This is a very interesting piece, not only because of the writing style but the humorous stories. August Kleinzahler does a great job of describing his unconventional (to say the least) childhood. The first line of the story is “It was the dog who raised me.” At first glance it seems like nonsense. However, as the story progresses, it starts to make sense and actually becomes funny. The dog Granny, killed two dogs, one of which was a Chihuahua. It might not sound funny but when put matter-of-factly is actually quite funny. Another reference is made to the dog when Kleinzahler states “it turned out that I looked like the dog.” Much of his humour works because it is said matter-of-factly.
Throughout the piece he is ignored by his family, which is why he develops such a close relationship with the dog and later his nanny. His mother was too busy reading Shakespeare to care about him and his siblings where either making airplanes or learning Latin. Further more, he states that he was an accident and his mother didn’t even like him or want him. Instead, he was cared for by Czech nanny who couldn’t really speak English. Eventually he started developing a Czech nanny which his parents find creepy. Years later, he dated a Czech and thought of his nanny while he made love to her. Its so sick and twisted it becomes funny.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Glass Castle
Glass Castle
The author Jeannette Walls does a great job of creating balance in the Glass Castle. She almost makes you pity her when tells of her impoverish upbringing but then manages to turn the tables and make her family seem noble, smart and loving. Her parents constantly remind her of their position but actually manage to turn it into a positive thing. She makes it seem like they have a very loving family even without material possessions. Her father explains why they are the lucky ones and not rich folk because they can’t fully appreciate nature and be happy.
“Rich city folks, he’d say, lived in fancy apartments, but their air was so polluted they couldn’t even see the stars. We’d have to be out of our minds to want to trade places with any of them. ”
Walls creates this symbol and feeling of hope when she writes about how her Dad said she can get a star for Christmas. It can also be interpreted that even though the rich might have Christmas trees with a star at the top, she gets the real thing and she can keep it forever which is much more significant. It also shows how knowledgeable her father is about constellations. All this makes you root for her as she seems like the underdog.
Walls’ choice of words helps add emotion and detail to her writing. The story about the rat is well written.
“This rat was not just eating the sugar. He was bathing in it, wallowing in it, positively luxuriating in it, his flickering tail hanging over the side of the bowl, flinging sugar across the table.”
Another passage with detailed writing is when she paints part of the house. I’m not sure if its because I painted a garage this summer but I can really imagine and go through the motions.
“Out on the porch, I opened the can and stirred the paint with a stick, blending in the oil that had risen to the surface until the paint, which was the colour of buttercups, had turned creamy. I dipped in a fat brush and spread the paint along the old clapboard siding in long, smooth strokes. It went on bright and glossy and looked even better than I had hoped.”
The author Jeannette Walls does a great job of creating balance in the Glass Castle. She almost makes you pity her when tells of her impoverish upbringing but then manages to turn the tables and make her family seem noble, smart and loving. Her parents constantly remind her of their position but actually manage to turn it into a positive thing. She makes it seem like they have a very loving family even without material possessions. Her father explains why they are the lucky ones and not rich folk because they can’t fully appreciate nature and be happy.
“Rich city folks, he’d say, lived in fancy apartments, but their air was so polluted they couldn’t even see the stars. We’d have to be out of our minds to want to trade places with any of them. ”
Walls creates this symbol and feeling of hope when she writes about how her Dad said she can get a star for Christmas. It can also be interpreted that even though the rich might have Christmas trees with a star at the top, she gets the real thing and she can keep it forever which is much more significant. It also shows how knowledgeable her father is about constellations. All this makes you root for her as she seems like the underdog.
Walls’ choice of words helps add emotion and detail to her writing. The story about the rat is well written.
“This rat was not just eating the sugar. He was bathing in it, wallowing in it, positively luxuriating in it, his flickering tail hanging over the side of the bowl, flinging sugar across the table.”
Another passage with detailed writing is when she paints part of the house. I’m not sure if its because I painted a garage this summer but I can really imagine and go through the motions.
“Out on the porch, I opened the can and stirred the paint with a stick, blending in the oil that had risen to the surface until the paint, which was the colour of buttercups, had turned creamy. I dipped in a fat brush and spread the paint along the old clapboard siding in long, smooth strokes. It went on bright and glossy and looked even better than I had hoped.”
Glass Castle
The author Jeannette Walls does a great job of creating balance in the Glass Castle. She almost makes you pity her when tells of her impoverish upbringing but then manages to turn the tables and make her family seem noble, smart and loving. Her parents constantly remind her of their position but actually manage to turn it into a positive thing. She makes it seem like they have a very loving family even without material possessions. Her father explains why they are the lucky ones and not rich folk because they can’t fully appreciate nature and be happy.
“Rich city folks, he’d say, lived in fancy apartments, but their air was so polluted they couldn’t even see the stars. We’d have to be out of our minds to want to trade places with any of them. ”
Walls creates this symbol and feeling of hope when she writes about how her Dad said she can get a star for Christmas. It can also be interpreted that even though the rich might have Christmas trees with a star at the top, she gets the real thing and she can keep it forever which is much more significant. It also shows how knowledgeable her father is about constellations.
The author Jeannette Walls does a great job of creating balance in the Glass Castle. She almost makes you pity her when tells of her impoverish upbringing but then manages to turn the tables and make her family seem noble, smart and loving. Her parents constantly remind her of their position but actually manage to turn it into a positive thing. She makes it seem like they have a very loving family even without material possessions. Her father explains why they are the lucky ones and not rich folk because they can’t fully appreciate nature and be happy.
“Rich city folks, he’d say, lived in fancy apartments, but their air was so polluted they couldn’t even see the stars. We’d have to be out of our minds to want to trade places with any of them. ”
Walls creates this symbol and feeling of hope when she writes about how her Dad said she can get a star for Christmas. It can also be interpreted that even though the rich might have Christmas trees with a star at the top, she gets the real thing and she can keep it forever which is much more significant. It also shows how knowledgeable her father is about constellations.
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