Summary:
In the culminating pages of the book, readers learn of the details of the day in which Santiago was assassinated. The brothers were still somewhat hesitant to continue with the job, but in conclusion, they got drunk and ended up agreeing it would continue. Everyone in town eventually learned of what was going to happen to Santiago Nasar because the brothers kept announcing that they were going to kill him. Although some believed they were clearly only drunk and would not be doing anything, others did take them seriously, especially the wife of the owner of the butcher shop. Eventually, the police and the mayor heard of what they were planning, but they did very little, claiming they had done what they could.
Little can actually be done to prove of what happened that exact day Santiago Nasar was killed. The mayor and police officer claim that they had sent them home, but that does not mean they will not go back and continue on with their plan. Neighbors don't have an exact idea of where he was going, because while some claim he was going home, others claim that he went to his fiance's house. Santiago's mother felt extremely guilty in the end when she could have prevented her son from getting killed by waiting a few seconds until he got in the house. Even so, he was still killed, and the entire time she thought he was already inside his house making the twins go away. She did not even look outside until her son was practically death right at the door of his own home, and he had tried to call his mother several times. In the end, when Santiago found out he was going to be killed, he was paralyzed, and his mental shock could have also contributed to him not having much emotion as he was continuously being stabbed. At least he was able to live for a little bit longer and died inside his home.
Quote:
"During the trial, which lasted only three days. the representative of the people put his greatest effort into the weakness of that charge. Such was the perplexity of the investigating magistrate that his good work at times seemed ruined by disillusionment" (Marquez 100).
Reaction:
Upon completion of this book, it is fair to say that the reader ends up annoyed and frustrated of the events that led up to the assassination of Santiago Nasar. Since the actual day of his murder, everybody knew who was going to do it and how, yet everyone managed to find an excuse in how they could not be blamed. Some claim that they did warn others ahead of time, but even so, they could have mislead Santiago somehow so he would not have ended up going home. However, that was not the case, especially having to do with the mayor, because he overall did not care. It was an upsetting end that makes readers wish they could have intervened to stop Santiago from dying while being innocent.
I chose this quote because it can really make a reader stop to think. It makes people want to put the book down because of the frustration one immediately feels. If it is more than obvious that Santiago Nasar is innocent in this entire thing, then why did Angela Vicario keep accusing him? What was the purpose of her doing that if it was her own husband who had done her harm? This quote, to me, greatly reflected the annoyance of the people and even the lawyer, who knew that his death wasn't right, and yet the entire case was so complicating that it was hard to prove his case. This quote also shows a reader's frustration because, at this point, Santiago Nasar was innocent the entire time, and people that knew that he was going to get killed claimed they did what they could to stop it, when in reality, they did nothing when it could have been prevented in a thousand different ways.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Chronicle of a Death Foretold (Pages 1-60)
Summary
Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez depicts the story behind Santiago Nasar's plotted assassination. The story is told in first story narration by a reporter who was close friends with Santiago. It began with going back through time to retell the actual day Santiago Nasar was killed. He had woken up due to a bad dream and told his mother, but his mother misinterpreted all the signs in the dream as being health for him, so he did not worry about it too much (Marquez 6). He kept going about his day to go see a bishop that was due to arrive, but the bishop only went in passing, and did not stay long in the town. Different neighbors retold the reporter different parts of the day that Santiago Nasar was killed, and it was more than obvious that everybody in town knew what was going to happen to Santiago.
The rest of the chapter proceeded with the backwards motion of mentioning of Angela Vicario, and her wedding with Bayardo San Roman. His strange arrival caused a bit of commotion to the town, but then everybody soon learned about him and did not worry about him too much. Angela says that she does not want to marry Bayardo, but her family convinces her to because he is rich and she can learn to love him. Their wedding day comes and everybody has a good time. Santiago Nasar has not been killed yet, and he has tried to estimate the price of the entire wedding. Then, when the celebrations ended, Bayardo and Angela go off on their honeymoon in a house Bayardo bought for Angela nearby, only to return her back home. He learned that she has married him without being a virgin (something taken very seriously) and thus Angela's mom beats her. Then Angela's twin brothers ask her who was it that did it to her, and she tells him it was Santiago (Marquez 47). That was how the complot to kill Santiago Nasar arose.
The next chapter takes place in court, people testifying and recounting the day of Santiago's death. The Vicario brothers said that they would have done it again had they been given other chances to do so, and then readers learn about how these brothers made their plans. They used sacrificial knives and sharpened them at the butcher shop. Everybody who saw them that day claimed they all thought the brothers were only drunk and did not know what they were saying. Eventually the whole town found out of what was going to happen, including the mayor, but all he did to supposedly "stop" these brothers was to take their weapons away. Nonetheless, they came back to the butcher shop with another pair of knives. It was also learned here that the brothers had a disagreement about what to do, but eventually agreed on getting the job done.
Quote
"Nor did Santiago Nasar recognize the omen. He had slept little and poorly, without getting undressed, and he woke up with a headache and a sediment of copper stirrup on his palate, and he interpreted them as the natural havoc of the wedding revels that had gone on until after midnight" (Marquez 4).
Reaction
During the first few chapters read, it can be confusing to understand the plot of what is going on in the book. Only after a while can it be understood that the narrator is working backwards, retelling the story in a backwards way, and then working forwards. It is also confusing how no one seemed to have warn Santiago, even if practically the entire town knew ahead of time. It seems suspicious that no one seemed to want to help Santiago, especially considering that he was rich. It could be a possibility that no one warned him because they were afraid of the Vicario brothers, but also because they may have felt Santiago deserved it.
I chose this quote because just within the first pages it was more than obvious that this assassination was going to happen. Reading before the page provided lets readers know that he was having bad dreams, and how he was waking up feeling sick. It never occurred to him or his mother that these were all bad signs of something terrible that was going to happen. I just found it ironic that, since Santiago's mother was someone who could decipher dreams, could not foreshadow the death of her own son, nor that Santiago did not feel the least bit strange that day.
Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez depicts the story behind Santiago Nasar's plotted assassination. The story is told in first story narration by a reporter who was close friends with Santiago. It began with going back through time to retell the actual day Santiago Nasar was killed. He had woken up due to a bad dream and told his mother, but his mother misinterpreted all the signs in the dream as being health for him, so he did not worry about it too much (Marquez 6). He kept going about his day to go see a bishop that was due to arrive, but the bishop only went in passing, and did not stay long in the town. Different neighbors retold the reporter different parts of the day that Santiago Nasar was killed, and it was more than obvious that everybody in town knew what was going to happen to Santiago.
The rest of the chapter proceeded with the backwards motion of mentioning of Angela Vicario, and her wedding with Bayardo San Roman. His strange arrival caused a bit of commotion to the town, but then everybody soon learned about him and did not worry about him too much. Angela says that she does not want to marry Bayardo, but her family convinces her to because he is rich and she can learn to love him. Their wedding day comes and everybody has a good time. Santiago Nasar has not been killed yet, and he has tried to estimate the price of the entire wedding. Then, when the celebrations ended, Bayardo and Angela go off on their honeymoon in a house Bayardo bought for Angela nearby, only to return her back home. He learned that she has married him without being a virgin (something taken very seriously) and thus Angela's mom beats her. Then Angela's twin brothers ask her who was it that did it to her, and she tells him it was Santiago (Marquez 47). That was how the complot to kill Santiago Nasar arose.
The next chapter takes place in court, people testifying and recounting the day of Santiago's death. The Vicario brothers said that they would have done it again had they been given other chances to do so, and then readers learn about how these brothers made their plans. They used sacrificial knives and sharpened them at the butcher shop. Everybody who saw them that day claimed they all thought the brothers were only drunk and did not know what they were saying. Eventually the whole town found out of what was going to happen, including the mayor, but all he did to supposedly "stop" these brothers was to take their weapons away. Nonetheless, they came back to the butcher shop with another pair of knives. It was also learned here that the brothers had a disagreement about what to do, but eventually agreed on getting the job done.
Quote
"Nor did Santiago Nasar recognize the omen. He had slept little and poorly, without getting undressed, and he woke up with a headache and a sediment of copper stirrup on his palate, and he interpreted them as the natural havoc of the wedding revels that had gone on until after midnight" (Marquez 4).
Reaction
During the first few chapters read, it can be confusing to understand the plot of what is going on in the book. Only after a while can it be understood that the narrator is working backwards, retelling the story in a backwards way, and then working forwards. It is also confusing how no one seemed to have warn Santiago, even if practically the entire town knew ahead of time. It seems suspicious that no one seemed to want to help Santiago, especially considering that he was rich. It could be a possibility that no one warned him because they were afraid of the Vicario brothers, but also because they may have felt Santiago deserved it.
