This is Zeba & Rebecca. Both of whom now owe a late journal...? If possible, focus on a specific piece of text that defines Ruth May early on in the novel. (Include the passage and page #. You should not both use the same passage.)
"The man in church said they're different from us and need ought to keep to their own. Jimmy Crow says that, and he makes the laws" (p.20 - Ruth May)
This is the most truthful lins so far. Not necesarily right, but truthful. Meaning we know exactly what she was growing up believing and what her surrounding communnity believed. I guess a better word is innocence. She is the most innocent character in teh book, therefor the easiest to find out their background beliefs. Which reminds me this whole thing about the Africans bing sons of the worst son of Noah. Is it "true"? Does it say that in the bible? I hope not because then there would be an explanation in my religion about why all these (who I originally thought) stupd and greedy people believed it right to colonize Africa. I was surprised that no one really wanted to be Ruth May, because she is the character who I believe who I believe, will gorw the most in her beliefs (I hope) (although, after writing this and reading mroe, I think Leah could also). She is my second favorite. Second to Leah. I don't know why she is my favorite. Maybe it's because I can relate to her the most. But the minute I star reading Leah, I can't stop. It's Rachel and Ada's writing that drive me crazy. I don't think their bad characters at all. Just bad "writers".
“The closing parenthesis, at the end of the palindrome that was Ruth May” (p. 365-Adah)
I can’t believe it! Ruth May! My character! The sweetest girl of the whole family. DEAD! I don’t understand. Why her? She was bitten by a poisonous snake. When I first heard Orleanna say that one of her daughters had died, I tried to think of who it was. Rachel? She was careless and didn’t care about Africa. Adah? Especially after the lion accident, she is physically impared. And in Africa, where natural selection was first still seen today, surely she would have been the one to go. But never would I have thought of her going. Although I can’t understand why Ruth May had to die, I do like this quote. “The closing parenthesis,” is the best part of the quote. It makes me think of a life on earth, not as the main part of anything, but as a small side note. That there was much to come before, and there is much to come after. It makes me happy. Because even though she died, there is much to come for her. Her life is not over, just because she has died. And I think that that is something very important for everyone on earth to realize. Not just her mother who tortures herself for the rest of her life for “killing” her daughter. She did not kill her daughter, but as commonly seen when anyone loses a loved one, they tend to blame themselves for it. But I believe that Ruth May, while may have lived longer, lived better in Africa then anywhere else. She belonged outdoors just like the snake. This incident also brings me to finally understand the mother-younger child relationship. I as an older sibling, have always been told that my mother loves both me and my sister, but I have noticed certain differences in our treatment. And now I know why. The youngest is their last. Their last chance to raise a good human, and to have a nice, cute little kid with them always. Their last chance to spread a little of themselves around in the world. While yes, parents should love both children equally, the last has a separate special bond, that no other child in the family shares. Which is why it must have been so hard for Orleanna to see her youngest child dead. -Zeba
“A territory is only possessed for a moment in time. They stake everything on that moment, posing for photographs while planting the flag, casting themselves in bronze.” (p.384 –Orleanna)
I really like this saying. I had never thought of this. She is right. A territory, a piece of land, are never moving, but always staying. The native people, usually never leave, unless forced out. Land ownership, a major reason for human greed and war, comes down to a photograph. A moment of time frozen forever. However, after that moment of time, the ownership is turned so another person. Content for the moment of their ownership, until they are shoved out of the way for another “owner”. However the land stays, and the land bears the marks of its cruel owners. “Call it oppression, complicity, stupefaction, call it what you like, it doesn’t matter. Africa swallowed the conqueror’s music and sang a new song of her own” (p.385). Orleanna says this after, and it brings the first part to the story. Africa’s ownership shifted. Africa gained control, and became its own. The marks of the previous owners have had its affects on Africa. African countries, newly independent, find it very difficult to rule itself. The poorly drawn country lines are the reason for the constant civil wars. However, besides all of these bad affects, Africa has become independent. It has it’s own character and personality. The marks of the previous ownership have made Africa who it is today. Another point that this quote shows, is the part of the owners, “casting themselves in bronze”. The owners are way too selfish and greedy to stay for a long time. Which is why “a territory is only possessed for a moment in time”. The owners only think of the now. Never taking a glance to the future. Never hazarding a thought to the land, or the people, or a result of his or her action. Orleanna understands the problem of imperialism, and therefore, feels for the people and the land resulting in it. She helps me to realize, that while some owners were worse than others, they were temporary. And what should be focused on are the land and the people now. Because what happened in the past, is the past. However, the land and the people bare the marks of the past owners and therefore, need help getting over the marks, and moving on to become something great.
