Anna > Recent Status Updates

Put me in a cardigan because I’m in my FOLKLORE ERA!

"Inevitably, some of the details he picked up from the French story started to have a discreet influence in the clothes he was making for the villagers" (127). Now that the narrator and Luo have all of Four eye's books, and are telling the village their western stories, it is catching in a mixing with the culture of the village. Though this is good, it is very risky in that they could get in trouble if caught.

"Right now, ignorance is in fashion" (86). As the narrator meets more people from different parts if china, he learns how different people experience the country. When he met the illiterate peasant man, he was very ignorant in his urban perspective because he didn't know where Beijing was. And now upon meeting four eyes mother he learns what people from his run of life think of china and chairman Mao.

I think that Luo and the narrator are beginning to not only lose their previous urban chinese selves, but also begin to see the outside world besides China. When they read the translated French novel, they saw a culture that the government had hidden from them for their entire lives. Maybe Four Eyes will continure to give them literature to continue to "re-educate" them, even if its not in the way the Mao intended.

"'Have you fallen in love with her?' I persisted. 'She's not civilized, at least not enough for me!'"(27). Even though Lou and the narrator have spent now many months in this small village, and seem to have taken to many of their philosophies and cultural practices, they still are very careful to draw a distinct line between themselves and the village people

"'Forgive me, comrade'" (5). Even though I am only a little over a chapter into the book, I already like it much more than TFOARY. The two characters seem to care a lot about each other and it meshes very well with what we are learning in history, with the "re-education" of city youths and such. I thought the use of comrade was interesting because it is like in 1984.

Now that Mariam and Laila have a much more deep and loving relationship, the story has turned to more describe what was actually happening in Afghanistan at the time, and less about the character development. I like how the author almost perfectly balances these two variables in the book. Also, the introduction of Aziza further bonds the two wives, for they both love Aziza as much as Rasheed hates her.

It is interesting how even though Mariam's and Laila's stories started out independent, they have now melded into one. Mariam's hostility to Laila as Rasheed second wife is unexpected, but understandable. When you live for so long in such a unlivable atmosphere, you get to a point where you don't want things to really change. With Laila introduced into Mariam's life, Mariam is unsure how to function in the new system

The voice of the book has changed, but it is still very involved in the same story. SInce they both live in the same town, and are neighbors, I think that they will cross paths at some point. I like Laila better than Mariam at this point, because I think Mariam was not a very pleasant person all around. She has every reason in the world to be like that, but still Laila seems more light hearted.

This book makes the passage of time go so quickly! It is cool to read that way though, because we can see Mariam have to grow up pre-maturely and realize things that she had not previously thought about before she got married. Her relationship with Rasheed is interesting, because at first she did not seem to understand that he was actually being abusive, until he became physically abusive.

I really like the characters introduced so far in the story. You can really feel how Mariam resists her current position in life, and how she would like nothing more but to go live with her father. What is so cool about the writing is that you also get a feel of the other characters' ideas and thoughts, even though you do not necessarily get a direct narration of what is going on in their heads.

Olanna, since she seemed to not be able to conceive, decided to take care of Odenigbo's love child with the other woman. This is a very responsible thing to do, but something expected of a person as kind and (sometimes) forgiving as Olanna

It was just revealed that not only did Odenigbo cheat on Olanna, and she moved out, but a couple chapters later Olanna and Richard have an affair! The woman that Odenigbo slept with is pregnant, and Olanna has moved out. Right now, my favorite character is still Kainene because even though she is blunt and has a short fuse, overall, she has the most level headedness out of all of them

Now that the war has started, all of the relationships that the beginning of the book introduced are developing, mostly for the worst. The stress that the war is causing is making both Odenigbo and Olanna's relationship and Richard and Kainene's to slowly deteriorate. The war is also making Ugwo grow up faster. He is understanding more about the different kinds of people in Nigeria.

What is much more interesting than what is happening politically in the book is the chemistry between the different characters. Since each chapter is narrated by a different person, you get all the main characters thoughts and feelings. I find Kainene a likable character, because even though she is not the nicest person, she has realized what she has grown up with, and what is out there, and is very realist

Right now, it is the early '60s in Nigeria, which after research have realized is very shortly before the war.Ugwo is a boy from a small poor village who goes to work for the relatively rich educated black man Odenigbo. Olanna is the daughter of a rich business man who is Odenigbo's love interest. Richard is a white english writer who has moved to Nigeria, and is becoming involved with Olanna's twin sister, Kainene.

I am having a hard time following, but the count is having a conversation with his new perisian friends about how he is moving in and, though they don't know it, tracking down danglers and Mercedes.

I finished! This is one of my favorite books I have read in a while, because even though its short and in a way simply written its a powerfully sweet story with a lovely ending. I will write a full review later

I am coming to like this book very much. It is a very sweet story where the little prince visits all these different tiny planets and meets different people , that the author conveys as the different kind of people in the world. Love this book!

So far, Dantes has helped his allies, caderousse(saving him from poverty) and morrell (giving his daughter a dowry and saving his business). Now then he has begun to penetrate Parisian society, I am predicting he will somehow punish the now rich business man danglers. It seems that besides getting revenge, Dantes is not truly happy

So far in the story, after Dantes has started disguising himself I have had trouble following the plot. Now it has become clearer that he is slowly but surely going around and rewarding those who were on his side, and punishing those who sent him to jail. I had previously not realized some of his disguises, and thought the story had changed characters yet again.

Now that the count is beginning to make connections with the high class society of France again, he is becoming not only rich but powerful, and Albert is talking about danglers (very rich now) so I predict that the count will go after him and the other men responsible of putting him in jail.

Franz and his friend are Gavin dinner with he count of monte cristo, and he is proving to be a very intelligent but mysterious man.

"If I were to command a general to turn into a seagull, and if the general did not obey, that would not be the generals fault. It would be mine" (29). Passages like this make this book very special, because you can see the author has some very adult messages, but he puts them into a lovely childlike context. I love this book. "Authority is based first of all upon reason" (31).