Freshmen: Today our focus was on writing for your Capstone and reviewing both in-text and blocked citations. Keep working on your project this weekend.
Sophomores: We wrapped up Watership Down and The Poisonwood Bible, respectively. Periods 4 and 8, you need to respond to one of the following prompts by posting a comment on the blog: 1. What is the implication of Book VII having no narrator attributed to it? or 2. What ideas, images, and themes from Books I-VI are repeated and alluded to in Book VII? or 3. What are the implications of the shopkeeper's claim that "There has never been any village on the road past Bulungu?"
Please respond to what others have said in your response, if appropriate. It's expected that your response is a couple of paragraphs long, reflects depth and clarity of thought, and uses citations from the text.
CNF: Today we watched two pieces about Joe Ehrmann and his philosophy. If you were absent, please watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVI1Xutc_Ws and you can see the second half of the HBO special we watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqendAI6UYo We will begin Season of Life on Monday.
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31 comments:
The implication of the last book having no narrator attributed to it is great. Although it sounds like Ruth May, I think that it is the voice of all children who have left this earth. As this book says "I am muntu Africa, muntu one child and a million all lost on the same day" (537).
When a child dies the parent automatically blames themselves. It is human nature. All mothers mourn the loss of their precious replicas. The relationship between mother and child is unbreakable and very strong. When you create something you grow attached to it. The children of the world who no longer inhabit it are calling down to their respective parents and telling them that if they "feel a gnawing at (their) bones, that is only (themselves)" (537). The children are telling us that we must forgive ourselves. All people must die when it is their turn, and although the turn of children who die came early, we cannot mourn forever. We must let go and forgive. The children are telling us to "slide the weight from (our) shoulders and move forward" (543).
The character narrating the last book is called the "eyes in the trees" (535). Therefore it could be Ruth May, in a different form. When Nelson told her, in danger, to think of a safe place and she would go there, she thought of the green mamba, hidden safely above us. The green mamba is invisible to the world, but always watching. When Ruth May was bit by the snake her voice seemed to come from the treetops. As Leah says, "It was as if she'd disappeared, and her voice was thrown into the trees" (363). Ruth May, in the danger, disappeared and became a green mamba in her own right. This shows that the unknown author could, possibly be Ruth May.
However, I still believe that it is all of the children who have died looking down on their grieving family and telling them to forgive and "walk forward into the light" (543).
Tessa Ganellen
Period 4
Beyond my reading of Book VII having no narrator, my immediate assumption was that is was the voice of Ruth May speaking not to the reader, but to her mother. I saw this as Ruth May's way of telling her mother she does forgive her, a type of closure. I had a strong feeling Ruth May would be the voice of this chapter just due to it's title, "Eyes in the Trees". In a previous chapter, I had written down a quote in my seminar prep where Ruth May explains that even if her family didn't see her, she would always see them and be looking over them from the trees above.
After reading Tessa's response, it is very possible it can not only be Ruth May narrating, but rather all children who have left the Earth at a young age, I hadn't made that connection previously. I think that is an interesting concept that could very well be true. But, I don't think it is all the children speaking, but more of Ruth May speaking for all the children who have died young such as she.
Erin Sleater
Period 8
Even though Book VII had no narrator, I am pretty sure it was Ruth may. I think Ruth May was talking to her mom and telling her that everything was okay and that she loved her. I felt like even though Ruth May had died, she was going to come back in the story at the end. When I read Erin's response about the title of the chapter, I related a lot to that. Since the chapter was called, "Eyes in the Trees," I had an assumption that it was going to be Ruth May. Erin also mentioned the quote about how Ruth May will always see her family looking over from the trees. I feel like that quote and the title really connected at the end and had a good, solid ending.
After reading Tessa's response about the last chapter, it really made me think about what the last chapter was really about. I had never thought about other children telling the story as well as Ruth May. Tessa has a good point about how Book VII could be talking not just about Ruth May, but all young children who have passed and are still trying to connect with their loved ones.
The last book caught me off guard because there was no narrator. But I do think it was Ruth May. All of the girls are grown now and living with their families and Ruth May is watching over them. She has grown up too. I feel like she is telling Orleanna that everything is okay and she is watching over.
After reading some of the other comments both Tessa and Erin had connections with the title of the last book and the narrator being Ruth May. I didn't catch this in the book but I do see the connections. Ruth May is said to always be watching from the trees.
I think Tessa's theory that it could be all children connected to their lived ones is very possible.
I think there are a lot of ways of interpreting the woman's claim that there has never been a village named Kilanga. But one stands out to me, and it is an idea that is echoed throughout the book.
