Marlena and August are a terrible match. I don´t understand why they´re together in the first place. Marlena has such a caring, generous personality, while August seems to be bipolar. I´ve been reading ahead so I´m not sure if you´ve read it, but August treats the animals brutally while Marlena seems to communicate with them. There´s a difference between opposites attract and complete-totally opposing personalities attract. One passage showed how different they were. When Uncle Al rejects members of the new circus, Marlena shows sympathy. She declares, "I can´t eat with those poor souls out there" (120). August says that it´s actually a kindness to let them starve through some illogical argument. Do you agree that they are poorly matched or is there a reason that Marlena is with him?
Now on to Rosie the elephant. Oddly enough, I went to the circus on Monday and I saw an elephant. For that reason, I find it impossible for Rosie to be stupid. This might sound ridiculous, but at the circus I was looking at the elephant and it looked back at me and it seemed so...wise and ancient. It felt kind of like the elephant knew something I didn´t and that it was a superior being. So when I read that Rosie "ain´t done a damned thing since but eat" (127) I decided it was not because she was dumb, but because she was smarter than the human who tried to manipulate her. Although we haven´t gotten to the part in the book for which it is named, I´m wondering if the mention in the title means that the book is about wisdom. Just as Jacob sees beyond the elephant´s stubborness and finds wisdom, maybe he will have a similar revelation in his life.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Oh the Elderly
First off, I love the elderly Jacob. He has such a vibrant personality, which I`m happy to see in contrast to the way old people are normally portrayed as senile and decrepit. He´s....spunky. My favorite part in this section was when he shoved his food and they decided to put him on anti-depressants. When he hears the doctor talking about this he shouts, "I´m not deaf, you know! Just old!" (68). For me, that passage showed his spunk. I hate to think that doctors think that the elderly are invalids and Jacob proves them wrong with this outburst.
Another section that I found interesting was the description of Uncle Al. When I picture him, I think of a vulture, a vulture with a pot belly and a ringmaster suit that is. He has such a scavenger personality. The way that he created his circus demonstrates this. He is described as "sopping up the remains" of failing circuses and "he grew fat off their carcasses" (77). It was bizarre to think of his circus growing like a patchwork quilt. It´s not just the way that he acquired the circus that´s vulturelike, also his interactions with the workers. He takes advantage of his workers by dragging them this way and that to add to his circus. Did you have a similar reaction to Uncle Al? He´s quite the character.
Another section that I found interesting was the description of Uncle Al. When I picture him, I think of a vulture, a vulture with a pot belly and a ringmaster suit that is. He has such a scavenger personality. The way that he created his circus demonstrates this. He is described as "sopping up the remains" of failing circuses and "he grew fat off their carcasses" (77). It was bizarre to think of his circus growing like a patchwork quilt. It´s not just the way that he acquired the circus that´s vulturelike, also his interactions with the workers. He takes advantage of his workers by dragging them this way and that to add to his circus. Did you have a similar reaction to Uncle Al? He´s quite the character.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Water for Elephants
Once again, Christmas isn´t celebrated and this is my only chance to access a computer, so... Water for Elephants it is.
First off, I loved how the book started out with a vivid memory. While it is bizarre, I can tell that the book is descriptive, which means that I´ll like reading it. The passage that stood out to me was, "She lifted the stake high in the air and brought it down, splitting his head like a watermelon. His pate opened, his ezes grew wide, and his mouth froze into an O" (4). Not only was this passage described well (I particularly enjoyed the watermelon part. I actually pictured juice flowing from his skull; gory but well-worded), but it was interesting because we don`t know who Marlena is, yet we already know so much about her. For instance, later when the narrator sees her for the first time, she is talking to the man that she will later kill. The scene described prior to this made me pay special attention to her interactions with him. Do you feel the same way? Also, based on what we have read, do you think Marlena´s act was just or not?
