For this month, Jennifer Gibson has chosen Harper Lee's classic, "To Kill A Mockingbird." It's a fantastic book that everyone should have an opportunity to read at least once in their lifetime.
For August, Lisa Witt has chosen "Austenland," by LDS author, Shannon Hale. It's a great read for anyone that loves Jane Austen, and if you haven't read Jane Austen, Shannon Hale's sense of humor will keep you laughing from start to finish.
In September, Arlene Gutierrez has chosen "The Wednesday Wars," by Gary D. Schmidt. It is sort of a follow up to last month's "Okay For Now." We'd like to compare and contrast both books, but feel free to come if you have read one, both, or none. Both books are considered young adult fiction and are quick, easy reads.
Some copies of Mockingbird and Wednesday Wars can be found at local libraries. In addition, you can usually find Mockingbird at any local goodwill or thrift store. Copies can also be purchased on amazon.com or half.com for as little as one penny (plus $3 or 4 for shipping). Please come and join us! We always have a good time!
Friday, July 6, 2012
Letters For Emily
1.
What is Harry’s motivation for writing and
collecting the letters and poems? Why
does he address the letter to Emily rather than to one of his own
children? Why do you think he choose to
use the poems to hide passwords instead of just compiling the letters in a
scrapbook?
Letters would have been ignored if they had been directed to the
children.
The passwords made it exciting to read the letters. They had to interact with each other to
figure out the clues. Emily was young
enough that she would need the help of other family members.
Harry didn’t have open lines of communication with his children
during his life. This was his way of
opening those lines.
Emily figured out the initial clue and the horse joke. She was intelligent enough to figure it out.
2.
The reader comes to know Harry in the first few
chapters of the novel and then through his writings, and even after his death
he remains a central character in the story.
What was your initial perception of Harry? Did your opinion change as the story
progressed?
Harry was a bit boring at
first.
Young and old have a lot to
learn from each other. The young,especially,have much to learn from the old as the old have walked the path before.
Emily really looked forward
to visiting with her grandfather each week.
She had a much different relationship with him than his own children or his other grandchildren.
The letters made him
real. He wasn’t just a man with
alzheimer's. He was young and fell in
love and did stupid things and LIVED!
We feel sorry for Bob and Michelle because they didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to get to know him. They didn’t seem to understand what Harry went through after his wife died.
He placed coins in the
books and used Kathryn’s favorite dress to make the covers. He showed how much he cared.
3.
Through reading Harry’s book of poems and
letters, Bob and Michelle come to learn about their mother, as well as about
their parents’ courtship and marriage.
Why did Harry not tell them about their mother when they were growing
up?
Guilt! It was much too
painful for him. He was doing all that
he could to keep his head above water.
The last words that he spoke to her were harsh and he never had a
chance to make it up to her.
4. Bob
has a contentious relationship with Harry, believing that Harry was not a good
father and even referring to him by his first name. After Bob has read a portion of the letters
and poems, Laura says to him, “I think you’re starting to understand the old man,
and that bothers you” (pg. 182). Why
does this bother him? How do Bob’s
feelings about his father change as he discovers more about him?
It bothers him because he knows that he’s lost his chance to
forgive his father and to have a relationship with him.
Bob doesn’t like to accept responsibility for his problems. He doesn’t want to accept ownership for his
difficulties.
He starts to love his father when he realizes that he is human.
Bob, starting his job in San Francisco, realizes how difficult it must
have been for his father to be a single dad, struggling to raise two children
and meet their physical and emotional needs.
5.
When the novel opens, Bob and Laura’s marriage
is dissolving. How does their
relationship change as the story progresses?
What role does Harry play in their relationship both before and after
his death?
Harry caught his son from falling when Bob was 36.
Both Bob and Laura were given chances to move on, romantically, but
both declined. Bob started down the path
but decided that his family was more important.
Working together on the letters helped them to come together. Also, understanding his father helped him to
understand the deficiencies with his marriage.
He couldn’t fix things with his dad but he could fix things with Laura.
Both were concerned about Emily and wanted to do what was best for
her.
