Summary:
Keisha sat with Edna for some time and talked. Edna told her that she had nothing to worry about that everything would be okay but she did need to tell her parents what happened and don't leave anything out. It was past five in the morning by that point and Keisha knew her mother had been worried sick. Out of the three cell phones she had, Edna let her use one to call her mom so she could come and get her. When they arrived. Keisha told them everything single detail with Edna right by her side. Her mother hugged her and cried with her while he father did the same, only out of anger. He wanted to hurt Jonathan just like he did his little girl. Her dad tried to thank Edna by giving her a huge amount of money but she refused to take it and told them that Keisha was like a friend to her. Keisha's mom told her that she had to go to the police but she was afraid because she didn't want anyone to find out. She felt stupid and couldn't believe that she let this happen to her. They ended up going to the police station where she had to describe everything more than she did with her parents. The woman at the police station told her that she if she wanted to press charges that there would be a trial and that when they found Jonathan he would be arrested. When they arrived at Jonathan's apartment though he was nowhere to be found but enough evidence was there to prove what he'd done. Keisha and her parents returned home where she didn't leave for two weeks. Everyone knew what happened by that point. Keisha couldn't return to school with the rumors and the half-truth being spread around. All of her friends tried to contact her including Leon who she felt bad for because she ditched him to be with Jonathan. She didn't want to talk to anyone until Rita Bronson showed up at her house one day and laid a hard smack across her face as soon as she saw Keisha. She said she needed some way to wake her up. She explained to Keisha that she too had ran into problems with Jonathan but wasn't able to get out like she was. He invited her to his apartment and tried to push himself onto her. This was why she was cut up that day at cross-country practice after he threatened to kill her if she spoke on what he did to her. She revealed to Keisha that when she was in the eleventh grade she was doing horrible and Jonathan had changed her grades for her so she could advance to the twelfth grade which he tried to use against her. She encouraged Keisha not to let Jonathan to win because this is what he wants her to do and this is how she was. Rita tried to ignore the issue and went to school the next day but it didn't work once she saw him. After the incident she and her mother moved to Dayton to stay with her aunt who helped her get through it. This was why she was coming to Keisha to let her know she can get through it. Keisha's entire attitude changed and she returned to school the next day, to catch up with some friends as well as school work. Leon was her shield that protected her from everything. She wore his necklace everyday because it made her feel safe. Eventually things were back to normal besides her being worried that Jonathan would re-appear. She'd thrown a birthday party for Rhonda and everyone sat around reminiscing on the old time and what colleges they would be attending and their majors are. A few days later, Mr. Hathaway appeared at Keisha's house which was a shock because no hadn't seen him since he resigned from the school. He explained to her how sorry he was and that he had seen Jonathan the night of the incident and that he refused to go to the hospital. His face was stitched by his stepmother who used to be a doctor and Mr. Hathaway had driven him to Kentucky with his cousins. He knew it was wrong to do but he was his son. While he was down there, he tried to put moves on other girls but they ignored him due to the scar on his face except for one fifteen year old girl named Cindy. One night he took her to a hotel and assaulted her but was put in prison for this. His sentence was thirty years without parole. Again Mr. Hathaway explained how much he was sorry and left. Keisha felt relieved now because she no longer had to worry about Jonathan being around. Everything in her past slowly seized from haunting her and Keisha was able to graduate and move on with her life.
Quote:
"Yo' spirit is a shinin' silver star, chile. Can't nobody take that away from you."
Reflection:
I feel that the ending was perfect. I enjoyed the parts that I didn't expect and that all the questions I have were answered. I do like to read stories that leave me wondering but not clueless but this story left me happy that Keisha was able to move on with her and grow from her mistake because everyone should be able to do that. The quote above is something that I would like to think of when I'm going to through something to what other are trying to or have done to me. Throughout the story it helped Keisha and she constantly thought about what Edna said and I believe it could help others as well.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Darkness before Dawn (pages 120-200)
Summary:
Jonathan Hathaway no longer seems to be the “perfect man” Keisha once thought of him to be. Everything was going smooth and she couldn’t get enough of him. He called her one afternoon and invited her to go to the art museum and she took up his offer but she didn’t let her mother know. She was out with him way past her curfew seeing that she went to get some coffee with him afterwards which isn’t what Keisha was used to. She never drank coffee so it was a real big energy boost. When she returned home she and her mom got into a huge argument. She didn’t want to lie so she told her where she had been and who she was with. This didn’t make her mother happy at all. “He’s too old for you” is all she ever heard from her parents. This made Keisha furious because they didn’t understand that she is eighteen and will be heading off to college in just a few months. Jonathan made her feel special, why couldn’t anyone understand that? The Valentine’s Day dance was coming around but Keisha wasn’t planning on going until Jonathan insisted she went, that he couldn’t stand to watch all those high school children have a good time unless he was