Tuesday, November 02, 2010

BLOG POST # 1- LUCKY- Period 1-Due Thursday 11/4

7 comments:

  1. Summary:
    In the first section that we read, the author, Alice Sebold, describes in great detail of how she was beaten and raped as a college sophomore. This section also portrays how embarrassing this moment was for her. Alice had a great support system through her friends and tells the rest of her family including her mother, father and sister about the incident.
    Vocab Words:
    Parcel: “…then asked to parcel out redemption for the rest of her life.”
    Definition: parcel: as of a commodity for sale; lot.
    Affidavit: “They needed a formal affidavit and there were mug books to look at.”
    Definition: affidavit: a written declaration upon oath made before an authorized official.
    Connection:
    I can relate to Alice in part of this section because I have been through difficult times where I needed support. Although Alice’s situation is far worse, many people deal with problems in their life that they would not be able to handle with someone to be there for them.
    Quotes: Page-32
    “All I saw were what I thought of as errors he had made, the things he had left out or the words he has substituted for what actually had been said. ‘All that doesn’t matter,’ he said ‘We just need the gist of it. As soon as you sign it you can go home.”
    Explanation: This quote is very significant because it how the police really don’t understand how Alice feels. When going through a traumatic event such as being raped, as Alice did, every little detail is very important and hurtful. I know if I was Alice I would be very upset that the police said the details didn’t matter, in fact, they matter the most.
    Page-50
    “I did not want new experience. I wanted what I knew the house I had left that fall for the first time in my life, and the father I recognized.
    Explanation: After going through the traumatic event of being raped Alice just wanted to be home with her parents and sister and wanted things to go back to normal, the way they had before the rape. Even though Alice’s dad was just trying to help comfort her, it was out of character for her and she didn’t want anything else to change in her life.
    Discussion Questions:
    Why do you think Alice discusses her parents’ relationship in detail on pages 40 and 41?
    Do you think Alice will go back to school? Why or why not?

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  2. A summary for the first section of the book is how it goes into great detail about her rape and the events leading up to it. It also talks about her relationship with her mother and how she had a lot of family problems at home, and didn't want to tell her mom about her rape because she didn't want to "disapoint" her.
    Affidavit: “They needed a formal affidavit and there were mug books to look at.”
    Definition: affidavit: a written declaration upon oath made before an authorized official.
    I can relate to Alice in this first section of the book because I’ve been in a situation where I felt alone and like no one could help me. Or where I didn’t want to tell anyone my problems because I didn’t want to give them any more things to worry about then they all ready might have to.
    "I was returning home. My life was over; my life had just begun." (33) I feel this quote is very important because I talks about how right not in Alice’s mind she feels her life that she once knew is over, and she know has to start another one with the first memory of it being that she was brutally beaten and raped.
    1. Why doesn’t her dad seem to be affected by his daughter’s rape?
    2. Why did the sister become so affected by the situation, then their father?

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  3. Comment to Miranda:
    Why doesn't her dad seem to be affected by daughter's rape?
    I think the dad is affected by this but he doesn't know how to react around her. He doesn't want to make her feel more upset and alone by mentioning it and it is probably easier for him to keep his emotions inside.

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  4. In the first section of this book, Alice Sebold, does a very good job discribing how she got raped, beaten,and emotionaly torn as a sophmore in college. This section also depics how embarrassed she was about the incident; but she has an awesome suppot system to get her through it. She also ended up telling her family what happend to her.

    Vocab:
    indiscriminate(pg.7)- lacking discrimination or careful choice; random or promiscuous

    menace(pg.52)- A possible danger; a threat

    Quotes:
    "They were watching my life as if it were a movie. In their version of the story, where did they fit? I would find out over the years that in a few versions, I was their best friend. Knowing a victim is like knowing a celebrity. Particularly when the crime is clouded in taboo." Chapter One, Page 25

    I think what she meant by this is that now that shes been raped, everyone’s gonna find out and look at her like she has two heads or something.

    Questions:

    1-Why is the father so calm about the incident?
    2- How long do you think it will take for Alice to go back to school?

