Pages 193-295 Reflection

     In the third section of the book, some very unexpected events happened.  Although unexpected, that is not to say that they were not meaningful and important.  As this book is continuing on, you can see a character change in the main character Mattie Gokey.  One incident where a change may be spotted is when she finally gets the job at the Glenmore Hotel.  I’m disappointed with her fathers ways, “I was to receive four dollars a week. Pa said I could keep a dollar back for myself.  I told him I would keep two or I would not go” (242).  It is great to see Mattie finally standing up to her father and asserting herself telling him what she wants to do.  But I would like to ask why her father is so stubborn in the first place.  I understand that the whole family isn’t doing so great, but if Mattie has a future let her live it.

     Another shocker was the whole incident with Mattie and Royal.  Things seem to be heating up in this relationship, and Royal asks Mattie to marry him!  This is very contradicting because if they marry each other then say good-bye to Barnard College and that whole dream thing she had because it’s OVER.  I can’t wait to see what will happen later in the book and which path she will take.  Another thing that can leave someone in awe including Mattie herself is that her teacher, Miss Wilcox is one of the authors/poets that she reads about.  “Baxter? Baxter! Then you’re not…then that…that makes you…” “Emily Baxter, poet.” (221).  This is amazing because Emily Baxter is the author of one of the poems that Mattie is reading.  One question I would like to ask is why didn’t Miss Wilcox let Mattie know who she was?  There must be a hidden reason behind that, and I would like to see if there is ever a reason for not telling. 

     Another topic that struck very interesting to me was the speaking of God being a man or woman.  Obviously there are different views of men and women, and that adds to the unique qualities that every individual has.  While Mattie is thinking to herself she strikes an appealing hypothesis. She thinks, “What if God was a woman? Would the pop be out of a job? Would the president be a woman, too? And the governor? And the sheriff? And when people got married, would the man have to honor and obey? Would only women be allowed to vote?” (208).  His is interesting because I have never thought of this, and I’m sure many others haven’t either.  We all consider God a man but why? I like to see this kind of thinking by Mattie Gokey, and as usual she always finds ways to impress me.  This is a very serious topic, and I hope that the author will continue throwing these types of questions at us, waiting for the reader to answer. I think the finish to this book will be a strong one, and I can’t wait to continue reading.

Pages 193-295 Reflection

     In my recent posts, I mentioned how different Mattie’s way of life is from our modern day lives. This theme continues in this section. By now, if you don’t know that Mattie loves English and literature, you must be reading another book. However, the exact extent of her love for literature becomes clearer in this section. During a visit at Miss Wilcox’s home, Mattie comes across a sight that would have a much less powerful impact on the youth of today than it does on her. As she turns into a room from the hallway, she recalls, “What I saw next stopped me dead in my tracks. Books. Not just one or two dozen, but hundreds of them. In crates. In piles on the floor. In bookcases that that stretched from floor to ceiling and lined the entire room. I turned around and around in a slow circle, feeling as if I’d just stumbled into Ali Baba’s cave. I was breathless, close to tears, and positively dizzy with greed” (199). Though it’s a long quote, I feel that the use of it in its entirety really captures how Mattie feels in that moment. When she states that she “stopped dead in her tracks” I felt like she found a murder scene or something. Instead, she found some books. Now I understand that for Mattie, this was a big deal. Books were not as common as they are today and when you combine that with her love for literature it makes sense that she would be so excited. The author’s use of descriptive language also aids in readers’ connection with the text. You can picture little Mattie in this massive room with books covering every wall. She says she was almost crying. Phrases like these make her true feelings evident. I found it ironic that she was “dizzy with greed.” Nowadays, if we found out someone had a massive collection of books, they probably wouldn’t be accused of being greedy for that reason alone. Yet innocent Mattie seems to feel guilty that she is in the midst of such a massive collection. She is feeling greedy, emotional, and downright overwhelmed. I just found her reaction very interesting.  

     Later on in this section, I found a quote that peaked my interest even more. As I’ve said before, I love listening to unique perspectives and hearing my ideas challenged. That’s the only way to improve our minds. Mattie is thinking to herself when she hits upon a fascinating concept. She thinks, “Jeezum… What if God was a woman? Would the pope be out of a job? Would the president be a woman, too? And the governor? And the sheriff? And when people got married, would the man have to honor and obey? Would only women be allowed to vote?” (208). I had honestly never thought about this before. Not only does it raise the questions that are explicitly stated, but it also begs the question, why is God considered a man?  Why does Roman Catholicism say that man was created first? I’m sure you could go your whole life studying these questions and still find no definite answer. Questions like that are so fascinating to me. These help me make a real deep connection with the text that I truly enjoy. I hope the author can finish strong with some more seriously philosophical questions that are just begging to be contemplated.