Learning about Harry’s depression inspired Bob to get help for his
own depression (genetic) and, with the help of medication, he was able to have
a better, happier outlook.
Laura was very devoted to her father-in-law. (See Ruth and Naomi)
6.
Laura questions the cause of Harry’s death, even
wondering if a person can will himself to die, and then delves into his medical
history. What drives her to pursue this
quest?
Finding the pills, moving into the home, and his many sane moments
made her question the diagnosis. The
pieces just didn’t fit.
It’s a good thing that we can’t will ourselves to die. Imagine the carnage from all of the
heartbroken teenage girls.
Is it different when elderly couples die close together? Is that “willing themselves to die” or is
that dying from a broken heart?
7.
In one letter Harry writes, “Parents are strange
and wonderful creatures….They are just people struggling to do the best they
can, just the same as you are. You will
feel let down, betrayed, even ashamed.
This is the time, Emily when you need to forgive your parents for being
human” (pg. 179). The letter is
addressed to Emily, but how does this reflect Harry’s relationship with his own
children and with Bob in particular?
Bob was obviously addressing his children, asking them for
understanding and forgiveness.
(quote from pgs. 180-181). "There are times, however, when your parents should be standing under the tree to catch you, but they won't be. Parents make mistakes, sometimes big ones. I don't think this will make sense to you now, but Emily, there will come a time when you will have to forgive your parents for not being there when you fall out of the tree. The day you do, you will begin to forget their mistakes and their armor will once again shine a little brighter in your eyes."
(quote from pgs. 180-181). "There are times, however, when your parents should be standing under the tree to catch you, but they won't be. Parents make mistakes, sometimes big ones. I don't think this will make sense to you now, but Emily, there will come a time when you will have to forgive your parents for not being there when you fall out of the tree. The day you do, you will begin to forget their mistakes and their armor will once again shine a little brighter in your eyes."
It’s helpful to forgive your parents for our own sakes.
Maybe the best that parents can do isn’t so hot, but it’s still the
best that they can do.
“By the time that you learn to be a parent, you’re out of a job!” ~Elaine Hopper
8.
Harry’s book affects each of the characters who
read it. How does each character change
from having read Harry’s writings? Which
of the letters did you find the most compelling, and why?
BOB- changed the most.
He needed the change the most. He
learned about his father, his mother, his own mental illness and he developed a
better, deeper relationship with his wife.
It made him a better father. He
understood better how much Laura had been doing to help his father.
LAURA-it gave her a better appreciation of Harry and also of
Bob. She must have seen many
similarities between the two. The
letters also gave her some confidence – solving the puzzles, making the
calls. It also helped her to understand
that Bob’s reactions may have been the depression talking. It may have given her acceptance – there are
things in her life that are out of her control and that’s ok!
EMILY – changed the least because she was already ok in her
relationship with her grandfather. Also,
she is so young that much of the advice doesn’t apply to her yet.
GREG- didn’t change at all.
He’s still selfish and self-absorbed.
MICHELLE- Grew to have a better appreciation of her father,
even though she had started to reconcile her relationship with him. Because she was older, she remembered him
more from before their mother died. The
letters also gave her a better view of her mother and helped her to develop a
better, deeper relationship with her.
9.
In the afterword, Camron Wright speaks of being
inspired by the writings of his grandfather, Harry Wright, and makes the following
statement: “I would encourage the reader to seek out the writings and letters
of his or her own parents, grandparents, or other loved ones. Perhaps, in this search, hidden wisdom will
be discovered as well. It may be, in
reading forgotten words, in remembering their lives, their sacrifices, that
their frailties will wash away, their strengths will surface, and they will be
remembered fondly. It is a wish that everyone should be granted.” What does he mean by this last sentence? How does this sentiment play out in Letters for Emily
He hoped that everyone would remember him, not just as a grumpy old
man, but for who he really was.
Writings can give us insight into who they really were!!
Importance of journal writing, personal history writing
Genealogy research – turns them from names on a page into real
people
10.
Do you have any letters, poems, or other
writings from your own relatives? If so,
how have they changed or inspired you? (Warning: This may not mean much if you weren't there for the discussion. Sorry.)