I chose this quote because just within the first pages it was more than obvious that this assassination was going to happen. Reading before the page provided lets readers know that he was having bad dreams, and how he was waking up feeling sick. It never occurred to him or his mother that these were all bad signs of something terrible that was going to happen. I just found it ironic that, since Santiago's mother was someone who could decipher dreams, could not foreshadow the death of her own son, nor that Santiago did not feel the least bit strange that day.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Why the Roosters Fight (Pages 211- 251) (**End of Book**)
Summary:
In the terminating pages of the book, politics was a continued topic. There were a lot more struggles with achieving the goal of becoming President, though, and police officers were out to enforce their own laws. For a change, Dominicans were put in the spot and were discriminated, just like they had done to the Haitians plenty of times before. Guillermo Linares was then brought up, who would eventually become a widely noted "caballero" (or gentleman of highest order). As a child, he struggled to find his identity, and he struggled in learning English. Eventually, he did learn the language and became an American citizen. He proceeded to become a teacher, but he also became an activist that pushed for the needs of Dominican students (214).
Through Linares' advocation, him and other community leaders gave a start for Dominicans to get elected to the school board, where they pushed for the inclusion of their culture to be incorporated more into education. Many Dominican role models rose above these circumstances, including Euclid Mejia. who became the first Dominican principial of a New York high school where three-quarters of the students were Dominican. Linares was gaining political fame, but it would not last long, because when a proposal came up to remove bodegas (corner stores), Linares voted to approve the person who proposed the plan. Because of this, he became known as traitor to his community and for "not being Dominican enough" (215).
It was then brought up how emigrating to the United States from the Dominican Republic was becoming a lot easier, especially obtaining a visa. More politics was brought up, including Jose Fernandez, who would become the representation of the Dominican community in Congress. Following all the politics, a quick synopsis of the biography of Leonel Fernandez was given, and how he got to the place he is today. Also, with the election of Bill Clinton, Dominicans hoped that the pressure of to limit the benefits that immigrants received would stop, yet Dominicans in New York still struggled to live between the two different worlds. Shifting topics, the concluding chapter basically talked about carnivals and festivities that both the Dominican Republic and Haiti celebrate. Each has its own style, yet both are parallel in their structure, and through this carnival, Dominicans and Haitians are brought together despite their constant conflicts.
Quote:
"During Carnival, the festival that flaunts limits and rules, real conflicts briefly disappear as Dominicans and Haitians celebrate their differences and their common roots. Haiti is no longer on the other side of the border, New York no longer across the water" (Wucker 251).
Reaction:
Through the ending of the book, Wucker gave a great sense of understanding the rest of the political history of the Dominican Republic. It was great to learn about all the Dominicans in New York that worked very hard and became very successful in achieving benefits for the Dominican community. Haiti had been shed a lot of light for understanding the living conditions the majority of the Haitians faced, as was with the Dominican Republic. Learning about each individual country with a designated chapter(s) really gave a lot of background knowledge in understanding why the people are the way they are. However, looking back through the history and all the struggles faced, it's very clear that these two countries that share the island should be united rather than separated, because their history and their suffering tie in together more than they realize.
I chose this quote because it is final proof that, despite it all, Haiti and the Dominican Republic can coexist in the same island in harmony. It's fascinating to see that through a common festivity, everything can be forgotten and everyone enjoys themselves. At the same time, it is sad to see that only through a big celebration can conflicts be set aside. It makes people reflect on what can be other possibilities on helping resolve the conflicts between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. However, through a festivity that reflects limits and cuts the perspective of things, the Dominican Republic and Haiti still manage to join together in celebrating what unites them.
In the terminating pages of the book, politics was a continued topic. There were a lot more struggles with achieving the goal of becoming President, though, and police officers were out to enforce their own laws. For a change, Dominicans were put in the spot and were discriminated, just like they had done to the Haitians plenty of times before. Guillermo Linares was then brought up, who would eventually become a widely noted "caballero" (or gentleman of highest order). As a child, he struggled to find his identity, and he struggled in learning English. Eventually, he did learn the language and became an American citizen. He proceeded to become a teacher, but he also became an activist that pushed for the needs of Dominican students (214).
Through Linares' advocation, him and other community leaders gave a start for Dominicans to get elected to the school board, where they pushed for the inclusion of their culture to be incorporated more into education. Many Dominican role models rose above these circumstances, including Euclid Mejia. who became the first Dominican principial of a New York high school where three-quarters of the students were Dominican. Linares was gaining political fame, but it would not last long, because when a proposal came up to remove bodegas (corner stores), Linares voted to approve the person who proposed the plan. Because of this, he became known as traitor to his community and for "not being Dominican enough" (215).
It was then brought up how emigrating to the United States from the Dominican Republic was becoming a lot easier, especially obtaining a visa. More politics was brought up, including Jose Fernandez, who would become the representation of the Dominican community in Congress. Following all the politics, a quick synopsis of the biography of Leonel Fernandez was given, and how he got to the place he is today. Also, with the election of Bill Clinton, Dominicans hoped that the pressure of to limit the benefits that immigrants received would stop, yet Dominicans in New York still struggled to live between the two different worlds. Shifting topics, the concluding chapter basically talked about carnivals and festivities that both the Dominican Republic and Haiti celebrate. Each has its own style, yet both are parallel in their structure, and through this carnival, Dominicans and Haitians are brought together despite their constant conflicts.
Quote:
"During Carnival, the festival that flaunts limits and rules, real conflicts briefly disappear as Dominicans and Haitians celebrate their differences and their common roots. Haiti is no longer on the other side of the border, New York no longer across the water" (Wucker 251).
Reaction:
Through the ending of the book, Wucker gave a great sense of understanding the rest of the political history of the Dominican Republic. It was great to learn about all the Dominicans in New York that worked very hard and became very successful in achieving benefits for the Dominican community. Haiti had been shed a lot of light for understanding the living conditions the majority of the Haitians faced, as was with the Dominican Republic. Learning about each individual country with a designated chapter(s) really gave a lot of background knowledge in understanding why the people are the way they are. However, looking back through the history and all the struggles faced, it's very clear that these two countries that share the island should be united rather than separated, because their history and their suffering tie in together more than they realize.
I chose this quote because it is final proof that, despite it all, Haiti and the Dominican Republic can coexist in the same island in harmony. It's fascinating to see that through a common festivity, everything can be forgotten and everyone enjoys themselves. At the same time, it is sad to see that only through a big celebration can conflicts be set aside. It makes people reflect on what can be other possibilities on helping resolve the conflicts between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. However, through a festivity that reflects limits and cuts the perspective of things, the Dominican Republic and Haiti still manage to join together in celebrating what unites them.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Why the Roosters Fight (Pages 159-210)
Summary:
Picking up from where it was left off, life in "Little Haiti" was described, including the life of a man called Joseph, who works hard to make a living out of the little he makes. Politics is brought up with Dominican President of the time Joaquin Balaguer, who was doing as he pleased in the country, even though his time in presidency was slowly coming to a close. Even so, Balaguer has managed to manipulate the voting so that he ends up winning the election and presidency once more. Although it has repeatedly happened before, these ending results continued to schock Dominican voters.
Continuing on with the summary, politics was described with more detail. Readers learn about President Balaguer, who was fragile and old age. He would no longer be President due to the new elections that were coming up, considering he was the one that was ending his term two years ahead. He had done a lot of good things for his country, but he refused to step down in power when it was time to (just as Trujillo had done). He had been President for more than twelve years, and wanted to remain a legacy once he was out of presidency. He was blind due to glaucoma. but he had an incredible education. Once Balaguer lost the election and stepped down from presidency, Guzman became President, but committed suicide for an unclear reason. The next three available candidates were: Jacinto Peynaldo, Jose Francisco Pena Gomez, and Leonel Fernandez. He ends up being the elected President (who is still currently the President today). However, that doesn't mean Balaguer is done here. Help is still needed from him, and he still attempted to find a way to control history and threat candidates.
Quote:
"A month before the election, Leonel's Party alleged that massive numbers of Haitians were would try to vote using fake identification. Police swooped into the cane fields and into Haitian urban ghettos, demanding identity documents from anyone else who was dark. Dominicans interpreted the move as an attempt to intimidate dark-skinned voters who might have wanted to vote for Pena" (Wucker 187).
Reaction:
In this section, a lot of politics and background information on Joaquin Balaguer was described. Readers learn about the President that, although blind and old, had remained in presidency for twelve years. He was called a manipulator for what he had done with the presidential elections, and it is fair to say that that is what he did. He contributed to some good for the country but for the most part, was just like Trujillo in the sense that he did not want to step down from power. Learning about how the Dominican Republic has obtained their current president and all the struggles candidates faced makes it possible to see that, although Haiti has suffered more cruelly, the Dominican Republic had the same bad luck for some time.
