the title is more towards the father. However the title is ironic because the reader doesn't know to who, the title is directed.

Umm May I get a Third Opinon

Okay, I don't know who this Lorrie Moore is but I don't like how she describes Midwesterners as "spacey with estrogen from large quantities of meat and cheese....they were complacent. They had been purchases...they seemed actually to know very little about anything, but they were good-natured about it". I mean the random jab towards other states or other parts of the country are okay. It's all good nature teasing (for example it's only natural for Hoosiers to call people from Kentucky what they are...hicks). But seriously it's overdoing it a little to spend 3 or 4 entire sentences against another part of the country. I mean seriously was Miss Moore abused in the Midwest or something, we really aren't that bad.
Other than that though I think having Zoe as a teacher would be awesome. I'm not quite sure why her students wouldn't want a crazy teacher like her?

Want and how it affects one's child

The short, and blunt-ness of "Popular Mechanics" helps illustrate the point that I think Raymond Carver was trying to make through his narrative. The lack of quotations kind of causes the reader to rush through the piece and in a way the characters. If the women and man had just slowed down I don't think that they would of had a literal tug of war with their child. They just got so caught up with their moment that they didn't have time to think. They only had time to think of the stuff they wanted: clothes, the will to leave...half of a child. I kind of wish I knew what the couple was fighting about but it's not overly important. All that matters is the "want" these two have for their things. This want drives them to fight and scream and to fight and scream over their child. This want drove them to rush through their story, not stopping for quotations in their dialogue or indentations in their paragraphs.

...and you may ask where did this tradition come from?... I don't know

While reading "The Lottery" I had the song "Tradition" from Fiddler on the Roof stuck in my head (Which can be heard and watch from here). This town is stuck in their ways of the lottery, or as it seems to be the first time this piece is read. However upon reading this work a second time I thought that none of the town other than Old Man Warner really supported the lottery at all, and while many people claims that the town has a "blind acceptance" to this lottery I'm convinced that the community just doesn't know how to escape their tradition. I first found this idea when the community is talking together, and they are talking about how there doesn't seem time between the lotteries any more, or how sad it is that one of the boys has to be head of the family. While this might be stepping outside of the cone, I think that the community just doesn't know what to do and that's why they accept it. They don't really believe the lottery does anything for them, they just can't get away from it.

The Body-For Kahle

"The Body" written by Stephen King may be about a boy's dead body, BUT it isn't the decaying flesh that is the focal point of this story. Instead the characters mature and grow in this story, creating the theme, plot, point of view, characterization (duh) and setting of this story.

There are two huge themes in this story, the first being how a death can affect the humans surrounding it. The other theme is how the opinions of others can effect one person. Starting with the main character Gordon. Early on in the story the reader learns that Gordon had a dead older brother that many people loved. His parents don't really seem to care for him, and Gordon feels unwanted. In fact after several dinners of being ignored he says "Please pass those goodam spuds" just to see if he can get a rise out of his family, but even his small swearing doesn't affect his parents. After Dennis died, Gordon's parents really just stop caring, and the sad thing is that Gordon accepts their lack of concern for him. He's mature enough to realize that his parents won't be able to carry on for their lives for a while after the death. Another death that haunts the storyline is the death of Ray Brower. This boy got lost while picking berries with a pail, and the gang of boys hear about this death through Vern's older brother. This dead body is a sort of calling to action for the boys as they start their quest, as they walk off towards this dead body.
The other part of the theme is the affects of other opinions. This is seen when Gordon feels like "The Invisible Man" to his parents, when Chris is just another troublemaker boy in his family, and when deformed Teddy almost kills himself in a junkyard for the honor of his father.

The plot of this story branches off the journey of Gordon and his gang towards the body of Ray Brower. I was reminded of "The Princess and The Bride" when Miracle Max heals Westley from being dead to being half-dead. Westley wasn't actually dead, and could be saved. I honestly think the boys didn't realize that they were looking for a dead body until they were staring at the corpse with their own eyes. The scene (chapter 27) is the climax of the story as the boys face off the other boys over the body. In this part of the story the story shifts from a pleasant camping trip to a tiring, fright filled trip. The boys make it home but their joy is gone, and their so tired they don't plan on seeing each other until after school starts (3 days later). The work spends a lot of time building up the appearance of the body by the couple of bumps in the trips like the junk year rumble, the crossing of the tracks, the weird sounds at night and the two stories that Gordon writes. It's a typical story where the action peaks at once and the action rises and falls due to that point.

Gordon, our card shuffling hero is the narrator of this first point of view story. One interesting jump in this story is when the story "Stud City" pops in. The point of view changes from 1st person to 3rd person, and then Gordon (from the "present time") ridicules this type of story telling, explaining that its a novice college story. The narrator of the story isn't 12 year old Gordon, rather it's a Gordon from "present time" who is remembering this story. Due to this style of story telling the reader can see the points of the story that really mattered to Gordon. For example the story of crossing the tracks scared the pants off of Gordon, and the reader gets to read several paragraphs on the matter. However the strange noise in the night hardly gets half of the attention.

Characterization in this story is a strong point as it sometimes lost in all of the action. By the end of the story two of the boys (Vern and Teddy) remain pretty flat, living up to their town/family's expectations of them. Chris however surprises his world as he takes college classes (with the help of Gordon). Gordon himself also lives up to Chris' expectation of going to college however it isn't until Chris joins him in college that he really pursues writing (his lifestyle). The sad part of this story is that all of the boys die except Gordon in either accidents or freak events. These deaths add to the grief of Gordon. Also who knows where Vern or Teddy would of ended up if the oppressing opinions of the people around them hadn't of held them back. Or if Chris would of achieved higher things if everyone hadn't of discounted him just because he was part of his family.

The setting of this story is either in a series of transitions or at the tree house. The lawsuit-waiting-to-happen masterpiece that every kid dreams to have in their tree. It is in this tree that the boys learn about the dead body, and it's this house that they plan to return to after their journey and three days sleep. What the reader doesn't see as a setting is the boy's homes. Sure they're mentioned, but hardly any of the story takes place in these houses. The boys don't grow at home, they don't discover at home and they sure don't look for dead bodies at home. It's important to notice that none of the boys want to be at home, due to their family's situations. Other than the tree house the story's setting is in a sense of movement as the boys travel to the body, and the ditch thing that the body is found in is also an important setting due to the way it add's to the climax. The boys only know their tree house, dysfunctional homes, their journey and the ditch that holds a dead body. Yet this story is a great example of death and growing up.
Gotta love Stephan King

The End of Once Upon a Time

This little satire is full of great story-tale spoofs. How the mother in law is a witch, how the barbed wire is "dragon's teeth" how the parents try to entrap the child into one area (seen in Rapunzel).
I don't know what fairy tales the narrator/writer was told as child, but I never was inspired to climb through barbed wire thanks to a fairy tale. Perhaps the narrator/writer (I shall now name them Benny) should of gone back to bed. Benny obviously was traumatized by the noises that he/she heard in the night. Benny shouldn't write any children stories at night as it will terrorize children.
Also this is the third story we've read in class where the hired help is bashed. Why do people with hired help believe that they are better than those they employ? They aren't folks, they aren't
Savy?

Miss Brill? your mink is on line one

Isolated in France, the reader finds Miss Brill (the English teacher) in a park on a lovely Sunday afternoon. She's pulled all the stops out for this Sunday, allowing her furry friend to accompany her. As she sat and observed her surroundings (as Facebook wasn't invented yet) the reader can see that she very much alone. The overall theme of this story seems to be lonely-ness as Miss Brill is scoffed at by the young lovers. For pete's sake the women doesn't talk to anyone but her fur, which was the very thing that the young girl made fun of her for.
Oh Miss Brill, you deserve to be that actress, as the author makes me feel bad for you. How can you live your life Sunday to Sunday without any company? What's really sad is that you don't see this lonely-ness, but rather you pack your mink in a box and weep to yourself. Please hook up with Eveline (seen in another short story) and LIVE HAPPIER LIVES.

Can she go the distance?

Quite honestly throughout this story I was just waiting for little crazy granny to fall in a ditch and pass out (which I guess she kind of does). She's just a random character that steals money from other people, talks to her self (and all of her woodland creature friends) and makes up grandchildren. This path that she's walking is over worn. She's just a wee bit crazy and she walks this long journey for no reason at all. The grandchild that she walks for is dead (or not with her anymore). She just doesn't seem to have that mental capacity to be housing a child, and I mean that in the nicest way. This doesn't make her a terrible person, but when she's telling the thorn bush off for snaring her, or when she tells the gators to blow their bubbles, one can easily assume that there is some crazy going on.