Keeps us feeling connected to them, even after they have passed
away.
It’s cute to see the banter and the family dynamics.
A poster full of catch-phrases – it doesn’t have to be anything
big. It’s the simple things that matter
most.
Knowing about his troubled childhood helped me to understand my
grandfather’s attitude as an adult.
Knowing our
religious history.
11
What did you learn or gain from reading Letter for Emily?
Reinforced our desire to be connected to the past.
Helped us to understand mental illness and our need to be aware and
sensitive.
GENERAL NOTES:
Our favorite poem was "To Grow, We'd Garden"
TO GROW, WE'D GARDEN
When I was just a little boy,
Dad took me by the hand.
Let's go work in the garden,
We'll plant the fertile land.
We'd work together often,
Dad made certain I was there.
How could I help? I was so small,
He always seemed to care.
We stood together, side by side,
Example now rings true.
Thinking back, I learned of life,
From simple things we'd do.
We'd till - I learned that good preparation is vital.
We'd plant - I learned to sow hope.
We's talk - I learned that I was loved.
We'd fertilize - I learned to give back, not just to take.
We'd water - I learned that, as plants need water, sunshine and soil, we also need balance in our lives.
We'd hoe - I learned that if it is not removed, evil can soon choke out the good.
We'd watch - I learned patience.
We'd pray - I learned that everything in life is a blessing.
We'd thin - I learned that we all need space to expand and grow.
We'd prune - I learned that to grow the sweetest fruit, we sometimes need to be cut back.
We'd harvest - I learned that hard work can reap bounteous rewards.
We'd thank - I learned humility.
My dad is gone and now I'm grown,
I try to teach my son.
We spend time in the garden,
Toil beneath the shining sun.
In memory I bow my head,
And beg my own dad's pardon.
I'm not like him and though I try,
I just can't grow a garden.
It doesn't really matter though,
As a dad I understand.
I'm not here to grow a garden,
My job's to grow a man.
We also appreciate that Harry gave each set of grandchildren what he thought they would appreciate. He gave the house to Emily because she would
appreciate the memories. He gave Greg’s
kids the money because he knew they would appreciate the money.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Okay For Now
1.
If Doug in on a quest, what is he questing for?
Normalcy, stability, independent (separate
from his family/stereotypes)
Once everything starts going well, it all
falls apart – Doug wasn't actively searching for happiness
-
Maybe didn’t understand that happiness existed
2.
Each of the chapters is about a bird shown in one of Audubon’s plates. How are these birds connected to what Doug is
going through in his life?
Stupid puffins - He felt like a chump
He made the connections between the paintings and his life
You can’t paint every feather in life
Things are never as they appear – don’t
judge (gym teacher, war shocked brother, father)
The way soldiers are viewed (they should
just come home and jump back to normal life)
If you can’t hack it in college, just join
the military. Military personnel don't get the respect that they deserve.
Handicap awareness has certainly
changed, as have equal opportunity laws
People don’t view handicaps and being
incompetence
4. Lil calls Doug a skinny thug when she meets him. How does her attitude toward Doug change? Who else has an attitude change about Doug? Why?
Lil fell in love with Doug
Everyone changed as they got to know him
(except for Mr. Ferris, art teacher who viewed him fairly from the beginning)
Doug had many attitude changes, which were formed as he gets to know the people around him. This is viewed especially well in his attitude toward the gym teacher after Doug learns about his Vietnam war service.
War-shocked brother. Our attitude toward him changes as we learn more of his pain. His attitude towards others changes as he accepts his loss instead of fighting against it.
Christopher (the other brother whose name we don’t learn
until the end)
-Doug
realized why he was acting the way that he was
Doug changed his perspective about the
whole "dumb" town
Neighbors judged Doug based on what they
thought Christopher had done
5. Why does Mr. Ferris think the moon landing is so important? Is it? Would Mr. Ferris say we should be heading to the moon again? Why?
Science teacher and it was the biggest
achievement of the time
Something about space exploration makes us
feel proud
We can see both sides of the coin. Should we continue funneling so much money into the space exploration program when that money could be used to do so much good here on earth?