I chose this quote because it was surprising for me to read it. I thought that with the change of President, Haitians would be given more attention and given the human rights they deserve. However, it seems as if history is willing to continuously repeat itself, and people never learn their lesson. They were not even given the right to vote, or if they were, were intimidated into not doing so. It's disappointing to see that the prejudice just won't end. It's also sad to see that the candidate Leonel didn't seem to have done anything to stop what his party was doing.
Picking up from where it was left off, life in "Little Haiti" was described, including the life of a man called Joseph, who works hard to make a living out of the little he makes. Politics is brought up with Dominican President of the time Joaquin Balaguer, who was doing as he pleased in the country, even though his time in presidency was slowly coming to a close. Even so, Balaguer has managed to manipulate the voting so that he ends up winning the election and presidency once more. Although it has repeatedly happened before, these ending results continued to schock Dominican voters.
Continuing on with the summary, politics was described with more detail. Readers learn about President Balaguer, who was fragile and old age. He would no longer be President due to the new elections that were coming up, considering he was the one that was ending his term two years ahead. He had done a lot of good things for his country, but he refused to step down in power when it was time to (just as Trujillo had done). He had been President for more than twelve years, and wanted to remain a legacy once he was out of presidency. He was blind due to glaucoma. but he had an incredible education. Once Balaguer lost the election and stepped down from presidency, Guzman became President, but committed suicide for an unclear reason. The next three available candidates were: Jacinto Peynaldo, Jose Francisco Pena Gomez, and Leonel Fernandez. He ends up being the elected President (who is still currently the President today). However, that doesn't mean Balaguer is done here. Help is still needed from him, and he still attempted to find a way to control history and threat candidates.
Quote:
"A month before the election, Leonel's Party alleged that massive numbers of Haitians were would try to vote using fake identification. Police swooped into the cane fields and into Haitian urban ghettos, demanding identity documents from anyone else who was dark. Dominicans interpreted the move as an attempt to intimidate dark-skinned voters who might have wanted to vote for Pena" (Wucker 187).
Reaction:
In this section, a lot of politics and background information on Joaquin Balaguer was described. Readers learn about the President that, although blind and old, had remained in presidency for twelve years. He was called a manipulator for what he had done with the presidential elections, and it is fair to say that that is what he did. He contributed to some good for the country but for the most part, was just like Trujillo in the sense that he did not want to step down from power. Learning about how the Dominican Republic has obtained their current president and all the struggles candidates faced makes it possible to see that, although Haiti has suffered more cruelly, the Dominican Republic had the same bad luck for some time.
I chose this quote because it was surprising for me to read it. I thought that with the change of President, Haitians would be given more attention and given the human rights they deserve. However, it seems as if history is willing to continuously repeat itself, and people never learn their lesson. They were not even given the right to vote, or if they were, were intimidated into not doing so. It's disappointing to see that the prejudice just won't end. It's also sad to see that the candidate Leonel didn't seem to have done anything to stop what his party was doing.
Why the Roosters Fight (Pages 105-158)
Summary:
In the following chapters of the book, the struggles Haitians encounter daily is what is being shed light on. It's learn about the abuse Haitians suffered under the hands of dictator Trujillo. He never accepted them, yet needed them for labor if he wanted them to supply to the economy. He, along with the Haitian president of the time Paul Magloire, made a contract in which Dominicans would "buy" Haitians. As a result, the Dominican government was paying Haiti as much as three million a year for the Haitians willing to work. Even after the assassination of Trujillo, this continued, and the U.S. decided each year how much sugar would be imported. The United States had to step in to control what was going on with the country.
There did come a point when Haitians demanded to be brought back to Haiti after abuse and intended kidnapping from Trujillo collaborator Felix W. Bernardino. Because they rebelled, they were shot. This occurred when the sugar prices were high, thus letting know that when the prices dropped, Haitians would expect on receiving worse treatment. Following this, it was mentioned how, despite the fact that Haiti had abolished slavery for more than two hundred years, Haitians are still mistreated as if slavery continues. They are given no sense of humanity; it is stripped away from them once they leave Haiti and arrive in the Dominican Republic.
To summarize the last chapter read, it was dug into why Haitian presidents have the reputation of being corrupt. It started off when Jean-Claude's son "Baby Doc" became president. He spent money living a lavish lifestyle, money from the government flowing into his bank accounts. Getting off topic, cockfights were mentioned again, in which it was mentioned that three type of men attend the cockfight (breeders, players and gamblers). It can be an allusion to the U.S., Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, in which the breeders relate to the U.S. (in the way they control certain things). the players being D.R. and Haiti bring the gamblers.
Quote:
"The voiceless Haitians cannot even defend themselves. Human-rights advocates say they are modern-day slaves. It has been nearly two hundred years since Haiti abolished slavery, but this denial of workers' humanity persists" (Wucker 113).
Reaction:
Reading this section of the book, it was amazing to see what the Haitians have had to dealt with throughout their history. They managed to fight off all the big powers that came in to try and control them, and they achieved the abolishment of slavery. However, it's as if their happiness gets stripped away from them in every possible chance. They are not given respect by anybody, including their neighboring country. It's sad to see that those Haitians who leave their country are never truly accepted with their people, nor with the people of the Dominican Republic. They lose their identity, forced to work for a living acting as if they do not exist.
The reason I chose this quote was because it relates perfectly to the way Haitians have always been viewed. Everybody may "feel bad" about their daily living conditions, but nothing is ever actually done to help them out. People just pity the Haitians, but no respect is ever shown towards them. It is correct to say they are "modern-day slaves", because that is the way they are treated. If Haitians leave their country in search of a better life (just like everybody else does with leaving their native country to come to the U.S.) they should be respected as the human beings that they are, not as objects that need jobs to make money. It's very unfair of what they have to live through, as if history will always repeat itself.
In the following chapters of the book, the struggles Haitians encounter daily is what is being shed light on. It's learn about the abuse Haitians suffered under the hands of dictator Trujillo. He never accepted them, yet needed them for labor if he wanted them to supply to the economy. He, along with the Haitian president of the time Paul Magloire, made a contract in which Dominicans would "buy" Haitians. As a result, the Dominican government was paying Haiti as much as three million a year for the Haitians willing to work. Even after the assassination of Trujillo, this continued, and the U.S. decided each year how much sugar would be imported. The United States had to step in to control what was going on with the country.
There did come a point when Haitians demanded to be brought back to Haiti after abuse and intended kidnapping from Trujillo collaborator Felix W. Bernardino. Because they rebelled, they were shot. This occurred when the sugar prices were high, thus letting know that when the prices dropped, Haitians would expect on receiving worse treatment. Following this, it was mentioned how, despite the fact that Haiti had abolished slavery for more than two hundred years, Haitians are still mistreated as if slavery continues. They are given no sense of humanity; it is stripped away from them once they leave Haiti and arrive in the Dominican Republic.
To summarize the last chapter read, it was dug into why Haitian presidents have the reputation of being corrupt. It started off when Jean-Claude's son "Baby Doc" became president. He spent money living a lavish lifestyle, money from the government flowing into his bank accounts. Getting off topic, cockfights were mentioned again, in which it was mentioned that three type of men attend the cockfight (breeders, players and gamblers). It can be an allusion to the U.S., Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, in which the breeders relate to the U.S. (in the way they control certain things). the players being D.R. and Haiti bring the gamblers.
Quote:
"The voiceless Haitians cannot even defend themselves. Human-rights advocates say they are modern-day slaves. It has been nearly two hundred years since Haiti abolished slavery, but this denial of workers' humanity persists" (Wucker 113).
Reaction:
Reading this section of the book, it was amazing to see what the Haitians have had to dealt with throughout their history. They managed to fight off all the big powers that came in to try and control them, and they achieved the abolishment of slavery. However, it's as if their happiness gets stripped away from them in every possible chance. They are not given respect by anybody, including their neighboring country. It's sad to see that those Haitians who leave their country are never truly accepted with their people, nor with the people of the Dominican Republic. They lose their identity, forced to work for a living acting as if they do not exist.