I also found the segregation of the performers and the workmen interesting. I feel like this will be a major part of the book later, perhaps with Marlena and Jacob´s relationship. I noticed how the men, like Camel, act different around the performers and the workers. Camel is gruff and casual with Jacob, but sucks up to the ringmaster. Uncle Al seems to have no respect for his workers, although he should as his show would not go on without them.
First off, I loved how the book started out with a vivid memory. While it is bizarre, I can tell that the book is descriptive, which means that I´ll like reading it. The passage that stood out to me was, "She lifted the stake high in the air and brought it down, splitting his head like a watermelon. His pate opened, his ezes grew wide, and his mouth froze into an O" (4). Not only was this passage described well (I particularly enjoyed the watermelon part. I actually pictured juice flowing from his skull; gory but well-worded), but it was interesting because we don`t know who Marlena is, yet we already know so much about her. For instance, later when the narrator sees her for the first time, she is talking to the man that she will later kill. The scene described prior to this made me pay special attention to her interactions with him. Do you feel the same way? Also, based on what we have read, do you think Marlena´s act was just or not?
I also found the segregation of the performers and the workmen interesting. I feel like this will be a major part of the book later, perhaps with Marlena and Jacob´s relationship. I noticed how the men, like Camel, act different around the performers and the workers. Camel is gruff and casual with Jacob, but sucks up to the ringmaster. Uncle Al seems to have no respect for his workers, although he should as his show would not go on without them.
Wayan´s House and the Coconut Baby
So first off, I know it´s strange I´m writing on Christmas, but in Germany they celebrate Christmas Eve not Christmas so today´s not really a holiday (just an explanation for why on earth I´d do homework on Christmas). Anyway, in this section, I was astonished by Wayan. In a previous post, I mentioned how her sassiness made her one of my favorite characters in the memoir, but after reading about her manipulative nature, she no longer is. I realize that it´s a part of her culture to utilize Westerners, but it alarmed me none the less. Though Felipe tells Liz, "This is her survival tactic, just accept that (320)," I was not sympathetic. Were you?
The section I loved the most in this chapter was the description of the blessing for the baby. In particular, I loved that, "The mother held an effigy of the baby--a coconut swaddled to look like an infant" (316). It was used to trick demons into attacking the coconut, rather than the baby when it first stepped onto the ground. Additionally, I thought that the description of how the Balinese idolize their babies relates to American culture. While we do not consider babies actual gods, we revere them and think of them as the most pure, wholesome creatures. I was happy to see a connection between the two different cultures. Did you enjoy this section as well?
Finally, what was your opinion on the book in general. While I did not like the author´s personality, I enjoyed reading about the different cultures and finding ways to connect them to our own. I also found the writing witty and relatable. Do you agree/disagree?
The section I loved the most in this chapter was the description of the blessing for the baby. In particular, I loved that, "The mother held an effigy of the baby--a coconut swaddled to look like an infant" (316). It was used to trick demons into attacking the coconut, rather than the baby when it first stepped onto the ground. Additionally, I thought that the description of how the Balinese idolize their babies relates to American culture. While we do not consider babies actual gods, we revere them and think of them as the most pure, wholesome creatures. I was happy to see a connection between the two different cultures. Did you enjoy this section as well?
Finally, what was your opinion on the book in general. While I did not like the author´s personality, I enjoyed reading about the different cultures and finding ways to connect them to our own. I also found the writing witty and relatable. Do you agree/disagree?
Monday, December 20, 2010
Next Book
Could we read Water for Elephants next? Ms. Kindel recommended it, and it sounds interesting.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
The Four Brothers, Wayan, and Tutti
I think that the whole idea of being surrounded by four invisible "brothers" your entire life is interesting. It's a strange idea to think that they arise from the extra birthing material, but the idea that someone has "four brothers with her in the world wherever she goes, and that they will always look after her" (251), is reassuring to me. Ever since reading it, I've wondered if that feeling you get, as if someone is following, isn't really a creepy thing. Maybe its just your four virtues in spirit form surrounding and protecting you.