able to see her face in the crowd. They made arrangements to have dinner afterwards at a fancy restaurant and she couldn’t wait. Jelani warned Keisha about Jonathan one day when she was dropping her home. She said that he seemed to perfect and that she should keep her eyes wide open. It was almost time for the dance and Leon asked Keisha if she would like to go with him and she accepted but felt bad because she was using him as a way to make things easier with her parents so she could spend time out with Jonathan after the dance. The night of the dance arrived and Keisha was wearing a short, silk, silver dress that complimented her body. She even wore the silver butterfly necklace which she received on Christmas day from Jonathan at her doorstep since she would be seeing him later. Keisha enjoyed the dance but was looking forward for her time with Jonathan after the dance. Leon had dropped her home and she was driven to Jonathan’s apartment where he had prepared dinner for just the two of them. She was a bit uncomfortable but enjoyed feeling like a mature adult. They then went to the living room and were sitting on the couch. He told her how nice the necklace looked on her and she never thanked him for it until then but found out he didn’t give it to her nor the flowers that she received. She wondered who else could have possibly done that but Leon then came to mind and she reminded herself to thank him the next time they spoke. Jonathan began kissing her and grabbing on her arm. Keisha yanked away and told him to stop. He apologized but continued doing it so she asked him to take her home. His voice was the same but only this time it sounds mean and dark so Keisha asked him to take her home. He’d asked her why she would dress like a woman if she wasn’t do woman things and that she needed to grow up. Keisha tried to threaten him with losing his and his father’s job but he explained that he could care less about his dad and that this would be all her fault because she shouldn’t have gotten into this relationship with him from the start. She tried her hardest to find her way out but the door was locked. He pulled out a knife and put it her neck and said if she didn’t relax he would hurt her. Keisha grabbed the knife and wrestled with him until he had a long slash on the side of his face from his eyebrow to his chin. She then grabbed the key and ran out the door forgetting her shoes, jacket, and purse. For some time, she walked around trying to find her way back to somewhere she was familiar with but she ended up collapsing unconscious and began to let snow pile on her. She was saved by a homeless woman she had one ran into with Jalani when she went to Gerald’s house named Edna and was brought into a warm basement. Edna rubbed her swollen feet, cleaned up the cut Jonathan gave her on her neck from the knife, and given her warm clothes to change into.
Quotation:
" Leon walked around to let me out of his car. He grinned like a puppy as he walked me up to the door, did not slip on the ice on the sidewalk, and did kiss me quickly on the lips before I hurriedly fumbled for my door key."
Reflection:
I was extremely shocked by Jonathan’s actions because I don’t feel that it’s right for any woman to be held against their will. Just because Keisha presented herself as if she was a woman doesn’t mean that she necessarily should be considered as one because she’s still young and is learning from her mistakes. As an adult you are still learning and grow from your mistakes. I do hope that she uses this experience as a wakeup call and realizes why her parents reacted the way they did when they found that she was talking to him. Referring to the quote I was wondering why the author italicized did and not. Could she be referring to how Leon acts or just the fact that he gave her a kiss?
Monday, December 6, 2010
Darkness Before Dawn (pages 80-120)
Summary:
Since last reading, Keisha has taken her relationship with Jonathan Hathaway a lot further. During a snow day he invited her to go skiing with a couple of other kids. She was hesitant as to whether she should take up his offer or stay in bed, but it had been a while since she'd last been skiing so she accepted. She brought Andy's little brother Monty with her just to get him out the house, plus she knew he would love it. Everything was going well. She and Jonathan even had the chance to conversate with one another with no else around. Keisha found that he was easy to talk to and seemed to be everywhere and done everything. She chatted with him about medical school, her hopes of learning to fly a plane, and worries about college. He then asked her if she wanted to catch a movie over the weekend and she couldn't let this opportunity fly over her head. When it came time to ask her parents, they were totally against. He's too old they said. She informed them on how he's a complete gentlemen and he's a good person to talk to. They were still against it but they trusted Keisha so they let her go although they did remind her not to make this a habit. Jonathan had brought her friends and their dates along as well but Keisha didn't mind. She enjoyed the movie and was surprised at how much Jonathan picked up from it. Her left her with a touch on the cheek which made her believe even more that he was different from a boy, he was a man. The next couple of days passed and Keisha hadn't heard from him seeing that she was on Christmas vacation. Surprisingly, a bouquet of roses with an individual ribbon for each appeared at her door. This impressed her parents but they were still convinced Jonathan wasn’t the one.
Quote:
"Absolutely not! My dad's look was that protective-of-his-little-girl daddy look --it made you feel guilty but not as mad as mom's look did."
Reflection:
That quote as well as others put the image in my head of her asking her parents and the look they were giving her. This is something that a lot of teenage girls can relate too because you see it in movies and it happens in reality as well. There's always that daddy's little girl moment where he's not ready to let her go and grow up. The author uses a lot of description from how someone or a scene looks or a facial expression where I often feel like I'm watching a movie or I'm actually there.