The reason I chose this quote was because it relates perfectly to the way Haitians have always been viewed. Everybody may "feel bad" about their daily living conditions, but nothing is ever actually done to help them out. People just pity the Haitians, but no respect is ever shown towards them. It is correct to say they are "modern-day slaves", because that is the way they are treated. If Haitians leave their country in search of a better life (just like everybody else does with leaving their native country to come to the U.S.) they should be respected as the human beings that they are, not as objects that need jobs to make money. It's very unfair of what they have to live through, as if history will always repeat itself.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Why the Cocks (Roosters) Fight (Pages 52-104)
Summary:
In the following pages of the book, a large amount of historical background information has been given. Readers learn about cruel dictator Rafael Trujillo, and his goal of practically destroying all Haitians that dared disrupt "his country". Following that, readers also learn about the rise and fall of Haiti, and their never-ending struggle for them to become a strong independent country. In the next chapter, Wucker explains both the rise and fall of Columbus and Toussaint, and how it negatively affected both countries as a result of their failures. Also, the complete history on how the Dominican Republic came to be is carefully and thoroughly explained, including all the religious background of the country and their most important saints, such as La Virgen de la Altagracia and Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes (the Virgin of Highest Grace and Our Lady of Mercy, respectively).
Following the background information of the Dominican Republic, Haiti's complete historical background is also told, starting from the legendary Toussaint L'Ouverture. Following all the history, it is explained how the Haitians escaped to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic's capital) to escape violence and hunger (84). Although they looked for an escape, life in Santo Domingo was not any easier, simply because they had to pay for "hotels" that merely even deserved to be called hotels, and Haitians still fear danger following them.
Quote:
"To try to escape, they once again are running to the center of Hispaniola, fleeing across the border in hopes of finding a means to survive" (Wucker 59).
Reaction:
Proceeding with the book, readers truly learn a lot more on the history and fight for independence of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Starting with Hispaniola, Wucker breaks down the history of the island as a whole, then elaborates on how Haiti and the Dominican fought for their independence (respectively). Since the chapter was called "Massacre River", Wucker elaborates on the history of this river, as well as the dangers and legends of the border that separate the two countries. Moving through the book, Wucker uses third person point of view and allusions to retell the past of this island, and the immense struggles they had to endure. Wucker lets readers know that while everybody may have an image of both the Dominican Republic and Haiti as countries that get along and help out one another (or rather, the Dominican Republic gives a lending hand to Haiti), these countries share a cruel past that separate them rather than bring them together. Through this, Wucker has done a great job thus far in depicting the reality of these two countries.
I chose this quote because it portrays the image of bonding between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Repeatedly, the book states everything that tears these two countries apart. This quote gives some positive light because, no matter how hard a situation, Haitians do have the ability to go to their neighbor country to find a better life for themselves. No matter how deep the scars, they still help each other out, which is a strange but strong bond these countries share to this day.
In the following pages of the book, a large amount of historical background information has been given. Readers learn about cruel dictator Rafael Trujillo, and his goal of practically destroying all Haitians that dared disrupt "his country". Following that, readers also learn about the rise and fall of Haiti, and their never-ending struggle for them to become a strong independent country. In the next chapter, Wucker explains both the rise and fall of Columbus and Toussaint, and how it negatively affected both countries as a result of their failures. Also, the complete history on how the Dominican Republic came to be is carefully and thoroughly explained, including all the religious background of the country and their most important saints, such as La Virgen de la Altagracia and Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes (the Virgin of Highest Grace and Our Lady of Mercy, respectively).
Following the background information of the Dominican Republic, Haiti's complete historical background is also told, starting from the legendary Toussaint L'Ouverture. Following all the history, it is explained how the Haitians escaped to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic's capital) to escape violence and hunger (84). Although they looked for an escape, life in Santo Domingo was not any easier, simply because they had to pay for "hotels" that merely even deserved to be called hotels, and Haitians still fear danger following them.
Quote:
"To try to escape, they once again are running to the center of Hispaniola, fleeing across the border in hopes of finding a means to survive" (Wucker 59).
Reaction:
Proceeding with the book, readers truly learn a lot more on the history and fight for independence of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Starting with Hispaniola, Wucker breaks down the history of the island as a whole, then elaborates on how Haiti and the Dominican fought for their independence (respectively). Since the chapter was called "Massacre River", Wucker elaborates on the history of this river, as well as the dangers and legends of the border that separate the two countries. Moving through the book, Wucker uses third person point of view and allusions to retell the past of this island, and the immense struggles they had to endure. Wucker lets readers know that while everybody may have an image of both the Dominican Republic and Haiti as countries that get along and help out one another (or rather, the Dominican Republic gives a lending hand to Haiti), these countries share a cruel past that separate them rather than bring them together. Through this, Wucker has done a great job thus far in depicting the reality of these two countries.
I chose this quote because it portrays the image of bonding between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Repeatedly, the book states everything that tears these two countries apart. This quote gives some positive light because, no matter how hard a situation, Haitians do have the ability to go to their neighbor country to find a better life for themselves. No matter how deep the scars, they still help each other out, which is a strange but strong bond these countries share to this day.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Why the Cocks (Roosters) Fight (Pages 1-51)
Summary:
Why the Cocks Fight is a historical book that author Michele Wucker retells about the history behind the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and how although these two countries share the same island of Hispaniola, many things tear them apart. In the opening chapter, the author recounts the entire story behind a rooster fight: from the bets made to the winning roosters, the humiliation the owners face when their roosters lose, to their more "professional" rooster fights in arenas called "coliseum" (16). Throughout this chapter, Wucker intertwines the history and current rooster fights with political figures that have fought for Hispaniola and for the independence of each individual country. In this first chapter, Wucker brings up famous political figures such as Rafael Trujillo, who dictated in the Dominican Republic for more than thirty years. He was not exactly shed in a positive light because of all the tragic and horrific events that he made suffer not only to Dominicans, but also to the Haitians. Because of him, the relationship between these two countries was immensely affected.
In the following chapter, Wucker goes way deeper into the connection of these two countries and their individual fight for independence. She started by mentioning the Massacre River (27). This river separates Haiti and the Dominican Republic in the border. This is the core of the chapter because here the author builds up for the rest of the historical information. Here, the author really digs into the essential
details of Hispaniola's history. Going back to the Haitian Revolution, Haiti struggled to gain their independence. They had to fight off mother countries such as Spain, France, Britain, and even the United States to keep obtaining their freedom. They had revolutionary leaders that tried to do good, but things still stayed bad. The Dominican Republic became a separate country from Haiti when the island of Hispaniola was separated by mother countries Spain and France. They gained their independence when revolutionary leaders such as Juan Pablo Duarte Francisco de Rosario Sanchez fought for their country's indepence through forming a group called La Trinitaria.This Massacre River as previously stated has been the grief of many Haitians when they were massacred and thrown into this river by orders of Trujillo. The irony was that Trujillo's grandmother was Haitian, yet he continously offended them due to the color of their skin. The tensions and struggles of these two countries has injured their relationship due to this constant struggle for power and the never-ending discrimination.
Quote:
"The rooster has come to represent all aspects of daily life in Hispaniola: politics, home, territory, courtship, healing, sustenance, the passage of time, and brotherhood. The cockfight is a symbol of both division and community, opposite sides of the same coin" (Wucker 12).
Reaction:
While reading the beginning pages of this book, a lot of background history is given page by page. The first chapter mainly related to cockfights, and the connection this shared with both the Dominican Republic. For one part of the chapter, the author does a great job in explaining all the lingo that is said during these fight, such as a criador, which is someone who has, "Bred, brought up, and overseen the training of a rooster" (Wucker 18). The author has done a great job thus far in connecting how these rooster fights relate to the strained relationship between Dominicans and Haitians. They have also connected it to other events in Haiti's and the Dominican Republic's history, such as the fight for independence for both these countries. It's simplified to a form that is understood by everyone, and all Spanish words are translated.
I chose this quote because it shows the strange relationship Haiti and the Dominican Republic share. This quote shares how, although these two countries have been separated by a lot of things men have done, at the same time they are brought together. For example, politics is something that majorly separates Hispaniola. At the same time, they are brought together because they bond over a rooster fight, which symbolically represents politics in the sense that they always go for the one that wins, or represents them well. I found it very interesting that these countries can be so strained, but at the same time, simple things make them bond and bring them together.
Why the Cocks Fight is a historical book that author Michele Wucker retells about the history behind the Dominican Republic and Haiti, and how although these two countries share the same island of Hispaniola, many things tear them apart. In the opening chapter, the author recounts the entire story behind a rooster fight: from the bets made to the winning roosters, the humiliation the owners face when their roosters lose, to their more "professional" rooster fights in arenas called "coliseum" (16). Throughout this chapter, Wucker intertwines the history and current rooster fights with political figures that have fought for Hispaniola and for the independence of each individual country. In this first chapter, Wucker brings up famous political figures such as Rafael Trujillo, who dictated in the Dominican Republic for more than thirty years. He was not exactly shed in a positive light because of all the tragic and horrific events that he made suffer not only to Dominicans, but also to the Haitians. Because of him, the relationship between these two countries was immensely affected.