6. There are some very funny and light parts in Okay for Now; there are also some very sad, serious parts. Would you call Okay for Now a hopeful book or a hopeless one? Why?
Polyanna ending (Broadway play part, brother's attitudes are miraculously
fixed)
It's a bit like Forrest Gump for teenagers, but you want teens to continue to believe in hope and keep hanging in there!
The message of "There’s good out there – go find it" is repeated over and over again
Doug’s home life could have buried him if
he had allowed it
All things can work together for our good (D&C 122)
Everything will eventually work out
Dad changing was a little over the top (Or was it? We didn’t see anything after the initial change. He could have derailed again.)
Resiliency theory – if the kid can find one
really positive connection, it can help pull them out
-can
work in reverse
-art
teacher/science teacher/Lil were the positive connections for Doug
-we
should strive to be the positive connection
HOPEFUL OVERALL - “Okay for now,” not okay forever
Words have power, especially over the youth
Wrong day to talk to his dad. We all believe that Doug was physically abused.
We all have those moments but those, for
us, are the exception. With the dad it
was the rule
Alcohol seemed to pull the dad down. Was he always like that?
Looked up to/hero worshipped Lucus
Doug had a friendly relationship with war
brother before war
Had a confrontational relationship with
Christopher. Competed with each other
Did Christopher deflect negative feelings
onto Doug? Throw him under the bus? Was he trying to shift the dad's focus from himself onto Doug?
Progressed:
Doug went from worshipping Lucus to having
more of a peer relationship
Brothers all worked together to help each
other when dad was such a flake. They became the adults that their father wasn't.
Felt like a chump every time things didn’t
go quite his way
Abused himself the same way that he was
abused by his father
You believe what you hear – especially when
it comes from an authority figure. Words have power to heal or to cause a tremendous amount of hurt.
We really liked the author’s voice. He really captured the character beautifully! We could really believe that he was a teenage boy growing up in New York during the Vietnam era.
We love that the book incorporated a lot of art (music, art, Jane
Eyre)
Our take on the overall theme: Things are not always what they seem.
Cry, The Beloved Country
1. If so many people are afraid or angry, why isn’t the book called “Fear, the Beloved Country” or “Rage, the Beloved Country”? What is the significance of the title to the book as a whole?
Time period - apartheid hadn’t completely set it. It was before it was really entrenched - they were just starting to move in that direction - like the American south before the Jim Crow laws.
Black people really respected the white people in a way that is strange to me. The people were more submissive and were crying out for help.
The title seems to be mourning the loss of what was lost - tribal breakdown (compare to the modern-day breakdown of the family) the younger generation doesn’t seem to realize what is lost
2. How is Cry, the Beloved Country part story, part prophecy, and part psalm? How does the story resemble the biblical parable of the prodigal son? How does it mirror another biblical parable, Absalom? What is the significance of Kumalo's son being named Absalom? Where else does the Bible inform the story?
Absolom rebelled against his father (a preacher), went to Johannesburg, turned his back on everything his father taught and killed a man
Absolom never was rebellious at heart, but was a follower and a survivor
Absolom was a mental prodigal son - returned spiritually before his death
Prophecy - written before apartheid took place but he saw the way things were going - but was hoping that things could be turned around
How would Paton have written the book differently if apartheid had already been put in place? “We really need to do something to change this before it all comes to pass.”
Very poetically written
3. There are many paradoxes in this novel: a priest's son commits murder; a white man who fights for the dignity of South African blacks is senselessly murdered; the father of the murdered son helps the father of the son who murdered to keep a disintegrating native tribe together. How do you reconcile these paradoxes? How do they contribute to the richness of the story? Why might Paton have made this choice?
Son murdering - it wasn’t because he was a bad person, just caught up in the wrong crowd. It wasn’t just one individuals fault, it was a society that failed them all.
