As the story culminates with the death of John Williams and the endowment of millions of dollars to Neil at the time of his friend's death, Neil struggles with the new life of an incredibly wealthy man. His perspective on life becomes paranoid and unsure because of his new found wealth, as is seen when he says, "Move away. And not just out of town, We're talking out of state, possibly out of the country. You can't expect to keep a lid on your secret forever; information wants to be free. Maybe buy a modest house with a good alarm system in a gated community with a private security force" (211). The fear that is evident by this type of talk shows how the sudden wealth that Neil has come upon really does not help him, but only makes his life more complicated. Also the fact that this money has come out of the death of a good friend causes more misgivings about his situation. However, although his life has been permanently altered materially, Neil's state of mind, especially when it comes to money, barely changes. His invariable attitude about money is evident when he is faced with the decision of whether or not to by a pair of reading glasses and says, "They were under $10. I'm guessing- I haven't calculated it- that I made at lest a hundred times that in interest during the time it took me to decide to buy the glasses" (212). This refreshingly frugal attitude from such a wealthy man shows how especially for Neil, no sudden happenstance of "good fortune" can change his identity as a person.
During the time after John's death, Neil takes a trip to visit John's father and apologize for being what he thought was the cause of his friend's death. After understanding that there was something gone awry with the Williams family, the testimony of John's father gives us such a clear image of the dysfunction that surrounded John's upbringing. Rand Williams, John's father, places the full blame of John's volatile nature and death on the boy's parents. Rand's summary of the blame lies in his statement, "I was mum in the face of Virginia's mental illness, and that was just a terrible mistake" (219). The recurrent motif of bystanders allowing wrong to happen is made especially clear when Mr. Williams is so transparent about his failure to stop his wife from essentially, abusing their son. This abuse that supposedly lead to John's death is described in detail throughout the chapter. In addition, the dysfunction of both mother and father that caused this abuse is apparent when Rand describes an argument that he had with his wife over whether or not she strangled their baby son when he recalls, "She wouldn't admit to what Rand suspected: that her frustration had flowed over; that she'd momentarily strangled John William... 'why is it I'm still defending myself? I won't do it a single moment longer! Go pour yourself a Dewar's and sit on the patio! Go read your sports news! Go!' He gave up" (232). Only a completely dysfunctional woman would strangle her own son, and likewise, the same dysfunction applies to a father who would not take charge of the situation. In light of this kind of upbringing, we see how badly John Williams was hurt by his parents, eventually leading to his death.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
The Other #5
As the story continues, it seems that in some way or another, dysfuncton follows Neil wherever he goes. In this instance, one of his new travel companions Erin has bipolar disorder and had been removed from school in order to protect her mental health. Jamie tells Neil about her sister's problems when she recalls, "an art-history administrator called Jamie and, in a calm, even assiduous voice, explained that Erin was having psychological difficulties, which at the moment consisted of lying despondently in bed"(59). This reminds the reader of the difficulties that Neil suffered with his mother's tumor and ensuing mental issues, and explains one of the reasons why he feels so affilial with Jamie. They both have dealt with the responsibility of caring for another who cannot care for themselves. Neil's process of falling in love with Jamie continues when he, in a slightly less than sober state, speaks with her about his entire life and ambitions as he had not spoken to her of before. Neil states, "In the end, I talked too much about myself. I told Jamie that I was going to be a writer. I celebrated train travel. The next day, on the trail-because a trail is good for privacy of thought, even when you're with other hikers- I felt ashamed of my garrulousness"(61). Because Neil worries so much about what Jamie thinks of him, we can see his character developed much more as a slightly co-dependent and worrisome person, because he cannot just be confident that this woman will like him for what he tells her about himself, not what he hides from her.
