(pg. 34) So the best day that Valentino imagines is one that begins with school being cancelled. What a coincidence! So does mine! No offense Mr. Haskey. If only all my teachers came out everyday and said, "You are too brilliant!... and orders us home, to play and make of the day whatever we wish." That would definitely be the best day ever.
(pg. 34) The polygamy reminds me of the Texas polygamy scandal that just recently happened. Apparently they were abusing children; making young girls have sex with really old guys. I
wonder what the difference is between these two groups of polygamists. Well in Valentino's
family, "the children borne by all the six women play together and are considered family without barrier or reservation." (Eggers 34) Well, I'm not sure if that's only part of his perfect memory that he created or not. All I know about the Texas polygamists is the women all have the same poof hairdo, same shoulder-padded, long dresses, and lovely uni brows. No offense to them, it's just factual.
(pg. 35)
ACHAK.
"-What are you staring at, Achak? she asks, laughing at me, using my given name, the name I used until it was overtaken by nicknames in Ethiopia and Kakuma, so many names." (Eggers 35)
(pg. 36) All the things we Americans take for granted. These Sudanese guys get the option of going to a cattle camp, (yay!) or going on Valentino's route and learning to become a businessman of a general store. We can go to college, learn whatever we want, become a CEO, or an astronaut, or a writer, or whatever! We aren't restricted to becoming cattle ranchers or
shopkeepers, which I am very thankful for. We should all be ecstatic about this fact.
(pg.37) They see a bike. "Where did it come from? Who owns it? It is easily the most spectacular object in all of Marial Bai." (Eggers 37) I just want to send a brand new bicycle to each of those kids, if I had the money.
(pg. 41) As Valentino says, "Though I have always have been too timid to say much to her, there was one day, in a state of heightened courage or carelessness, I simply walked up to her, and so this becomes part of my best day." (Eggers 41) I think of how people do that today. Well, more like in their dreams they talk to that cute boy or girl that they would never talk to in person. It shows that Valentino is just a regular hormonal
guy. Another example, you say or do something embarrassing in front someone you like, in your mind you replay it in your mind and change the situation to work in your favor. It's all in the imagination.
(pg. 44) I wonder the comparison between his dream day and a real day he would have in his life. Does he really get to fetch water for pretty girls, guard beautiful new bikes, hang out with his friends, and be with his mom and dad? If not, I'm afraid to know what a read day in his life is.
(pg. 45) What is the purpose of killing a cute little calf at a wedding? Is it's death supposed to symbolize something for the couple? Are they going to eat it for a well-nourishing, celebratory meal? Does the poor thing have to die? "I saw the eye of the calf, watched it as its legs kicked
aimlessly. The eye faced straight up into the white sky..." (Eggers 45) Does that not just sadden your heart? And why does Valentino want to see this calf die so much? "When the next wedding comes, I will again position myself over the dying head of the calf to see how it dies." (Eggers 45) Why Valentino? WHY?
CHAPTER 5
(pg. 48) Way to cheat out all of those helpful, charity groups! Are they really just feeding and nurturing soon-to-be rebels and soldiers? Apparently! They may be saving lives, but are these lives being saved to kill hundreds of thousands of innocent lives in the future? "Twenty thousand unaccompanied boys in the middle of the desert: it is not difficult to see the appeal to the UN, to Save the Children and the Lutheran World Federation." (Eggers 48)
(pg. 49) When he talks of Sudan being sort of a backward country concerning industrialization, it reminds me of Russia being a backward country back in the 1800s. Other countries made fun of it and didn't really regard it highly as a country. In the present we wouldn't ever make fun of Sudan, yet I feel like we don't really want to concern ourselves much with them. I think it's hard to think of a country that doesn't have cars or roads, or houses made of anything besides grass and dirt. I know if I lived in that country I wouldn't survive very long. So I don't think it's very comfortable for us even thinking about that situation. "But in southern Sudan, we are by any estimation at least a few hundred years behind the industrialized world." (Eggers 49)
1 comment:
I would also like to comment on the fact that the Polygamist colony is also noted with the boys being known as the "Lost Boys" and although I know that Eggers had zero idea that the scandel was going to happen. It was slightly along the same lines as being willfully held in trashy conditions because you don't know any better. :-( Great blog by the way!
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