Dear Frank, ... so this is awkward Love Eveline

This short story is one to play with the readers emotions. Throughout the storyline the slightly abused, overworked Eveline spills her life story. With this confession the reader builds all sorts of sympathy for Eveline, and I honestly felt worst by the end of the story. She just was such a textbook case of a person in a abusive relationship. She can't leave her father even though her living conditions are anything but stellar. Margret bought up a great point in our "small" group (although I don't think half of the class constitutes as a small group) that Eveline was using Frank as a means of an escape. I think she did love him, just not in a marrying sense. She loved the way she made him feel and the escape he provided. But in the end she just couldn't take that leap of fate. She was stuck in her life, and no amount of love from Frank would get her body and soul out of that relationship with her father (or dead mother). Enjoy dusting Eveline, because you're going to be there a long time.

Hunters vs. Gathers

In two of these stories we have a hunter (Tub) and a Gather (Dee). Now as many people know in prehistoric times (and for a while after) men where given the job of hunting and women the job of gathering. In both stories though this instinctual trait is the down fall of the character. Tub is constantly hunting for food and tries to hide it as well. He can't stop eating and it doesn't seem in his character that he will ever stop. Dee is similar in that she tries to gather what she wants in life. By taking control of her sister and mother and always taking the good things for herself, she creates a terrible relationship with them. This hurts her later as her mother stops her from gathering the quilts from Maggie. So perhaps instead of genders be separated by job, the should share? If Tub stopped eating or Dee stopped taking these characters would of had a happier ending.

This story is full of dead letters

The office in this story sounds awesome, the boss does not care about his employees habits, everyone gets a cool nickname and if one is really lucky they can sleep at the office with a blank wall to look at! Starting with the initial employees it seems to me that the narrator doesn't rally keep them for their production value, rather he's fascinated by their human nature not to work (or how they work). I think this fascination trickles into the relationship between the narrator and Bartleby. For example he can't fire the man even though he never does anything! He even goes as far as to invite the man to live at his house, and I don't think this was out of concern for Bartleby but rather it was the Narrator's unwilling-ness to stop watching him.
Batleby also is interesting and reminds me of a couple of people I know with depression (when they're at their worst stages). Perhaps he should of stayed with the dead letters after he got fired. Maybe then e would of moved on instead of feeling so rejected.

Dee Dee Get out of my laboratory!

Let's take a moment to focus on Dee shall we (as if you have any choice in the mater). Dee leaves for college, glad that their house is burned down so she doesn't have to live in it (at the expense of her sister), claiming that her family's life was not good enough for her. Then she comes back in this LOUD dress trying to claim that hertiage that she had sworn off. She even went as far as trying to take the quilts she had sworn away a few years ago. Dee is a flat and annoying character, and is also a foil to Maggie in every way. While Dee is loud persistent and always gets what she wants, Maggie hides and goes with the flow. The reader takes a certain appeal to Maggie as Dee (or that weird 2nd name she took) flaunts herself around and tries to get what she wants. Maggie was hurt in many ways by Dee and I was so glad her mother gave her the quilts instead of Dee. The mother also takes another step out of her character as she tells Dee no to the quilts, something that I think would become a regular thing if the mom was a real person. Once the mother starts to stop Dee, Dee is left without a leg to stand on.

Perhaps Hunting wasn't such a great idea

This story s filled with situational irony. First off when Tub shot Kenny at the beginning I was in full support of Tub, and actually angry at Frank who was just going on and on about how Tub had "really done it this time". First off Kenny had threatened Tub and 2nd Kenny had been mean to Tub the whole time calling him fat and whiny. The situational irony did get me though as it turns out that Kenny was suppose to shoot the dog. Then by the end of the story I felt kind of bad as Tub and Frank are having a little heart to heart and Kenny is slowing getting worse from a gun shot wound. What I don't understand is that Tub tells Frank that he will be a good friend through and through, but her leaves Kenny in the back with a gun shot wound. I mean what the heck? I felt sorry for Tub up until that point due to all of the teasing he got, but that action really showed his true character. Nect tim TUb should just stay in the bathroom and eat his Oreos.

I Made it Thorugh the Wilderness- these last 3 stories

Due to the fact that we have to write a 4th blog post when we only have 3 stories to read I decided to wrtie about the sexual content in all of these stories (and their purpose). Although English class actually has a lot of dirty material (cough Sidartha cough) these stories still took me back. In "How I Met My Husband" Edie's entire life is changed by a few steamy moments in a tent. If it weren't for that scene of the story, Edie would of never met her husband. In "Interpreter of Maladies" it is the love life of Mrs. Dias that causes the climax in the story, and the strange love life of Kapasi that causes chracter devolpment. Finally in "A Rose for Emily" the final scene in the bedroom, the sexual connotations just makes Emily creepy. Case Closed

Um how do you say "my son is being beaten by a monkey with a stick" in Indian?

One random note before this blog runs like the wind I would like to point out page 151 when Mr. Kapasi notices that one of the boys "was slightly paler than the other children" (when he's shifting gears in the car), I didn't catch this little line the first time through but I found it very amusing. Okay so this entire story is centered on the lonely Mr. Kapasi, who is so starved fro love that he lusts after Mrs. Dias, who really just gives him an hour of her life where she would of been bored anyways. I mean I've spent many small-talk converstations asking quesstions just so that there isn't any awkward pauses. I honestly just felt sad for Kapasi throughout this story, and am almost glad Mrs. Dias loses his address just so he can move on with his life.

How I Meet Your Mother...erm Husband

First and foremost, if you are not aware of the tv show "How I Meet Your Mother" I would strongly suggest it as it is my favorite show. The twisted ending on this story (caused by the situational irony that caused the reader to think that Edie was going to marry Chris) seems to be the central technique used in this story. This story is full of quirky characters from Mrs. Bird (who was not invited to dinner) to Alice the fiance (who was not invited to the wedding). Alice really served as a catalyst for the Chris and Edie relationship. She causes him to run away by plane and to have "intimate" relations with girls in tents. I doubt Chris would of continued his advances on Edie if he hadn't of felt so pressured by Alice. But one doesn't know about Alice or the tent party until it happens (more situational irony). Clever I must say. The one part of the story that really tickles me pink is the point when Edie is caught with the dress on, how she just progresses from trying the dress on to drinking ginger ale in the kitchen.

Because every rose has it's thorn- A Rose for Emily

This story's beginning mirrored Metamorphosis (and I'm sure all of my classmates want to revisit that wonderful story.) Similar to Gregor's story, this short story begins with Emily dying. It isn't really a big deal, in fact her town can't wait to stick their noses into Emily's stuff. She's just dead, it says that she's sick but that's the deepest this story goes in explaining her death. Also this story is told in parts with each different section going in chronological order with the exception of the first one about her death. The questions at the end of this story suggest a surprise ending, but my fellow readers the ending wasn't a surprise at all. The women locks herself in her house after her father dies, showing a distressed mental status. Then there's a random terrible smell, and Emily buys poison, then to top off the cake Homer goes missing. HELLO she killed him, end of story. Even the fact that the body was creepily visited by Emily wasn't a surprise. Emily was messed up and no amount of lime would erase that.

I thought Twilight's Edward was bad

In a classic tale of woe and killers the reader finds the main character Edward. He spends the first couple of stanzas claiming to his mom that he killed is hawk and steed, to explain the blood. Might I mention that this boy must be quite wealthy for having a hawk, steed castles and a family. His mother nags and nags him waiting for him to tell the truth. The selfish son has killed his father and is feeling his grief. He tries to run away from the death that he causes, and it almost seems like his mother doesn't understand this. Like she wants death in this whole thing. Although Edward isn't the sharpest fork in the drawer, I would of worried as well if I was cursed to hell. I would desire death if my son was so inclined to kill and run, but alias she is only cursed.

A glance of the people in North London

In Lonely Hearts this poem's overall tone is of lost and lonely people. The 5 citizens are looking for love. The biker is lost, the gay vegetarian is lonely, the person desiring something new is stuck with the old, the straight is losing hope and the Liberian is inexperienced and scared. This poem repeats the lines "Do you Live in North London? Is it you?". Showing how together they are and close these people are. How these peoples have complex backgrounds but they only want love. Showing love holds no boundaries. It's for gays straights old and young. It's not biased, unlike stupid humans.
Let's hope that once these people look they find what they are looking for, able to see beyond their worlds to find love.

Please, please don't leave me

In "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night" the speaker speaks (imagine that) of death (as a side note what is with all of the death poetry Mr. Costello?). This poem has many paradoxes like "blinding sight" and "frail deeds". It's overall a paradox because it seems like a good night is something that one should go gentle into. How this speaker is literally begging someone not to die, and to not give up. To be wise good, wise or grave. How they aren't to be humble and die. Honestly isn't this something that is found in any situation with death, because death is a one way journey and people don't enjoy being left behind. Perhaps this person should allow their loved one to leave into the good night with humbleness, it seems like that would make goodbyes better.

What is so bad about Autumn Mr. Shakespeare?

In "That time of year", the speaker has reached a new place in his life. He's reached Autumn, and is using that as a metaphor for bad things in his life. How Autumn brings back horrible memories ( I would have bad memories if I had hair like you Mr. Shakespeare). how Autumn also brings a death of his joy (line 8) and youth. Perhaps he should go walk among the vibrant leaves to see Autumn for it's true colors. Sure with fall comes winter and death of nature, but it only ends in winter. Autumn is not a 2nd death dear sir. It's a complex sadness. Like he's almost resentful that it has to be this way, but doesn't wish to change it.