“We came, we saw, we took away and we left behind, we must be allowed our anguish and our regrets.” (p.493-Adah)
This pretty much sums up the book for me. The Price family went to Africa, they saw what was going on, they took away certain life lessons, and they left behind certain life lessons, and lives. But none of them ever forget. What Adah is trying to say (and it makes sense, but I would need a whole page to quote not just one sentence) is that you can’t ever forget anything that happened to you, because it is what makes you, you. When she describes the cripples that Jesus cures, she says that maybe they’d “like to be able to get places quickly, and carry things in both hands, but only because [they] have to keep up with the rest of you…”. The people who are different, “would rather be just like [themselves] and have that be all right,”. But, unfortunately, our society won’t allow that. “we have a cheerful, simple mortality here in Western Civilization: expect perfection, and revile the missed mark!” Even though people may change, they can never truly forget who they were. Because if they forget who they were, then they forget who they are. Everything that happens, good, or bad, small, or large, makes up a part of who you are today. Which is why Adah, while happy with her new body, is missing a piece of herself. She asks herself: “how can I invent my version of the story, without my crooked vision?” The crooked part of her, while invisible to the eye, has become so much a part of who she is, will never truly leave her. Because, “[h]ow is it right to slip free of an old skin and walk away from the scene of the crime?” You still know that you did the crime. This quote also describes the need for anguish. Which I completely agree with. When something bad happens, everyone needs to deal with it how they deal with it. People should never be told not to cry for any reason. They can cry or shout or whatever. They can also regret something they may or may not have done. For with out the anguish or the regret, you can’t truly grasp what happened (if it was bad). And then it become part of who you are, but you don’t know what it is. This only makes you not know who you are. All in all, Adah is trying to tell us here that when you do anything, it become part of who you are. You can’t get rid of it, and you shouldn’t want to. You can be sad, or regret, or be happy. But you have to remember. Also, people shouldn’t ask anyone to forget anything that happened. And we should get rid of this crazy idea of perfection, because everyone is different, and you can never change that. Zeba
Oh I just realized that my journals have other quotes in them with out page numbers. The page numbers for any quotes with out are the same as the original quote for the journal. Does that make sense? Is that ok?
Zeba, these are great. I have a lot to add, but I'll limit myself to a few comments. First off, what's the reference for that last passage you chose and how does Kingsolver change it? (Google the first two phrases if you're not sure.) Important to the question I've asked? I also agree with your assessment of Ruth May--she's the best adjusted to Africa so she's the one who dies! It seems horribly unfair...so what's Kingsolver's point? Maximun tragedy? Africa kills what loves it? Africa is death?
11 comments:
If Orleanna is closed, then I'll do Ruth.
-Sarah Berman
Because Ally is a buttmuncher I have picked the last possible thing over Africa. YAAY RUTH MAY!! WOOT WOOT!
-Becca/Rebecca 1
ok. so i guess i'm not doing ruth. i'm doing orleana. (to clear that up for rebecca who doesn't understand)
Zeba is then doing Ruth May... since sara is doing orleanna... RIGHT????
I am SOOO confused....
This is Zeba & Rebecca. Both of whom now owe a late journal...? If possible, focus on a specific piece of text that defines Ruth May early on in the novel. (Include the passage and page #. You should not both use the same passage.)
"The man in church said they're different from us and need ought to keep to their own. Jimmy Crow says that, and he makes the laws" (p.20 - Ruth May)
This is the most truthful lins so far. Not necesarily right, but truthful. Meaning we know exactly what she was growing up believing and what her surrounding communnity believed. I guess a better word is innocence. She is the most innocent character in teh book, therefor the easiest to find out their background beliefs. Which reminds me this whole thing about the Africans bing sons of the worst son of Noah. Is it "true"? Does it say that in the bible? I hope not because then there would be an explanation in my religion about why all these (who I originally thought) stupd and greedy people believed it right to colonize Africa. I was surprised that no one really wanted to be Ruth May, because she is the character who I believe who I believe, will gorw the most in her beliefs (I hope) (although, after writing this and reading mroe, I think Leah could also). She is my second favorite. Second to Leah. I don't know why she is my favorite. Maybe it's because I can relate to her the most. But the minute I star reading Leah, I can't stop. It's Rachel and Ada's writing that drive me crazy. I don't think their bad characters at all. Just bad "writers".
#2
“The closing parenthesis, at the end of the palindrome that was Ruth May” (p. 365-Adah)
I can’t believe it! Ruth May! My character! The sweetest girl of the whole family. DEAD! I don’t understand. Why her? She was bitten by a poisonous snake. When I first heard Orleanna say that one of her daughters had died, I tried to think of who it was. Rachel? She was careless and didn’t care about Africa. Adah? Especially after the lion accident, she is physically impared. And in Africa, where natural selection was first still seen today, surely she would have been the one to go. But never would I have thought of her going.
Although I can’t understand why Ruth May had to die, I do like this quote. “The closing parenthesis,” is the best part of the quote. It makes me think of a life on earth, not as the main part of anything, but as a small side note. That there was much to come before, and there is much to come after. It makes me happy. Because even though she died, there is much to come for her. Her life is not over, just because she has died. And I think that that is something very important for everyone on earth to realize. Not just her mother who tortures herself for the rest of her life for “killing” her daughter.