In the following chapter, Wucker goes way deeper into the connection of these two countries and their individual fight for independence. She started by mentioning the Massacre River (27). This river separates Haiti and the Dominican Republic in the border. This is the core of the chapter because here the author builds up for the rest of the historical information. Here, the author really digs into the essential
details of Hispaniola's history. Going back to the Haitian Revolution, Haiti struggled to gain their independence. They had to fight off mother countries such as Spain, France, Britain, and even the United States to keep obtaining their freedom. They had revolutionary leaders that tried to do good, but things still stayed bad. The Dominican Republic became a separate country from Haiti when the island of Hispaniola was separated by mother countries Spain and France. They gained their independence when revolutionary leaders such as Juan Pablo Duarte Francisco de Rosario Sanchez fought for their country's indepence through forming a group called La Trinitaria.This Massacre River as previously stated has been the grief of many Haitians when they were massacred and thrown into this river by orders of Trujillo. The irony was that Trujillo's grandmother was Haitian, yet he continously offended them due to the color of their skin. The tensions and struggles of these two countries has injured their relationship due to this constant struggle for power and the never-ending discrimination.
Quote:
"The rooster has come to represent all aspects of daily life in Hispaniola: politics, home, territory, courtship, healing, sustenance, the passage of time, and brotherhood. The cockfight is a symbol of both division and community, opposite sides of the same coin" (Wucker 12).
Reaction:
While reading the beginning pages of this book, a lot of background history is given page by page. The first chapter mainly related to cockfights, and the connection this shared with both the Dominican Republic. For one part of the chapter, the author does a great job in explaining all the lingo that is said during these fight, such as a criador, which is someone who has, "Bred, brought up, and overseen the training of a rooster" (Wucker 18). The author has done a great job thus far in connecting how these rooster fights relate to the strained relationship between Dominicans and Haitians. They have also connected it to other events in Haiti's and the Dominican Republic's history, such as the fight for independence for both these countries. It's simplified to a form that is understood by everyone, and all Spanish words are translated.
I chose this quote because it shows the strange relationship Haiti and the Dominican Republic share. This quote shares how, although these two countries have been separated by a lot of things men have done, at the same time they are brought together. For example, politics is something that majorly separates Hispaniola. At the same time, they are brought together because they bond over a rooster fight, which symbolically represents politics in the sense that they always go for the one that wins, or represents them well. I found it very interesting that these countries can be so strained, but at the same time, simple things make them bond and bring them together.
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Time Traveler's Wife [*Film Review Reaction*]
Reading the movie review of the film version of The Time Traveler's Wife, I was somewhat surprised at what the author wrote. In the review, the author had stated that. "You could think of it as a crazy story about a stalker who sweet-talks a little girl whom he later seduces when she’s a teenager only to then knock her up and emotionally, psychologically and spiritually knock her down again and again, as he hopscotches naked across the time-space continuum"(Dargis). Just at the start of the review, I already disagreed with the author. Through this quote I thought it was completely wrong. For me, when I read the book and watched the movie, I never thought of Henry being a "stalker", but rather a lost character who can't control his time travelling, especially if it included visiting Clare. He never even knew who she was until the day he went to visit her in the meadow. He also had no intention of "sweet-talking" Clare, because he just didn't want her telling her parents who he was, and she was the one that ended up falling for him the more he visited.
Something else I disagreed with in the article was when it stated, "It’s another thing entirely to watch the big, strapping, healthy Eric Bana groping the greens. It isn’t his fault. Indeed, watching Mr. Bana frequently strut his seminude stuff, nimbly avoiding the full-frontal reveal even as he flashes some discreet cheek, is one of the few pleasures afforded by this often ridiculous, awkward, unsatisfying and dour melodramatic adaptation"(Dargis). Although the author of the article was referring to the author who played Henry, the ending of this quote was what was disappointing. I do agree with the part in which the movie was "awkward', because the interaction some characters had proved it to be awkward, such as when Henry was talking to Clare's dad when they were about to get married or even talking to his own father. However, I would not go as far as calling the movie "ridiculous, unsatisfying and dour melodramatic" because the film was an adaption of the book, and although the film wasn't an entire portrayal of the book, the article's criticism of the film can also be an insult to the book.
The rest of the article continued to summarize what the movie was about, and then the author proceeded to compare say how good the movie was to the book. To be more exact, the last part of the article said, "Ms. Niffenegger grasps the melodramatic truism that tears sting the strongest when the audience feels as if it had lost something, which helps explain her sales. By contrast, the filmmakers shroud the movie in foreboding as Henry looks for some clothes, and you search for your smile" (Dargis). Here the author attempts to be humorous, and states in simple words that the book was a way bigger hit than the movie, because the book depicts everything about Henry and Clare, whereas the movie covers all the good and makes it seem "creepy".
Dargis, Manohla. "So Sorry, I Lost My Clothes Years Ago". New York Times 14 August 2009. Web. 25 February 2011
<http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/movies/14time.html>.
Something else I disagreed with in the article was when it stated, "It’s another thing entirely to watch the big, strapping, healthy Eric Bana groping the greens. It isn’t his fault. Indeed, watching Mr. Bana frequently strut his seminude stuff, nimbly avoiding the full-frontal reveal even as he flashes some discreet cheek, is one of the few pleasures afforded by this often ridiculous, awkward, unsatisfying and dour melodramatic adaptation"(Dargis). Although the author of the article was referring to the author who played Henry, the ending of this quote was what was disappointing. I do agree with the part in which the movie was "awkward', because the interaction some characters had proved it to be awkward, such as when Henry was talking to Clare's dad when they were about to get married or even talking to his own father. However, I would not go as far as calling the movie "ridiculous, unsatisfying and dour melodramatic" because the film was an adaption of the book, and although the film wasn't an entire portrayal of the book, the article's criticism of the film can also be an insult to the book.
The rest of the article continued to summarize what the movie was about, and then the author proceeded to compare say how good the movie was to the book. To be more exact, the last part of the article said, "Ms. Niffenegger grasps the melodramatic truism that tears sting the strongest when the audience feels as if it had lost something, which helps explain her sales. By contrast, the filmmakers shroud the movie in foreboding as Henry looks for some clothes, and you search for your smile" (Dargis). Here the author attempts to be humorous, and states in simple words that the book was a way bigger hit than the movie, because the book depicts everything about Henry and Clare, whereas the movie covers all the good and makes it seem "creepy".
Dargis, Manohla. "So Sorry, I Lost My Clothes Years Ago". New York Times 14 August 2009. Web. 25 February 2011
<http://movies.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/movies/14time.html>.
The Time Traveler's Wife [*Movie Reaction*]
Watching the film version of The Time Traveler's Wife, I was somewhat disappointed by it. There were a lot of differences portrayed in the movie starting from the beginning that made me realize it wouldn't capture at least half of what the book says. For example, in the beginning of the book, Clare meets Henry in the library after not having seeing him since her eighteenth birthday. However, in the movie, the beginning started off with the death of Henry's mother, and it skipped forwards then backwards on to the scene where Clare and Henry met. There was a sense of chronological events for a bit of the movie, but then it skipped right to when Henry decided to give Clare his mother's wedding and engagement rings.
Some other details that were slightly different would be the way in which the characters interacted with each other, and added parts that were only casually mentioned in the book. One example would be the date Clare and Henry had after their encounter in the library. In the book, Clare had mentioned a notebook in which Henry wrote down all the dates. However, there wasn't much depth to it, and it was only mentioned at least twice after that. In the movie, through the usage of a crane shot, Clare takes out that notebook and shows it to Henry, but it seems to have a bigger importance for Henry. Something else that was added would have to be the scene where Henry and Clare were in the park discussing how he time travels. Through the medium shot, Henry tells Clare how he ends up in places and how he feels about his time travelling.
The way the director told the story of the movie was a little bit too different from what the author portrayed. It is understood through the readers that time in the book jumps forward and backward through Henry. However, in the film, the passage of time gets only portrayed forwards. Through camera movement of pan and change of scene examples such as dissolve and fade, viewers of the film see the transformation of Alba from the moment in which she starts of as a baby to the day of her fifth birthday, as well as the scene in which Henry learns he will die. Everything in the movie happens too suddenly, and it only shows the struggles of Henry and Clare as something that will be done with soon, when in the book, it happens more often than expected.