Wayan and Tutti are definitely up there with Ketut on my list of favorite people in this memoir. I love how bold Wayan is. The society in Bali is so strict, and women are oppressed, but Wayan has taken control over her life. She divorced her husband, she runs her own business, and she's...not afraid to speak her mind. My favorite thing about Wayan is that no matter how much she suffers, she still tries to help people. She adopted Little Ketut and Big Ketut, the two orphans, even though she has no money. As Liz writes, "How a Balinese single mother facing evictoin found it in her heart to take in two extra homeless children is something that reaches far beyond any understanding I've ever had about the meaning of compassion"( 272).
But the best part in this section of the book, maybe in the entire memoir, was the description of Tutti and her small, blue tile. I can picture her crouched on the floor with her eyes scrunched, trying to imagine a life for herself. It was such a powerful image for me. I loved how she was described as "willing that little blue tile of hers to soften and expand around her and to grow--like one of Jack's magic beans--into an actual home
(274). I also loved how Tutti's name means "Everybody." Out of all the characters in the book, Tutti is my favorite, because she has such a powerful impact on people, despite being a child.
Wayan and Tutti are definitely up there with Ketut on my list of favorite people in this memoir. I love how bold Wayan is. The society in Bali is so strict, and women are oppressed, but Wayan has taken control over her life. She divorced her husband, she runs her own business, and she's...not afraid to speak her mind. My favorite thing about Wayan is that no matter how much she suffers, she still tries to help people. She adopted Little Ketut and Big Ketut, the two orphans, even though she has no money. As Liz writes, "How a Balinese single mother facing evictoin found it in her heart to take in two extra homeless children is something that reaches far beyond any understanding I've ever had about the meaning of compassion"( 272).
But the best part in this section of the book, maybe in the entire memoir, was the description of Tutti and her small, blue tile. I can picture her crouched on the floor with her eyes scrunched, trying to imagine a life for herself. It was such a powerful image for me. I loved how she was described as "willing that little blue tile of hers to soften and expand around her and to grow--like one of Jack's magic beans--into an actual home
(274). I also loved how Tutti's name means "Everybody." Out of all the characters in the book, Tutti is my favorite, because she has such a powerful impact on people, despite being a child.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Meeting Ketut (The Toothless Medicine Man)
Liz found her word! Earlier I wondered if she would. I thought that antevasin was the perfect word for her. She is on a constant quest to find out who she is, always ready to dive into unexplored territory. While defining the word, she writes, "He was a border-dweller. He lived in sight of both worlds, but looked toward the unknown" (204). In my opinion, that describes Liz perfectly. She is traveling the world because she wants to explore cultures and ideas that she isn't familiar with. She's in that in-between territory squished between knowing and searching. Do you agree that antevasin is an accurate word? What do you think your word would be/can you define your word yet? I have no idea what my word is. I don't think it's something that you can search for, I think that it has to find you, like it did for Liz.
Another section that I enjoyed was learning about Ketut Liger's life (AKA jolly, toothless medicine man). What I liked most about him was how comfortable he was with the uncertainty of certain aspects of his life, like his age. Ketut evaluates life emotionally, from the way he says that meditation must be joyous to bring joy to the soul, to the way he describes how old he is. I loved this quote: "I've also noticed that his estimation of his age changes by the day, based on how he feels" (239). To me this means that knowledgable isn't understanding everything about yourself, but knowing how you define yourself, or knowing how you want to define yourself. Do you agree?
Another section that I enjoyed was learning about Ketut Liger's life (AKA jolly, toothless medicine man). What I liked most about him was how comfortable he was with the uncertainty of certain aspects of his life, like his age. Ketut evaluates life emotionally, from the way he says that meditation must be joyous to bring joy to the soul, to the way he describes how old he is. I loved this quote: "I've also noticed that his estimation of his age changes by the day, based on how he feels" (239). To me this means that knowledgable isn't understanding everything about yourself, but knowing how you define yourself, or knowing how you want to define yourself. Do you agree?
Sunday, December 12, 2010
She JUMPS Out Her Window?!