Since last reading, Keisha has taken her relationship with Jonathan Hathaway a lot further. During a snow day he invited her to go skiing with a couple of other kids. She was hesitant as to whether she should take up his offer or stay in bed, but it had been a while since she'd last been skiing so she accepted. She brought Andy's little brother Monty with her just to get him out the house, plus she knew he would love it. Everything was going well. She and Jonathan even had the chance to conversate with one another with no else around. Keisha found that he was easy to talk to and seemed to be everywhere and done everything. She chatted with him about medical school, her hopes of learning to fly a plane, and worries about college. He then asked her if she wanted to catch a movie over the weekend and she couldn't let this opportunity fly over her head. When it came time to ask her parents, they were totally against. He's too old they said. She informed them on how he's a complete gentlemen and he's a good person to talk to. They were still against it but they trusted Keisha so they let her go although they did remind her not to make this a habit. Jonathan had brought her friends and their dates along as well but Keisha didn't mind. She enjoyed the movie and was surprised at how much Jonathan picked up from it. Her left her with a touch on the cheek which made her believe even more that he was different from a boy, he was a man. The next couple of days passed and Keisha hadn't heard from him seeing that she was on Christmas vacation. Surprisingly, a bouquet of roses with an individual ribbon for each appeared at her door. This impressed her parents but they were still convinced Jonathan wasn’t the one.
Quote:
"Absolutely not! My dad's look was that protective-of-his-little-girl daddy look --it made you feel guilty but not as mad as mom's look did."
Reflection:
That quote as well as others put the image in my head of her asking her parents and the look they were giving her. This is something that a lot of teenage girls can relate too because you see it in movies and it happens in reality as well. There's always that daddy's little girl moment where he's not ready to let her go and grow up. The author uses a lot of description from how someone or a scene looks or a facial expression where I often feel like I'm watching a movie or I'm actually there.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Darkness Before Dawn (pages. 40-80)
Summary:
Since last time a lot has happened. A new senior has come to Hazelwood High, Jalani, who seems to charm everyone with her good looks. The fact that she was once a model makes everyone even more interested in her. Keisha was in the library working on some research for Mrs. Blackwell’s project with Jalani for some time. When they were coming out of the library to go home, somehow some way, they ran into Jonathan who decided that he wanted to walk them to Keisha's car. She said to him wasn't he going in the library and he replied that he was just getting a book he had on reserve. He explained to her that he would like to get to know her better and she shouldn't call him Mr. Hathaway but by his first name, Jonathan. When she rejected his offer he then told her that he would be at her service twenty-four-seven if she needed help with anything which she, Rhonda, and Jalani found as pure comedy later that night. Keisha wondered how he appeared out of nowhere and why it was that he didn't return to the library to pick up the book he said he had on reserve. The next day after Keisha was done running with the cross-country runners and was heading back to the bus she spotted everyone huddled around Jonathan and Rita, whose eyes had been filled with tears. She had dirt on her sweatpants and cuts on her arm and neck. She informed everyone that she had fell and hurt herself in the bushes. Jonathan told her she wouldn't have hurt herself in the bushes if she had been on time for practice. This made her furious and she shared a few cuss words with everyone directed towards him and she had taken off into the woods. Everyone split up into groups of three's to find her but there wasn't any luck. When Keisha talked to Rhonda, she found out that Rita received a ride from her and Tyrone home and this made Keisha wonder what really happen to Rita because there had to more to the situation for her to react the way she did. Some time went by and Rita stopped showing up to school, the phone was disconnected, and she was no longer staying where she used to. While at work Keisha ran to Gerald and Angel. They grabbed a bite to eat and sat down. The conversation of Jalani and Gerald was brought up and how he refused to make the first move to get things started, that Jalani wouldn't go for a guy like him although Angel and Keisha told him that she's interested and he's a good guy. Gerald still wouldn't budge but continued to try to get Angel to eat more before dance practice but she didn't. While she was at dance practice, she collapse and was taken to the hospital. Gerald was shaken with fear but had Jalani there to talk through everything with. While waiting at the hospital they both opened up with one another.
Quote:
"I wonder how much Coach Jonathan Hathaway knows about her situation. She seemed really angry at him-- for more than just yelling at her about practice."
Reflection:
This book constantly keeps me interested which is why I usually have alot to say in the summary. Numerous events take place one after the other and they continue. I love the foreshadowing involved as well because it makes me think about what this could be telling me that'll happen later on in the reading. I like the drama that occurs because otherwise I wouldn't be excited to read this book and I wouldn't want to. So far, this book hasn't let me down and I hope to see it end strong as it did in the beginning.
Since last time a lot has happened. A new senior has come to Hazelwood High, Jalani, who seems to charm everyone with her good looks. The fact that she was once a model makes everyone even more interested in her. Keisha was in the library working on some research for Mrs. Blackwell’s project with Jalani for some time. When they were coming out of the library to go home, somehow some way, they ran into Jonathan who decided that he wanted to walk them to Keisha's car. She said to him wasn't he going in the library and he replied that he was just getting a book he had on reserve. He explained to her that he would like to get to know her better and she shouldn't call him Mr. Hathaway but by his first name, Jonathan. When she rejected his offer he then told her that he would be at her service twenty-four-seven if she needed help with anything which she, Rhonda, and Jalani found as pure comedy later that night. Keisha wondered how he appeared out of nowhere and why it was that he didn't return to the library to pick up the book he said he had on reserve. The next day after Keisha was done running with the cross-country runners and was heading back to the bus she spotted everyone huddled around Jonathan and Rita, whose eyes had been filled with tears. She had dirt on her sweatpants and cuts on her arm and neck. She informed everyone that she had fell and hurt herself in the bushes. Jonathan told her she wouldn't have hurt herself in the bushes if she had been on time for practice. This made her furious and she shared a few cuss words with everyone directed towards him and she had taken off into the woods. Everyone split up into groups of three's to find her but there wasn't any luck. When Keisha talked to Rhonda, she found out that Rita received a ride from her and Tyrone home and this made Keisha wonder what really happen to Rita because there had to more to the situation for her to react the way she did. Some time went by and Rita stopped showing up to school, the phone was disconnected, and she was no longer staying where she used to. While at work Keisha ran to Gerald and Angel. They grabbed a bite to eat and sat down. The conversation of Jalani and Gerald was brought up and how he refused to make the first move to get things started, that Jalani wouldn't go for a guy like him although Angel and Keisha told him that she's interested and he's a good guy. Gerald still wouldn't budge but continued to try to get Angel to eat more before dance practice but she didn't. While she was at dance practice, she collapse and was taken to the hospital. Gerald was shaken with fear but had Jalani there to talk through everything with. While waiting at the hospital they both opened up with one another.