The ending of the movie was far different than the ending of the book. In the book, through a letter left by Henry after his death, Clare learns that Henry time travelled to the future and saw Clare as an old lady. Also, since another Henry is out in time somewhere, he continues to visit his daughter, but can never visit Clare. In the end, the way Henry sees Clare is the exact same way he saw her when he time travelled. In the movie, everything is completely different. Through tilting the camera, Alba(at ten years old) sees Henry again after his death. It would have fit in with the book except that Alba has one of the kids she's playing with go and tell her mom that her father is there. Clare runs to the meadow and sees Henry for the first time after his death, which never ocurred in the book. As Henry disappeared and his clothes fell, through the camera zooming out we see Clare and Alba picking up his clothes and walking away together.
It upset me that at least a few more scenes should have been added to the movie, an example being that Henry should have found out that Gomez was in love with Clare just as he was in the book, or that Henry's ex Ingrid was never even put it as a character, but only mentioned once. Something that was portrayed well was the scene where, as Henry was dressed up as a girl and was beating up a guy because of it, he met Gomez, or rather, through camera moving in a pan, Gomez sees Henry, and here he tells Gomez he is a time traveller, and disappears right before his eyes. It may not been as exact as the book, but it was humorous nonetheless. Overall, although the movie varied greatly from the book, the movie portrayed more of the romance between Clare and Henry, which was nice to see through the unfolding of it all. Even though the book showed all the struggle this couple had, the romance was still seeping through, and although they varied greatly, the movie and book were great.
Some other details that were slightly different would be the way in which the characters interacted with each other, and added parts that were only casually mentioned in the book. One example would be the date Clare and Henry had after their encounter in the library. In the book, Clare had mentioned a notebook in which Henry wrote down all the dates. However, there wasn't much depth to it, and it was only mentioned at least twice after that. In the movie, through the usage of a crane shot, Clare takes out that notebook and shows it to Henry, but it seems to have a bigger importance for Henry. Something else that was added would have to be the scene where Henry and Clare were in the park discussing how he time travels. Through the medium shot, Henry tells Clare how he ends up in places and how he feels about his time travelling.
The way the director told the story of the movie was a little bit too different from what the author portrayed. It is understood through the readers that time in the book jumps forward and backward through Henry. However, in the film, the passage of time gets only portrayed forwards. Through camera movement of pan and change of scene examples such as dissolve and fade, viewers of the film see the transformation of Alba from the moment in which she starts of as a baby to the day of her fifth birthday, as well as the scene in which Henry learns he will die. Everything in the movie happens too suddenly, and it only shows the struggles of Henry and Clare as something that will be done with soon, when in the book, it happens more often than expected.
The ending of the movie was far different than the ending of the book. In the book, through a letter left by Henry after his death, Clare learns that Henry time travelled to the future and saw Clare as an old lady. Also, since another Henry is out in time somewhere, he continues to visit his daughter, but can never visit Clare. In the end, the way Henry sees Clare is the exact same way he saw her when he time travelled. In the movie, everything is completely different. Through tilting the camera, Alba(at ten years old) sees Henry again after his death. It would have fit in with the book except that Alba has one of the kids she's playing with go and tell her mom that her father is there. Clare runs to the meadow and sees Henry for the first time after his death, which never ocurred in the book. As Henry disappeared and his clothes fell, through the camera zooming out we see Clare and Alba picking up his clothes and walking away together.
It upset me that at least a few more scenes should have been added to the movie, an example being that Henry should have found out that Gomez was in love with Clare just as he was in the book, or that Henry's ex Ingrid was never even put it as a character, but only mentioned once. Something that was portrayed well was the scene where, as Henry was dressed up as a girl and was beating up a guy because of it, he met Gomez, or rather, through camera moving in a pan, Gomez sees Henry, and here he tells Gomez he is a time traveller, and disappears right before his eyes. It may not been as exact as the book, but it was humorous nonetheless. Overall, although the movie varied greatly from the book, the movie portrayed more of the romance between Clare and Henry, which was nice to see through the unfolding of it all. Even though the book showed all the struggle this couple had, the romance was still seeping through, and although they varied greatly, the movie and book were great.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The Time Traveler's Wife (Pgs.428-536) (**End of Book**)
Summary
In the concluding sections of the book, a lot of drama and tragedy occurs. Picking up from the last page, Clare begins narrating the new chapter by being in her studio, and thinking about how she hasn't seen Henry in 24 hours. Then, as she's drinking coffee, he shows up, and judging by the good mood he's in, she knows from what year he is coming from. They stay close and start talking, and then Clare confesses to Henry that while waiting to see him again, she made the mistake in sleeping with Gomez. Henry wasn't exactly super upset, because he did tell her to try and do what she could until they saw each other again. At the same time, he was sorta jealous. Then, to add a twist to the confession, Henry asked Clare how it was, and in the end, all was forgiven. Afterwards, the book seems to go back into the day where Clare actually slept with Gomez. The events play out to when Clare wakes up in the morning and realizes what she has done, and almost instantly feels bad in doing it because she thinks of Henry. As she starts crying into Gomez's arms, he asks her who is Henry, because she was talking in her sleep about him. Clare explains that he is her lover, and knowing that Gomez won't believe her, she takes out a picture of him, to which Gomez recognizes. He tells her he isn't good for her, based on the reputation he's heard of Henry, but Clare doesn't care. Here readers learn that this bothers Gomez because he's in love with Clare, and that it hurts him that she prefers to be with Henry. The memory concludes with Gomez kissing Clare, and her not stopping him, and then she leaves.
In the next flashback through time, Henry is with Ingrid, and he encounters Gomez. Of course, it's a younger Henry that hasn't met him, and when Gomez asks him about Clare, he has no idea who it is. The next thing that happens is that Charisse and Henry go to an opera, where she tells him that Gomez is in love with Clare, and that she's hoping he doesn't leave her, to which Henry responds that he won't. Following that, future Alba is with present Alba, and they are playing together. When future Alba sees Henry, she starts crying and runs to go hug him, while Henry whispers in her ear that Clare can't know that he dies. They then go out for ice cream and after that, future Alba disappears. When Clare tries figuring out what happened, Henry won't say anything.
Throughout the rest of the book, everything happens chronologically for a while. One day, Henry calls Henry because he's in the freezing cold, but then he disappears. That leads to one Henry having his feet amputated due to hypothermia and left in a wheelchair. Following that, it's Henry's birthday, and Clare decided to buy him an album by his mother. Then, Clare finds out that Henry had Alba get some sort of test so Dr.Kendrick can get working on if she will time travel as well or not. A long period of time after that, Henry finally teaches Clare how to cook, and then Henry time travels back to when Ingrid commits suicide. Henry's time to dying is approaching, but he still won't tell Clare how or when. Henry's death comes on New Years, when in the past he gets shot by a rifle by Clare's dad, who must have thought Henry was an animal when he was hunting. He comes back and is bleeding, and he dies surrounded by Clare and Alba. After that, Clare becomes depressed, and then reads a letter Henry left her in which he tells her he time travelled into the future, and sees her as an old lady. However, there is still another Henry out there that visits his daughter, but not Clare. Clare ends up almost sleeping with Gomez again, if it weren't for Charisse coming home. She did this thinking it was Henry because she's still waiting or him. The book concludes with Henry seeing Clare again as an old lady, just like he had before.
Quote
"Tonight I feel that my love for you has more density in this world than I do, myself; as though it could linger on after me and surround you, keep you, hold you" (Niffenegger 519).
Reaction
Through the conclusion of the book, a lot of things occured that kept the reader very interested. The book went in a better chronological order, with Henry's time traveling better understood. The change of narrators still occurs, and the suspense of readers knowing that Henry knows when he is going to die but Clare doesn't leaves readers wondering if she will ever find out, until the day of his death, where he tells her it's time. Although it's very upsetting that Henry dies, there is still some comfort that there's another Henry that Clare has to wait for.
This quote came from the letter that Henry left Clare before his death, in which he expresses all his feelings. I liked this part of the letter because it's so sweet how much love existed between him and Clare. Although he later states in the letter that he has been an "uncertain husband", it's still sweet how even through all that, their relationship would be something they both could always treasure. It's also sweet that, just through venting thoughts and feelings, his love for her continues to grow. It proves that even if they get separated, their love will never end, because somewhere out in time exists another Henry, that loves Clare just as much as this Henry does. It's a love story that couldn't have been better told.