She did not kill her daughter, but as commonly seen when anyone loses a loved one, they tend to blame themselves for it. But I believe that Ruth May, while may have lived longer, lived better in Africa then anywhere else. She belonged outdoors just like the snake.
This incident also brings me to finally understand the mother-younger child relationship. I as an older sibling, have always been told that my mother loves both me and my sister, but I have noticed certain differences in our treatment. And now I know why. The youngest is their last. Their last chance to raise a good human, and to have a nice, cute little kid with them always. Their last chance to spread a little of themselves around in the world. While yes, parents should love both children equally, the last has a separate special bond, that no other child in the family shares. Which is why it must have been so hard for Orleanna to see her youngest child dead.
-Zeba
# 3
“A territory is only possessed for a moment in time. They stake everything on that moment, posing for photographs while planting the flag, casting themselves in bronze.” (p.384 –Orleanna)
I really like this saying. I had never thought of this. She is right. A territory, a piece of land, are never moving, but always staying. The native people, usually never leave, unless forced out. Land ownership, a major reason for human greed and war, comes down to a photograph. A moment of time frozen forever. However, after that moment of time, the ownership is turned so another person. Content for the moment of their ownership, until they are shoved out of the way for another “owner”. However the land stays, and the land bears the marks of its cruel owners.
“Call it oppression, complicity, stupefaction, call it what you like, it doesn’t matter. Africa swallowed the conqueror’s music and sang a new song of her own” (p.385). Orleanna says this after, and it brings the first part to the story. Africa’s ownership shifted. Africa gained control, and became its own. The marks of the previous owners have had its affects on Africa. African countries, newly independent, find it very difficult to rule itself. The poorly drawn country lines are the reason for the constant civil wars. However, besides all of these bad affects, Africa has become independent. It has it’s own character and personality. The marks of the previous ownership have made Africa who it is today.
Another point that this quote shows, is the part of the owners, “casting themselves in bronze”. The owners are way too selfish and greedy to stay for a long time. Which is why “a territory is only possessed for a moment in time”. The owners only think of the now. Never taking a glance to the future. Never hazarding a thought to the land, or the people, or a result of his or her action.
Orleanna understands the problem of imperialism, and therefore, feels for the people and the land resulting in it. She helps me to realize, that while some owners were worse than others, they were temporary. And what should be focused on are the land and the people now. Because what happened in the past, is the past. However, the land and the people bare the marks of the past owners and therefore, need help getting over the marks, and moving on to become something great.
Zeba
#4
“We came, we saw, we took away and we left behind, we must be allowed our anguish and our regrets.” (p.493-Adah)
This pretty much sums up the book for me. The Price family went to Africa, they saw what was going on, they took away certain life lessons, and they left behind certain life lessons, and lives. But none of them ever forget. What Adah is trying to say (and it makes sense, but I would need a whole page to quote not just one sentence) is that you can’t ever forget anything that happened to you, because it is what makes you, you.
When she describes the cripples that Jesus cures, she says that maybe they’d “like to be able to get places quickly, and carry things in both hands, but only because [they] have to keep up with the rest of you…”. The people who are different, “would rather be just like [themselves] and have that be all right,”. But, unfortunately, our society won’t allow that. “we have a cheerful, simple mortality here in Western Civilization: expect perfection, and revile the missed mark!”
Even though people may change, they can never truly forget who they were. Because if they forget who they were, then they forget who they are. Everything that happens, good, or bad, small, or large, makes up a part of who you are today. Which is why Adah, while happy with her new body, is missing a piece of herself. She asks herself: “how can I invent my version of the story, without my crooked vision?” The crooked part of her, while invisible to the eye, has become so much a part of who she is, will never truly leave her. Because, “[h]ow is it right to slip free of an old skin and walk away from the scene of the crime?” You still know that you did the crime.
This quote also describes the need for anguish. Which I completely agree with. When something bad happens, everyone needs to deal with it how they deal with it. People should never be told not to cry for any reason. They can cry or shout or whatever. They can also regret something they may or may not have done. For with out the anguish or the regret, you can’t truly grasp what happened (if it was bad). And then it become part of who you are, but you don’t know what it is. This only makes you not know who you are.
All in all, Adah is trying to tell us here that when you do anything, it become part of who you are. You can’t get rid of it, and you shouldn’t want to. You can be sad, or regret, or be happy. But you have to remember. Also, people shouldn’t ask anyone to forget anything that happened. And we should get rid of this crazy idea of perfection, because everyone is different, and you can never change that.
Zeba
Oh I just realized that my journals have other quotes in them with out page numbers. The page numbers for any quotes with out are the same as the original quote for the journal. Does that make sense? Is that ok?
Zeba
Zeba, these are great. I have a lot to add, but I'll limit myself to a few comments. First off, what's the reference for that last passage you chose and how does Kingsolver change it? (Google the first two phrases if you're not sure.) Important to the question I've asked? I also agree with your assessment of Ruth May--she's the best adjusted to Africa so she's the one who dies! It seems horribly unfair...so what's Kingsolver's point? Maximun tragedy? Africa kills what loves it? Africa is death?
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