Greedy Notes

[kingmateus-blog]

I really enjoyed this book. It spoke of things indescribable to the inexperienced. It is a book that most can only follow and not truly understand unless they had been there. I really enjoy O’brien’s writing style. He is very descriptive and eloquently illustrates the raw human emotion and the...

[candce528-blog]

Matt I really liked how you summed up the writing style of O'Brien. Like you I also enjoyed his style. It is true that the book was easy to follow and i believe O'Brien did a wonderful job on trying to make the reader feel as he did when he was in the jungle. To see how some people came back from war and then were not fully functional such as Bowker. So for O'Brien to be able to express what many can not gave him a thumbs up in my book. I also wanted to include how he was able t provide the message that people's memories can stay alive through story telling. He was able to tell stories through out the whole book of his army buddies and then mention at the end that stories keep them alive. This man the book a full circle for me.

[candce528-blog]

Similarities

After reading both of the novels I have had my eyes open to how similar the books are thanks to Eric. The characters had to deal with different issues but being human some of the reactions were similar. Like if you were to compare the grandfather from ILIC to Norman Bowker from Things. Both characters experienced tragic events in their lives. One lived from his hometown being bombed and one lived through the Vietnam War. But both men were changed by these life events. Both characters lost their way to speak with people. The grandfather actually lost his words and was not able to communicate with the people around him in a normal way. Bowker lost his ability to just be able to talk to people about his personal experiences of war. So both characters are able to show that as a result of tragic events a persons behavior can change and be changed forever.

[candce528-blog]

Knowing Things

Lynda Barry's comic strip "Knowing Things" popped out to me because it reminded me of me and my sister. I am the older sister and always gave my sister the big sister attitude. I tried to boss her around and acted like I knew way more then she did. So when my sister did things as the little sister in the comic strip did with the plants I tried to rule the situation. I see know that incidents like this with my sister were uncalled for. I feel like in some way I took away some of her fun and imagination. I should have let her do stupid on her own and live from her mistakes. But being big sister I had to have the attitude. Reality is that we should just let people go on with projects such as the little sisters to gain knowledge on our own.

[candce528-blog]

Things

Even though I know many people in class did not like "The Things They Carried" I enjoyed it. O'Brien expressed many different things to me with his book. The way he told his stories with blended fact and fiction did not turn me away from the book. It kept a balance and I had a feeling that anything he said could have happened in the war. I also enjoyed the way he ended the book. To tell the story of his young crush who died was just as sad as all the war violence he mentioned in the book. But the story of Lucy closed the book with the idea that stories keep people alive in memory. So all of the death that O'Brien had in his book was to keep certain people alive in memory. I liked how Tim was able to express his war experiences and give this message a voice. 

[republicanvampires-blog]

The things they carried has thus far proven interesting to say the least. The writing is exceptional in its ability to bring the reader on an intensely intimate level with the characters. This is supplemented by the detailed description of each charter’s inner thoughts. Obrien’s attention to each...

I was relieved when this book was interesting because yes I was not excited about reading a book about war. But I do like how O'Brien tries to relate the characters as people we as readers may have met and have in our lives. He also gives excellent detail like I was walking right beside him through this war. I also like how he brings the facts and fiction so close together. For me the fiction fills in the blanks since I have never had personal experiences like these men have. The facts and fiction blend still can provide me with the experience that these men went through in some sense.

[candce528-blog]

"Imagination was a killer"

When I came across this quote in the book (pg.11) I had to write it down. I being a person who has not experienced any of the situations that these soldiers have I can see how their imaginations get to the best of them. At any given moment something can kill you just like that BOOM and your down. These soldiers have to be constantly thinking what is behind the corner, and this also adds to the things they are carrying. The constant worry of what this war is going to bring to them. I also took this quote to heart because yes being almost 20 I am still scared of the dark. I know it is a silly thing but its my imagination that keeps this fear alive with me. Sometimes in creepy moments like walking to my car at night I can freak my self out with just imaging someone popping out of the bushes and coming for me. It adds to my fear even though what I am most afraid of is in my head. So I can see how this constant worry adds stress and fear to the men in this book. But so far enjoying this book, it is like walking with these soldiers as they carry on their journey in the war.

[marybkent-blog]

Call me crazy…but my favorite characters in this book are the grandparents. I feel like I have learned so many lifelong lessons from each of their stories. The grandfather was confused with how to love but in the end he realized that Grandma wanted to love him in a way he could deal with. They...