She's a killer, CREEEPP

I pictured a sort of Scooby Doo sort of set up here. The narrator of this story is tired of this girl's constant nagging. He then threatens to threaten the girl if she keeps doing it (MWAH HA HA HA HA *insert lighting crash*). Later he's found out and is caught "due to those meddling kids and their dumb dog". This poem's is foreboding and creepy. I mean if this guy doesn't the girl's nagging then why is he haunting her later? He obviously doesn't like her, and why does she have to tell other men about him? Also the fact that he's threatening to haunt her is creepy and a little possessive on this guy's part. It just seems a like a really dark threat for something as minuscule as nagging.

Time to watch the hours slow down

The poem "To his coy Mistress" reminds me a lot of the first couple of scenes of the musical "7 brides for 7 brothers". In this musical the oldest brother and his brothers live a day's travel from the town, so he doesn't go often. So when he goes to town and sees a pretty girl he convinces the girl to marry him claiming that he didn't have time to court her, to sway her, to dwindle. Instead he calls her to seize the day and marry him, and she does.
This poem is in between to lovers and how the male wishes for the female to give into him. To not waste time in what he would of done if he had time (which is what the entire first half of the poem is spent explaining). He claims he wouldn't love her less if she would succumb to his ways, and begs her to join him in his race against time.
This poem carries a tone of urgency, but perhaps even some regret as the they has to forgo those things due to time

Pass the point of no return

Yet another poem spent talking about death. A journey to the "boundless deep" or a "home". In this poem Tennyson seems to paint this picture where death is a journey on the sea. He spends his life but at some point the tide causes to reach his destination. He doesn't wish to have a painful death. Also wishes to go without sorrow (similar to the poem we read earlier but this time the end of the poem is death). But this guy is on a boat, living his life and he just makes death seem as another adventure, the next journey. It isn't negative, thus the tone of this poem is hopeful of death, and not scared. So once this man embarks on this journey, called by the sun stars and sea may he rest peacefully. For when he crosses the bar.

Roses are red

Violets are blue,
This poem is lame
and is used by a fool

I enjoyed the overall idea of "My mistress' eyes'". Although I'm not going to hide in my bed with my cat on Valentines I'm not a fan of the overly cheesy love poems that come out of couple's mouths. This poem is real, and it protrays real-er love. I'm not saying I'm not flattered when someone calls me beautiful, however I know I'm not perfect. Don't pretend that I am. Also the other love poems that talk about their perfect women forget that their poem isn't original. So while it's nice that you call my eyes as "bright as the sun", whose to say that you won't give the same line to the next person?
Shakespeare knows what he's talking about yo

USA USA USA

the entire point of the allusions of this poem are to show the overall bland-ness why the speaker says them. he/she runs through our patriotic tunes (not without the little drummer boy I'm sure) as we do today. the whole point of her even bringing them up is to show that we just say the words of "God bless america" and "the star spangled banner" without meaning it. how we then influence our youth to jump into war as lions and to get killed instantly. this poem starts off as a patriotic slogan but by the end the reader is left grasping a glass of water and wondering where the nation's pride went (other then slaughtered with the lions). how our minds are so focused on the tradition of the songs that we don't even follow what we're so proud about. We need to create real lions and real pride, other wise we might be slaughtered as well.

Argh there be an Emily Dickinson poem I like, Fire on the Poop deck

Even amidst the random capitalization and dashes I was able to find meaning from this poem ALL BY MYSELF! This poem focuses on a theme of individual sanity and group madness. While society teaches us to go with a group or leaders opinion, Dickinson is crying for the world to do otherwise. To stand out against the ideas of the time and to be a individual person. She then talks about how the world hates people that stand out and how it strikes them down and beats them up (look at Martin Luther Kind Jr. or Dumbledore both spoke of love and equality and both got shot down). Overal a good messege to produce.
An example of another type of madness that is created is the ninja and pirates debate. In reality pirates have dominated the world for a great deal of time, however ninjas have become increasing more popular due to many loud people liking them thus causing others to follow in their mad ways. Let's be individual, prevail and be sane by bringing back pirates! Savy?

I wonder who it's from?

This poem struck me with two things. First is that Americans as a whole can't handle wars (seen in WWI WWII Korea Vietnam and Iraq). Although Americans nationwide don't have any trouble flying their flags and their yellow ribbons, they can't handle any real war facts other than "sure rains here a lot" and this is seen with the parents that beg their son to tell them "everything". We can't handle it and we just want to stay in our peaceful world.
2nd this son is acts just like many kids would towards their parents. He almost knows that his mom won't be able to handle it, so he doesn't give her a real answer until after she begs and pleads for it. In this way he doesn't get in trouble and he almost shows his parents up in a way.

Evil, Hair brush breaker and Barbie girl

The scene that kept playing in my head was from the movie mean girls. At the end of the movie one of the mean popular girls gets hits by a bus, (seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT7os-ymfW4) thus everyone in the school realizes that they don't need to care about what they are rather who they are.
I think that's the entire point of this poem is to make the reader step back and reflect on their lifestyle. I'm glad that my small personal world isn't as judgmental as this girl's seems. Also what is wrong with a big nose? I mean better a big nose then no nose at all! This poem talks about the girl dying at the end but I found (by reading and my small group) that this girl has just gone under some plastic surgery and has gotten rid of her true self, thus becoming another Barbie girl.

The Pink dog of the Night

So this poem claims to be a dog but I just kept seeing this prostitute that the church-going ladies of the town looked down upon (perhaps I took the word bitch to literary (in line 11)). So after they're done insulting this women/dog I found that this poem had everything, yet nothing to do with the dog. I think that this dog was used to show the terrible treatment of the poor in this population. I mean they're throwing them into the river, then saying that they have to dress up/disguise themselves from the crowd in order to celebrate. They make snitty remarks (like calling you pink and bald, I don't think my balding grandfathers would like that one bit) and tell them to wear life preservers. This treatment isn't fit for dogs (why this poem is about the dog), yet the mistreatment of the humans is terrible (why this poem isn't about the dog, rather it uses it to soften the blow). The tone of this poem overall is condescending towards the poor population, and honestly I would hope that anyone celebrating Ash Wednesday (so logically they're of a religious background) wouldn't be treating their brothers and sisters that bad. I guess confession was made for a reason.

Mr. Toad and his Fat Ugly Cousin

Hoping for a poem of woodland creatures I opened my lit. book to a poem of fat ugly squatting poison filled toads. The speaker actually doesn't wish to insult the toad population (although I would enjoy reading a poem of said content) he is using the toads as an allegory and symbol of his life. The first amphibian companion of the speaker is a symbol of work. How the speaker wishes to be free but is trapped by this toad's endless squatting, and how he wishes to throw it all away and just live. Enter the 2nd toad who is the speaker's pride. As much as any human wishes to be relieved of all responsibility, we can't due to our pride. I mean I would love to live without worrying about college or a future occupation, but I don't wish to be the uneducated bum on the side of the road (along with the toads). This poem spoke a great truth that you can't get rid of one toad with the other toad squatting (and possibly pooping) on your head. One final line from this poem spoke of the overall theme of this work, and that can be found when the speaker says " To shout Stuff your pension/But I know, all too well, that's the stuff/That dreams are made on". I took this "stuff" to money and if only this man (and the world in general) to just forget it (ah the chaos that would bring mwah ha ha ha), but really we can't. Interesting thoughts

Stay, just a little bit longer- Bright Star

Dear Reader,
As of now I'm writing from the school library, noting my take on "Bright Star". This poem spoke greatly to me as I tend to overstay my welcome and stay connected with people. Many times in my life I whip out my 6 year old persona and beg for "5 more minutes" (although never with a lover, Keats you naughty boy). I loved the calm tone of this poem with it's "splendor hung aloft in the night" and "snow upon the mountains". I saw this shining star within the night sky as a light of hope rather a lonely sleepless being. The speaker of this poem doesn't wish to be like the "moving water" in this poem but rather to live in one spot forever. However I don't know why this man would wish to swoon to death. First off how would the speaker know if that moment would be the right moment to swoon. Who knows his lover could of created a time machine the next day and they could of stayed together forever. 2nd fainting to death seems a painful way to die (as I imagine having to faint, and fall off a building to "swoon to death"). Personally death by rotten meat (created by dead dreams) would be more pleasing.
Yours in Song

Perhaps dreams curdle like leftover cottage cheese- Dream Deferred

This poetry's tasteful imagery really paints an image for the reader. The format of this poem allows is formatted so that the final line "or does it just explode" stands out from the rest (or than the fact that it was italicized). The final line is a metaphor rather than a simile. With this fact I think this opens that final line as a more open interpretation than fester like a sore. While this might be outside the cone of meaning I still think that this explosion is a positive thing. The reason I saw this is because an explosion is seen/heard more than rotting meat (which sits in the back of the refrigerator). So while the other outcomes of the dreams were personal and pertained to one person, I view the explosion as this violent "stepping out of the closet" moment. So while it might seem like this is the worst thing that can happen, I think sometimes an explosion is needed to make dreams come true.