There are simply no black and white ideas
Absolom was the only one punished - all of his friends got off free
-Judge was trying to placate both side, but in the end wasn’t fair to anyone
-Benefit’s the group at the expense of certain individuals
Jarvis helps - interesting because he learned so much from his son even after his death - saw his son’s vision and was able to turn his anger to something positive
-We can all learn from each other!!! No one has all the answers
4. Describe the role of faith in the novel. How does it serve Kumalo and Msimangu, the people of Ndotsheni? Was it faith that inspired Arthur Jarvis, and hence his father? What about Absalom? Is there any indication that faith impedes or injures any of the characters?
This book was highly focused on the roll of faith in our lives - and in a positive light (not found in modern literature)
Your only hope is to keep your religious focus
Gerturde's faith that she would find her husband impeded her
Kumalo trusted the wrong man when her first got to Johannesburg and lost a pound of his precious and limited funds
Lots of advise from Bishops (pray when in distress ,when there is no hope you pray, but not for yourself, pray for others)
Kumalo’s prayer at the end of the novel was very touching
There is a difference between fear and sorrow
-fear mode is worse than sorrow!!
-once Kumalo learned his son’s fate he was sorrowful but no longer afraid. It was the not-knowing that was killing him.
-the storm and the house, you can’t do anything when you are waiting for the storm to hit
“Fear is a journey, sorrow is arriving Pg 140
5. Although Kumalo is a priest and often has the highest intentions, he sometimes does things which are contrary. For example, when he visits his son's wife-to-be, in his efforts to hurt her, he asks if she would take him if he desired her. Where else do we see Kumalo falter? How do you reconcile these two sides of Kumalo? How do you relate to him? Do any of the other characters falter? If so, who? What is it that makes Paton's characters so realistic?
No unrealistic characters in this book. They are all very human.
Kumalo - how he talked to his son when he first saw him in jail. He lashed out and hurt his son.
“why did you do it?” is an example of a Useless questions - didn’t accomplish anything but just made everyone feel worse
Gertrude - Kumalo didn’t have much patience for her
Msimagnu was especially hard on Gertrude
Sister they lived with also had a hard time with Gertrude. She seemed to be particularly worried that Gertrude would influence Absolom's wife in a negative way.
Did Gertrude decide to become a nun or did she return to her old life?
-wanted to be good, but it was very hard
-comparison to the country? South Africa could go either direction?
-is Gertrude a symbol for South Africa?
-She left her dress and hat, so she didn’t feel good (shame) about her choice or she chose to become a nun
“God put his hand on me” don’t think I’m better than I am!!
6. One of the novel’s goals seems to be to offer a balanced portrayal of both white and black perspectives without condemning either side. Does the novel succeed in this goal? Is it too judgmental? Does it oversimplify any issues?
Did oversimplify but is the best piece of literature we are aware of to portray the right balance.
It was a priest’s son who murdered a white man trying to help the black community
Corrupt politicians - idiot tribe leader, John Kumalo - all seem to be extremes.
Is it too judgemental? We don’t know. We’re (mostly) white and looking at it form a 2012 perspective
Characters weren’t blamed, but the characters did shift blame to others
-even the judge blamed the law for not doing more to help Absolom
Nobody looks completely good or completely bad
7. What role do women play in the novel? How do the injustices they face affect them? Do they suffer from injustices that the men do not?
The women cheese me off! It's hard to relate to them because we don't know or understand the tribal system.
The are acted upon
We’re the product of a different generation/thought process
All of the women are minor characters
Women are extreme characters - either complete saints or Jezebels
Gertrude is careless - not evil, she just didn’t care
“That’s what we’re here for” Mrs. Lithbe (priests respected her)
8. Throughout the story, Kumalo experiences the absence of God and momentary losses of faith. He suffers through periods where it feels as if God has deserted him. What other characters experience the absence of God? Does Kumalo ever experience the presence of God? If so, when? Is God basically absent or present in Paton's novel? If so, in what way does God manifest Himself?
As everything falls into place in the end, you really feel God’s hand
God helped them to follow the path of his son, he found his family member-everything the Kumalo needed to do he was able to accomplish
-he never ran out of money
Maybe Paton wrote the book hoping that it would have more influence and that it would help to turn things around
Kumalo and the mountain - feels the peace of the spirit and (FINALLY!!) thinks about other people and not just his own grief
Why didn’t God warm Kumalo? Did he blame God because he was overwhelmed
D&C 121 (Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail)
Didn’t ask “why did this happen” Asked “Why didn’t you warn me?”