I guess I am crazy to because my favorite character was the grandfather. Yeah I know he left for 40 years without saying a word but he did come back. It might have taken the death of his son to finally return but I am glad he did. The grandfather not only got to meet his grandson but I believe that he finally got his closer with himself. The grandfather never met his son but he did in some way get his closer when he put all the letters in the empty coffin. The grandmother did really love her husband so much and I am happy that maybe they can love each like they couldn't for all those years. But the grandparents relationship really did capture me so your not the only one.

[candce528-blog]

Great Book

I can not believe that we are already done with this book. This book really captured me and I will enjoy reading it again in the near future. The ending was not what I had expected but still I was not displeased. This book left a very important message with me, Love is always necessary. Oskar's mother finally gets to show her motherly side and that she really did care about her son. I am glad that the grandmother left the message to Oskar to always find love necessary because of how he felt guilty that he did not answer the phone the last time his dad called. Overall I really did enjoy this book and have been telling many of friends to read it.  

[areallysimpleone-blog]

Oskar keeps searching for a goal that he know’s is probably unattainable. He feels however that he not only owe’s the search to his father, but also to himself. Oskar is set on what he believes to be the last mission his father constructed, even if the mission itself is merely a construct....

[candce528-blog]

I agree that I now hope that Oskar does not find the lock to his key. I am so sad that Oskar uses the mission to keep his memories of his father alive. What if he never reaches his goal and fells he let his father down? I know that Oskar is just a kid and this may just be the way he can cope with his fathers death. But I hope he is just not horribly damaged if he does not find the key.

On the other hand I am happy that his mission is helping the lives of others. He helped Mr. Black hear for the first time in 20 years, and Ruth got to enjoy showing off the building she loved. I believe that Oskar is following his mission for his own comfort. He may not see that his mission effects the lives of others, but in time the mission may show him that his father's memories or alive within himself.

[candce528-blog]

Grandfather Returning

When the grandfather returned on the day of the funeral my heart dropped. " For forty years not a word" the grandmother. I can not even imagine what I would do if I was in her position. The grandmother had to bury an empty coffin for her only son, which is a terrible thing for any mother to go through.But finally after 40 years she has to deal with the return of the person who left her alone. The grandfather I believe finally realized that after forty years he had to make things right. During the time he was gone he wrote all the letters to his child that he had left behind. He may not have sent the letters, but I believe he always cared about his son. Once he discovered the death of his son he realized life is ending and had to make things right with his family. The grandfather made a selfish decision when he left, but I was hopeful for him when he decided to come back. All I want is for the grandfather to find his inner piece that was missing.   

[candce528-blog]

So like everyone else it seems like it look me a bit to actually sit down and get into this book. But once I got past the first pages I was hooked. Oskar is hilarious and witty and I enjoy his inventions. I thought it was pretty creative of him to made Morse code jewelry for his mother out of the…

Definitely hooked too. I thought about the same thing that it was very clever of Oskar, a nine year old, to have done such a complex yet loving expression for his mother. Just like you, I too was perplexed for a moment when the second chapter came up because it was just hard to grasp what in the world was going on. But I sorta dealt with it, knowing that it has a connection somewhere in the book. Oh and the key thing brought definitely brought about a twist in the book and considering that everyone is enjoying the book so far, I am sure it will only get better.

[candce528-blog]

So I have been reading a little more this weekend and I do not want to put the book down. I actually had to hide the book from myself and read my other book "The Stand" by Stephen King. I was kinda of mad at myself for watching the trailer for the movie because now I cannot picture the characters for myself. The only character I try to picture is Tom Hanks as the dad because I do love me some Tom Hanks. I am just really happy that I actually like a book we are required to read. Hope everyone is enjoying the book as much as I am, please please no spoilers!

[candce528-blog]

Digging In

So like everyone else it seems like it look me a bit to actually sit down and get into this book. But once I got past the first pages I was hooked. Oskar is hilarious and witty and I enjoy his inventions. I thought it was pretty creative of him to made Morse code jewelry for his mother out of the messages from his dad, this is something I have never heard of before. 

When I started to read the letter portion of the book I was at first confused. I got lost for a bit thinking who is this guy who just stop talking. I had an idea that it was his grandfather, and thanks to being in class the dots got connected for me. So far my main goal is to see how these letters fit into the story.

But I am enjoying being able to join this quest with Oskar to see if this key really does have a lock. I hope I am not disappointed by the fact that he may never find what the key fits to.