I'm more of a dog person-February

This poem summarizes my feelings in February, especially when the speaker talked about staying in bed all day. Once Autumn is over I get lazy, I loose most of my mental fortitude to go through the school day. So when this poetry talked about french fries, kicking cats out of the house and staying in bed I was rather pleased. It wasn't until English class that I discovered that this poem was more than cat's bum holes.
The entire focus of the speaker is her lack of motivation in February. Apparently she wasn't a good girl, and Cupid didn't pay her a visit. She wishes to cut off the testicles of her neighborhood cats (and neighbors) and just eat her children. I'm glad that she calls herself to move at the end of this poem because otherwise I think her cat would find her dead somewhere. people complained that February is the the worst month for those without love, but really it's annoying when people wallow as well. So on Valentines day is turned into two groups of people. There's the happy couples AND the annoying people that wallow in self pity. Perhaps we should all just move for Spring, let the couples have their day and move on.

The Worst Streets in London

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of see "Sweeney Todd" ( a interesting work to say the least) and that is the only thing I could see while reading "London". This poem just seemed like a world where the people we're trapped by their own laws. Everyone is sorry and making noise in some way (an interesting point by Christian Powers). I mean I just see the city as this dirty sorrow filled place as infants cry in fear and soldiers sigh. I half expected Todd's name to pop into the poem. However it doesn't seem that the people are stuck under one one ruler, but under many (the chartered streets). So perhaps they were making their own laws to live by (similar to O'Brien's army that lived under different rules while at war), and these English are stuck in this London right out of the mind of Jack the Riper. This isn't a place to live, but a place to fear

What's lurking in the water?

Hardy seems to carry a disappointed tone against human vanity through out this poem. Through each stanza the first two lines seem to describe the boat and the long line is the sea and with a twist of imagination one could claim that the stanzas even look like a boat on water (at least this is what my small group claims, I have yet to see it). I liked how dark this poem was, especially the line "In shadowy silent distant grew the Iceberg too." The Titanic was a scientific marvel of it's time and was a pinnacle of vanity along with science. I agree with the poem's suggestion that an Immanent Will or a God was stopping this vanity that this boat created (and apparently sea-worms crawl all over). Which reminded me of Noah's Ark, or really the flood in Noah's ark, although a boat saved Noah it didn't kill him.

A is for Apple, P is for people that pick the Apple's

This poem at a first glance seemed to be about picking apples (a cool thing to do at Adrian's Orchard in the fall for those who are looking to do something outside this fall), and the imagery painted this barrel of apples that was picked by standing on a "two pointed ladder sticking through the tree" but I Frost was trying to paint another picture. Through this poem one can also see the apple picker, who retires from apple picking ("I'm done with apple picking now), who used to dream of life ("magnified apples appear and disappear") who lead a great life ("for I had to much") and is awaiting great the apple orchard in the ("long sleep")
As I read this poem I pictured this old man, a lonely old man who was losing his apple business to robots (...that might be a stretch but still) he's somewhat lamenting his retirement. Which I find amusing because as people grow older they wish to retire, yet once this magical moment comes people are wishing for the next thing. What does a man do after apple-picking?

I was ready to kill something after reading this poem

I would like to spend one of my "personal" blogs talking about the ridiculous-ness of Emily Dickinson. After reading this depressing and mind boggling I went to Wikipedia to look up Emily (alias Ima Creeper). Did you know that of the hundred of poems that Emily wrote only a couple were published in her lifetime because her poems didn't follow her time periods (the 18th century) poems. For example her poems had short lines, typically lacked a title, she used slant rhyme AND she capitalized to many words. I think these 18th century publishers were onto something. If it wasn't for English I would never EVER waste my time with Miss Dickinson

winter SPRING summer or fall

This poem reminded me of the Church at Easter. Although this poem didn't include scratchy dresses or chocolate bunnies images of gardens blooming danced in my head. I think the audience that this poet wanted to reach was the church going folk who are afraid of sin and follow the thought of the after life. The last stanza of this poem really emphasizes the point of salvation by asking Christ to help and save the children. Also the alliteration of this poem gives it a bouncy feeling (with thoughts devoted to the Easter Bunny I'm sure). Furthermore the rhyme sequence also has a certain beat to it, making the poem light and fluffy. May this poem with it's alliterated "Christ saves" fill the Easter mind baskets for young children everywhere!

A lens without a focal point

One aspect I liked about this article was when Perrine said: "but where the comments of a critic may raise the curtain on a reader's understanding of a poem, the poet's own comments drop the curtain". While I am not a poet myself I enjoy reading poetry because usually I can apply it my own life or experiences (something a good reader should do). Let's take "The Sick Rose" for example, while I might of seen this as a poem about my troubles with garden pests many other readers probably saw this a poem about lost love. I love looking through poetry through a lens and finding something, not discovering what was already there. Also I like reading other interpretations of other poetry readers because they see something that I usually don't see, however I feel like if the poet himself were to tell me what they saw in the poem then I would feel wrong in my interpretation.
Perrine really hits the nail on the nail when it comes to poetic interpretation. "Problem of Interpretation" passage does a great job of explaining how poetry can only be read within a certain area. Although I'm a fan of applying the poetry to my life, I'm glad that poetry can't be read where "anything goes" (otherwise we would spend days discussing poetry in school). Poetry is more abstract than a novel, but it is still a piece of work confined in an area. The words may be richer but they're still confined

Putting Down the Load- The Lives of the Dead

The truth comes out, O'Brien had already started carrying a load before the war started. This childhood friend was the first death he really saw. Although this death was more innocent then the deaths in the war (I mean Linda didn't kill anyone), it gave O'Brien something to carry. It also gave a him a respect to the dead (seen when he wouldn't shake the hand of that dead guy he met). O'Brien needed this book more than any English class ever will. He needed it to place down his load and stand up straight and tall. He's been carrying it for sometime, and now it's time to put down the load and carry something else.

It's a Wonderful Night- Night Life

I find it amusing that the men make fun of the cowards that shoot themselves through the foot, yet when Rat shoots himself in the foot "Nobody blames him" (page 212) (is it bad that "Shot through the heart" got stuck in my head due to this chapter?). I think the men are secretly jealous that Rat got off. He valued his life over the view of the men around him. This chapter focuses on motivation. What is the motivation of the men once they enter the dreaded night life? What is their survival motivation?

Revenge's a...-The Ghost Soldiers

"I'd turn mean inside. Even a little cruel at times. For all my education, all my fine liberal values, I now felt a deep coldness inside me, something dark and beyond reason. It's a hard thing to admit, even to myself, but I was capable of evil." (page 191)
O'Brien is a great example of humans. We can act like the highest species as if we're detached from the primitive instincts that we have but we really can't. O'Brien explains that his vow to get Bobby was evil revenge eating at him but I view it a little differently. Humans are still animals. We still have those instincts, the ones we try to block because most are against social norms (examples range from revenge to peeing outside). But something like a war can strip that implanted human values and it allows the "id" of our brain to come through. For those who don't know, Sigmund Freud came up with the theory that ever human brain has a id a super ego and a ego. The id is tells us what we really want to do, the super ego tells us what's right and wrong and the ego balances the two so that we can function normally.
Any who this chapter just proves that we aren't detached, so embrace it. Run outside barefoot, go hiking and pee in the woods, pull a piratical joke and seek revenge. Live life to fullest, down with the super ego because we're only human.

Be Prepared- Field Trip

O'Brien and his daughter have an interesting trip. While O'Brien is reliving his war, and memories. Kathleen is making memories instead of reliving them. This separates the two travellers by a ton. I don't really know what O'Brien was thinking, I mean this 10 year old might be a picture of a smart child but there isn't any way she can't really understand why he wants to go to random field. She is seeing this place in a new light, a joyful path with a tour guide that can do magic tricks.
So I guess this shows the differences of people in the war. There are the ones involved and then there are the ones that try to understand. Try as I she might Kathleen won't be able to understand, and try as O'Brien might he can't get her to see his shit field. Both parties need to be prepared to shuttle in this gap, so they can both understand.