In the concluding sections of the book, a lot of drama and tragedy occurs. Picking up from the last page, Clare begins narrating the new chapter by being in her studio, and thinking about how she hasn't seen Henry in 24 hours. Then, as she's drinking coffee, he shows up, and judging by the good mood he's in, she knows from what year he is coming from. They stay close and start talking, and then Clare confesses to Henry that while waiting to see him again, she made the mistake in sleeping with Gomez. Henry wasn't exactly super upset, because he did tell her to try and do what she could until they saw each other again. At the same time, he was sorta jealous. Then, to add a twist to the confession, Henry asked Clare how it was, and in the end, all was forgiven. Afterwards, the book seems to go back into the day where Clare actually slept with Gomez. The events play out to when Clare wakes up in the morning and realizes what she has done, and almost instantly feels bad in doing it because she thinks of Henry. As she starts crying into Gomez's arms, he asks her who is Henry, because she was talking in her sleep about him. Clare explains that he is her lover, and knowing that Gomez won't believe her, she takes out a picture of him, to which Gomez recognizes. He tells her he isn't good for her, based on the reputation he's heard of Henry, but Clare doesn't care. Here readers learn that this bothers Gomez because he's in love with Clare, and that it hurts him that she prefers to be with Henry. The memory concludes with Gomez kissing Clare, and her not stopping him, and then she leaves.
In the next flashback through time, Henry is with Ingrid, and he encounters Gomez. Of course, it's a younger Henry that hasn't met him, and when Gomez asks him about Clare, he has no idea who it is. The next thing that happens is that Charisse and Henry go to an opera, where she tells him that Gomez is in love with Clare, and that she's hoping he doesn't leave her, to which Henry responds that he won't. Following that, future Alba is with present Alba, and they are playing together. When future Alba sees Henry, she starts crying and runs to go hug him, while Henry whispers in her ear that Clare can't know that he dies. They then go out for ice cream and after that, future Alba disappears. When Clare tries figuring out what happened, Henry won't say anything.
Throughout the rest of the book, everything happens chronologically for a while. One day, Henry calls Henry because he's in the freezing cold, but then he disappears. That leads to one Henry having his feet amputated due to hypothermia and left in a wheelchair. Following that, it's Henry's birthday, and Clare decided to buy him an album by his mother. Then, Clare finds out that Henry had Alba get some sort of test so Dr.Kendrick can get working on if she will time travel as well or not. A long period of time after that, Henry finally teaches Clare how to cook, and then Henry time travels back to when Ingrid commits suicide. Henry's time to dying is approaching, but he still won't tell Clare how or when. Henry's death comes on New Years, when in the past he gets shot by a rifle by Clare's dad, who must have thought Henry was an animal when he was hunting. He comes back and is bleeding, and he dies surrounded by Clare and Alba. After that, Clare becomes depressed, and then reads a letter Henry left her in which he tells her he time travelled into the future, and sees her as an old lady. However, there is still another Henry out there that visits his daughter, but not Clare. Clare ends up almost sleeping with Gomez again, if it weren't for Charisse coming home. She did this thinking it was Henry because she's still waiting or him. The book concludes with Henry seeing Clare again as an old lady, just like he had before.
Quote
"Tonight I feel that my love for you has more density in this world than I do, myself; as though it could linger on after me and surround you, keep you, hold you" (Niffenegger 519).
Reaction
Through the conclusion of the book, a lot of things occured that kept the reader very interested. The book went in a better chronological order, with Henry's time traveling better understood. The change of narrators still occurs, and the suspense of readers knowing that Henry knows when he is going to die but Clare doesn't leaves readers wondering if she will ever find out, until the day of his death, where he tells her it's time. Although it's very upsetting that Henry dies, there is still some comfort that there's another Henry that Clare has to wait for.
This quote came from the letter that Henry left Clare before his death, in which he expresses all his feelings. I liked this part of the letter because it's so sweet how much love existed between him and Clare. Although he later states in the letter that he has been an "uncertain husband", it's still sweet how even through all that, their relationship would be something they both could always treasure. It's also sweet that, just through venting thoughts and feelings, his love for her continues to grow. It proves that even if they get separated, their love will never end, because somewhere out in time exists another Henry, that loves Clare just as much as this Henry does. It's a love story that couldn't have been better told.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Time Traveler's Wife (Pgs. 219-428)
Summary
In the following sections and pages and the book, Henry starts off by walking over to his old apartment to visit his father. When he arrives, he meets Mrs. Kim, who's pretty much raised him since he was a child. They start having a nice conversation and Mrs. Kim learns that Henry is with Claire, and now is anxious to meet her. Then, Mrs. Kim found out that the real reason Henry went to visit was to ask his father to give him his mom's rings, and thus she found out that Henry is getting married to Clare. As the conversation continued, Henry learns that his father hasn't been paying his rent, hasn't been working and has been throwing things around and screaming. This is due to him missing Henry's mother and not being able to work anymore because his hands shake a lot. The chapter concludes with Henry's father giving him the rings.
In the chapters that follow, Clare and Henry are together on her twenty- first birthday. On her birthday, Henry asks Clare to marry him, and she says yes. Then, a week later, Henry takes Clare to meet his father and Mrs. Kim. They both loved her. Also, when Clare was in a cafe, she encountered Cecilia, who is a friend of Henry's ex Ingrid. She took her to see her, and when Ingrid found out she was getting married to Henry, she got very upset and left. However, that's not all that happened. In future events, Henry is looking for a drug to somehow alter his time travelling for at least a few hours so he won't disappear when his wedding day comes. Unfortunately, he took the a drug that had the wrong response in his body, and so he ends up in the hospital. Less than a month later, it is time for Henry and Clare's wedding, and on their wedding day, just a few moments before Henry has to go and marry Clare, he time travels for a bit, but then he comes back quickly.
So much has happened that it wouldn't be enough to explain. Something really important that hasn't been mentioned though is that Clare ends up pregnant, but has at least 6 miscarriages, which leaves her mentally, physically and emotionally destroyed. She does end up finally having a baby without no miscarriage, and Henry disappeared very briefly just before she gave birth. When he travelled in the future, he saw his daughter when she was older yet still a child, and in this time travel he learns that she time travels too, but that he is dead. Also, around the time of Clare's miscarriages, Henry is seeing a doctor that will help him figure out what is wrong with him that causes him to time travel. The last thing mentioned was how Claire lost her virginity to Henry on her eighteenth birthday.
Quote
"'She was a very emotional person, Annette. She brought that out in other people. After she died I don't think I ever really felt anything again'"( Niffenegger 238).
Reaction
In these sections of the book, so much happens that it can really keep the reader interested. It doesn't seem as if one is flying through the pages, because it feels as if one is time travelling with Henry and it feels as if one is in the adventures as well. The author hasn't lost the details and essence of the true romance between Henry and Clare that keeps growing. The author is also still stating some things that are explained later in the book, which is what keeps the reading going and it's what catches the attentions of readers as well.
I chose this quote because I like the honesty Richard (Henry's father) portrayed in talking about Henry's mother Annette. He did say more but I liked this particular part because it's very easy to tell that Richard was very in love with Annette and that they were very happy together, and even if she died, he's still in love with her. Through this I learned that this is where Richard fell apart, because he may feel as if he could have stopped her from getting killed but he couldn't. Through his words I also learned that Richard lost a huge part of himself in losing his wife, and I find it sweet how it takes one conversation about Annette to make him be somewhat himself again. It shows the sincere love they have, which is similar to what Henry and Clare have.
In the following sections and pages and the book, Henry starts off by walking over to his old apartment to visit his father. When he arrives, he meets Mrs. Kim, who's pretty much raised him since he was a child. They start having a nice conversation and Mrs. Kim learns that Henry is with Claire, and now is anxious to meet her. Then, Mrs. Kim found out that the real reason Henry went to visit was to ask his father to give him his mom's rings, and thus she found out that Henry is getting married to Clare. As the conversation continued, Henry learns that his father hasn't been paying his rent, hasn't been working and has been throwing things around and screaming. This is due to him missing Henry's mother and not being able to work anymore because his hands shake a lot. The chapter concludes with Henry's father giving him the rings.
In the chapters that follow, Clare and Henry are together on her twenty- first birthday. On her birthday, Henry asks Clare to marry him, and she says yes. Then, a week later, Henry takes Clare to meet his father and Mrs. Kim. They both loved her. Also, when Clare was in a cafe, she encountered Cecilia, who is a friend of Henry's ex Ingrid. She took her to see her, and when Ingrid found out she was getting married to Henry, she got very upset and left. However, that's not all that happened. In future events, Henry is looking for a drug to somehow alter his time travelling for at least a few hours so he won't disappear when his wedding day comes. Unfortunately, he took the a drug that had the wrong response in his body, and so he ends up in the hospital. Less than a month later, it is time for Henry and Clare's wedding, and on their wedding day, just a few moments before Henry has to go and marry Clare, he time travels for a bit, but then he comes back quickly.