Quote:
"I wonder how much Coach Jonathan Hathaway knows about her situation. She seemed really angry at him-- for more than just yelling at her about practice."
Reflection:
This book constantly keeps me interested which is why I usually have alot to say in the summary. Numerous events take place one after the other and they continue. I love the foreshadowing involved as well because it makes me think about what this could be telling me that'll happen later on in the reading. I like the drama that occurs because otherwise I wouldn't be excited to read this book and I wouldn't want to. So far, this book hasn't let me down and I hope to see it end strong as it did in the beginning.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Darkness Before Dawn (pages. 1-40)
Summary:
Keisha is a junior at Hazelwood High preparing for next year. The most exciting and important year of your high school years and being able to take on the responsibility of being a senior. She had recently been dealing with the break-up from Andy, her ex-boyfriend but the end result of this smacked her dead in the face. Receiving a phone call from her girlfriend Rhonda on afternoon that Andy has committed suicide, Keisha's entire world in now turned upside down. How would she be able to move on without him? They've always been with one another since kindergarten. It couldn't possibly be easy for her to make-up eleven years of memories with anyone else. She couldn't understand why he would do something like this to her, he knew that they could talk through any problem either one of them were having. He himself had been dealing with the guilt of his friend Robbie's death after he died in a drunk driving car accident and where Andy was the driver. The break-up just made things even harder for him to move on. During an end of the school year picnic, Keisha spots her principal's, Mr. Hathaway’s son and takes interest in his looks but has learn not to fall for an older man. She carries on the rest of the picnic, reminiscing on the things she and Andy would do with each other while they were there. Senior year has arrived and it feels so good for Keisha besides the fact that she's not able to enjoy it with Andy. While at the morning assembly, the students are introduced to the new volunteer to help coach the basketball and track teams who turns out to be Jonathan Hathaway, Mr. Hathaway’s son. All of the female students are flattered by his manly armor. The assembly ends by Mr. Hathaway speaking on the two deaths with Robbie and Andy and assures the students that if anything is wrong, they can come to anyone in the school.
Quote:
"He was a mascular , slim, and strikingly good looking, for his hazel eyes decorated perfectly his honey-bronzed face"
Reflection:
I've noticed that when describing Mr. Hathaway's son the author puts a clear image in my head of what he looks like. Additionally, when talking about how hot it was on the first day of school, the description was so crisp to the point where I could somewhat sense the heat myself. After I read this portion of the reading, I sat back and just thought for some time how would I react to this whole situation if I were in Keisha's position. One of the most happiest years of my life becomes a nightmare but only its reality. I don't know how I would exactly react but I do know that I would never be the same person I was before that person in my life died.
Keisha is a junior at Hazelwood High preparing for next year. The most exciting and important year of your high school years and being able to take on the responsibility of being a senior. She had recently been dealing with the break-up from Andy, her ex-boyfriend but the end result of this smacked her dead in the face. Receiving a phone call from her girlfriend Rhonda on afternoon that Andy has committed suicide, Keisha's entire world in now turned upside down. How would she be able to move on without him? They've always been with one another since kindergarten. It couldn't possibly be easy for her to make-up eleven years of memories with anyone else. She couldn't understand why he would do something like this to her, he knew that they could talk through any problem either one of them were having. He himself had been dealing with the guilt of his friend Robbie's death after he died in a drunk driving car accident and where Andy was the driver. The break-up just made things even harder for him to move on. During an end of the school year picnic, Keisha spots her principal's, Mr. Hathaway’s son and takes interest in his looks but has learn not to fall for an older man. She carries on the rest of the picnic, reminiscing on the things she and Andy would do with each other while they were there. Senior year has arrived and it feels so good for Keisha besides the fact that she's not able to enjoy it with Andy. While at the morning assembly, the students are introduced to the new volunteer to help coach the basketball and track teams who turns out to be Jonathan Hathaway, Mr. Hathaway’s son. All of the female students are flattered by his manly armor. The assembly ends by Mr. Hathaway speaking on the two deaths with Robbie and Andy and assures the students that if anything is wrong, they can come to anyone in the school.