The Boy Who Called Storyteller- Good Form

Thoughts running through my mind after reading this chapter, and if anyone wises to validate these claims look in my book
WHAT THE HECK
IS ANY OF THIS BOOK TRUE
IS KIOWA DEAD
DOES KIOWA EXIST
IS NORMAN'S STORY TRUE
Here's the thing Mr. O'Brien, if you want to write a fictional story, go for it. Add battles and people and make up your war. However do not make it so realistic making it seem true. Do not create this war story that never happened, but report it so that the reader thinks it's true. That's like a grade school teacher telling kids that banana's are going to stop growing due to a hurricane that ripped most of the trees out of the banana growing areas, making a girl seem like a complete idiot to her parents when she suddenly wants to buy pounds of bananas. That is not Good Form
Christmas is ruined

Wonderin How Much I Can Take- In the Field

"At daybreak the platoon of 18 soldiers formed into a loose rank and began tramping side by side through the deep muck of the shit field" (page 155).
This chapter is full of suspense. I keep waiting for the real culprit of Kiowa's death, the one that lost him. This chapter is told in third person, allowing the reader to hear the many stories of that night in the field. I just kept waiting for the solider that would say something along the lines of "I was suppose to have Kiowa's back but I was busy eating a sandwich and he died"
Kiowa's death was a series of unfortunate events, and wasn't any one's fault. This death changes many of the troops. Jimmy doesn't yell at the young solider who is searching for the picture, Azar goes from making fun of death to respecting it and then all the men seem happier to be alive (see page 168)

Cleaning Your Slate-Notes

"By telling stories, you objectify your own experience. You separate it from yourself. You pin down certain truths. You make up others" (Pages 152)
For the man that went from "Quang Ngai to Harvard" (page 151) I'm shocked that he's coped as well as he has. If it weren't for he's writing profession I would dare to say that he wouldn't be as over the war as he is right now. I struggle with his situation with Norman though (I love how all of my favorite characters in this book are fictional or dead). He's an accomplished author already so why didn't he tell Norman's story before now? He could of gotten the story out under a pen name or he could of just published something better. I mean what's the point of telling a story (the purpose of this story being to alleviate the pain of the events that occurred) if you aren't going to tell the true story. I mean that's like putting a Toy Story 3 band aid on a broken leg. Sure it might look nice but it sure isn't helping.
I'm glad O'Brien finally got this story out, but I'm disappointed in the story teller.

15 Men on a Deadman's chest- Speaking of Courage

"I almost won the Sliver Star" (page 135)
Kiowa died in battle. It clearly affected the men, especially Norman. Kiowa was there for the men to talk to when they needed him (see "the man I killed") and he also made the men stay moral. He was the moral of this war story (up to this point) and his senseless death cause a great uproar in the life of Norman. Norman wasn't normal, he won 7 medals and even if he claims "They were for common valor. The routine stuff, daily stuff-just humping just enduring" (page 135) but I think they're worth something. He wanted to come back a true, combat-ready, courageous solider. However the death of Kiowa, and the lost of his Silver Star made him start to doubt himself. Instead of being happy to be home, he drives around the lake 12 times.
The problem with this chapter, or perhaps the book is that it's a "pure idea" (page 139) to me. I've never seen, tasted, felt, heard or carried a war. I can't imagine losing someone in a "goddamn shit field" (page 139). I can try to understand, but I can't. Norman is having a similar problem only it's opposite. He can't tell his story. This character has become one of my favorites (perhaps it's because I love a man in a decorated uniform) because he seems true UNLIKE O'Brien who can tell a great story but can't tell the truth.
One final side note, the imagery in this chapter was top notch. I loved the description of the field, lake town and the fireworks. Well done O'Brien, you storyteller, well done.

And She Danced- Style

One problem I believe soldiers have is that after a while they forget what they're actually doing. If this girl hadn't of danced in the ruins of her house I doubt this little village would of been remembered at all. What I found interesting is that some of the troops were making fun of her, despite the fact that they wore stockings around their neck or they humped other random things to allieve the pain war causes. This girl could of screamed and attacked the soldiers for their actions, but similar to the monks in the Church chapter she just pushes that feeling aside and tries to find joy in the bleakest of moments. I must congratulate this flat character on making the troops take a step back and realize that they are affecting people, and that they aren't the only ones carrying things.

Worst than the Droid- Ambush

When I first glanced at this chapter title I thought that someone else was going to die. An epic battle of sorts, or a terrible enemy (like verizon's droid, I'm sorry but that phone freaks me out due to it's commercials. Even if I'm a loyal verizon carrier one nightmare I have concerns the Droid taking over the world) but I found something more horrifying.
"Sometimes I forgive myself, other times I don't. In ordinary hours of life I try not to dwell but now and then when I'm reading a newspaper or just sitting alone in a room, I'll look up and see the young men step out of the morning fog, I'll watch him walk toward me" Page 128
This is worst than a the Droid. Personally this is why I don't think I could ever go into the military. I don't think I could handle being haunted the rest of my life with such guilt and horror. The title of this chapter is sets a certain mood, of being chased and attacked. Another thing to carry

Kill or be Killed?- The Man I Killed

This chapter was rather graphic starting with the nice physical description in the beginning of the chapter, but then it gets worse. O'Brien creates this fictional life for his victim. He didn't know if this young man was from My Khe or if liked books or if he wanted to be a math teacher.
In this war you see the soldiers lean on each other, making their battle buddies another thing they carry. I really like Kiowa through this book, he seems more down to earth and connected to the feelings to the others (also he's a chatter box and I'm always impressed by extroverts like that).
Okay another tangent. Look how effected O'Brien is affected by this. how he's tormented, as he should he took someone else's life. I understand how in war one must fight in order to survive but I'm glad that O'Brien didn't take one paragraph explaining this death and spend the rest of the chapter talking about how much lighter his backpack is thanks to the ammunition he used. I'm scared for the new war tactics we have, although it's safer to separate our troops as far as we can from the battlefield, it's also making killing a lot easier. You lose that emotional tug by killing from hundred yards away. Somewhat making it easier I guess
Wonderful

Fly Away- Church

First and foremost this book is way more accepting of religion than Hemmingway which makes this book earn a point in it's favor (score right now Hemmingway 187, O'Brien 57..make that 58). I love the way how in this chapter the monks and the troops join in a happy harmony. I mean the soldiers are attacking the monks country, but the monks don't attack them which gives me hope towards the world. Whenever I read/hear about the Vietnam war I only think about the troops destroying the towns and innocent civilians. We watched this movie in APUSH about the civil war (the main guy was played by the actor that was Ferris Buller), I can't think of the title but in a scene in this movie the African Americans are sent to destroy an innocent town. They rape pillage and burn every nook and cranny of this town.
So these monks are really a pleasant surprise. They don't attack or kill they welcome and provide for these soldiers. These monks are foils to their other countrymen (who aren't in this chapter at all but I'm sure Costello can deal with it). Peace Hope and Love
Well done random monks

All In My Head- Stockings

"In many ways he was like America itself, big and strong, full of good intentions , a roll of fat jiggling at his belly, slow on his feet but always plodding along, always there when you needed him, a believer in the virtues of simplicity and directness of hard labor" page 111

I believe this little quote has a certain rhythm to it (drop that beat). When I read, and re-read this quote all I could think of was this steady monotone voice that was telling this chapter's story, similar to Eeyore off of Winne the Pooh. Instead of bursting a parade of patriotic pomp and circumstance off the page. O'Brien makes this very fine statement about America in a humble way (although I don't like that he called us fat, speak for yourself O'Brien).

Take That Martha Stewart- Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong

Step aside tough manly soldiers. You may think that women are only meant to serve you and to comfort you but let Mary Anne Bell show you how it's done. I love how the men are surprised that this women is able to step up and embrace the life at the compound.
Lets take a history lesson
Starting in WWI women were stepping up even more. While their men were off fighting the war they were taking up the slack and earning their keep. After WWI they were pushed back in their houses and baked their cookies. Then WWII came along and by this point women had learned their lesson. By the end of this war women had earned the most rights ever expressed to women in any society before that point. If that wasn't enough women were becoming more and more part of the battle field then before as well. So why is it such a shock that Mary Anne is able to embrace this war. I hate to break it to every confused person reading this book but males and females are not that different. Besides those few physical differences we are the same, and this war isn't about reproduction so it makes perfect sense that Mary Anne is able to fit in at the compound. Luckily for women today it's better, and it can always improve (but hey so can many things in life)

Sorry lads she isn't there to make you a sandwich

Dental Care- The Dentist

I've been to the dentist a thousand times so I know the drill, I smooth back my hair sit back in the chair. But somehow I still get the chills- Owl City "Dental Care"

The dentist with bad breath (irony?) waltzes in and brings Lemon to his knees (apparently Lemon is alive now, I hate how O'Brien jumps around his story like a jumping bean). I personally hate the dentist so I have sympathy for Lemon. However I don't understand why he's "all smiles" at the end of the chapter. He had to invent a type of pain to get over his mental anguish towards the dentist. Lemon may be only a flat character in this story (at least thus far) but he brings a a new tone to this story. How these soldiers would rather take their physical pain over mental pain. While physical pain can be come with a yanked tooth, the embarrassment of fainting in front of your troop leaves a emotional scar for long periods of time to come.

