Monday, June 2, 2008

Kimber Tremblay's Lit seminar

I felt really confident during my lit seminar, because i had a strong understanding of my family, the Hsu, and my story, Half and Half. I put background information in my questions, as to summarize the chapter and add important hints. My first question had to be repeated a few times, but created lots of conversation.

My First Question: Before talking to her mother, it seems that Rose has given up on mending her marriage, also, that Rose believes more in fate, rather than faith. After recalling Bing’s death, Rose says that when you lose something you love, faith takes over. At the end of this chapter, do you believe Rose will stop “letting things happen”, or does her pessimistic outlook in the beginning, outweigh her newfound hope?

Someone said they believed Rose wouldn't cahnge know, because Bing's death impacted her enough that if she was going to change, it would've been then. I hadn't thought of that.

My Second Question:Do you think Rose’s mother is as faithful as she was before Bing died? Keep in mind that although she keeps the bible underneath the table to correct its “imbalance”, Rose notices that it is always clean.

The class seemed to agree that faith is one of those things Rose's mother "hides under the table", literally and figuratively.

In conclusion, i feel the lit seminars are successful. They are a way the entire class can share their point of view and we can analyze each family individually. It helps me to understand the book better, and see things i may have not noticed on my own.

2 comments:

Aphrodite said...

To add to the second question, I feel that faith is something so important to Rose's mother and to completely lose all faith is harder than it sounds. Maybe she also finds comfort in her bible, and uses the "balance" as an excuse to keep in touch with her faith. The bible balancing the table ,I feel, is pradox becuase she finds it also balances her life.

Narcissus said...

I agree with aphrodite. The Bible symbolizes her faith. Putting the Bible under the leg to balance the table symbolizes the faith that balances the mothers life.