Blog 3: Pgs.193-295

     Once again I enjoyed the reading.  This third section finally gave me some answers to the questions that I have been contemplating as I read sections one and two.  For example, I finally found out why these letters are so important.  They give Mattie the answers to Grace Brown's death!  As Mattie has been reading the letters to and from Chester Gillette, she notices that Chester seems to have his best times sailing on a canoe.  Grace of course died drowning.  She concludes that Chester knew how to handle a canoe well and could swim.  Mattie is no fool, and is able to put two and two together.  When talking about herself she says, "She feels sick, so sick she could vomit.  Because she thinks she knows why Chester brought Grace here.  And it wasn't to elope," (238).  As much as Mattie doesn't want to believe it she feels that Chester murdered Grace.  I sympethize with Mattie at this time because she is faced with a huge dilemma.  What does she do at this point?  I'm sure she is scared and doesn't know if she should tell someone or not.  She must be feeling so many emotions that I can only begin to imagine must feel like all bundled into one.
     Also, I know that it has been mentioned over and over, but I am still not over the fact that the times have changed so dramatically.  1906 may as well be a foreign land, nevermind a different time.  At the very beginning of the section Lou is astonished when she sees an automobile.  Mattie says, "It could only be some well-heeled driving it, or Mr. Sperry, or Miss. Wilcox.  No one else could afford one," (193).  This made me appreciate everything I have and how most people are much better off today.  Today, I don't think I know any family that doesn't own at least one car.  My family has three.  However, in Mattie's day it was more common for a family to not own an automobile of some sort.  Another example of how the times have changed is displayed when Mattie is talking about the poem by Emily Baxter (Miss Wilcox) and says, "Would only women be allowed to vote?" (208).  I think sometimes we take for granted how equal our time has become in the United States.  This quote reminds us of a time when only men could vote and women didn't have as many rights as American men did.  Thankfully, times have changed and we are all equals in the eyes of our government.
     I have enjoyed the first three sections of this book very much, and am really looking forward to what the end of the novel may have in store.

 

Section 3: 193- 295

                This section of the book proved to be quite eventful. It was filled with ups and downs and many surprises. An important new development that I was slightly disappointed about was that Mattie finally gets to go work in the hotel. The only reason I’m not happy that her Pa let her is because he did because he needed the money and he’s going to use the money that she works for. I liked when she said, “I was to receive four dollars a week. Pa said I could keep a dollar back for myself. I told him I would keep back two or I would not go” (242). This shows that she is starting to stand up for herself. Matt is growing up, becoming a woman, and getting a voice for herself. There are many other aspects of growing up that also become apparent. Royal asks her to marry him! I was excited when I first read this because it seems as though she is infatuated with him. However, as I kept thinking about it I soon began to feel hesitant about the whole situation. If she marries him than there is no way she can go Barnard. College is her dream and I feel it would be a mistake for her to give up on her dream over one boy. Relationships can be a tricky part of life though, and we discover more about other relationships as we continue to read as well. She reads more of the letters and begins to discover more about the relationship between Grace Brown and Chester/ Carl. I find this part of the story to be frustrating still. I want to learn more about her death and Mattie’s life working at the hotel. However, in both parts of the story she is close to Ms. Wilcox and spends more time with her. I was shocked, just like Mattie was, to find out who she really is. Her real name was Emily Baxter and she was “the country’s most scandalous lady poet” (223). I really like her character and role in the story; I’m happy that someone finally supports Matt. I find the end of this section to be completely devastating though. When I read that her whole family gets sick my heart dropped. When she said “Then I heard the sound of choked, quite tears, as I sat down on the top of the stairs and wept” (295) I wanted to cry along with her. Mattie’s been through so much at this point I wish I could help her. I am hoping by the last section her life starts to turn around and everything works out perfectly.