Two Truths and a Lie- How to tell a true war story

"You hate it, yes, but your eyes do not. Like a killer forest fire, like cancer under a microscope, like any battle or bombing raid or artillery barrage has the aesthetic beauty-and a true war story will tell the truth about this, though the truth is ugly" page 77

To be quite honest I found this chapter to be a little strange. First off this guy obviously knows how to tell a war story, otherwise we wouldn't be reading his war story we would read something differnt. Also since the River chapter I haven't believed a word this man has written, but have taken it as beautiful fiction. However this chapter has struck true to me.
The men in this war are able to cope/survive with war due to the beauty they find in it. I mean look what happens to Lemon dies "when he died it was almost beautiful, the way the sunlight came around him and lifted him up and sucked him high into a tree full of moss and vines and white blossoms" (page 67). Our hero doesn't mention one word about the blood or the body in the tree. So while the reader can use O'Brien's beautiful imagery to see the foliage in the war we can't see the evil of the war.
Another thing to carry?

The Joker- Friends

I firmly believe this chapter is a great anecdote to illustrate the bond between battle buddies in this war. What I find mostly ironic is that these two are friends after the last chapter but that's beside the point. Even though these men face death and injury everyday and tried to fight that by trying to conquer it, hence the dreaded wheelchair wound pact on page 62 (although I'm always insanely jealous of those power wheelchairs while I'm in the grocery story). However you can see this fear once Strunk is injured, he cries and begs Jenson to let him live, wheelchair or not. Although Jenson lets him live he doesn't seem to sad that his best friend dies. In fact he was "relieved".
I think this shows another theme in this book that the men from war are dramatically changed and different from the ones at home. How the things they carry are pushing them to be different than society.

Enemies-Two Faced

I think this chapter length really shows the amount of pressure and new sense of justice the soldiers have. To show this pressure re-read this chapter Jensen was going through after the fight "At night he had trouble sleeping-a skittish feeling- always on guard, hearing strange noises in the dark, imagining a grenade rolling into his foxhole or the tickle of a knife against his ear. The distinction between good guys and bad guys disappeared for him." (page 60)
This "little" quote reminds me of the scene in "Emperors New Groove" when Kronk is running around singing his theme song, paranoid of everything. Sure these two men had fought but they're not out to kill each other. It just adds to another thing they carry, and then they are filled with a new sense of justice when Jenson broke his nose (or Jenson couldn't afford plastic surgery). I mean that type of Justice wouldn't of worked in a court house but it makes thing easier on the battle field.

The New Guru- On the Rainy River

All men are born truthful, and die liars
-Vauvenargues

When I first read this chapter I thought I found my new favorite character Elory Berdahl. My heart strings were pulled as Tim fought with the drafting issue. Then after my spark notes search (This chapter was so vast I didn't want to miss anything) I read that this chapter was fiction. A complete figment of O'Brien storytelling ability (and even if it's well written lyres are meant for marching band not war stories)
LIAR
I don't care if this is chapter shows the stress of someone drafted
I don't care if this chapter had a great character
I don't care if I almost cried along with O'Brien while he was on the river
O'Brien lied
this chapter stinks

Storytime-Spin

This story has this style of jumble-ness. For example chapter one is spent on the crew, chapter two on the love of Martha then now I get to read about checkers, chocolate bars and sitting under trees. Perhaps Time O'Brien is trying to show how much a soldier mind jumps to the past? I know I was a little tired of reading this chapter after reading a multitude of different subjects at once.I agree with Kathleen when she requests that O'Brien to write about something else. He only seems to bring out the boredom and horribleness of war... it's time to tell a different story

Blue Eyes-Love

"...Your heart got broken to your surprise. You're sick of crying for blue eyes"- Mika "Blue Eyes"

This chapter just seemed like a shattered dream to me. Jimmy Cross used Martha to push him through the war. So far his family isn't mentioned, so perhaps he doesn't even have one. So he uses Martha to push him through the war, making her the reason he's living. Yet 20 years later even when he tells her he loves her "She kept walking and didn't answer and then after several minutes looked at her wristwatch and said it was getting late" (page 28) (*awkward turtle*). Seriously Martha, did you think you guys would only be good friends after you wrote letters, sent pictures and a lucky stone to this young man? So this becomes another thing Jimmy has to carry along with whatever troubles that Jimmy doesn't want Tim to put in his book. I think that mistake is having Lavender killed on his watch but that ended up in the book already so I guess the world will never know.
At least it seems that Jimmy has moved on, I mean the picture from Martha is still intact.

Heavy Words- The Things They Carried

Multiple pages of lists of stuff. Tim O' Brien weighs the reader down by listing every single item that he could in the description of the soldiers. I mean seriously he told you how much the batteries in a radio were (26 pounds fyi)(page 5). Honestly I see this as a overall theme of this book the emotional problems/physical problems these young....REALLY YOUNG soldiers have to carry. An example of this is Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. Who first is attached to this Martha character that doesn't even like him. He then is burdened with the weight of the death of his man Lavender.
Another part of this chapter I really liked can be found on page 17. "Mostly he felt pleased to be alive" I love that Kiowa doesn't dwindle in the death of his friend. Mourning his friend won't bring him back, and what's life worth if it isn't worth living?

The Sun Also Sets- Last post

To further enjoy this book, I've decided to deliver all of my favorite quotes from this book (to show some irony, puns and local color of course)



"Well I've got to get back and get off some cables and it was done. It is very important to discover graceful exits like that in the newspaper business" - said by Jake to Robert who wanted to take off to South America (Page 19)



"You, a foreigner, an Englishman have given more than your life" - Jake's injury (Page 39)



"Oh don't go to hell I said Stick around we're just starting lunch"- Jake telling Robert to cool off (Page 47)



"...and she took great pride in telling me which of my guests were well bought up, which were of good family who were sportsmen...the only trouble was that people who did not fall into any of those three categories were very liable to be told no one was home"- why Brett wasn't allowed to Jake's room (page 60)



"All right. Have it your own way. Road to hell paved with unbought stuffed dogs. Not my fault"- bet you forgot Bill was a taxidermist didn't cha? (page 78)



"Cohn had a wonderful quality of bringing out the worst in everybody"- okay if this little opinion is true then what did Robert do to Brett? she was already pretty bad (page 104)



"..you have no pity. Say something pitiful... Robert Cohn"- Okay by this point I started to feel bad for Robert (page 119)

"Bills a yell of laughter"- I found this to be a great description of Bill my favorite character (page 177)

"Tell him the bull has no balls! Mike shouted. He was drunk"- If Mike wasn't drunk I would be a bit concerned (page 179)

"My God! he's a lovely boy. Brett said. And how I would love to see him get into those clothes. He must use a shoe horn"- Poor Roberto I don't know if that's a compliment or not (page 181)


And that my dears is my quotes of The Sun Also Rises

Jake the Man- XIX

"Oh, Jake Brett said. we could have had such a damned good time together. Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly pressing Brett against me. yes I said Isn't it pretty to think so?" (page 251)
Ha HA Brett, you can't have what you want. Jake has finally moved on from you and you're boyish ways. You may dream all you want. One little bit of irony that hit me was that Brett is "not going to be one of these bitches that ruins children" (page 247) because she can't have children with Jake. Perhaps she should of thought of that one before she ran off with Robert, Mike and Roberto (and all the others that aren't named in this book).
This book alludes that men in this generation have a hard time finding their masculinity but I know that Jake is a man. Throughout the book he's grown and by the end, unlike the other males that are destroyed by Brett he ends up on top.

The Great Belmonte- XVIII

"Fifteen years ago they said if you wanted to see Belmonte to be given tragic sensations and perhaps to see the death of Belmonte. Fifteen years ago they said if you wanted to see Belmonte you should go quickly, while he was still alive...When he retired the legend grew up about how his bull-fighting had been"
Belmonte ruined a good thing going for him. He was once a great bullfighter, and was remembered as a legend but due to his super ego those legends and that reputation works against him. In fact his bullfighting is a foil to Roberto, causing Roberto to look better. I'm sure this failure stands for something but I honestly don't know what this symbol is for... however old Belmonte should of stayed in retirement

I will fight you-XVII

While Robert has been the scape goat for everything thus far I don't really like his actions in this chapter. for myself I pictured Robert as a scrawny guy that could be kicked around because of all the ridicule he's been taking in this book. Also I forgot all about his boxing championship so when he whipped out on Jake, Mike and Roberto I was shocked. Robert's anger seems to be his downfall to everything. Which brings me to my next question, why did Hemingway narrate this story from Jake's point of view when Robert's story is the main story line?
My respect for Brett grew as I learned of her old husband that "Always made Brett sleep on the floor. Finally when he got really bad he used to tell her he'd kill her" (page 207). Although Brett is still a tease and treats people horribly at least now she has a reason. I can't imagine her thought process after Robert came busting in, with his macho self. Must of been a great big turn off.
Finally what was with the Jake's stream of consciousness? (from page 196 pausing for the dialogue with Bill and Robert and picking up on page 199). Thanks to Hemingway's great description I know how hard Jake was hit on the head. I mean he couldn't climb stairs and he sat in a bathtub without being able to turn the water on. Crazy