So much has happened that it wouldn't be enough to explain. Something really important that hasn't been mentioned though is that Clare ends up pregnant, but has at least 6 miscarriages, which leaves her mentally, physically and emotionally destroyed. She does end up finally having a baby without no miscarriage, and Henry disappeared very briefly just before she gave birth. When he travelled in the future, he saw his daughter when she was older yet still a child, and in this time travel he learns that she time travels too, but that he is dead. Also, around the time of Clare's miscarriages, Henry is seeing a doctor that will help him figure out what is wrong with him that causes him to time travel. The last thing mentioned was how Claire lost her virginity to Henry on her eighteenth birthday.
Quote
"'She was a very emotional person, Annette. She brought that out in other people. After she died I don't think I ever really felt anything again'"( Niffenegger 238).
Reaction
In these sections of the book, so much happens that it can really keep the reader interested. It doesn't seem as if one is flying through the pages, because it feels as if one is time travelling with Henry and it feels as if one is in the adventures as well. The author hasn't lost the details and essence of the true romance between Henry and Clare that keeps growing. The author is also still stating some things that are explained later in the book, which is what keeps the reading going and it's what catches the attentions of readers as well.
I chose this quote because I like the honesty Richard (Henry's father) portrayed in talking about Henry's mother Annette. He did say more but I liked this particular part because it's very easy to tell that Richard was very in love with Annette and that they were very happy together, and even if she died, he's still in love with her. Through this I learned that this is where Richard fell apart, because he may feel as if he could have stopped her from getting killed but he couldn't. Through his words I also learned that Richard lost a huge part of himself in losing his wife, and I find it sweet how it takes one conversation about Annette to make him be somewhat himself again. It shows the sincere love they have, which is similar to what Henry and Clare have.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The Time Traveler's Wife (Pgs.1-218)
Summary
The Time Traveler's Wife tells the love story between librarian Henry DeTamble and Clare Abshire. Henry travels through time practially involuntarily, and during his time travelling he meets Clare, only he meets her at the age of six. When he time travels, his ages vary depending on the year he is relocated to. Also, when he time travels, once he arrives, he arrives naked. In the pages read, readers are introduced to Clare, when she is the age of 20 and Henry the age of 28, which is the real age difference between them. Clare tells readers how she first saw Henry, and the excitement she felt, although he had not a clue who she was. She reminisces on the memories she shared with Henry while she grew up, and how she's hoping he loves her in this present as he has in her past and their future. She asks Henry out on a date, and he relunctantly agrees. In this date Clare tells Henry everything they have gone through in their past, but then they have a normal date and talk. The date ends with Clare going to Henry's apartment, and they spend the night together.
The rest of the pages proceed with readers learning about both Clare and Henry's childhood. Clare grew up living a good life. Her father was a lawyer, and her brother Mark was on his way to becoming a lawyer himself. She also had a younger sister named Alicia. She mainly got along with her mother and her housekeeper, Etta. Meanwhile, Henry was an only child. His mother was a famous singer and his father a violinist. His mother died in a car accident when he was a child, and the relationship between Henry and his father has been strained ever since. Henry doesn't ever say much to Clare about his past, but eventually he does, and she learns how he feels he should have died along with his mother. He tells her that when they crashed into the truck, "I was watching us plow into this truck, and then I was in the hospital...I was completely abscent from the scene for ten minutes and forty-seven seconds. I don't remember where I went"(Niffenegger 113-114). This shows that this was the second time Henry had time travelled, and that's why he survived the accident.
The last things that happen in the pages read were that Henry goes and visits Clare while she grows up, and through this they fall in love with each other. Later in the future, Henry visits her family for the first time, along with meeting her friends. He spends time with her family during Christmas break, which is a sad time for his because this was when his mother died.
Quote
"I hear a muffled sniffling noise and glancing at Clare I am astonished to see that tears are streaming across her face towards her ears. 'What's wrong Clare?'...It comes out so quietly that I have to ask her to repeat it: It's just that I thought maybe you were married to me.'"(Niffenegger 71).
Reaction
In this book, the author makes it known when the narrators are changing, like when Henry will be narrating or when Clare will be narrating. This story is different from other stories because it doesn't just mention an event and then start telling how it happened from that exact moment. Instead, the author mentions the event and doesn't get into it until later in the book, which can really leave readers curious and makes them want to keep reading so they can figure out how exactly it happened. An example of this is when readers find out Henry's mother dies when he's young. They never learn how it happens because it's never told in detail at that precise moment. Instead, readers find out much later in the book, and they learn the detail of how she died, which was in a car accident. This book is amazing so far as far details. Something that does get confusing is when Henry time travels and is different ages, including seeing himself both either at the same age or younger/ older.
I chose this quote because I like the connection Henry and Clare have, even if she is just a child. She is upset because she has asked Henry if he has a wife, to which he responded yes. This upsets her because, while at a sleepover with friends and playing a game in the Ouija board, she learns that Henry is her husband, or rather will be. What she's unaware of is that she is the wife that Henry speaks of, only in the future. I think this quote is really cute because it foreshadows how Clare and Henry will be together in the future, and how from such a young age, she knows that he's the one she wants to be with. I think the connection her and Henry share at this point is already past an older man and a little girl, and that the love they will share in the future comes from this lovable connection they share now. The last thing this quote shows is that they will be together practially forever, because of the non-ending encounters between them and how their feelings increase more and more throughout the change of time and time travels.
The Time Traveler's Wife tells the love story between librarian Henry DeTamble and Clare Abshire. Henry travels through time practially involuntarily, and during his time travelling he meets Clare, only he meets her at the age of six. When he time travels, his ages vary depending on the year he is relocated to. Also, when he time travels, once he arrives, he arrives naked. In the pages read, readers are introduced to Clare, when she is the age of 20 and Henry the age of 28, which is the real age difference between them. Clare tells readers how she first saw Henry, and the excitement she felt, although he had not a clue who she was. She reminisces on the memories she shared with Henry while she grew up, and how she's hoping he loves her in this present as he has in her past and their future. She asks Henry out on a date, and he relunctantly agrees. In this date Clare tells Henry everything they have gone through in their past, but then they have a normal date and talk. The date ends with Clare going to Henry's apartment, and they spend the night together.
The rest of the pages proceed with readers learning about both Clare and Henry's childhood. Clare grew up living a good life. Her father was a lawyer, and her brother Mark was on his way to becoming a lawyer himself. She also had a younger sister named Alicia. She mainly got along with her mother and her housekeeper, Etta. Meanwhile, Henry was an only child. His mother was a famous singer and his father a violinist. His mother died in a car accident when he was a child, and the relationship between Henry and his father has been strained ever since. Henry doesn't ever say much to Clare about his past, but eventually he does, and she learns how he feels he should have died along with his mother. He tells her that when they crashed into the truck, "I was watching us plow into this truck, and then I was in the hospital...I was completely abscent from the scene for ten minutes and forty-seven seconds. I don't remember where I went"(Niffenegger 113-114). This shows that this was the second time Henry had time travelled, and that's why he survived the accident.
The last things that happen in the pages read were that Henry goes and visits Clare while she grows up, and through this they fall in love with each other. Later in the future, Henry visits her family for the first time, along with meeting her friends. He spends time with her family during Christmas break, which is a sad time for his because this was when his mother died.
Quote
"I hear a muffled sniffling noise and glancing at Clare I am astonished to see that tears are streaming across her face towards her ears. 'What's wrong Clare?'...It comes out so quietly that I have to ask her to repeat it: It's just that I thought maybe you were married to me.'"(Niffenegger 71).
Reaction
In this book, the author makes it known when the narrators are changing, like when Henry will be narrating or when Clare will be narrating. This story is different from other stories because it doesn't just mention an event and then start telling how it happened from that exact moment. Instead, the author mentions the event and doesn't get into it until later in the book, which can really leave readers curious and makes them want to keep reading so they can figure out how exactly it happened. An example of this is when readers find out Henry's mother dies when he's young. They never learn how it happens because it's never told in detail at that precise moment. Instead, readers find out much later in the book, and they learn the detail of how she died, which was in a car accident. This book is amazing so far as far details. Something that does get confusing is when Henry time travels and is different ages, including seeing himself both either at the same age or younger/ older.
I chose this quote because I like the connection Henry and Clare have, even if she is just a child. She is upset because she has asked Henry if he has a wife, to which he responded yes. This upsets her because, while at a sleepover with friends and playing a game in the Ouija board, she learns that Henry is her husband, or rather will be. What she's unaware of is that she is the wife that Henry speaks of, only in the future. I think this quote is really cute because it foreshadows how Clare and Henry will be together in the future, and how from such a young age, she knows that he's the one she wants to be with. I think the connection her and Henry share at this point is already past an older man and a little girl, and that the love they will share in the future comes from this lovable connection they share now. The last thing this quote shows is that they will be together practially forever, because of the non-ending encounters between them and how their feelings increase more and more throughout the change of time and time travels.
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