Quote:
"He was a mascular , slim, and strikingly good looking, for his hazel eyes decorated perfectly his honey-bronzed face"
Reflection:
I've noticed that when describing Mr. Hathaway's son the author puts a clear image in my head of what he looks like. Additionally, when talking about how hot it was on the first day of school, the description was so crisp to the point where I could somewhat sense the heat myself. After I read this portion of the reading, I sat back and just thought for some time how would I react to this whole situation if I were in Keisha's position. One of the most happiest years of my life becomes a nightmare but only its reality. I don't know how I would exactly react but I do know that I would never be the same person I was before that person in my life died.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Her Last Death (pages. 200-273)
Summary:
Now living in Missoula, Montana with Christopher, Susana is married. Together they eloped and this infuriated her mother. She said Sue knew how much Penelope (sister) wanted to be her bridesmaid. Sue and Christopher were careful. They adapted to the pause in their lovemaking for birth control but shockingly a pregnancy test came back positive. What would she do? She'd never had the responsibilty of taking care of herself, and now she could possibly be held responsible for another's life. Her mom had two children and five miscarriages which was a guide to expect the same thing to happen to her. They had three days to decide whether they wanted to keep the child or move forward with the abortion because adoption wasn't an option for them. In the end they decided to go forward with the abortion. Susana was upset with Christopher because it wasn't as difficult for him seeing that he didn't have to go through the whole process like her. Once again Sue became pregnanat but this time Christopher was ready to be a father. She'd began a post-abortion support group at Planned Parenthood. A couple months later she gave birth to a baby boy, Daniel. About two years later she gave birth to Jack. Towards the end of the book she goes through some things her mother gave her and read them. She called some of the men that her mother messed with. She asked Martin, a boy that told her that he had sex with her mother when they were suppose to be out buying champagne. He told her that wasn't true, that her mother just told him to tell her that. She then reflected on how she didn't go to her mother's bedside. Sue's mom was no longer sick and she went back to Barbados. Her and Penelope hasn't talked since the day she told her she wasn't going but met with each other after she came back. They argued and wasn't able to solve anything so Sue just left. She visited her father and the next day she flew back home to be with her family.
Quote:
"We liked to do things this way: pushed into some hole of privacy and hard sorrow, we could emerge with a decision, a start at something better.When Christopher's father fell from the tree he was pruning and severly injured his head, we returned from the solemn hostpital vigil and decided to move in together. When he took a turn for the worse, we got the dog. We were drifting off from others, using our discrete griefs to build our life together. You could trust sorrow, straightforward and undiluted, and people left you alone. To us it was love."
Reflection:
I'm not even sure I'm able to describe how much that quote stood out to me when I was reading. To be honest, I was beginning to fall asleep when I was reading but when I caught that quote I gave this book my undivided attention. If I were to handle situations this way, how would my life be? Would my attention even be taken away from any grievances I've faced growing up. That could be the start of a healthy relationship in my opinion because when you let grieve get the best of you, it brings you down and makes it hard for you to build. I'm starting to become a firm believer that you are able to trust sorrow after hearing it be put that way. This should be something everyone considers when going through sorrowful situation.
Now living in Missoula, Montana with Christopher, Susana is married. Together they eloped and this infuriated her mother. She said Sue knew how much Penelope (sister) wanted to be her bridesmaid. Sue and Christopher were careful. They adapted to the pause in their lovemaking for birth control but shockingly a pregnancy test came back positive. What would she do? She'd never had the responsibilty of taking care of herself, and now she could possibly be held responsible for another's life. Her mom had two children and five miscarriages which was a guide to expect the same thing to happen to her. They had three days to decide whether they wanted to keep the child or move forward with the abortion because adoption wasn't an option for them. In the end they decided to go forward with the abortion. Susana was upset with Christopher because it wasn't as difficult for him seeing that he didn't have to go through the whole process like her. Once again Sue became pregnanat but this time Christopher was ready to be a father. She'd began a post-abortion support group at Planned Parenthood. A couple months later she gave birth to a baby boy, Daniel. About two years later she gave birth to Jack. Towards the end of the book she goes through some things her mother gave her and read them. She called some of the men that her mother messed with. She asked Martin, a boy that told her that he had sex with her mother when they were suppose to be out buying champagne. He told her that wasn't true, that her mother just told him to tell her that. She then reflected on how she didn't go to her mother's bedside. Sue's mom was no longer sick and she went back to Barbados. Her and Penelope hasn't talked since the day she told her she wasn't going but met with each other after she came back. They argued and wasn't able to solve anything so Sue just left. She visited her father and the next day she flew back home to be with her family.
Quote:
"We liked to do things this way: pushed into some hole of privacy and hard sorrow, we could emerge with a decision, a start at something better.When Christopher's father fell from the tree he was pruning and severly injured his head, we returned from the solemn hostpital vigil and decided to move in together. When he took a turn for the worse, we got the dog. We were drifting off from others, using our discrete griefs to build our life together. You could trust sorrow, straightforward and undiluted, and people left you alone. To us it was love."
Reflection:
I'm not even sure I'm able to describe how much that quote stood out to me when I was reading. To be honest, I was beginning to fall asleep when I was reading but when I caught that quote I gave this book my undivided attention. If I were to handle situations this way, how would my life be? Would my attention even be taken away from any grievances I've faced growing up. That could be the start of a healthy relationship in my opinion because when you let grieve get the best of you, it brings you down and makes it hard for you to build. I'm starting to become a firm believer that you are able to trust sorrow after hearing it be put that way. This should be something everyone considers when going through sorrowful situation.