Later in the story the author switches time periods to when the two have already been married. Through Neil's description of his relationship with his wife, we visualize a rather odd couple. The two are not terribly affectionate, nor would many people see them as in love, but yet their everyday routines and quirks seem to draw them closer no matter their lack of romanticism. When the subject of Neil's life insurance money from his mother came into question, a normally difficult discussion seemed to do nothing to hurt their relationship because of their similarities. Neil says, "One thing: Jamie and I never argued about money. I'm frugal to a fault and so is she" (62). This characteristic coincides very well with what we already know about the two, that they are avid outdoorspeople and love to live on the little they have for the thrill of it. This important similarity identifies another reason why the two can be so happy together without the need of a continuous romantic spark. Their ideas on romanticism in their relationship are made evident when Neil comments on revisting the site of their matrimonial ceremony. He says, "You would think that sitting sheltered from the rain in the gazebo where you were married woulld feel romantic, and it does, but the fact that it feels romantic no longer seems, to either of us, important" (62). Their complete satisfaction with just remaining together happy but without the excitement of newlyweds shows the couple's devotion to one another and shows the reader how the things that both Neil and Jamie have had to face make them the perfect two compatible for each other.
Later in the story the author switches time periods to when the two have already been married. Through Neil's description of his relationship with his wife, we visualize a rather odd couple. The two are not terribly affectionate, nor would many people see them as in love, but yet their everyday routines and quirks seem to draw them closer no matter their lack of romanticism. When the subject of Neil's life insurance money from his mother came into question, a normally difficult discussion seemed to do nothing to hurt their relationship because of their similarities. Neil says, "One thing: Jamie and I never argued about money. I'm frugal to a fault and so is she" (62). This characteristic coincides very well with what we already know about the two, that they are avid outdoorspeople and love to live on the little they have for the thrill of it. This important similarity identifies another reason why the two can be so happy together without the need of a continuous romantic spark. Their ideas on romanticism in their relationship are made evident when Neil comments on revisting the site of their matrimonial ceremony. He says, "You would think that sitting sheltered from the rain in the gazebo where you were married woulld feel romantic, and it does, but the fact that it feels romantic no longer seems, to either of us, important" (62). Their complete satisfaction with just remaining together happy but without the excitement of newlyweds shows the couple's devotion to one another and shows the reader how the things that both Neil and Jamie have had to face make them the perfect two compatible for each other.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Other #4
The summer after their blood-brother pact, John and Neil take separate paths, although with similar journeys. John stays in the US but hikes his way as a vagrant through the west coast, while Neil flies to Europe and lives as a wandering writer and seemingly eccentric. Neil's fascination with living bare bones and with struggle continues in Europe. he says, "I milled on the Damrak on a surfeit of melancholy, pinching my pennies and taking notes on the pigeons, distrustful of all comers" (45). This time instead of being without food and water, Neil is without comeradery, especially in the absence of John. The reader also sees that this trip for Neil is an attempt at escape from the pain he felt with his mothers death. Neil says, "I sat... crying, because this is what had become of my mother. She'd been transmuted into an experience I was having" (45). Although it had been years since her death, this escape into another country signifies a failed attempt at escaping grief.
Neil's lack of companionship is satisfied one day when he encounters two American sisters hiking by where he is taking notes and observing the environment for his writing. These two women, Jamie and Erin, become his very close friends. Neil's purpose for going to Europe was to study his environment for writing material, but with the entrance of new friends into his life he begins to focus more on the people he is with than the places he goes. Neil recalls, "There was a gash in the knee of Jamie's wind pants, and her palms looked wind-chafed. All this is what I noticed now... instead of noticing the water in the streams, the carpeted meadows, and the crags" (53). We see Neil's lack of a mother's love in his adolescence transform into a need for a woman in his life when he falls in love with Jamie. after spending a night together and obvious attraction between the two, Neil remarks, "I was ready, from the time I was thirteen, to marry the first girl who came along" (59). Here we see that from the time his mother died, Neil had a void that he now has found the answer to in his future wife.
Neil's lack of companionship is satisfied one day when he encounters two American sisters hiking by where he is taking notes and observing the environment for his writing. These two women, Jamie and Erin, become his very close friends. Neil's purpose for going to Europe was to study his environment for writing material, but with the entrance of new friends into his life he begins to focus more on the people he is with than the places he goes. Neil recalls, "There was a gash in the knee of Jamie's wind pants, and her palms looked wind-chafed. All this is what I noticed now... instead of noticing the water in the streams, the carpeted meadows, and the crags" (53). We see Neil's lack of a mother's love in his adolescence transform into a need for a woman in his life when he falls in love with Jamie. after spending a night together and obvious attraction between the two, Neil remarks, "I was ready, from the time I was thirteen, to marry the first girl who came along" (59). Here we see that from the time his mother died, Neil had a void that he now has found the answer to in his future wife.