Now that life is kooshy, we blame God for everything
-when life was hard, they didn’t blame God because it was the natural cycle
9. As Kumalo leaves to go to Johannesburg, he fears. As he searches for his son, he fears. When he visits a few people on the search for his son, they fear. Why does Kumalo fear? Who or what does he fear? What other roles does fear have?
Fears the unknown
I’m small and it’s big!
Overwhelmed
Fears that worst nightmare is about to come true
Fear serves as a motivation - drives him forward to search for his son
Fear motivated Absolom’s friends to lie, find legal loop holes
Absolom’s guilt was stronger than his fear
10. Both Kumalo and Jarvis undergo revelations during the novel. Jarvis finally sees the injustice of South African society, and Kumalo realizes the consequences of losing the old tribal customs. Compare the two men’s journeys over the course of the novel. In what ways are they alike? In what ways do they differ?
Jarvis’ view change took longer - it was not a need it was a choice
Kumalo knew that they would did if they didn’t change
Jarvis followed the status quo but was motivated by his son
White people were afraid because they knew that equality would change their way of life. The best way to handle it was to force them down further rather than to offer them help and love and support
Kumalo grieved the loss of the tribe - we all cling to what we know, even if changes are for our best interest
Books vs. kindle. We all (obviously) love to read. Many of us love the convienience of a kindle (which is new technology) but we "fear" the loss of actual books - the smell of the paper, flipping the pages, etc.
11. Although we didn’t meet Arthur Jarvis while he was alive in the novel, we get to know him really well through his office. What does his office say about him?
EDUCATION
Loved Abe Lincoln - pivotal figure in founding equality between white and black
-marytar for the cause
-freed the slaves
Had a bookshelf in Affrikanns - was willing to learn about the culture that he was trying to help
-invested himself in the cause
-go big or go home
Everyone wanted to know his belief’s (everyone respected him, unlike John Kumalo) not everyone agreed with him but they respected him
The country wanted to hear his perspective
12. Kumalo journeys to the mountain on the night of his son’s execution. What does his night vigil achieve for him? What does it achieve for the reader?
He finds peace. He’s gonna be ok
Beautiful prayer! Confessed his sins, was grateful
His perspective was good even though he was going through trials
Upset that the son died because it wasn’t fair
Both father’s have grandchildren so the family line carries on
-Jarvis’s grandson is helping to make the change!
13. The last few sentences Arthur Jarvis wrote before his death are: "The truth is that our civilization is not Christian; it is a tragic compound of great ideal and fearful practice, of high assurance and desperate anxiety, of loving charity and fearful clutching of possessions." Where in this novel do we see a split between high ideals and narrow self-interest? Do the characters embody one or the other, or are they morally mixed?
Absolom was morally mixed but he recognized it
-wants to marry the mother of his child
-wants to rob a house because it is easier
-feels guilt
John Kumalo has good ideas but looks out for himself and his family
-doesn’t believe in his cause enough to risk anything
Gertrude - did she go for the high ideal or did she go for the easy money
-white people cling to their power so that they can keep their money
Time period - apartheid hadn’t completely set it. It was before it was really entrenched - they were just starting to move in that direction - like the American south before the Jim Crow laws.
Black people really respected the white people in a way that is strange to me. The people were more submissive and were crying out for help.
The title seems to be mourning the loss of what was lost - tribal breakdown (compare to the modern-day breakdown of the family) the younger generation doesn’t seem to realize what is lost
2. How is Cry, the Beloved Country part story, part prophecy, and part psalm? How does the story resemble the biblical parable of the prodigal son? How does it mirror another biblical parable, Absalom? What is the significance of Kumalo's son being named Absalom? Where else does the Bible inform the story?
Absolom rebelled against his father (a preacher), went to Johannesburg, turned his back on everything his father taught and killed a man
Absolom never was rebellious at heart, but was a follower and a survivor
Absolom was a mental prodigal son - returned spiritually before his death
Prophecy - written before apartheid took place but he saw the way things were going - but was hoping that things could be turned around
How would Paton have written the book differently if apartheid had already been put in place? “We really need to do something to change this before it all comes to pass.”