Her Last Death: (pages. 120-200)
Summary:
Susana is now involved in an affair with her English teacher, Dr. Crawford but he allowed her to call him Wyatt. She lost her virginity to him and they occasionally had sexual encounters when his wife wasn't home. He told her to promise that she would keep their relationship a secret. If she told this would result in him losing his job which was why she didn't tell anyone although she was dying to tell anyone. Susy’s mom wanted to take her on a trip to Mexico, just the two of them. Everything was going smooth until her mother took a comment she made the wrong way. “When you were in Payne Whitney he gave me a book about- What does that mean? What the **** does that mean?” I’m not entirely sure what upset her mom about this but she kicked her out the hotel room for a little while where she wondered alone and met a man. He tried his best to convince her to have sex but she refused. After some time passed, he himself decided to tell his wife what had been going on. She explained to him that she would allow it to continue so they no longer needed to cover up anything. Susy was unaware of how she should act around Mrs. Crawford and how uncomfortable the vibe may be. Her first year in college she began to drift away from Wyatt and began a new relationship with a boy named Jason. He told her she’d “jeopardized his marriage for selfish wishes and her craven need to feel special” until she stopped answering his phone calls. Susana formed relationships with numerous men. She went from Jason to Noah to Gordon to Christopher. Jason just wasn’t meeting her standards, Noah had a gambling issue, and Gordon left her for Holly, the girl that would often show up to their parties. She’d struggled to get over him which stopped once she met Christopher. She just didn’t know how she would get him to agree upon sleeping with her. She needed it and it bothered her that he wouldn’t cooperate. Eventually she got what she wanted. Her need for sex became out of control and she started doing it with everyone, literally.
Quote:
Susana is now involved in an affair with her English teacher, Dr. Crawford but he allowed her to call him Wyatt. She lost her virginity to him and they occasionally had sexual encounters when his wife wasn't home. He told her to promise that she would keep their relationship a secret. If she told this would result in him losing his job which was why she didn't tell anyone although she was dying to tell anyone. Susy’s mom wanted to take her on a trip to Mexico, just the two of them. Everything was going smooth until her mother took a comment she made the wrong way. “When you were in Payne Whitney he gave me a book about- What does that mean? What the **** does that mean?” I’m not entirely sure what upset her mom about this but she kicked her out the hotel room for a little while where she wondered alone and met a man. He tried his best to convince her to have sex but she refused. After some time passed, he himself decided to tell his wife what had been going on. She explained to him that she would allow it to continue so they no longer needed to cover up anything. Susy was unaware of how she should act around Mrs. Crawford and how uncomfortable the vibe may be. Her first year in college she began to drift away from Wyatt and began a new relationship with a boy named Jason. He told her she’d “jeopardized his marriage for selfish wishes and her craven need to feel special” until she stopped answering his phone calls. Susana formed relationships with numerous men. She went from Jason to Noah to Gordon to Christopher. Jason just wasn’t meeting her standards, Noah had a gambling issue, and Gordon left her for Holly, the girl that would often show up to their parties. She’d struggled to get over him which stopped once she met Christopher. She just didn’t know how she would get him to agree upon sleeping with her. She needed it and it bothered her that he wouldn’t cooperate. Eventually she got what she wanted. Her need for sex became out of control and she started doing it with everyone, literally.
Quote:
“Sorry, I said. I should walk you down, he said. Otherwise people will think I’ve paid for you. But I don’t look like a hooker. It doesn’t matter what you look like. But whom you are with.”
Reflection:
I read this quote and I was beyond confuse but could somewhat pick up on what the man was trying to explain to Sue. I didn’t understand what the difference would be between him walking her down and her going alone. What would make people think that he paid her if she was by herself? What made him different from other men that were in Mexico? It gave me a small idea of how people there think when they see situations like that take place although she didn’t fit the image of a hooker. When he was trying to have sex with her but she told him no I saw the Susy I saw in the beginning of the book come out but this made me wonder how she could have become obsessed with sex later on in the reading. I don’t understand a lot of the things that occur in this book but I read it because if I understand everything I would take less interest in it.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Her Last Death (pages. 80-120)
Summary:
During the course of this reading, Susy has become a spinning image of her mother minus a few things. At the age of fourteen she has graduated from middle school and is starting the ninth grade at a boarding school. It's difficult for her to adjust and she explains how she misses home. When she talked to her mom, it was brought to her attention that the seventeen year old boy she once had a crush on was now in relationship with her mother and has lost his virginity to her. Previously before this, her mother was in a relationship with one of friend's brother, Paul who was nineteen. Surpisingly, Sue told her new friend Katy that her mother had slept with her boyfriend and they hadn't even broken up yet. While she is there, she experiences her first kiss with a senior by the name of Larry. This is something she made sure occurred everyday that is until he broke up with her. Aside from the break up, she still felt as if she could kiss anyone after doing it with him. After hearing so much about boys from Sue, Katy explains to her that she has become boy crazy which offends her. She felt as though her friend didn't understand her feelings because she never had any experience which is what she needed in Sue's opinion. She fell for a boy by the name of Hammond and one day he tried to force himself on her. This didn't really take a toll on Sue the way it would a normal girl. She just found it as a joke but still she informed the school and teachers and he didn't care. She felt cold and alone which is why she left, aside from the fact that she needed to be with her sister after her mom injected herself with cocaine in her thigh. Sue was immune to all of this which surpised her English teacher after she had written about it. She'd be going to a new school in Colorado after her sixteenth birthday which eventually came around. For her birthday, she, her sister, and mom had gone out to a bar where she'd been told that a boy she was interested in named Theo fancied her. She was given three presents on her birthday. A pen, blank diary, and her own gram of coke which she and her mom sniffed together. Her mother promised her that she'd get him to come over for a drink only to later hear them in her mother's room having sex. She told her she did it because she didn't seem to take much interest in him which was true so it didn't bother Sue much. After being in school for some time, Sue began to crush on her English teacher, Dr. Crawford but was turned down. She became fairly close to losing her virginity to Lincoln which became a whole new lie for her to go by.