Pages 98-192 Reflection

     After reading the second section of this story, It was amazing to see how things can seem to be going smoothly but then eventually crash right back down. Looking at the pages 98-192, I was searching similarities or differences between the life of Mattie Gokey, and also my life. The first time where their had been a very different reaction between what my father and her father would have done.  When her father arrives at home and sees her sleeping on the kitchen table, he gets angry with the decision she had made to buy a notebook. Upon finding out how much money it cost, he says "You mean to tell me we've been eating mush for days on end and you had sixty cents all this time" (99)?  This is a crazy incident because if I had sixty cents my father would say big deal it's sixty cents. The reason for this is because sixty cents to them is a lot deferent then sixty cents now. Apparently you can actually buy food and make meals other than mush with sixty cents, but now sixty cents probably couldn't even get you mush to eat.
   Later on in the book, she is cleaning her Aunt Josie's house, and just discussing about people like Royal Loomis, and how since her mother is gone she cannot support Mattie as well as she is needed. So the Aunt says that Mattie can ask her anything, so she asks what she has been wanting to the whole time at her house which was that she had made it into college, and if she could pay for her books and train ticket to New York because she had money, and she reacted in a very obscure way, "You are just as bad as your no-account brother, selfish and thought less. It must come from the Gokey side, because it doesn't come from the Robertsons. What on earth can you be thinking? Leaving your sisters when they need you? And for a terrible place like New York" (113)!  If I had gotten a full ride scholarship to a school because of academic grades and for being a good writer, and my family could afford a plane ticket and books, the last thing my cousins and aunts would do is leave me in the dust and saying no. It is so confusing to see how when given an opportunity like this, not being able to take, and I don't think this would happen to me or nearly every kid in the world if given this chance. One more case where I can see a connection to my life is when she is figuring out how to do polynomials! Weaver said "Figuring polynomials is just a matter of simplifying a bunch of values to a few. Just like boiling down a lot of sap to a little bit of syrup. It's easy, so stop being such a mule" (121).  Ahh great polynomials, as Weaver said it is simple, but first the process is needed, and if you do not know the first step, then it is hard to get to the second, and the third. Polynomials are hard, but if you just concentrate they become easy, as Weaver is telling Mattie to stop being such a donkey.
     This was a great section of reading, as Mattie experiences several different experiences, and also receives a gift of a pen, and wonders of how amazing it will be if she gets her own dictionary.  Still not unfolded all the way is the death of Grace Brown, but the author is definitely planning on making a bold entrance soon enough in the novel.

Blog 2: Pgs. 98-192

     After reading the second section of this book, I was shocked with the ups and downs that seemed to occur.  There were happy moments and some not so happy.  The story buids as if there will be great victory, only to drop victory right out of reach.  At times this is very frustrating.
     The author constantly is making me sympathize with Mattie.  It seems more and more as if she'll never accomplish her dream of going to Barnard College.  An example of this is when Mattie describes what hope is to her.  She says, "It's the Eighth Deadly Sin.  The one God left out.  Hope," (114).  At this point Mattie is feeling so down on her luck that she doesn't believe in believing.  She feels that going to Barnard can't even be a dream anymore because she is so discouraged and sure that it is never going to happen.  She feels like completely giving up.  This must be an awful feeling and I am glad it's one I have not yet experienced.  Although at this point it seems that Mattie is down and out, she does regain some confidence in her dream when her Uncle Fifty says he is going to give her some money for her train ride to college.  When Mattie finds out that her uncle is headed for Utica and not back to her with the money she narrates, "I felt all the breath go out of me.  I leaned my forehead against Daisy and squeezed my eyes closed," (171).  Ones again the pain inside Mattie grows with more and more disappointment.  I cannot help but sympathize with her and what she is going through.  I know what it is like to be dissapointed, and its a miserable feeling.  But I have never been disappointed to the extent that Mattie has been so far in the book and I can only imagine how that must feel.
     On another note, I am frustrated with the author and her delay of talking more about the death of Grace Brown.  She keeps reading the letters, but none have seem to have had any significant relation to her death.  They only mention statements like, "Chester, do you miss me and have you thought about everything to-day?... I get so lonesome dear," (139).  I just know that these letters are going to be significant to the story, and I am just hoping that Jennifer Donnely will get on with it and give us something in the letters to think about, instead of just a girl who repeatedly mentions how much she misses Chester.

