the most important things are the hardest things to say.

PLOT: The Body takes place in one weekend with one overlaying purpose: to find the dead body. Stephen King begins this novella as Vern "[runs all the way from [his] house" (pg 298)to the clubhouse to introduce the story's mission. However, this mission is not revealed for another five pages! The most obvious part of plot in this story is pace: slow. The narrator has a different flashback or story for every point a character makes, which adds suspense to every detail within the story. For example, when Vern runs into the clubhouse with exciting news he asks everyone if they can get out of the house for the night... Gordie answers "Probably." (pg 298) and begins a long anecdote about him being "like the Invisible Boy" (page 298) at home because of the death of his older brother. Gordie does not even get back to Vern's news until after he tells two more stories. Nothing moves very fast; everything is stretched out to the minute details. It is not until the end that the pace picks up. It is important that the pace remain slow on the voyage to see the dead body because the narrator is then able to directly characterize the characters. This is where the magic happens. This two day period occurs over around one hundred pages and then after the body is found, the story wraps up in around thirty pages. The pace picks up because the end is not as significant.

POINT OF VIEW: The Body is narrated by the future version of Gordie, the main character of the story. It is written in the first person point of view. Because it is narrated by the main character, readers get an up close personal view point of the action and each character is directly revealed. Gordie frequently uses flashbacks in his narration, which helps reveal the relationships of each of the characters share. He also uses flashback to better describe his relationship with Dennis before he died. His feelings for Dennis "were replaced with an almost cynical awe...mildly shocked and mildly sad" (pg 312) about his death. Gordie even uses one of his own published stories to describe the way he feels about his parents and Dennis.

CHARACTERIZATION: The characters Gordie, Chris, Vern, and Teddy journey together across Castle Rock, Maine to see a dead body. However, Gordie and Chris are the only dynamic characters. Vern and Teddy don't go through a change as the story progresses. They are round and static characters. The dialogue between Gordie and Chris seems to dramatically age them both. Chris is always explaining to Gordie that he can become something if he just leaves the gang behind, but Gordie disagrees. "'What's asshole about wanting to be with your friends?'... 'It's asshole if your friends can drag you down'" (pg 380-81). Chris was wise beyond his years and the relationship he shared with Gordie allowed him to succeed through high school.

SETTING: This story takes place in Castle Rock, Maine in 1960. There is no real significance of Maine, but the story could not have taken place in any other era than in the sixties.

Chris grew up with no real role models in his family. His father beat him and he could not make it to school as often as he should. When the truant officer came to check in on Chris and "found out that Chris was home because his father had beaten the shit out of him, [he] just went away and didn't say boo to a cuckoo bird" (pg 307). If today that happened, the father would have been reported, Chris would have received help and he probably would not have had to struggle the way he did through high school. Gordie also mentions hitchhiking in his narration, which was apparently a common thing for kids to do back then. There are many small elements of the story that are there as a result of it being 1960.

Quite frankly, this time period sounds like a lot more fun for kids than the 2000's.. (Ignoring Ray Brewer's fate.)

THEME: The Body is a coming of age story. The journey to Harlow to see the dead body taught Gordie lessons he would never forget. The scene where Gordie sees the deer "was a moment [he] found himself returning to...when there was trouble in [his] life" (pg 394). The stillness of the encounter brought Gordie peace of mind in challenging moments in his life. Chris's words of wisdom also helped Gordie grow up. The long conversations he and Chris shared along the path made them both work extra hard during high school; Gordie fulfilled what was expected out of him and Chris went above and beyond. Ironically, Chris was murdered after working so hard to make it out of Castle Rock to make something of himself.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.

This story reminds me so much of the book "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas".. I don't want to ruin anything for anyone, even though I did in my small group discussion, but never mind.

The parents tried so hard to keep the outside world away from their son. He was so innocent and naive that he didn't know danger even existed. There was no way he could understand it. So when they kept adding more and more safety features, he really didn't think anything of it. All he knew of the outside world was in fairy tales, which is pretty unrealistic. Ironically, while pretending to be a prince saving Sleeping Beauty, he kills himself on the thing designed to protect him. That must have been frustrating for his parents.

I feel like the author is attacking the parents for wanting to preserve the innocence of their kid, but isn't that natural? Why would you want to introduce violence and oppression to your child?

I too old.

Question Five compares "A Worn Path" to a journey and a quest, which made me think of Phoenix as a semi-hero.

She goes on this journey to save her grandson, but I don't really think her grandson is alive. He probably died years ago when Phoenix was making the same journey. She's way too old to be hiking through the forest, which makes her seem even more.. sympathetic? When she finally reaches her destination, the doctor, she gets what she needs.. but when she heads back.. it's awkward almost. We all know that she can't finish her quest-that's why she is a semi-hero. It will be like a never-ending cycle of journeys, well, until she dies, which will probably be soon if she keeps walking through the forest like that.

Manifesting Domino.

2. What in Eveline's present circumstances make it desirable for her to escape her home? Characterize her father and Miss Gavan. What does the memory of her mother contribute to her decision to leave?

