This week has definitely been an interesting week for me. Not only have I been so bogged down with homework, from this class and others, but I was still able to find time to go to Sioux Falls to visit my mom (I am from Shakopee, MN; she was in Sioux Falls on a business trip), and I was also able to book tickets to Mexico for Spring break : ) that definitely made all of my homework this week a little bit easier (the sooner everything is accomplished, the sooner Meixco comes!).
Being the first week we had to read stories out of our Literature book, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. The 1st one I read was “Sonny’s Blues”, and this being one of the longer stories, I was worried that they were all going to be about that long and I would have to be doing a little bit more reading than I had 1st anticipated. But, thankfully, only one other one was that long. I guess I would have to say that I read the best one first. “Sonny’s Blues” was my favorite story this week. I think that story had the biggest influence on me out of the other three. The one thing about that story that I was confused about is why the brother kept saying that he had an ice cube in his stomach and that it was like it was melting but never went away? What does that mean? Is that another way of saying that he was nervous?
I also thought that “Hills Like White Elephants” was a very interesting story. It was short, yet it really made you think a lot about what they were talking about. Another thing that made this piece so easy to read and follow was the fact that the author didn’t use any Flashbacks to make things confusing. The only thing that was confusing about this piece was the fact that we didn’t know what the two people were talking about, but sometimes the pieces that make you think a little bit are the good ones.
5 comments:
Jessica,
Congratulations on getting to go to Mexico. SOunds like a lot of fun.
I also liked "Sonny's Blues". I think that when the author writes about the "ice cube", i think he might be saying it is like a coldness towards his brother that he does not know why it won't go away. I think towrds the end though without saying so it does.
I thank-you for your concern and yes things are starting to get a little bit easier.
Melissa
Well hello Jessica,
It sounds like you will be having a great time over Spring break. Lucky you! Are you going with a bunch of friends or just a few close ones? Not that is matters, as long as you are with some friends and enjoying yourself.
I thought that "Sonny's Blues" was a very good story. I also thought that it had a lot of significance and meaning to it. I think that the coldness that the narrator was explaining was just a sort of nervousness. Although (here I go over-ananlyzing again), I sort of had this wondering in me about the bond he had with his mother. The whole flashback about his mother asking him to watch over Sonny kept coming to mind with this feeling.
The actual story, though, made me realize that the narrator was dwelling on all the bad things that had happened. He did not actually move on with his life until the end when he seemed to get some closure from Sonny's music. From the times that ran through his head at the end, it made me feel as if he got some closure and was able to move on.
As for the "Hills Like White Elephants", I just found it difficult to interpret the real meaning. There is definitely a lot that could be taken from it, but how do you know if that is what is meant. Although, as I said earlier, why does it matter what is meant to get from it? As long as you get some type of message from a story, and as long as you feel that you have gained something from it, there is no wrong message. Jess P
Off to Mexico for spring break? How exciting! Well, I will agree that I enjoyed “Sonny’s Blues” as well. I like music and it was interesting to see that it made such an impact on Sonny throughout the story and changed the way he lived his life. I do not think that something like that has changed my life before, but you never know what will come along someday! I wish we could know exactly what is going on in these stories, I will agree with you on that too! It would sure make reading them a lot easier. Well, good luck this week with the paper and hope you enjoy the next readings too!
Oh yeah, that was also a good point with the ice cube in his stomach! I think you might have a good understanding with it representing his nervousness or some type of anxiety he has to deal with. Instead of a pit, like emptiness, he has a cube that is keeping him full of issues. Good point!
Jessica,
Hey Girl!!! I totally agree with you, homework, homework, and more homework...it seems as if it is never ending! Wooo Hooo, less than a month away and your off to Mexico!!! Lucky Duck!!!! Thanks for agreeing with me on the story Hills Like White Elephants. At first I had no idea what was going on, but after reading it a few times, i really enjoyed the story.
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