Pg. 98-192

I really enjoy the reading and find that the way the author writes is striking and engaging. I am drawn into the story and can really get involved. The plot and characters are fasciniating.
So far in the book, Jennifer Donnelly uses dialect specific to the setting of the story. I noticed the dialect because of the unfamiliariaty I have with some words and phrases; however it is likable because it keeps me intrigued. It also makes the story seem very real and believable. I find I am constantly engaged in the story and the conversations the characters are having. The language used such as “I’m fine Pa, I’ll be along.” (173) is different from how we speak today. Also Donnelly writes like how the characters would say words such as “et” (188) instead of ate or “Maybe you geev heem da knife when he come home, eh?” (152) This type of writing gives a better sense of what the characters are like. I find the slang they use amusing. This helps me to be more involved in the writing. I believe it is the purpose of why the author wrote the story the way she did. It makes the characters and story interesting, authentic, and realistic. So far I’m completely engrossed in the book and can’t wait to keep reading

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Pages 98-192 Reflection

     In this section of, A Northern Light, the plot continues to thicken as new details about the mysterious letters surface. Not only the plot, but also new themes begin to develop. On of these possible themes involve the potency of hope. Generally hope is regarded as a good thing but this book shows how it can be both good and bad. Mattie’s Aunt Josie has quite a bit of wealth to her name. With the hopes of borrowing some money to go to college, Mattie brings up the scholarship she received to her Aunt. Without hesitation, Aunt Josie chastises Mattie for wanting to leave the farm. Right away, Mattie knows she isn’t going to be getting any financial aid from her Aunt. She says she’s feeling a sin “Worse than all the other ones, which are immediate, violent, and hot. This one sits inside you and eats you from the inside out like the trichina worms the pigs get. It’s the Eighth Deadly Sin. The one God left out. Hope” (114). This example provides a different side of hope that isn’t discussed as often. The hope Mattie is referring to is hope that turns out to be false. She wanted, almost needed her Aunt to help her out and when she found out it wasn’t going to happen, she was devastated. False hope is a powerful force but thankfully, it’s not all bad. Mattie’s Uncle Francis comes to visit and regales the family with tales of his lumberjack adventures. It also becomes apparent that he may have quite a bit of money saved up thanks to his boss who gave him a banker’s draft for $100. At this realization, Mattie is so excited she makes up a new word; “Recouiumphoration.” “Maybe it will get in the dictionary one day, [she] thought. And if it does, everyone will know it’s meaning: to have one’s hope restored” (159). Now, Mattie is very excited and hopeful that her Uncle might be generous enough to help her get out to New York City. The elation she feels when her hope is restored outweighs even the sadness she felt when Aunt Josie denied her request. Though hope can be both good and bad, it seems that the scale is tipped slightly to the good side.

     In my last post, I talked about the stark contrast in terms of life back then and modern day lives, specifically involving finances. In this most recent

section of reading, another prime example of this popped up. Uncle Francis always brings extravagant gifts when he comes to visit the family. This time, Mattie received a pen. You might be thinking, “what the heck is so extravagant about a pen?” Well, Mattie states, “I had never had a pen in my life---only pencils---and I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to put words onto paper in rich blue ink instead of smudgy lead” (152). It’s remarkable how different times can be. Today, students go through multiple pens in one school year. This shows that people back then were much more appreciative of everything they had because they had so much less. At one point, Mattie is fighting back tears because she is so grateful for the gift. The whole scene is quite eye opening.

     

