Blog 28: Interpreter of Maladies

1. On page sixteen of Lahiri's short story, Mr. Kapasi makes observations of the Das's children: "Mr. Kapasi noted that this boy was slightly paler than the other children" (16). What is "foreshadowing"? Why does the author focus on this moment and how does it foreshadow what may occur in the story? What did you first suspect when you read this line?

Foreshadowing is a warning or indication of future events. When the author focuses on the boy's pale face, he's pointing out the differences in each chil

d. In the beginning, Bobby went out of the car to watch the goat and the it is clear that his father doesn't care as much about him so he just has his brother go outside to watch him. The pale face foreshadows the fact that the mother had an affair because he is different-looking than the other children of the family. When I read this line, I thought maybe he was ill, or even adopted, but the author obviously meant otherwise by it.

Blog 27: TBCC, The End

Period 3: What happened down in the Lenape Indian burial ground's cave? How do geologists at Stockton College explain the events? Why is it clear that Torey is still profoundly bothered by what he saw down there? In your opinion, is Dr. Fahdi have Torey's best interests in mind? Cite a quotation from the text to support your conclusions.

Torey saw the body of Bob Haines in the Lenape Indian burial ground. As he opened the cave, the body seemingly blew away. The only thing that remained in tact was the gun as it pointed toward Torey. The scientists at Stockton called it immaculate decomposition. They explained that it was so deteriorated from being in the cave for so long without oxygen. Anyone who sees a dead body can be disturbed for life. Having wondered about Bob and Digger for these past months, it was a life-changing experience for Torey.

It's clear that Torey is still disturbed because now he can only smell and taste things that have a burning sense. "I just gripped her around the neck, saying, 'I've just been in hell...' (Plum-Ucci 291) Dr. Fahdi did have Torey's best interest at heart, being a doctor.

Blog 26: Dishonesty Breeds Dishonesty/ Ch. 17

I think the dynamic between the adult and child characters in The Body of Christopher Creed is very realistic. Growing up in a small town like Steepleton, we have all experienced the secrets and lies that adults keep from us children. Occasionally, these secrets are unveiled, allowing us to view the adults in a whole new light. A specific example is Ms. McDermott, who sleeps around with married men and has virtually no morals. The worst part is that she does it loud enough for her kids to hear, which could cause them to have psychological problems later in life. It is a common misconception for children to believe they must rely on adults because, the truth is, adults are just big children. You must learn from your own mistakes and not always follow in their footsteps, but instead try to make the best of their indiscretions.

Blog 25: Chapter 6: Torey's Lyrics

Is he alive, or is he dead?

Freight train running all thru my head

Will he turn up in the woods?

He could be hanging by a thread

O, Christopher Creed where have you gone?

I know it's hard, but you could have stayed

Not everyone can live up to a swan

This town is falling apart, like a little girl's braid

Please come home

Show us your grin

We all want to roam

I want to ask...how have you been?

The first two lyrics that Torey has written are significant in his life because Christopher's disappearance has really taken a toll on him psychologically. He expresses this with the freight train comparison. The first line states a question. This shows how he's going back and forth with himself asking questions that no one can answer and that really messes with his head.

Blog 14: Chapter 1 in The Body of Christopher Creed

What do you think of Torey as a character? Does he remind you of Holden Caulfield? Why/ why not? Speak to the reliability of both narrators and make a comparison of the two.

Torey is a troubled boy and wants to be normal again. His resemblance to Holden Caulfield included going to boarding schools and being existentialist beings. I believe they are both depressed as well. They also both have nuisances of roommates. Ackley is the roomate in Catcher who annoys Holden and sticks his nose in his business. Leo is Torey's annoying roommate.

Blog 23: Issues in Our American Society

Driven to Distraction

The author supports his statements against texting and driving with statistics about how any people have died as a result of the act. He states that texting and driving is equivalent to drunk driving, and uses the example of the death of two men to support it. My personal opinion agrees with that of the author. After reading about all the deaths and accidents that have occurred since text messaging on the roads became an issue, I think the penalty should be heavy. My idea is that, if you are choosing to text and drive, it is very similar as choosing to drink and drive, and the penalties should be alike if not the same. The author uses a picture to depict his opinions. The picture shows the driver texting with both hands while the passenger takes control of the steering wheel. I think this is a realistic depiction of how dangerous texting while driving can be.

Should I take a job promoting cigarettes?

This author starts out by using outstanding statistics telling how many people die as a result of smoking each year. The picture he uses shows a factory worker handling hundreds of packs of cigarettes. He asks the heavy question of: would you want to be responsible for millions of deaths a year?

Blog 22: The "Birds" and the Bees

1. Yes. She had yet to experiment with sex because she believed she was a lesbian, not because she was abused in the past. She was also uneducated on the subject of sex, and this is revealed when she believes that the lump growing on her is a penis, making her a lesbian.

2. If they had discussed the issue earlier, she would've known to use contraception and be careful about who she has sex with. It was hard for them to discuss such a taboo topic, especially when she had been raped at such a young age and, as a result, stopped talking.

3. Yes, because you can't expect Maya to never have sex just because of her bad experience. If she hadn't been raped, maybe she wouldn't have become pregnant and her life would be different, but there's always the possibility.

4. If she had lived in Stamps, she would've been harshly judged and would have kept her baby and lived at home to take care of it.

5. She would've probably not been treated all that differently. She might've been called white trash and closer to the rank of black citizens.

Extra Credit:

1. What if Marguerite had gotten pregnant when she had sex with Mr. Freeman when she was eight?

2. What if she hadn't kept the baby?