Disgrace part 3

David is so distraught over what happened to Lucy on that awful night, as any parent would be. However, Lucy just wants to forget the whole incident, but David can’t let it go. he wants so badly for Lucy to report the horrendous crime and say what happened, but Lucy refuses to open up to anyone about it.

Being raped is such a traumatic experience. I think David needs to give Lucy more time and stop pressuring her to report it to the police. She is trying to cope in her own way but can’t move on because David is constantly reminding her of that horrible night.

I think it is very interesting how the author flips the scenario on to David so he is forced to look at this new but very similar situation he is placed in yet again. Before, David was the one being accused of rape by a protective father, but now the shoe is on the other foot and David is turned into the protective parent wanting to speak out on his daughter’s behave.

Add a comment October 30, 2009

Disgrace part 2

This book has gotten very descriptive and intense. I couldn’t believe what terrible things happened in this section of the reading. No wonder David is so worried about Lucy living all my herself out there, look what happened. I can’t believe so guys came into her home, beat her so badly, burn David and kill her dogs. That was so horrible to read. I felt so bad for David and Lucy. What an awful experience to go through. Then the guys take off in David’s car. That was so sad that they killed Lucy’s dogs, they meant so much to her.

There is definitely a trend in these books we have been reading, at least these past two texts with the horrible violence. Which in both books are described very intensely. The characters in both book are also very unlucky in the lives they lead. David just can’t catch a break it seems. I’m curious as to what will happen next….

Add a comment October 26, 2009

Disgrace part 1

After reading part one of Disgrace, I found myself saying..what the hell. I don’t understand this Melanie girl at all. She is so wishy- washy. First of all the girl needs to speak up and say something, anything! We never know what is going on in that girl’s head and it would really help the reader if we did. I don’t know if she likes the professor and that’s why she keeps coming back to him or she’s scared to death of him. It seems like she alternates between these two sides every time she comes in contact with David. You would think the girl is just frighten by David and doesn’t know how to handle the situation because most of their sexual encounters are very awkward and seem extremely unwanted on Melanie’s part. For example, the scene in her bedroom where she is practically raped by David. David is taking off her clothes and she hides under the blankets and turns her back to him as he proceeds to have sex with her. Then the next night she is at his door asking to spend the night?? There is another scene in which it states how while having sex, Melanie wraps her leg around his body, which would suggest she is enjoying herself. But then Melanie doesn’t show up in class for weeks at a time. She really frustrates me and I wish I knew what was going on with her and why she is sending all these mixed signals.

Add a comment October 23, 2009

Oscar Wao-The Ending

I have to say, out of all the books we have read; this one is by far my favorite. I really enjoyed reading about these characters. I like that we get to really see into each of their lives as it unfolds. I also liked the fact that we got a glimpse of their past and how they started out. It was interesting to read how they all ended up.

So we find out in the end the narrator is Yunior. I had a hunch it would turn out to be him. I kind of liked the fact that the narrator wasn’t revealed to the end. It lets the reader guess along the way. It definitely makes you want to keep reading to see if you are correct in the end.

Poor Oscar. I feel so terrible for him. All he wanted to do was share his heart with someone. This family was definitely cursed in the love department. Love brought nothing but trouble for this family. I wanted so badly for it to work out for Oscar but in the end he dies, and for what? Love. I guess it is fitting to his character. Over all though, I enjoyed the book a lot.

Add a comment October 19, 2009

Oscar Wao Post # 11

The more I read this book the more I enjoy it. I can’t wait to find out who the narrator has been all this time and if it is one main narrator or a combination of narrators throughout. One theme I keep seeing played out is the role of women. The women of this book always seem to get the short hand of the stick in Dominican culture and the men seem to have it made. In the scene where we are introduced to Abelard, he talks about how scared he is to let his daughter Jacqueline been seen for fear that Trujillo will notice her beauty and want to rob her of her innocence. It is a sad world when the women of the world don’t have a say in their own bodies and encounters. Since Trujillo is so powerful he can get any women he wants so if he wanted Jacqueline he would make it happen and Abelard knows this and can’t bare the thought of his poor little girl being subjected to that. I can’t imagine living in The DR during this time as a female thinking I could be violated at any moment just because the leader feels like it. Another part that made me upset was finding out that Abelard has a mistress, Lydia. The author talks so nonchalantly about him cheating on his wife as if that is ok to do. I couldn’t believe that. Its not enough that these men have to beat their woman and control their lives in every aspect but they are being unfaithful as well?

Add a comment October 16, 2009

Post # 10 Oscar Wao

Kelly Dermody

Post # 10

Oscar Wao

I really enjoyed reading this section of the book. I couldn’t put it down. I wanted to keep reading page after page to find out what was going to happen next. I cannot believe the scene where Beli is beaten so badly by the secret police. She was almost killed, and the even sadder part is, her baby was. I felt so bad for Beli. She loved that baby so much and was so excited to have it, and it was unfairly taken away from her. It wasn’t her fault the Gangster got her pregnant. She didn’t know he was married. She ended up paying a large price for loving the Gangster, a price the Gangster should have paid, not Beli. I understand how the Gangster wife would be upset. I would be upset too if I learned my husband was fooling around with some young girl and got her pregnant. But she should have taken it out on Dioniois.

The more I read of this book, the more I seem to enjoy it. I can’t wait to see how it all pans out in the end. It seems weird that we are not hearing more about Oscar however. His name is in the title of the book after all. I am interested to find out what happens to him in the end as well. I think reading the section about Beli was my favorite. I have to admit that in the beginning I disliked her, but after gaining more insight into her past I have grow to like her character a lot.

Add a comment October 14, 2009

Oscar Wao pg. 50-118

I really liked reading the second part of this book. I liked that it gave an in-depth insight into Lola in her point of view. She is the first character we see that is able to narrate her own story line. It was interesting to get inside her head and see her point of view on things, especially her mother. I also liked the fact that we got to see what Beli was like as a young girl. It was very interesting how the author chose to do Beli in reverse. For most of his characters, he starts out with their past, their childhood and how they grow up and then bring them into the present time, but for Beli he did just the opposite. We are introduced to her as an adult and then later we get to see how her childhood was like. I thought it was interesting to find out just how similar Beli and her daughter Lola really are. Beli was a lot like Lola is now. They are both tough Dominican girls who don’t take crap from anyone, not even their mother. Lola treats Beli the way that Beli treated La Inca..Karma? Fuku?

Add a comment October 8, 2009

Oscar Wao

After reading the first 50 pages of Oscar Wao we can’t take too much out of the story yet since it is only just beginning. So far I like the story and how it is unraveling. I like that the author chooses to start the story off with Oscar in his childhood. It gives the reader a little insight into the character and how his story begins. I also thought it was interesting how the author reveals so much so soon in the story. It’s like he wants us to know what is going to happen in the future and is slowly preparing the reader for what is to come. The author already gives away that Oscar will die in the story and that his mother gets cancer. So dar I like the story and I’m very interested in what is to come further into the book.

Add a comment October 6, 2009