Liz JUMPS out of her window. She is so desperate to get to the Gurugita that she jumps 12 to 15 feet onto the concrete sidewalk. She writes that she ran "barefoot, my pulse slamming in my ears, all the way to the temple, found a seat, opened up my prayer book just as the chant was beginning, and--bleeding down my leg the whole while--I started to sing the Gurugita" (168). I loved this. In my head, I pictured this vivid image of a crazy, half-asleep lady running down a peaceful Indian road, bleeding, and singing hysterically. To me that's faith. Actually, I loved it because it was a literal "leap of faith," which, intentional or not, was some inventive symbolism.
Another section I enjoyed was when she wrote about not "harboring" negative thoughts. Her mind is her harbor and she makes an extended metaphor (another one Ali!) about it. I particularly liked, "You may not come here anymore with your hard and abusivee thoughts, with your plague ships of thoughts, with your slave ships of thoughts, with your warships of thoughts" (179). Oddly enough, sometimes when I'm upset about something, I picture a door, one of those steel plated, code and giant, turning wheel on the outside of a vault, kind of doors. It has yet to work though. Maybe I'll try the harbor...
I'm still not a huge fan of Liz. She's still cocky. On page 187, she talks about finally forgiving her husband and finding a release from her past. I kept thinking about her husband. I'm pretty sure that he's still angry. True forgiveness is a two way street. How can she think that willing away her problems will work? I've tried that...it doesn't work. I especially didn't like how she described the souls regarding "each other's perfecction and similarity" (187). It seemed unrealistic to me. I couldn't relate. Could you?
Another section I enjoyed was when she wrote about not "harboring" negative thoughts. Her mind is her harbor and she makes an extended metaphor (another one Ali!) about it. I particularly liked, "You may not come here anymore with your hard and abusivee thoughts, with your plague ships of thoughts, with your slave ships of thoughts, with your warships of thoughts" (179). Oddly enough, sometimes when I'm upset about something, I picture a door, one of those steel plated, code and giant, turning wheel on the outside of a vault, kind of doors. It has yet to work though. Maybe I'll try the harbor...
I'm still not a huge fan of Liz. She's still cocky. On page 187, she talks about finally forgiving her husband and finding a release from her past. I kept thinking about her husband. I'm pretty sure that he's still angry. True forgiveness is a two way street. How can she think that willing away her problems will work? I've tried that...it doesn't work. I especially didn't like how she described the souls regarding "each other's perfecction and similarity" (187). It seemed unrealistic to me. I couldn't relate. Could you?
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Page 130 (The Big Long Extended Metaphor)
I loooooooved page 130. Gilbert is talking about the New Years' Eve meditation and it was just so... so descriptive that someone even as dreadfully inexperienced in religion as I am could almost feel the power that these people had. I love when she says "They pass the sacred words to me, I carry the words for a while, then pass the words pack, and this is how we are able to sing for miles and miles of time without tiring." How amazing is that? Just reading it, I can feel the rhythm that the have, the passing back and forth, moving on and on and on. I also love the "miles and miles of time." That description makes so much sense to me. Then she starts talking about her "little blue string of song" and about how as the beat speeds up they are "collectively pulling the year 2004 toward" them and "hauling it across the sky like it's a massive fishing net." With the "fishing net" description, you can just imagine the New Year collecting everything that will go into it as it is dragged closer, just like fish being caught in the huge net (Kim, I am now realizing you probably didn't like that part as much as I did). When she talks about everything that will be going into that year too... It's pretty cool to think about her, almost seven years ago, thinking about all of the amazing things that would happen in 2004, because all of those things actually did happen and we all lived through all of them.
All in all, that was just a big collection of my immense love for page 130. I didn't cite pages for the quotes because they all came, as I'm hoping you picked up on at some point, from page 130. I just wanted to write something about it because I think that entire page was really well-done in the way of making the reader understand the feelings and emotions that Gilbert (can we call her Elizabeth? or maybe Liz? I'm feeling like we spend enough time together now to be on a first-name basis, so I'm going to call her Liz) that Liz was going through on this night just a day or two after she arrives in India. Thoughts? Feelings? Agree? Disagree?