Right now Eveline's existence consists of taking care of two children and fighting her Dad for money to feed the family. It's natural for her to want to have a life of her own-she said she is over nineteen. Her mother seemed to have been abused by her father and since her death Eveline has taken over that role. She takes care of kids and is abused by her dad.

Her dad was overprotective.. She was his only daughter and his only provider at this point. Who else would cook Sunday dinner for free? He had to act protective to keep her at home.

Miss Gavan was all about looking the part.. I would imagine that growing up with a brutal father would hinder Eveline to be able to show up on time or to "look lively".

Eveline's memory of her mother kinda prevents her from leaving. She made a promise that she would take care of the family.. and by leaving with Frank, she'd break it.

But then again, I think Eveline left to meet Frank because she didn't want to end up like her mom. Frank offered a new life.

Tum-tum-tum-tiddle-um! tiddle-um!

In our small group discussion you (Mr.Costello) told us that Miss Brill's age wasn't as significant as her occupation--an English English teacher in France. But what difference does that make? I understand that she is isolated and lonely. She people watches by herself. She gained purpose in her life by acting as an actress in the park. Pretending to just be part of the background, listening to the dialogue of other "characters".

So I get that she is detached from the world.. but what does being an English teacher have to do with the couple making fun of her towards the end? I feel like she has to be more different than just being English. Is it her fur thing that makes her stand out? Maybe it's an English thing, not a French thing.

Maybe she feels like crap on her way home because she lost her sense of purpose at the park. She wanted to be noticed, because she's an actress. This might be a stretch.. but what if the people making fun of her were her English students, which would mean she lost her only other purpose.

Actually, I really don't get this story. Why doesn't she just move back to England?

Everyday Use

"'Mama,' Wangero said sweet as a bird. 'Can I have these old quilts?' I heard something fall in the kitchen, and a minute later the kitchen door slammed."

We were trying to figure out why the mom wouldn't just want Dee to take the quilts, if she was going to appreciate them forever.. instead of Maggie, who would put them to "everyday use" and eventually wear them down. But those quilts were promised to Maggie, who is used to Dee getting everything. She was spoiled as a teenager and she still had pretty skin after the fire. That was Maggie who got mad when she heard Wangero ask for the quilts.. she probably assumed her mom would give in-happy that she finally appreciated something. (like her TV show moment) But her mom obviously heard the fall and slam and fought for Maggie.

Maggie is a big pushover and her mom finally realized it.

I guess that was all pretty obvious now that I look harder at it.

Bartleby Bumblebee

I can't help but envisioning Bartleby as a bug. He doesn't do anything.. Maybe he just reminds me of Gregor. But I can't picture him as a human.. no one acts like that.

I think my reaction to Bartleby's behavior was the same as the guy who never gave us his name.. the narrator. At first I was confused.. "I sat awhile in perfect silence, rallying my stunned faculties".. that wasn't exactly my thought process, but I get it. I was just kinda like, well.. too bad.

The next time Bartleby "prefer[ed] not to", mystery man just got angry. It's understandable.. Mystery is paying him money to work; it isn't really an option.

Each time he gets frustrated.. but there is something weird happening.. "...there was something about Bartleby that not only strangely disarmed me, but in a wonderful manner touched and disconcerted me" He is so nonchalantly bold, which makes him interesting.

Mystery man makes a lot of allusions to the Bible. John 15:12 talks about loving everyone as Jesus loves us.. unconditionally. Mystery man tries so hard to do this.. He is stuck between business thinking and moral thinking. He needed to get rid of him, because he was only costing him money. He didn't do anything to help. But on the other hand, something seemed really wrong with him, so who else was going to take him in? To love like Jesus mystery man would have had to take him in.. and he tried! "will you go home with me now-not to my office, but my dwelling..." But Bartleby refused.

Maybe Melville is secretly saying that it is impossible to live like Jesus did... or just really really hard.

Different turn.. oops.

2. How do Frank's dialogue and actions help to characterize him?

So Frank reminds of that one guy from The Sun Also Rises.. I think his name was Bill. He always conformed to whoever he was with at the time. He was Robert's best pal when Robert and Jake were friends, but in a fight, he always sided with Jake. And when he was with Mike, Bill hated Robert. His feelings were always just based on how to impress others.

Frank made fun of Tub (that's a really mean name) when he was with Kenny, but when Kenny was in the back of the truck and he was alone with Tub, he acted like his best friend.

I think Frank is the dynamic character.. he is the one who made the change. He only actually said a few things to hurt Tub.. "You fat moron.. You aren't good for diddly." It really is his actions and his demeanor that make me feel like he is a jerk to Tub around Kenny.

Kenny always pulls it out of him. Kenny looks at Frank all the time.. I just imagine his eyes in disgust and Frank agreeing with him to maintain his reputation. So when Kenny is shot and in the back.. He gains his relationship back with Tub. He doesn't have anyone to impress, so he confides in Tub and they are cool again. I get this feeling that Kenny is dead now.. so maybe they can keep their friendship.

