Book Clubs, Day 4 (May 8)

Tortilla Curtain Scribe

Opening activity: categorize, stereotypes

White: ignorant, fat, tie, overalls, rude, educated, rich, body piercing
Hispanic: lazy, tattoo, dirty, passive, pretty, criminal


America Naïve, like the character. When the reality of the world comes to their doorstep they feel
uncomfortable. Author slowly deconstructs stereotypes, starts by fitting in with stereotypes, and
slowly changes them. Racism in and of itself not bad, dehumanization bad.
Hard to assimilate without
speaking English. Conflict is partially cultural. Delaney slowly progressing. Cars represent separation.
Food tightly wrapped also symbolizes cold separation. The whites try to promote isolation between
the two groups. They are unwilling to face anything beyond routine.

Catcher in the Rye Scribe
(watch part of Stick It)
Holden and the movie comparrison- he is rebelious and doesn't care what others think and the goirl in the movie is the same way and she has a bad attitude
He has a lazy attitude in life and his excuses are valid though,
He would have to do the things he complains about

Is Holden trying to make a point?
I don't need to go to school to be content with myslef
Can't find the point in the book... what is her searching for in his life?
Searching for himself and what he truly is

Experience with the hooker...why didn't he take advantage of her?
His color was yellow... for not stopping her or another reason?
He wanted comapany so bad that it didn't matter who it was even if it was a hooker
Did things to make it sound better

Giving the money to the nuns parallels to the hooker and yet he regrets the amount he gave (wanted to give more than what he did)

Even if you want revenge, you should have feelings about doing things
Start ignoring things

Why does Holden keep chaning his mind about people?
When he is with them he notices more about them and once he is not around them he sees what he was missing in his judgment
Regrets not treating them better
He sees everything he knows that he isn't; he sees in the other people
The piano guy- not emotional enough

How is it significant that Holden is thinking more about the nnuns than the other woman?
She represents the other end of the scale and he wants to model himself after what he is not and wants to be a better person
he sees that they know who they are and their purpose in life; they are all together

Does he really want to change?
He doesn't like it then why doesn't he do something about it
Wants to but doesn't know what to do
He is so tired of his lifestyle and doesn't care anymore about it

Closing = watch more of Stick It

A Farewell to Arms Book Club
Tuesday May 8th

We started out by listening to Eagle Eye Cherry’s “Save Tonight” and made connections between the lyrics and the book.
Henry’s last night with Catherine before he went back to war
Henry drinks to “delay” his “misery

Discussion
Henry didn’t purposely want to jaundice it but he was drinking because he didn’t want to go back
Is Catherine really pregnant? She could just be saying it but she doesn’t want to get married or for him to worry
Why aren’t Henry and Catherine allowed to be together?
Why is the color yellow brought up so much? Why is the cathedral white? –pg 150
The colors are always brought up when Henry and Catherine are together. The colors show their emotions.
White- purity, perfection, new beginnings, Yellow- cowardice
Can Henry and Catherine stay together? We don’t know any of his emotions, so we can’t know. Catherine will be more hurt because she has the baby. If he dies the baby could remind her of him everyday, but if they just don’t get back together she will be reminded of him everyday.
Henry doesn’t know what he really wants. He wants to be strong by going into the war but he’s afraid. He went to war with the Italians because he was in Italy and they needed men. He’s not on his own journey; he’s just following the crowd into war. The medals the men win are unimportant and don’t really mean anything.
Both Henry and Catherine are very lonely, so they find happiness when they are together.
What was the point of the random poem on pg 154
“But at my back I always hear
Time’s winged chariot hurrying near”
He might be trying to influence Catherine about something.
She told him about the baby but not to worry because she is confused and becoming her own person. Henry doesn’t want anything, so Catherine is subtly taking charge.

Catcher in the Rye Scribing
Basic Reactions to opening clip:

Holden and Haley both stop being tough when their pain becomes unbearable, both have started to let down their shields and admit that they do care.

Question Reactions:

What does, “when a body catch a body coming through the rye” mean when the little boy sang it? Does it have a purpose?

He depends on the museum to avoid change. His life is becoming progressively worse, and so he thinks if he could stop things they wouldn’t get any worse.

What are your reactions of Holden when you learned he was a virgin?
He seems more scared.
He is a huge people pleaser.

What is Sunny’s point?
It accentuates Holden’s loneliness and utter desperation.
He didn’t call the prostitute because he wanted sex, he just was apathetic and she was there.

Holden has started blaming himself for his life. When anything good happens, he feels undeserving.

What is the significance of the nicely portrayed nuns? How does it contrast with his religious views?

You can’t judge anyone, regaurdless.

Holden is afraid to invest in failing relationships.

What was up with the suitcases?

He doesn’t want to feel superior at all.

What is the significance of the stolen gloves?
He wants what is his, but he doesn’t want confrontation.

He feels so bad about cowards in general.

What caused his sudden emotional breakdown?

He is terribly lonely.
He is alone no matter who he is with.

Scribe for May 8, 2007
Hi Ms. Kakos!

The Bell Jar Chapters 10-13

Emily distributed the Starbucks drinks. Ms Kakos remarked that she was disappointed Emily did not bring her a drink. Emily proposed a compromise in the future.
*Spencer stole Dan’s drink*

Jess: Is Esther crazy?
Dan, Emily and Jess: Yes!
*Spencer steals Dan’s drink*

Emily: Emily believes that the bell jar has a warped glass that makes the readers view Esther differently than she really is.

Dan: I disagree.

A heated discussion incurred, with Dan, Jessica and Emily presenting different sides of whether or not she is crazy. Dan thinks that Esther has been molded by her society; Jess thinks that society has not influenced her, and Emily listened to her fellow classmates’ argument. Emily remarked that in the later chapters, it seems that Esther rebels against society.
*Spencer steals Dan’s drink and says that Esther kills herself*

Emily: It seems that Sylvia Plath was not insane when she wrote the book. The only way that Esther would appear to be crazy was if the author also realized that she was crazy.
*Dan throws bits of Starbucks cup holders at Emily while she is typing*

Jess and Dan: Esther is a canary.

Emily: (thinking) Maybe I should join another group…

Jess: Emily is mean .

Dan: I am so cool.

Jess and Em: Not really.