Quote:
"I missed home, my mother's rumpled bed, Penelope's James Taylor music, which I didn't even like. I missed being me."
Reflection:
This quote somewhat demonstrates a "Bildungsroman" because Sue is moved out her comfort zone and she doesn't act like herself in order to fit in with the other people at her school. She knows that what Hammond did to her was wrong which is why she told but she didn't take it as serious as it should've been. I'm not sure whether I could consider her to be accepted by others in her school or not. I've noticed that the author involes alot of dialect throughout the book and entrys in Sue's diary which helped me to see how she was actually turning into her mother. The way she would act and the things she would write made me think of her mother when reading it. The things she looked down on her mother for, she began to do herself which I found suprising yet interesting at the same time.
During the course of this reading, Susy has become a spinning image of her mother minus a few things. At the age of fourteen she has graduated from middle school and is starting the ninth grade at a boarding school. It's difficult for her to adjust and she explains how she misses home. When she talked to her mom, it was brought to her attention that the seventeen year old boy she once had a crush on was now in relationship with her mother and has lost his virginity to her. Previously before this, her mother was in a relationship with one of friend's brother, Paul who was nineteen. Surpisingly, Sue told her new friend Katy that her mother had slept with her boyfriend and they hadn't even broken up yet. While she is there, she experiences her first kiss with a senior by the name of Larry. This is something she made sure occurred everyday that is until he broke up with her. Aside from the break up, she still felt as if she could kiss anyone after doing it with him. After hearing so much about boys from Sue, Katy explains to her that she has become boy crazy which offends her. She felt as though her friend didn't understand her feelings because she never had any experience which is what she needed in Sue's opinion. She fell for a boy by the name of Hammond and one day he tried to force himself on her. This didn't really take a toll on Sue the way it would a normal girl. She just found it as a joke but still she informed the school and teachers and he didn't care. She felt cold and alone which is why she left, aside from the fact that she needed to be with her sister after her mom injected herself with cocaine in her thigh. Sue was immune to all of this which surpised her English teacher after she had written about it. She'd be going to a new school in Colorado after her sixteenth birthday which eventually came around. For her birthday, she, her sister, and mom had gone out to a bar where she'd been told that a boy she was interested in named Theo fancied her. She was given three presents on her birthday. A pen, blank diary, and her own gram of coke which she and her mom sniffed together. Her mother promised her that she'd get him to come over for a drink only to later hear them in her mother's room having sex. She told her she did it because she didn't seem to take much interest in him which was true so it didn't bother Sue much. After being in school for some time, Sue began to crush on her English teacher, Dr. Crawford but was turned down. She became fairly close to losing her virginity to Lincoln which became a whole new lie for her to go by.
Quote:
"I missed home, my mother's rumpled bed, Penelope's James Taylor music, which I didn't even like. I missed being me."
Reflection:
This quote somewhat demonstrates a "Bildungsroman" because Sue is moved out her comfort zone and she doesn't act like herself in order to fit in with the other people at her school. She knows that what Hammond did to her was wrong which is why she told but she didn't take it as serious as it should've been. I'm not sure whether I could consider her to be accepted by others in her school or not. I've noticed that the author involes alot of dialect throughout the book and entrys in Sue's diary which helped me to see how she was actually turning into her mother. The way she would act and the things she would write made me think of her mother when reading it. The things she looked down on her mother for, she began to do herself which I found suprising yet interesting at the same time.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Her Last Death (pages 40-80)
Summary:
Since I've last read, Susana has continued to recap on her childhood. She begins by explaining the life of her mother growing up and gives a brief description of her grandfather’s background. She and her sister accompanied her mother to brunch one day. Her mother mentioned that this was an unforgettable lunch although they questioned why. A good portion of the reading I did discussed the back surgeries her mother went through and how this caused her to have spasms occasionally. She was put into a rehab and then put into aNew York Hospital
Quote:
"After great pain, a formal feeling comes," (Sonnenbrg 74)
Reflection:
Alot of the things that have occurrd in the story are fairly confusing to me. The way her mother reacts to certain situations makes me question does she really care about Susanna. The author gives great detail when describing something which helps me to understand better although at times I'm still left confused. I feel like this is a quotation to understand because the mother was describing it referring to her daughter's pain but it has many meanings to it.