L is for the way Brett looks at me- XVI

O is she's the only girl I see
V is she's very merry and extraordinary
and E is even though she can't stay with me alone

Okay the pressure is on. Robert and Mike are duking out their love for Brett (with Jake sitting on the sidelines trying to keep the peace...somewhat). This seems to be the the highest climax and external conflict in this book. Hemingway just focuses his entire plot line on the relationship of the characters. Mike feels threatened by Robert, and apparently Roberto. So he takes it out on Robert telling him to go away. Robert thinks that he's still got a chance, and seems to enjoy the fact that he's making Mike nervous. Brett needs to gain her self respect by sleeping with her lover Roberto. She claims that she never gets what she wants but let's be realistic this girl is used to getting what she wants all the time.
Jake seems to take a step back from Brett at this point and doesn't even seem upset when she leaves with Roberto. I love the passion he shows for bullfighting, making sure to protect Roberto from the Americans (I guess we ruin everything).
After reading this chapter I find that relationship is another major theme in this book, along with the war, and loss of manhood

The Pure Bullfight-XV

Hemmingway has a way of lading his reader with description. To be quite honest I was a little bored of the fiesta by the time he was through with it. It was interrupting my normal reading pace, and it made me tired. It was to much
I really liked Roberto though. He is a bull fighter, and is good at what he does. He's pure, clean, and doesn't exaggerate his skills. Honestly he seems the most put together in this book. Mike and Brett are off in their own world. Robert is stuck up and upset at Mike. Jake is kind of thrown together with people he should leave behind that are tying him down and Bill is a bit on the drunk side. Although Roberto is a flat character (at least in this chapter) he serves as a sort of foil to every other character in this book. It makes him more pure, more put together, and apparently more handsome.

You Could not be Upset About Anything on a Day like That-XIV

"Enjoying living was learning to get your money's worth and knowing when you had it" (page 152) This is the entire theme of this chapter. Of course the "money" isn't just real money but other world values like time, laughter, anger, fighting, sadness ect. but I'm glad Jake expresses his disgust towards his "swell" friendship with Brett. I just found this thought to be overall depressing but enlightening at the same time. While drunk Jake is depressed about this observation, having this thought presented to me calls me to live my life fuller. To get my money's worth.
Another interesting observation is Jake's desire to have Mike make fun of/beat Robert up. He doesn't want to admit it but he wants Robert to suffer. Think of the time both Robert and Jake are wasting on this girl. Terrible

Nothing built to last-XIII

Jake must leave the fishing paradise, a place he was accepted and wasn't made fun of, to go and join Brett and the company with her. Bill and Jake leave their fishing pal Harris behind and go and join Brett, Mike and Robert. I thought that Jake was losing all of the feeling of acceptance that he had finally got, but it seems like he has some Spanish buddies to hang out with. I felt like I knew the secret rules of a club as the entire description of the aficionado (page 136) came out. This entire passage that Hemingway spends on the africiondo gives a connotation of ...masculinity. I mean I think the bull fighting is only a step into the passion of aficionado. You have to walk the walk, talk the talk and if you're a bull fighter hope your picture stays out of the desk drawer of Montoya. Although Jake has trouble convincing the natives that he to has aficionado, Jake seems to bring pride to the fact that he is in this group.
Jake is also forgiven of his friends and honestly Mike Brett and Robert weren't fun to be with either. Mike goes on and on about his medal story (found on page 139- 140) but he never talks about the war itself. I almost question his involvement in the wars he's in because he never speaks of actual warfare when he talks about the war he only speaks of effects of the war. Brett doesn't actually do anything wrong but it creeps me out that she wanted to she the steer ripped apart "Don't look I said to Brett. She was watching fascinated" (page 144). Then there's the entire rip on Robert given by Mike's drunken state (found on page 146-148). This shows the further foil between Jake and Mike, earlier in the book Jake was upset with Robert but only complained to Bill. Mike becomes a butt and calls Robert a Jew among many other things.
I don't care how much pardon Jake is given with his aficionado, he should dump these losers!

The Sleeping Sun-XII

I really liked this chapter. Perhaps I'm just a sucker for hurt characters but I hated how Jake was pushed down in every chapter with the exception of this chapter and the last chapter. Jake and Bill (and the reader) actually get to know each other through other through conversation between Jake and Bill (or indirect characterization). There are several topics of conversation in this chapter but the two I'm going to hit right now is Jake and the overall Anti-Catholic feeling in this book.
Jake finally talks to someone about his wound besides Brett (although Bill's impotent comment makes me suspect that the chaps having been talking about it behind Jake's back). My heart really goes out to Bill, he doesn't push Jake down or make fun of him. In fact he turns around and tells Jake that he's a great guy and that he loves him either way (not in a sexual way of course), this little heart to heart can be found on page 120-121. He then goes into the sexual desires of the civil war, which I found somewhat funny. He never makes fun of Jake and I think in that action alone he and Jake become better friends.
Now on a completely different topic lets try to find why Hemmingway puts down Catholics throughout this book. It begins with the annoying Catholics on the train, then Jake's self pity in that Church pew. Finally in this chapter they kind of make fun of the faith found on page 126-128. Going back to Hemmingway's Wikipedia page and the back of the book I've found that he had been Catholic before his service in the army but then he stopped. Perhaps that's what he's showing here. It just seems like Jake and Bill are uncomfortable with the Catholic faith. Just thought I would point that out.

Eat Drink and be Merry-XI

Throughout this chapter I find peace. Robert leaves and Bill and Jake are left on a bus in a wonderful country side. They drink a lot of wine (although nothing as hard as the liquor in Paris). The chapter is filled with local color with a tone of peace. They drink with the locals and travel on a bus that is rather nice. Although their hotel is expensive they mend this problem with the amount of wine they drink. I can't help but yearn for this Spanish countryside (Kate and Kahle are enjoying it I'm sure). "We were going through farming country with rocky hills that sloped down into the fields. The grain-fields went up the hillsides...A stream went through the centre of the town and fields of grapes touched the house (page 111).... These were not like the brown, heat baked mountains we had left behind. These were wooded and there were clouds coming down from them. The green plain stretched off. It was cut by fences and the white of the road showed through the trunks of a double line of trees that crossed the plain towards the north (page 114)" This rather lengthy description is a break of Hemmingway's habit of describing in short sentences and leaving the rest to the reader's imagination. This chapter is just nice in the way that it stands away from the rest with a tone of peace and drinking, not sex and alcoholism.

Damn Nice-X

"Cohn had a wonderful quality of bringing out the worst in anybody" (page 104). While Bill (another drunk) and Jake meet Robert for their fishing trip they can't help but be annoyed by the guy. Robert can't figure out that Brett doesn't like him anymore, so he acts like he knows everything about her. Even when she's sick (known from the telegram) he "knows" that she's staying for him. The thing of it is, is that he's wrong and he's annoying Jake and Bill about it. Jake is jealous I'm sure, then Bill just seems to be a good friend to Jake and dislikes Robert for him. What I think Robert fails to understand is that Brett doesn't like him anymore. He doesn't understand the lifestyle of Brett and the others. The entire crew likes and hates him for this fact, Bill even calling him "damn nice" (and oxymoron, literary term for the win) (page 107). They like Robert but with this attitude everyone likes to see him fail (hence Jake going to the train station and Bill and Jake leaving him behind at the end of the chapter)
I think this chapter does a great job of separating Robert from the rest by the way Bill and Jake pick on him, and the "superior knowledge" Robert has makes him really stand away from the others.

I'm on a Train-IX

For a chapter or two I thought Robert was gone, but this man is here to stay. Brett and Mike are coming on the trip ready to fish with their fancy poles (of course Brett won't fish, she's to much of a lady). What I find in this chapter is a bit of irony or really some dramatic irony. Brett and Jake are walking along (page 89 to 90), and Brett mentions that she spent some time with Robert (does this lady ever sleep?) She doesn't find this fact awkward at all, and thinks it's good for him. What I find to be dramatically ironic is that she's talking to Jake, someone to be completely in love with her. Also it's ironic because Robert doesn't function that way, he needs the support system to succeed.