The Other #3
In this part of the book the time period switches to when Neil is a teacher, probably into his fifties. After describing the trails and adventures he still enjoys in his older age as in high school, he again reminisces about his adolescent adventures with John William. We see how his relationship with John has impacted his current desires in life because of the extremely strong bond the two boys had. While on a long hiking excursion, the two made a blood pact to secure a certain campsite as their own secret, as well as securing each other as blood brothers. The two young men cut their palms and, "thumbs clamped, arms crooked, the weight of each brother in a fleeting, felt balance, we mingled our blood that way" (42). The original rivalry that the two shared has completely disintegrated at this point into a shared love of nature, and even each other. This relationship seems to be one of the reasons Neil continued his nature adventures. The two high school students seemed to revel in every experience that forced them to survive by the skin of their teeth and "rough it" for weeks on end. Their joint struggle to start a fire on one of their trips seems to represent a greater struggle of theirs to hold onto the simple things in life while others take the easy road. A piece of their struggle is evident when Neil narrates, "once, I put my cheek to the ground in order to blow softly on an ember, which went out. At that moment, I thought I was responsible for our failure" (41). This fear of failure transcends his outdoor adventures and into his relationships, as we can see as the book continues.
Earlier in the book the dysfunction in John William's family was made evident. A similar declaration of familial imperfection also happens on Neil's side of the story. While John William's mother suffered from severe OCD and such social and mental complications arising from that, Neil's mother suffered from "Grade 4 astocytoma- an aggressive brain tumor-that didn't take long to blind and kill her" (43). It is even more evident now how the two young men got along, what with their similar loss and probably fears because of it. The boys also seem to share a similar outward indifference to the death or loss they experienced. For Neil, during his mother's wake, there is no mention of him crying. He simply stated about his mother's face, "My mother in death had a mischievous regard" (44). This also shows Neil's detached method of observance that he uses later in his life to prepare for being a writer. It is assumed that when someone loses a parent, they will feel incredible grief over the matter. I do believe that Neil felt this grief, but for some reason was not able to express it in a way that would make his pain visible to those around him. I think that one of the ways he escapes pain such as what he felt at his mother's death is losing himself in the wildlands that he loves so much.
Earlier in the book the dysfunction in John William's family was made evident. A similar declaration of familial imperfection also happens on Neil's side of the story. While John William's mother suffered from severe OCD and such social and mental complications arising from that, Neil's mother suffered from "Grade 4 astocytoma- an aggressive brain tumor-that didn't take long to blind and kill her" (43). It is even more evident now how the two young men got along, what with their similar loss and probably fears because of it. The boys also seem to share a similar outward indifference to the death or loss they experienced. For Neil, during his mother's wake, there is no mention of him crying. He simply stated about his mother's face, "My mother in death had a mischievous regard" (44). This also shows Neil's detached method of observance that he uses later in his life to prepare for being a writer. It is assumed that when someone loses a parent, they will feel incredible grief over the matter. I do believe that Neil felt this grief, but for some reason was not able to express it in a way that would make his pain visible to those around him. I think that one of the ways he escapes pain such as what he felt at his mother's death is losing himself in the wildlands that he loves so much.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Other
As the book continues, more is divulged about the complex character of John Williams. In one instance we see his quirks through the context of a paper that he was required to write for his Identity Crisis class on one of a few available choices. Although between the 3 very varied options a person could find something they wished to research and study, John Williams decided instead to write a forty-seven page paper on gnosticism. His teacher is quoted as saying, "All this gnosis, this very disturbing gnosis, this darkness and pessmism, this spiritual dread" (24). Here we can see how John's circumstances have caused him to take on an almost hopeless attitude in every aspect of his life. His over confidence to write a paper that was not even related to the required topics shows his conceitedness that he can do no wrong. This thought is struck down by his teacher when she writes on his paper, "While this is well done, you haven't followed the assignment... F" (24). Because Williams felt like he had leeway with his favorite teacher he assumed he was immune to any such criticism, showing how prideful he is.