Since I've last read, Susana has continued to recap on her childhood. She begins by explaining the life of her mother growing up and gives a brief description of her grandfather’s background. She and her sister accompanied her mother to brunch one day. Her mother mentioned that this was an unforgettable lunch although they questioned why. A good portion of the reading I did discussed the back surgeries her mother went through and how this caused her to have spasms occasionally. She was put into a rehab and then put into a
Quote:
"After great pain, a formal feeling comes," (Sonnenbrg 74)
Reflection:
Alot of the things that have occurrd in the story are fairly confusing to me. The way her mother reacts to certain situations makes me question does she really care about Susanna. The author gives great detail when describing something which helps me to understand better although at times I'm still left confused. I feel like this is a quotation to understand because the mother was describing it referring to her daughter's pain but it has many meanings to it.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Her Last Death (pages: 1-40)
Summary (Chapters 1-3):
The story begins by 37 year old Susana "Susy" Sonnenberg receiving a phone call from her aunt Irene. She informs her that her mother has been in a head-on collision car accident. She is currently in a coma and there is a possibility that she may not live. Her mother frequently joked about serious situations but she is stunned to find out that this isn’t a lie. Located in Montana, her mother residing in Barbados, she is torn. Should she say her last goodbye to her mother? Does she even have the guts to do it? Susana and her mother haven’t always been the best of friends. She then goes back to certain moments she had with her mother that stick out in head. Once she remembered her mom lying about having cancer. Then another time they took a Cosmo quiz together. It’s her mother, she had no choice; she had to go her mother in-law said. A couple days roll by and Susana did not leave while her sister was in Barbados waiting for her. Finally she revealed that she wouldn’t be coming when she called her. She began to feel the guilt set in on her. She would be the daughter that didn’t go to her mother’s deathbed. She just needed to stay where she was. Her childhood is introduced along with her mother’s scandalous lifestyle. How she, her mother, and younger sister went on a trip to the Grand Canyon and around the rest of the world after she picked her up from school one day.
Quotation:
“This is the moment in the story when the facts converge: the estranged daughter, the threat of death and the one last chance. All the telling should coalesce into a mutual truth. I overcame trepidation and did the right thing, my mother woke from her coma erased of her vulgar impulses and unable to lie, and my children admired my generosity and forbearance. Tragedy transformed us. But that’s not me. In my story I do not go. No one in the family disputes that.” (Sonnenberg, 11)
Reflection:
As I was reading, I picked up that the author writes in a more sophisticated manner. It’s not your typical read where regular things happen and is said straight forward. She uses more complex words to describe something simple. As the reader, it’s you responsibility to have deep thoughts and think if you want to understand what your reading. For instance, when I first read the quotation above I had no idea what it meant until I just re-read it and was typing it. Whiling I was doing so, I thought about what this quote really meant because the way it’s written doesn’t help you to understand the meaning right away. My first thought was that everything went back to normal but in reality this is just a thought the author is having. I'm getting the feeling that this may be something that she does often during the story so it’s important to take note on it now.
The story begins by 37 year old Susana "Susy" Sonnenberg receiving a phone call from her aunt Irene. She informs her that her mother has been in a head-on collision car accident. She is currently in a coma and there is a possibility that she may not live. Her mother frequently joked about serious situations but she is stunned to find out that this isn’t a lie. Located in Montana, her mother residing in Barbados, she is torn. Should she say her last goodbye to her mother? Does she even have the guts to do it? Susana and her mother haven’t always been the best of friends. She then goes back to certain moments she had with her mother that stick out in head. Once she remembered her mom lying about having cancer. Then another time they took a Cosmo quiz together. It’s her mother, she had no choice; she had to go her mother in-law said. A couple days roll by and Susana did not leave while her sister was in Barbados waiting for her. Finally she revealed that she wouldn’t be coming when she called her. She began to feel the guilt set in on her. She would be the daughter that didn’t go to her mother’s deathbed. She just needed to stay where she was. Her childhood is introduced along with her mother’s scandalous lifestyle. How she, her mother, and younger sister went on a trip to the Grand Canyon and around the rest of the world after she picked her up from school one day.
Quotation:
“This is the moment in the story when the facts converge: the estranged daughter, the threat of death and the one last chance. All the telling should coalesce into a mutual truth. I overcame trepidation and did the right thing, my mother woke from her coma erased of her vulgar impulses and unable to lie, and my children admired my generosity and forbearance. Tragedy transformed us. But that’s not me. In my story I do not go. No one in the family disputes that.” (Sonnenberg, 11)
Reflection:
As I was reading, I picked up that the author writes in a more sophisticated manner. It’s not your typical read where regular things happen and is said straight forward. She uses more complex words to describe something simple. As the reader, it’s you responsibility to have deep thoughts and think if you want to understand what your reading. For instance, when I first read the quotation above I had no idea what it meant until I just re-read it and was typing it. Whiling I was doing so, I thought about what this quote really meant because the way it’s written doesn’t help you to understand the meaning right away. My first thought was that everything went back to normal but in reality this is just a thought the author is having. I'm getting the feeling that this may be something that she does often during the story so it’s important to take note on it now.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
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