The Magic Barber

1. Characterize the speaker and evaluate her reliability as a reporter and interpreter of events?

I think anytime the mom is the narrator, she'll be unreliable.. Moms are always bias.

From the mom's point of view Maggie is seen as the good daughter.. she is following in the footsteps of the women in the family. But Dee.. or Wangero.. has gone crazy. She's completely lost touch in what the family is about.

But from an outsider's view, Maggie and the mom probably look ignorant.. maybe. I think their lifestyle is perfectly fine- it's whatever they want to do. They are African Americans.. not Africans. Wangero wants to be African.. she has lost her roots in her American family, but has found them in her African family.

Her mom doesn't get it, so Dee/Wangero comes across as stuck-up.. and annoying.

The speaker in this story is unreliable.

I don't really understand what being reliable means.. It's her story, so it would make sense that her opinion would dominate. It's not like this was written for a court case.. It is a work of fiction, so why does it matter if the narrator has a bias viewpoint?

Thinking

I guess a theme of this story is that everything in life is connected and the small decisions you make at any moment can affect future parts of your life.
The entire story is built up to believe that Chris will be Edie's husband.. So an entire story unrelated to Carmichael actually explains his marriage.
There is actually an episode of How I Met Your Mother where Ted explains how every choice he made in a single morning brought him closer to his kid's mom.. And if he hadn't of made those choices, they wouldn't be alive.

Have you ever thought about that? I always wonder how my life would be different if on the first day of school I had chosen Southport over Roncalli. Or what would my life be like if my sister and I hadn't decided to shopping the day we got in a wreck.. We would have had our own car and probably been able to do more things, but what?

If Edie's cow hadn't have had that baby, Mr. Peebles' wouldn't have hired her. And if Edie hadn't of decided to bring Chris a cake, then she probably wouldn't have stayed in the tent as long as she did and he wouldn't have promised to write to her. If she wasn't expecting that letter then the mailman wouldn't have asked her out and she probably would be married to somone else.

I always thought it was Meana.

I thought it was interesting to see the contrasts between an American and Indian family..
In the beginning the Das' were disconnected.. Mr. and Mrs. Dad really did behave just like like older siblings. They didn't act like parents or husband and wife.
And when Mr. Kapasi's relationship is revealed, we find out that they don't act like their married either. However, they did act like real parents. They did everything in their means to save their son's life. Mr. and Mrs. Das dreaded doing anything for their kids.. like taking their daughter to the bathroom or painting her nails.

So Mr. Kapasi is longing for companionship, Mrs. Das is looking for someone to confide in, and Mr. Das.. well, he's oblivious? Mr. Kapasi and Mina find their answers in each other, but only Mina really benefits.
After she tells Mr. Kapasi her story (because he was a translator..), she meets back up with her family and we finally see her in a motherly role (helping her son after the monkey incident).
I don't understand how Mr. Kapasis's problems came to a resolution... other than his fantasy world came to and end after the address blew out of Mina's purse.

Nasty Iron-Gray Hair

How is the point of view related to the plot structure?

A Rose for Emily is written in an omniscient point of view. I don't know who exactly is talking, but I know it is someone from the neighborhood, probably someone old who has seen everything happen..
The structure is broken.. there are lots of flashbacks. Whoever is telling the story knows everything from the past to the present, so that's how the point of view is related to the plot structure.

Each section is a different part of time and progresses through her craziness..
First she does no t think she needs to pay taxs.. then she won't admit that her dad is dead for like three days, she buys arsenic "for rats", and finally she died without being seen. And in the fifth section you find out she is a freak..

Male Plane

Chris was a plane driver, or pilot, whatever. And Carmichael was a mail man. This made me think of this joke from The 3 Amigos.. it has nothing to do with the story.

How I Met My Husband

Anyways, I am answering number five.. "Evaluate Chris Watters as a potential husband for Edie. Does her evaluation of him differ from the reader's?"

In my second reading I made this list of reasons why I should have seen it coming.. or reasons why Chris would make a terrible husband.

When he is introduced in paragraph 33, I automatically assumed.. Wow, what a dumb story. We all know this is who she ends up marrying.

But he is such a creep! Paragraph 55: "...good thing I'm used to shy ladies" or "...ladies dropping in on me".

In paragraph 86, he admits to Mrs. Peebles that "he couldn't settle down to ordinary life"- that should have caught my attention the first run-through. If he can't live ordinarily, then he isn't going to get married.

And the final card-paragraphs 140-145.. he basically molests her, which isn't a good sign of forming a long-term relationship. That's so disgusting.

Chris is not a good potential husband for Edie.

But she looks past it all. She always references her old friend Muriel Lowe.. and how they used to dream of love and romance. She was blind to that in Chris.. that's all she wanted, so that's all she could see. Thank God he didn't write her a letter.

But that got me thinking about Chris' real role. I think he was the same as Gregor in Metamorphosis. He didn't make any big change. He caused the big change. If he hadn't promised Edie that he'd write her, then she would have never sat out and waited by the mailbox.. so she wouldn't have married the mailman.