Other than that this felt like a filler chapter

I'll make a man out of you-VIII

Right from the start this chapter opens with Jake being alone. Brett leaves with the reason that it would be best for the two of them. Robert and Frances had gone their separate ways (go Robert!). However Robert wishes to fish with Jake.
Jake meets up with Bill, an old friend that's at least been to the states. They probably met in the war because that seems to be the center of everyone's life. Bill has really weird stories that I'm sure mean something but I honestly gave up reading them. Any who Brett and Mike randomly pops up (I don't think Jake knew she was back). This is the point of the chapter that I felt the worst for Jake, Mike is really horny in this chapter (the scene found on page 85). So Jake who is feeling down is shown just how much he's missing and quickly leaves with Bill 9the icky taxidermist) to a fight.
One final side note, the restaurant that Bill and Jake go to that is packed with American people is serving American food (roast chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes a salad, and some apple pie and cheese). I don't understand why Americans would eat American food in Paris. What a waste

To Tromper-VII

Well even though Brett stood Jake up she still manages to bring Mike to his apartment. Mike is the a large foil against Jake. It starts with Brett pointing out that Mike is a better dancer than Jake (a paraphrase from page 69) but if one were to look closely they could see the many differences of the two.
While Jake shrugs off the war and it's effects, Mike embraces it. He finds his true lifestyle after being in 7 wars and 4 revolutions. While Jake lives in a life of wandering, Mike "has lived very much that I now can enjoy everything so well." Another difference in these characters is their shown feelings towards Brett. While Jake can beg and plead in private he never really shows affection towards Brett (an example of this is when the 3 of them are talking in Jake's apartment and Mike claims Brett has "class all over her" page 64)

One a completely different topic let us examine the little talk between Brett and Jake. This starts once the count leaves (even though Jake claims he's not the problem). Jake asked Brett "couldn't we just live together Brett? Couldn't we just live together?" to which Brett replies "I don't think so I would just tromper with everybody. You couldn't stand it"
For all of those who don't take French tromper means to commit adultery. What is this madness? Why can't Brett either leave or stay with Jake. She's making his life terrible by playing with his emotions, I mean look how she leaves him. Although she doesn't allow him to her room, she allows him to kiss her. Furthermore why can't Brett try to be with Jake. Sure they can't run all the bases, but they can come really close. Just because Jake can't have sex doesn't mean he doesn't want to.

France's mean defense mechanism-VI

Well Jake got stood up by Brett (shocker), then gave out money to his really rude friend Harvey, who seems to have trouble with money and feels like he's a cat.
Frances on the other hand is experiencing something...she can't have Robert! I'm guessing she thought her crying dependent boy toy would wait for her, but sure was she wrong. I don't think Robert is wrong leaving her, Frances treats him like garbage and he can't seem to write with her around (his livelihood). Even though France has to strike back at Robert with several blows to his reputation, I think Robert is right for leaving.
I wasn't shocked at all when Jake did nothing in this chapter. Our protagonist doesn't like to stand up to other people, and likes to stay out of their business. While that can be a bad thing, I think it works in this situation. Frances and Robert need to work this out themselves (although I think Frances would like the attention from other people)
Reasons I dislike Frances
-She likes to strike a person while they're down
-She's overly full of her self (she could of had any man!)
-She was willing to have children even if she dislikes them. I have a feeling this wouldn't end well (it's nice to know Robert's kids are alive though)

And as this novel grows I'm sure the list will grow as well

Oh Silly Robert-V

First shock of this chapter, Brett aka Lady Brett Ashley aka the girl who I'm glad isn't next door to me is married! So she's getting a divorce, and that's all fine and dandy but surely she should wait just a wee bit before jumping back into the game with Mark.
Then you have Robert, the man who can't get over his lust for others and can't find love. Although I rather enjoyed the punish thing in the scene where Robert is ready to fling his afternoon snack found on page 47. "oh don't go to hell. I said. Stick around we're just starting lunch"
what madness. Not only does Robert lose his children ( I am not letting that go), he can't get over a lost trip in South America or his lust for Brett (the drunk apparently, even if she tried to stay away from liquor the first two chapters she's in)
What do you do with a drunken sailor?

Missing that last puzzle piece-IV

My, my this chapter is something else. At first I didn't really understand Brett and Jake but upon Jake's return home I came to a interesting realization. Jake is missing his treasure trove, lost it in the war (cough the theme of this book). This is why Brett can't be with him, even if she loves him. One would think that since their love is true, as it's certainly not set on any physical lust, then why can't Brett get over Jake's...loss? Certainly a external conflict between the two.
Brett feels bad for her behavior/ unwillingness to leave her night life. saying that it's "my fault. Don't we pay for all the things we do?" (page 34). Jake shakes off Brett's apologies and makes it seem that he doesn't care that this women is toying with his emotions. Once Brett is gone he shows his real feelings on page 38 "to hell with Brett, to hell with Lady Ashely". Jake then flashes back to the war and the commander that said he had "given up more than his life" (page 39). Gah what a terrible way to introduce the rising action of this book (although this might only be the beginning's of Jake's problems we are only in chapter 4). but so far Jake is crying himself to sleep over a girl that won't love him (thanks to the war taking it away), his friend is whining that he can't go home with anyone but his overpowering fiance and to top it off Brett has hooked up with a man and invites Jake along! The guy of course is "one of [them]" (page 40) whatever that means.
From an outside view this guy's life is a joke. If you don't believe me think of how funny we thought the eunuch was in the satire Candide. Although I'm sure we could come up with a couple of amusing epithets for this guy, let us not forget that he's CRYING himself to sleep and allowing to let people walk all over him
Poor Bloke

Save the Last Dance for Me-III

So this chapter opens many cans of worms. First and foremost we learn a few things about Jake. His last name is Barnes, he likes to goof around and call random women his fiance, he has a war wound of some type (or his sickness). Actually (after reading up on Hemingway on Wikipedia) I learned that he was in WWI and while he was there he had an a relationship with a nurse, I found this very interesting. Anyways Jake hints at a theme I'm starting to grasp from the first three chapters and the back of the book "We could of probably have gone on and discussed the war and agreed it was in reality a calamity for civilization" (page 24-25). This "lost generation" is lost because of the war, and it seems that every character thus far introduced has been affected, although I can't find if Robert went into the army or not.. I know Jake did anyways.
We also see another little outburst from Robert in this chapter, he's unhappy in Paris (which slightly drunk Jake isn't amused by), but when Jake tries to confront him Frances tells him that Robert is "is still only a child" (page 29.) What the heck is wrong with Robert? He can't seem to function without the support of other people, and seems completely unable to handle other people.
Jake takes Robert's attitude in stride and meets up with Brett a seemingly beautiful Lady. Jake must know her from somewhere as they talk like old friends (which I really don't like the way this book handles dialogue but to each his own) Jake and Brett leave (Jake attempts to take care of his "fiance" and loses his money) and the chapter ends on a great cliffhanger! *dum dum duummmm*
I'm convinced that Robert's children were eaten by bears

I'm So glad I'm not going through a mid-life crisis-II

Alright I feel slightly bad for Frances, and the amount of judgment I passed towards her. Sometimes I just need to keep my big mouth shut.
I think this chapter is Robert and Jake's call to adventure (a step in the hero cycle from way back when). Robert has come to America and he's "not so simple or not so nice" (page 16). He's lost his old chracteristics due to his success and in the process he becomes depressed. While he no longer has anyone to really push him around, I think Robert has suddenly realized that a free life still isn't good unless you do something with it. He attaches to books of adventure and pleasure in an attmept to make something of his life even if Jake warns hime that "You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another. there's nothing to that" (page 19). Robert claims that he's afraid of not living life, and Jake retorts with a line that "only bull fighters live life all the way" (page 18). A random side note, Hemingway wrote an entire book on Bull Fighting called Green Hills of Africa. So I found this line deep, yet interesting at the same time.
Poor Jake tried to get rid of Robert, but Robert only feel asleep in his chair. Being a stubborn person myself I understand Robert completely, but I don't really know why Robert is so keen on taking Jake. It sounds like they aren't really good friends, just mere friends who play tennis together and go camping together. I just wish that Robert would take a step back and look at the world around him. He's living an extremely well provided life and is failing to capture that world. I just don't understand why he wants to leave his world so badly ""What the hell Robert...what the hell" (page 19)
Run Jake, run as fast as your newspaper editing legs can carry you. Robert isn't looking for a trip, he's looking for a change in lifestyle. Although Jake might be a good candidate to help Robert, this doesn't seem like his cup of tea. Of course Jake is going to go on this trip with Robert, otherwise this story would be extrmely mundane, however I would like to point out that if a man on the verge of a midlife crisis came to me, I would have to spend a day or two weighing the state of mind this person is in. This is due to the fact that if Robert is slightly strange, then Jake will become strange if he stays with him.
Also I still haven't found Robert's children

The Sun Also Rises- Chapter e uno-I

This chapter is what I would like to call a character EXPLOSION!
First there's Robert, mostly likely the protagonist or a side kick to the narrator of the story. He's self-conscious and is happy go lucky. If he didn't have his mother, boxing coach or wives to boss him around I'm sure someone like a taxi driver would fill that role because he's so shy and unwilling to make people angry. Personally I fell bad for Robert, a person no one seems to remember but I'm sure he'll change in some way
Then you have the narrator (Jake), who is spending his time playing tennis with Robert. Besides a few character quirks we really don't learn a lot about this fellow.
Next is Frances, a person I took a instant dislike to. She's a foil of Robert as she is everything he's not. She's a selfish control freak, and I hope she goes through a major change early in the book otherwise it's going to be like Rose of Sharron from the Grapes of Wrath all over again.
These are the few main characters but we also have Robert's 1st wife and coach to worry about.
My only question from the this chapter is: Where in the world did Robert's 3 children go? They are mentioned in one sentence and I can not figure it out.
So there you have it folks