John William's disturbances are made more clear further on in the book. He and Neil decided to climb a glaciated mountain without many provisions besides their candy bars and hash pipes. When the two came upon a huge crevasse without a way around, John Williams states, "Screw it. Let's die young" (26). This obviously dark way of thinking seems to foreshadow future events in John's life that may cause him to actually die young instead of just wish it. John's disturbed thought process continues when he responds to Neils desire to not jump with, "What if I'd rather be dead than not jump?... What would be the point of living?" (26). The way John Williams thinks really gives us glimpses into his painful life and how he prefers the idea of a glorious suicide than not taking a completely foolish risk.
Citation:
Guterson, David. The Other. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.
John William's disturbances are made more clear further on in the book. He and Neil decided to climb a glaciated mountain without many provisions besides their candy bars and hash pipes. When the two came upon a huge crevasse without a way around, John Williams states, "Screw it. Let's die young" (26). This obviously dark way of thinking seems to foreshadow future events in John's life that may cause him to actually die young instead of just wish it. John's disturbed thought process continues when he responds to Neils desire to not jump with, "What if I'd rather be dead than not jump?... What would be the point of living?" (26). The way John Williams thinks really gives us glimpses into his painful life and how he prefers the idea of a glorious suicide than not taking a completely foolish risk.
Citation:
Guterson, David. The Other. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
The Other
The book that I chose for this quarter is called The Other, by David Guterson. This book surrounds the lives of the young man Neil and his friend John William. The two met each other through a track competition where John beat Neil in the last part of the race. Although Neil held slight contempt for the other teen because of getting beat, after reuniting later the two became best friends. Their relationship centered around being rebellious and pushing the envelope in whatever way they could. For instance Neil discovered that, "John William had dope in his car," and the two frequently got high together (11). Next to substance abuse the two also engaged in misdemeanor crimes to satiate their need to rebel. One night they decided to rob wishing wells of the change inside of them, just for the thrill of it (12). This behavior of the teenagers characterizes them well as classic rebels who will look for any opportunity to validate themselves through mischief, and attempt to show the world around them that they are tough and carefree.
In contrast with this careless and rough attitude of the young men, we get a glimpse deeper into the mind of John Williams when, after assaulting a policeman to escape from arrest at the fountain, he feels terrible remorse for hurting the man. After running far enough away to be safe from anyone following them from the fountain, John has an emotional breakdown and sobs for what he did. He cried, "We should go back... I want to take him to a hospital. I have to apologize" (14). The sudden contrast between the two sides of John Williams make the reader ponder whether the effects of the drugs are responsible for such mood changes, or whether John has other issues in his life that are making him behave so erratically. We do learn later that the Williams family suffered odd circumstances that may have caused their son to behave as he is, like for instance the fact that his mother was obsessive compulsive to the point of needing to go into a mental facility. At one point the mother, Ginnie, drove John William to the sea to escape the "poison" that was being applied to their house to weather treat the basement. After abandoning him in the car for the entire night, she was found later in the morning sitting by the ocean trying to cleanse herself. We see the mother's unstable state when she says to her own husband, "Move away, Rand... You're poisonous" (17). This trouble at home could as well be a reason for John's rare behavior.
Citation:
Guterson, David. The Other. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.
In contrast with this careless and rough attitude of the young men, we get a glimpse deeper into the mind of John Williams when, after assaulting a policeman to escape from arrest at the fountain, he feels terrible remorse for hurting the man. After running far enough away to be safe from anyone following them from the fountain, John has an emotional breakdown and sobs for what he did. He cried, "We should go back... I want to take him to a hospital. I have to apologize" (14). The sudden contrast between the two sides of John Williams make the reader ponder whether the effects of the drugs are responsible for such mood changes, or whether John has other issues in his life that are making him behave so erratically. We do learn later that the Williams family suffered odd circumstances that may have caused their son to behave as he is, like for instance the fact that his mother was obsessive compulsive to the point of needing to go into a mental facility. At one point the mother, Ginnie, drove John William to the sea to escape the "poison" that was being applied to their house to weather treat the basement. After abandoning him in the car for the entire night, she was found later in the morning sitting by the ocean trying to cleanse herself. We see the mother's unstable state when she says to her own husband, "Move away, Rand... You're poisonous" (17). This trouble at home could as well be a reason for John's rare behavior.