Very poetically written
3. There are many paradoxes in this novel: a priest's son commits murder; a white man who fights for the dignity of South African blacks is senselessly murdered; the father of the murdered son helps the father of the son who murdered to keep a disintegrating native tribe together. How do you reconcile these paradoxes? How do they contribute to the richness of the story? Why might Paton have made this choice?
Son murdering - it wasn’t because he was a bad person, just caught up in the wrong crowd. It wasn’t just one individuals fault, it was a society that failed them all.
There are simply no black and white ideas
Absolom was the only one punished - all of his friends got off free
-Judge was trying to placate both side, but in the end wasn’t fair to anyone
-Benefit’s the group at the expense of certain individuals
Jarvis helps - interesting because he learned so much from his son even after his death - saw his son’s vision and was able to turn his anger to something positive
-We can all learn from each other!!! No one has all the answers
4. Describe the role of faith in the novel. How does it serve Kumalo and Msimangu, the people of Ndotsheni? Was it faith that inspired Arthur Jarvis, and hence his father? What about Absalom? Is there any indication that faith impedes or injures any of the characters?
This book was highly focused on the roll of faith in our lives - and in a positive light (not found in modern literature)
Your only hope is to keep your religious focus
Gerturde's faith that she would find her husband impeded her
Kumalo trusted the wrong man when her first got to Johannesburg and lost a pound of his precious and limited funds
Lots of advise from Bishops (pray when in distress ,when there is no hope you pray, but not for yourself, pray for others)
Kumalo’s prayer at the end of the novel was very touching
There is a difference between fear and sorrow
-fear mode is worse than sorrow!!
-once Kumalo learned his son’s fate he was sorrowful but no longer afraid. It was the not-knowing that was killing him.
-the storm and the house, you can’t do anything when you are waiting for the storm to hit
“Fear is a journey, sorrow is arriving Pg 140
5. Although Kumalo is a priest and often has the highest intentions, he sometimes does things which are contrary. For example, when he visits his son's wife-to-be, in his efforts to hurt her, he asks if she would take him if he desired her. Where else do we see Kumalo falter? How do you reconcile these two sides of Kumalo? How do you relate to him? Do any of the other characters falter? If so, who? What is it that makes Paton's characters so realistic?
No unrealistic characters in this book. They are all very human.
Kumalo - how he talked to his son when he first saw him in jail. He lashed out and hurt his son.
“why did you do it?” is an example of a Useless questions - didn’t accomplish anything but just made everyone feel worse
Gertrude - Kumalo didn’t have much patience for her
Msimagnu was especially hard on Gertrude
Sister they lived with also had a hard time with Gertrude. She seemed to be particularly worried that Gertrude would influence Absolom's wife in a negative way.
Did Gertrude decide to become a nun or did she return to her old life?
-wanted to be good, but it was very hard
-comparison to the country? South Africa could go either direction?
-is Gertrude a symbol for South Africa?
-She left her dress and hat, so she didn’t feel good (shame) about her choice or she chose to become a nun
“God put his hand on me” don’t think I’m better than I am!!
6. One of the novel’s goals seems to be to offer a balanced portrayal of both white and black perspectives without condemning either side. Does the novel succeed in this goal? Is it too judgmental? Does it oversimplify any issues?
Did oversimplify but is the best piece of literature we are aware of to portray the right balance.
It was a priest’s son who murdered a white man trying to help the black community
Corrupt politicians - idiot tribe leader, John Kumalo - all seem to be extremes.
Is it too judgemental? We don’t know. We’re (mostly) white and looking at it form a 2012 perspective
Characters weren’t blamed, but the characters did shift blame to others
-even the judge blamed the law for not doing more to help Absolom
Nobody looks completely good or completely bad
7. What role do women play in the novel? How do the injustices they face affect them? Do they suffer from injustices that the men do not?
The women cheese me off! It's hard to relate to them because we don't know or understand the tribal system.