Pages 1-97 Reflection

     After reading pages 1-97 of A Northern Light, I can already see the making of a great story.  The main character Mattie Gokey, lives in a family of 3 sisters, one brother, and her father.  The farm life that there family is put through everyday is a lot different then the life of citizens today.  Although having great talent, she will have many obstacles in her way, before getting to her dreams.
   Looking at the difference between the two life styles, one of a girl's life which is taken place in 1906, and the life of people now, you can notice the huge difference.  First off it was clear very difficult to make money then, and things were way cheaper.  As an example, when Mattie is contemplating whether or not to buy a note book, "Got to get forty-five cents apiece, I've got some others coming in for fifteen cents in a week or so if you can wait" (71). It is amazing to see that forty-five cents then is a lot of money, and that some people would buy the cheaper fifteen cent notebooks.  In the world we live in today, forty-five cents a pop is a great deal, and nearly everyone would get the more expensive one.  Clearly the market now is more expensive and jobs provide more money but it is cool to notice the change between the two societies.  As you can see the prices are much different then, then they are now, but that is not all that is different, there way of transportation in the streets were different.  They rode a machine called buckboards.  These devices for example are very plain, and consisted of "just a few planks with a pair of axles nailed on under them, a seat or two, and maybe a wagon box on the top.  But plain is what works best" (74).  In the world now almost every family in the world has a car, and if is more sufficient then planks, wheels, and a horse.  Back in that time period everything was kept simple, and they didn't want to complicate anything more than it had to be.
     Mattie being such a great writer, and knowing her vocabulary so well would of course be able to get into college.  As most parents in the world today would let there child into college, especially if they are getting to go to school for free.  But in Mattie's family it is the other way around. Since her mom died, her father just wants her to stay home and do farm work and manage the house.  This is not the life she wants, and she is worried her father will not let her into school, "As soon as she said it, as soon as she talked about my dream like that and brought it out in the light and made it real, I saw only the impossibility of it all.  I had a pa who would never let me go" (66).  I am very happy for Mattie to have gotten into college with a full ride, and i would be very disappointed to see her dreams torn apart by her father.  In the 97 pages I've read in A Northern Light, I can already see the difference of the lives of people now, and people then.  I am looking forward to continue reading this book and am ready to see how this predicament is resolved.

Pages 1-97 Reflection

In the first 97 pages of A Northern Light, readers are introduced to the protagonist, Mattie Gokey, as well as her friends, family, and coworkers. She is a sixteen year old girl who absolutely loves reading, writing, and just new words in general. Usually, the first section of any novel is a bit on the slower side. However, this book already has me wanting to read on.

     One tool the author uses to keep readers engaged is imagery. It never fails! Not only does the author, Jennifer Donnelly, have a way with words, but she likely portrayed a bit of herself in Mattie. Mattie loves literature and above all vocabulary. She challenges herself to learn a new word every single day. One of her new words is "fractious." She savors each syllable as if it were a fine meal. She repeats it several times to herself and thinks, "A new word. Bright with possibilities. A flawless pearl to turn over and over in my hand, then put it away for safekeeping" (15). The use of a metaphor to compare Mattie's new vocabulary word to a pearl really emphasizes how much she values the English language. The author does an excellent job painting a picture that reveals Mattie's appreciation for literacy. However, Donnelly's delicate and deliberate choice of words is not the only aspect that's reeling me into the story.  

     I always relish the opportunity to hear someone advocating a new perspective. This story has already shared several examples of this, leading me to believe that there may be a theme developing about the importance and power of different perspectives. Now, Mattie's family is not financially wealthy by any standards. At the same time, there are families, like their neighbors, the Hubbards, who have it even worse than them. The Gokeys have been struggling for food, eating "cornmeal mush" for the majority of their meals. Mattie says, "Everyone was sick of cornmeal mush… Jenny Hubbard didn’t mind it, though. She waited patiently, her eyes large and solemn, as I sprinkled maple sugar on Lou's leavings and passed the bowl to her" (12-13). If someone were to read only the second part of that quote (about Jenny) they would think she were waiting for a gourmet meal. It really opens your eyes as a reader to the fact that there are people that would love to have the leftovers of meals that we end up throwing out. To the Gokeys, this cornmeal mush is about as appetizing as its name portrays it. To Jenny Hubbard, it is a rare treat, and with maple sugar nonetheless! Though these different perspectives exist in every era, the other example I found relates to a major difference in time period. I'm sure we've all heard from our grandparents about how they could get a day's worth of candy for a nickel as kids or as teens pay five dollars for enough gas to last a week. So what is forty-five cents by today's standards? You probably have more than forty-five cents buried in the couch cushions at home. Yet to Mattie and all the other hard-working farm folks forty-five cents was just about enough for a ten pound bag of cornmeal. To put that in perspective, one pound of cornmeal costs almost two dollars today. Point being, forty-five cents was not pocket change to these people. When Mattie spots some ornate composition books, Mr. Eckler, the shop owner, says "Them notebooks? Them are expensive, Mattie… Got to get forty-five cents apiece" (71). After being hit with that number, Mattie reflects and realizes "Forty-five cents is a good deal of money" (71). She does break down and buy the notebook in the end. But this example sends a clear and powerful message. In a mere 97 pages, A Northern Light has already shown readers that, not only can perspective be radically altered by financial situation, but it is also directly connected to the ideas and standards of the times.