Quote #1:
“Be careful what you say. It comes true. It comes true. I had to leave home in order to see the world logically, logic the new way of seeing. I learned to think that mysteries are for explanation. I enjoy the simplicity. Concrete pours out of my mouth to cover the forests with freeways and sidewalks. Give me plastics, periodical tables, TV dinners with vegetables no more complex than peas mixed with diced carrots. Shine floodlights into dark corners: no ghosts.”
~Maxine, Page 204
I think that the significance of this quote is that she finds the ability to tell what is real from what is not, to make sense where there is only confusion. That might sound a bit weird but it is true. It points to where an “American transformation” of her life, a simple life with TVs and plastics. At the same time it also shows the sadness that she feels for having renounced some important parts of her heritage. See the gloomy repetition of the phrase “It comes true”.
My personal connection to this is that I most of the time see the world in what I call a logical sense. Not really scientifically but logical. I say that because I see a lot of emotion in my sense of logic and it is a logical thing for a human to emit emotions when something happens. That it my way of justifying that. I always question things too. Not just about stuff around school like if a problem makes sense but like why did he act that way? Or why did I just do that? That is how I learn about people and what their personality is like.
Question #1:
Do you think you see the world in a logical way? Why or why not?
Quote #2:
“She brought songs back from the savage lands, and one of the three that has been passed down to us is “Eighteen Stanzas for a Barbarian Reed Pipe,” a song that Chinese sing to their own instruments. It is translated well.”
~Maxine, Page 209
I think that the significance of this quote is that it is the end of the book and, I have said this with a couple other quotes but this one especially, that it sticks with you in your head. I have actually heard this song play when my mom took me to one of Chinese thing. I was like 7 or something so I don’t remember where it was but as soon as I finished this book I was like … I think I know this title from somewhere. Then it popped into my head. I don’t know how I remembered it from that far ago.
My personal connection to this is that when I get older and have children, I hope that I have something of value to pass on to them. When the author says “of the three that has been passed down to us” I imagine a long family tree and those songs hitting every “branch” or person. I didn't get anything from my parents but I don’t blame them. My dad didn't have the richest family in the world and when my mom’s mom died (my grandmother) she and her sisters fought over what they should take. So I just hope I have something to pass on to my children.
Question #2: (I'm going to put two questions down but you only have to answer the one you want)
What do you think the author means by when she says “It is translated well”
OR
Do you think that you are going to pass down anything to your children?
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1 comment:
Quote 1:
I totally agree with you! I think that what the author is saying that we should be careful of what we wish for but always be open to making new changes or open to new ideas. I also agree that the way she wrote it, Maxine really added depth to what we were reading and that she wanted us to live life to the fullest.
Question 1:
It depends on the mood I am in. If I am talking on a serious note, I try to think of logical reasons for peoples actions but then sometimes when I am having fun and am just playing it by year, I tend not to focus on the logical reasoning. That is something that I wish to work on in the years to come.
Quote 2:
I think that it is special to get something passed on from a loved one. It makes you feel like your bond with that person is closer and that there is something special that you two share. As some of the final sentences in the book, I think that it is a special feeling to know that your loved one has passed one of their most prized possetions or memory.
Question 2:
I think that I am going to pass on like an airlume or something that was important to me to my children, yes. I think that I might pass over the diaries that I keep or give them my stories to pass onto my grandchildren.
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