All in all, that was just a big collection of my immense love for page 130. I didn't cite pages for the quotes because they all came, as I'm hoping you picked up on at some point, from page 130. I just wanted to write something about it because I think that entire page was really well-done in the way of making the reader understand the feelings and emotions that Gilbert (can we call her Elizabeth? or maybe Liz? I'm feeling like we spend enough time together now to be on a first-name basis, so I'm going to call her Liz) that Liz was going through on this night just a day or two after she arrives in India. Thoughts? Feelings? Agree? Disagree?
India Begins!
I loved the section that talked about each city and person having one word that represents it completely. I thought that it went perfectly with what the book is all about. The author writes, "I suppose that's what this year of journeying is all about. Finding my word" (103). I hope that we find out what her word is by the end of the memoir.
Also, in class, we debated whether or not we like the author. I find her cocky and presumptuous at times, but something in this section changed my mind. She writes about how much Sicily has suffered and she recognizes that her suffering is nothing compared to that. This made me reconsider how I felt about her. Did it change anyone else's opinion/ make their opinion more definite?
When I started reading the section on India, I didn't find it as interesting as reading about Italy. Maybe I'm missing the food descriptions, but I felt like the writing on India was not as clear or relatable. When I was reading about Italy, I was invested in the book, but with India I'm not. What about you? The one thing that I did enjoy reading about was the meditation section. I've tried meditation and found it impossible. I don't have the patience. I was able to connect with the author in this section, because I remember how frustrating it was to just sit there for a verrryyyy long time doing nothing. Her experience with the blue light was interesting to me because she backed it up with factual information. For instance, she writes about the Tibetian monk and the "cool, blue pearl of light" (145) seen on his brain scan. What do you think about this light?
Also, in class, we debated whether or not we like the author. I find her cocky and presumptuous at times, but something in this section changed my mind. She writes about how much Sicily has suffered and she recognizes that her suffering is nothing compared to that. This made me reconsider how I felt about her. Did it change anyone else's opinion/ make their opinion more definite?
When I started reading the section on India, I didn't find it as interesting as reading about Italy. Maybe I'm missing the food descriptions, but I felt like the writing on India was not as clear or relatable. When I was reading about Italy, I was invested in the book, but with India I'm not. What about you? The one thing that I did enjoy reading about was the meditation section. I've tried meditation and found it impossible. I don't have the patience. I was able to connect with the author in this section, because I remember how frustrating it was to just sit there for a verrryyyy long time doing nothing. Her experience with the blue light was interesting to me because she backed it up with factual information. For instance, she writes about the Tibetian monk and the "cool, blue pearl of light" (145) seen on his brain scan. What do you think about this light?
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
"Inner Voice" and "One Thing at a Time" Obsession
I found the author's "inner voice" comments to be unrealistic. Personally, I've never had a moment inside where a voice comes to me and tells me, "I'm right here. What can I do for you?" (53). Gilbert does say that she doubted it at times, but then found herself writing, "Who are you talking to then?" (54). I just don't think that the author couldn't know that she was writing something. The words can't write themselves, so she must have been aware. Do you agree?
I also thought it was interesting that the author mentions that she becomes obsessed with one thing in her life at a time. For instance,she has trouble balancing her interets in Rome. She writes, "The culture of Rome just doesn't match the culture of Yoga, not as far as I can see" (55). I agree that the cultures are different, but I think that it would have been healthier for her to break out the Yoga mat in Italy. Her obsessive behavior is also shown with the way she handles her relationships. She disappears into the person that she is dating, to the point where she actually begins to act like her boyfriend. This doesn't seem healthy. I hope that by the end of the novel, she knows how to separate and balance her interests.