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  5. Blog Post 2: Pages 62-113
    Summary:
    In the second section of Lucky, Alice describes her homecoming and seeing family friends for the first time since the rape. She talks about the bad things that happened when she was away at school like Myra and her husband being attacked and Paul murdering a woman and she compares herself to these people. Also during this section Alice tells local boys she went to school with about the rape and comes to the conclusion that a “nice” boy will never like her because she has been raped. Lastly, Alice identifies who she thinks her rapist is at the end of the section.
    Vocabulary Words:
    Page 111 – flyleaf: “…and on the rickety table, whose flyleaf kept collapsing under the weight.”
    Definition: the inner leaf of the endpaper of a book, pasted to the first leaf. (www.dictionary.com)
    Page 84 – crestfallen: “The word that suited them best, I think, is crestfallen. Their sweet daughter had drawn a superfreak.”
    Definition: dejected; dispirited; discouraged. (www.dictionary.com)
    Connection: In this section, I think that Alice feels very alone and I can connect to her in that way. When my parents got divorced I felt like I had no one to talk to because I couldn’t talk to one without the other getting mad. Alice just wanted someone that would just listen to what she had to say and what she was feeling and I felt the same way she did.
    Quotes:
    1. Page 80: “Looking back now, listening to the lyrics again, it is not lost on me, as it was then, that Don Quixote dies in the end, that Aldonza survies, that it is she who sings the refrain from ‘The Impossible Dream,’ she who is left standing to do the battle.
    Response: This quote shows how Alice is starting to realize that she can make it through this difficult time in her life. Like, Aldonza, she will be the one , in the end, that will come out of this ordeal strong.
    2. Page 73: “’You’re already doing it, Tom. You’re listening.’ I wondered how his mother had gone on to have a husband and a family and never tell anyone.”
    Response: Alice says that she wishes she could go back in time and tell Tom this quote. Her and Tom were talking and he said he didn’t know what he could do to help and he said nothing even though he is helping her just by listening. This is important because Alice doesn’t have anyone she can talk to during this difficult time and she should not hold her feelings in.
    Discussion Questions:
    What do you think is going to happen to Alice’s rapist?
    Do you think she will begin to feel less alone and have someone to talk to?
    Clarification Question:
    Did Alice’s rapist get caught? (The end of the section confused me.)

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  6. In the second section of the book Alice talks about how when she was younger and going to play in the graveyard after a church service. It then goes into talking about very close family friends they had when she was younger. These Myra and Ed, and how their house was broken into and how they both brutally attacked. It also talks about Paul; Father Breuninger who robbed a store stabbed the lady at the cashier five times in the face and neck. These events in a way showed Alice how family’s who have had horrific events happen can go on and live their lives.
    madra- a fine plain-woven shirting and dress fabric usually of cotton with varied designs (as plaid) in bright colors or in white
    reticent- in expression, presentation, or appearance
    Quote:
    Page 80: “Looking back now, listening to the lyrics again, it is not lost on me, as it was then, that Don Quixote dies in the end, that Aldonza survives, that it is she who sings the refrain from ‘The Impossible Dream,’ she who is left standing to do the battle.
    -I feel like this quote shows that now Alice is starting to realize that just like the other people in her town that have gone through horrible experiences she can move on and start to deal with what happened, and start to move on with her life.
    Question: Why did Alice lie to Jamie in the bar that night, and will she ever feel not lonely?

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  7. Summary:
    In this section of Lucky, Alice learns that her alleged rapist has been arrested. She also court and does a police line-up, where she identifies the wrong suspect. She credits this mistake to the fact that the suspect did not look her in the eyes and that he had a friend that looked identical in the line-up intimidate her. Alice then visits a classmate who attempted to commit suicide. Maria also reveals her brothers and father sexually abused her and this gives Alice something to connect to. Lastly, Alice loses her virginity “for real”, to a boy who “did not want her to fall in love with him”, before going home.
    Vocab Words:
    1. Page 134 – dismal: “In the face of dismal statistics regarding arrest, prosecution and even full recovery for the victim, I saw no choice but to ignore the statistics.
    Definition: “unlucky, sinister.” (www.dictionary.com)
    2. Page 144 – placating: “While still in court I thanked the jury. I drew on my resources; performing, placating, making my family smile.”
    Definition: “to appease or pacify, especially by concessions or conciliatory gestures.” (www.dictionary.com)
    Connection:
    I can connect to how Alice feels like she being taken advantage of. I like to help people and I think of others before myself and people have taken advantage of that before.
    Quotes:
    1. Page 133 – “I did not want to be one of a group or compared with others. It somehow blindsided my sense that I was going to survive. Tricia prepared me for failure by saying that it would be okay if I failed. She did this by showing me that the odds out there were against me.”
    Response: I compared this quotes to others from the novel and I think Alice knows deep inside that she can come out of this ordeal strong but she is intimidated by other people telling her that it is going to be hard; she knows it’s not going to be easy but I think others are trying to bring her down.
    2. Page 148 – “You’re so lucky,’ she said. ‘I’ll never get to do any of that. I want you the way to go all the way.’ we were still holding hands. Every moment in that room was precious to us.”
    Response: I think that Alice finally has someone she can talk to and who understands what she is going through and I think that is really important for her.
    Question:
    What do you think will happen to her rapist next?
    Will Alice become better friends with Maria?

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