The are acted upon
We’re the product of a different generation/thought process
All of the women are minor characters
Women are extreme characters - either complete saints or Jezebels
Gertrude is careless - not evil, she just didn’t care
“That’s what we’re here for” Mrs. Lithbe (priests respected her)
8. Throughout the story, Kumalo experiences the absence of God and momentary losses of faith. He suffers through periods where it feels as if God has deserted him. What other characters experience the absence of God? Does Kumalo ever experience the presence of God? If so, when? Is God basically absent or present in Paton's novel? If so, in what way does God manifest Himself?
As everything falls into place in the end, you really feel God’s hand
God helped them to follow the path of his son, he found his family member-everything the Kumalo needed to do he was able to accomplish
-he never ran out of money
Maybe Paton wrote the book hoping that it would have more influence and that it would help to turn things around
Kumalo and the mountain - feels the peace of the spirit and (FINALLY!!) thinks about other people and not just his own grief
Why didn’t God warm Kumalo? Did he blame God because he was overwhelmed
D&C 121 (Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail)
Didn’t ask “why did this happen” Asked “Why didn’t you warn me?”
Now that life is kooshy, we blame God for everything
-when life was hard, they didn’t blame God because it was the natural cycle
9. As Kumalo leaves to go to Johannesburg, he fears. As he searches for his son, he fears. When he visits a few people on the search for his son, they fear. Why does Kumalo fear? Who or what does he fear? What other roles does fear have?
Fears the unknown
I’m small and it’s big!
Overwhelmed
Fears that worst nightmare is about to come true
Fear serves as a motivation - drives him forward to search for his son
Fear motivated Absolom’s friends to lie, find legal loop holes
Absolom’s guilt was stronger than his fear
10. Both Kumalo and Jarvis undergo revelations during the novel. Jarvis finally sees the injustice of South African society, and Kumalo realizes the consequences of losing the old tribal customs. Compare the two men’s journeys over the course of the novel. In what ways are they alike? In what ways do they differ?
Jarvis’ view change took longer - it was not a need it was a choice
Kumalo knew that they would did if they didn’t change
Jarvis followed the status quo but was motivated by his son
White people were afraid because they knew that equality would change their way of life. The best way to handle it was to force them down further rather than to offer them help and love and support
Kumalo grieved the loss of the tribe - we all cling to what we know, even if changes are for our best interest
Books vs. kindle. We all (obviously) love to read. Many of us love the convienience of a kindle (which is new technology) but we "fear" the loss of actual books - the smell of the paper, flipping the pages, etc.
11. Although we didn’t meet Arthur Jarvis while he was alive in the novel, we get to know him really well through his office. What does his office say about him?
EDUCATION
Loved Abe Lincoln - pivotal figure in founding equality between white and black
-marytar for the cause
-freed the slaves
Had a bookshelf in Affrikanns - was willing to learn about the culture that he was trying to help
-invested himself in the cause
-go big or go home
Everyone wanted to know his belief’s (everyone respected him, unlike John Kumalo) not everyone agreed with him but they respected him
The country wanted to hear his perspective
12. Kumalo journeys to the mountain on the night of his son’s execution. What does his night vigil achieve for him? What does it achieve for the reader?
He finds peace. He’s gonna be ok
Beautiful prayer! Confessed his sins, was grateful
His perspective was good even though he was going through trials
Upset that the son died because it wasn’t fair
Both father’s have grandchildren so the family line carries on
-Jarvis’s grandson is helping to make the change!
13. The last few sentences Arthur Jarvis wrote before his death are: "The truth is that our civilization is not Christian; it is a tragic compound of great ideal and fearful practice, of high assurance and desperate anxiety, of loving charity and fearful clutching of possessions." Where in this novel do we see a split between high ideals and narrow self-interest? Do the characters embody one or the other, or are they morally mixed?
Absolom was morally mixed but he recognized it
-wants to marry the mother of his child
-wants to rob a house because it is easier
-feels guilt
John Kumalo has good ideas but looks out for himself and his family
-doesn’t believe in his cause enough to risk anything
Gertrude - did she go for the high ideal or did she go for the easy money
-white people cling to their power so that they can keep their money
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