The final thing I was interested in was that in this section she reveals personal details. I agree with what you were saying, that she didn't want to share details about her husband because they weren't hers to share, but the exact opposite happens in this section. She writes about how disappointed she was with the husband of her friend at a cocktail party of her friend, which seems personal to me. What do you think? Is this different than what she didn't want to reveal about her husband?
I also thought it was interesting that the author mentions that she becomes obsessed with one thing in her life at a time. For instance,she has trouble balancing her interets in Rome. She writes, "The culture of Rome just doesn't match the culture of Yoga, not as far as I can see" (55). I agree that the cultures are different, but I think that it would have been healthier for her to break out the Yoga mat in Italy. Her obsessive behavior is also shown with the way she handles her relationships. She disappears into the person that she is dating, to the point where she actually begins to act like her boyfriend. This doesn't seem healthy. I hope that by the end of the novel, she knows how to separate and balance her interests.
The final thing I was interested in was that in this section she reveals personal details. I agree with what you were saying, that she didn't want to share details about her husband because they weren't hers to share, but the exact opposite happens in this section. She writes about how disappointed she was with the husband of her friend at a cocktail party of her friend, which seems personal to me. What do you think? Is this different than what she didn't want to reveal about her husband?
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Dante's "Divine Comedy"
I was just making sure that everyone noticed to reference to Dante's "Divine Comedy" on page 45, because I thought it was pretty cool that we had been talking about that in class and now it shows up in our book. I loved the information about how the language in his poem was the basis for the final national Italian language. How amazing is it that one poet could actually have to power to affect the future of an entire country, more than just by the people's interpretations of his poem, but by the actual language of the poem. I thought that was a really good description of the Italian emphasis on beauty. All of the Italian people managed to get together and agree that they would all speak this language, not because it was the easiest or the most popular of the dialects, but because it was the most beautiful-sounding of them all. Seemed like a pretty amazing thing to me.
Gilbert's Writing Style
The author's writing style is unique, with its use of literary devices and conversational language. I've noticed that Elizabeth Gilbert uses many similes and comic descriptions in her writing. For instance, she says that her relationship with David is similar to the plunge that a circus performer makes off of a platform. In this same passage, she writes, "I clung to David for escape from marriage as if he were the last helicopter pulling out of Saignon" (18). I believe she does this to make her experiences seem more light-hearted. Her similes draw attention away from the painful experiences she had. In that passage in particular, she does not want to focus on the desperation that she had in her relationship with David, and therefore makes a comic jab at her clinginess. This shows that Gilbert, while a comic writer, might not always be a reliable one. She feels that she cannot reveal certain details about her life. For example, she does not reveal her personal issues with her husband. While I understand that she does not think that it would be appropriate, I feel that in a memoir, details should not be excluded.
Her casual language, however, is interesting and relatable. While reading, I feel as though she is dictating her story to a friend, rather than writing a book. I connect this to her use of literary devices in her writing. Her use of personification when she describes depression and loneliness tailing her in Italy, as though police officers, brings life to the story. In particular, I liked the description of the different methods of harassment that depression and loneliness had. It brought a light-heartedness to the story, that allows those of us who have not experienced a severe depression like she has, to imagine her emotions and relate to them.
Overall, I find Gilbert's casual, descriptive language to be an asset to the novel, rather than a drawback. Although the comic, colloquial language does make the author's struggles seem less important, it makes the writing much more interesting, than if she were to simply detail her experiences.
Her casual language, however, is interesting and relatable. While reading, I feel as though she is dictating her story to a friend, rather than writing a book. I connect this to her use of literary devices in her writing. Her use of personification when she describes depression and loneliness tailing her in Italy, as though police officers, brings life to the story. In particular, I liked the description of the different methods of harassment that depression and loneliness had. It brought a light-heartedness to the story, that allows those of us who have not experienced a severe depression like she has, to imagine her emotions and relate to them.
Overall, I find Gilbert's casual, descriptive language to be an asset to the novel, rather than a drawback. Although the comic, colloquial language does make the author's struggles seem less important, it makes the writing much more interesting, than if she were to simply detail her experiences.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
First Post
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