Citation:
Guterson, David. The Other. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2008.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Warriors Don't Cry, final post
In the last section of Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Pattillo Beals, the students have finally found ways to combat the atrocities of their white schoolmates. One of the strategies was given to Melba by her grandmother when she told her, "Take, for example, this egg in your hair. Suppose you'd have told the boys who did this, 'Thank you,' with a smile. Then you've changed the rules of the game. What they want is for you to be unhappy" (242). This idea gives Melba a hope that she can fight in a way that would not cause her to be punished by the school, but still effectively shake the racist student body. Melba tries out this tactic and recounts her experience in her diary when she writes, "I got hit across the back with a tennis racquet. I managed to smile and say, 'Thank you.' Andy said, 'What did you say, nigger?' I repeated, 'Thank you very much.' I spit up blood in the rest room" (246). Melba finishes the thought in her diary with, "I think the warrior only exists in me now. Melba went away to hide. She was too frightened to stay here" (246). Melba's complete transformation into a machine of non-emotion and an inhuman like sense of calm to her assaults show how she has been hardened by the segregation experience and learned to cope with her harsh environment.
Towards the end of the book the students are almost to the point of graduation although not all make it that far. When Melba reads an article in the newspaper that talks about a news reporter who received two Pulitzer Prizes simply for documenting the CHS integration, Melba wondered,"when we would get big prizes for what we were doing. After all, this guy was just observing our troubles from afar and writing about them. Not once did I see him spend a day in hell with us" (291). This quote shows Melba's frustration with the public's lack of acknowledgment to the heroics of the Little Rock Nine, but also foreshadows the great awards that they would receive in their future as adults, far removed from the halls of Central High. In her adult years, Melba reflects on the decisions of the NAACP that caused her to integrate Central High. She writes, "I wondered how in their minds they justified such an act. As an adult, I believe had it been me driving, I would have kept going rather than allow my children to face that rampaging mob. And yet had we students not gone to school that day, perhaps the integration of Central, and a whole string of other Southern schools that eventually followed, would never have taken place" (309). Here Melba can see the importance of the struggles she went to and the effect that they have had. Trying to imagine our society without the integration that she and the other 9 instigated, it is a sad and pitiful picture. Her acts have brought a greater amount of acceptance into our school systems, workforce, and every day life. It is an understatement to say that Melba Pattillo Beals was a heroine for our country.
Citation:
Beals, Melba Pattillo. Warriors Don't Cry. New York: Washington Square Press, 1994.
Towards the end of the book the students are almost to the point of graduation although not all make it that far. When Melba reads an article in the newspaper that talks about a news reporter who received two Pulitzer Prizes simply for documenting the CHS integration, Melba wondered,"when we would get big prizes for what we were doing. After all, this guy was just observing our troubles from afar and writing about them. Not once did I see him spend a day in hell with us" (291). This quote shows Melba's frustration with the public's lack of acknowledgment to the heroics of the Little Rock Nine, but also foreshadows the great awards that they would receive in their future as adults, far removed from the halls of Central High. In her adult years, Melba reflects on the decisions of the NAACP that caused her to integrate Central High. She writes, "I wondered how in their minds they justified such an act. As an adult, I believe had it been me driving, I would have kept going rather than allow my children to face that rampaging mob. And yet had we students not gone to school that day, perhaps the integration of Central, and a whole string of other Southern schools that eventually followed, would never have taken place" (309). Here Melba can see the importance of the struggles she went to and the effect that they have had. Trying to imagine our society without the integration that she and the other 9 instigated, it is a sad and pitiful picture. Her acts have brought a greater amount of acceptance into our school systems, workforce, and every day life. It is an understatement to say that Melba Pattillo Beals was a heroine for our country.
Citation:
Beals, Melba Pattillo. Warriors Don't Cry. New York: Washington Square Press, 1994.
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