The opening words of the book are: "Imagine a ruin so strange it must never have happened" (5). Already, Orleanna is discussing this idea. After Ruth May dies, Leah talks about how so many people die in war that one child's death seems insignificant, but that to those who are personally connected with the death, it seems like the most important thing. For the women of the Price family, Ruth May's death is just as important as the deaths of all other people in the Congo. Yet, her death had no impact on the country, and so it holds no significance for those who didn't know her. I think that is what the woman is supposed to represent. Kilanga- the place where the lives of the Price family are changed forever, is not even known to exist to most people. This represents Ruth May's death, and the ruin of the Price family contrasted with the ruin of the Congo during the war. And this is the case in all wars, and with all violence. Every number of the overall death count may seem insignificant to the world, but each one had a story, a family, and is grieved somewhere privately. This woman couldn't have known the significance of a place so small that she wasn't aware of its existence. Leah has one quote that really summarizes what I am trying to say: "If I can't yet mourn for a million people who left this world in a single day, I'll start with one, and move from there. I don't have much left of my childhood beliefs I can love or trust, but I still know what justice is. As long as I'm carrying Ruth May piggyback through my days, with her voice in my ears, I still have her with me" (438).
The last book having no narrator, leaves us to think for ourselves who the narrator could be. I thought that it was Ruth May who wrote the last book. She explains of her journey with her family when she was still alive. She hones in on a time they were walking and she crushed a spider. She then talks about how her family is doing now, without her. She says they meet up to say goodbye to their mother, the first time all of them have met since her death. Her mom sees a child which makes her think of Ruth May. Ruth May says that Orleanna, "begins to work out how old I would be now" (543).
All of this makes me think that it is Ruth May. She is the only one who could remember all that about their family. She watches over all of them. She also knows about how her mother feels guilt for her death, thus she soothes Orleanna by telling her that she is forgiven. Ruth May says, "slide the weight from your shoulders and move forward" (543). This is meaningful in so many ways. Her mom has been hurting because of Ruth May's death since she died, and Ruth May is now giving her the opportunity to let it all go. This shows their close relationship. Also, for the whole of The Poisonwood Bible Orleanna was speaking to Ruth May, now Ruth May speaks to Orleanna.
I read Tessa's response and I think that her point could be possible as well. The last book could represent all the children who have died. The first quote that Tessa chose was a convincing one. It shows how all children are one. Her third quote was the same quote I chose "slide the weight from your shoulders and move forward". I like the way Tessa used it. It could be speaking to all of the mothers who have lost and who feel the guilt of their children's death on their shoulders.
Although I still think that it was written by Ruth May, telling the story of her family and giving her mom the opportunity to let all of her guilt go. She says, "I forgive you, Mother" (543).
Charissa Boniface
Period 8
In the last book there was no narrator but i believe it was Ruth may because Ruth may had to come back and show that she loves her mother. the chapter was called "eyes in the trees" like how Tessa said how Nathan told Ruth may to think of a safe place and she would go there that's kinda going back to the title she is the eyes in the tree. A lot of people believe that when you die you get reincarnated as an animal or some living thing and Ruth may was a tree.
I believe that Ruth may turned into a tree because a tree always stays in one spot, gives shelter to people, and watches over people. Ruth may needs to watch Orleanna and give shelter to show that Ruth may forgives her.
Caleb Hammond-Hall
period 8
April 27, 2014 at 2:37 PM
I think it is very significant that book 7 has no narrator credited to it. I believe it is Ruth May. It sounds like her and makes the most sense to me. Tessa's theory makes sense to me but I believe it is just Ruth May. If it was the voices of all the children that were lost, I believe Ruth May would still be the narrator of that chapter but could represent all the children that were lost. I think the chapter has no title because it does not matter who said it. Orleanna needs to hear what is being said regardless of who said it. It calms her and makes her feel more at peace. It is also important for the sisters to hear but mainly Orleanna.
Tim Hemmersmeier
Period 4
After reading other peoples comments, I also agree that the last book's narrator was Ruth May. When I got to the last book, I was a little surprised that there wasn't a narrator. However, I did enjoy that book the most. It was different and exciting to not know who the narrator could be because it left room for imagination.
Just as everybody has said, I agree with Tessa's theory about all kids who have left the earth being the narrator. I would have never thought of it that way.
I also like how Erin connected that quote she found to the title of the last book, "Eyes in the Trees". I think that quote was foreshadowing the last book.
Madeleine Burningham
Period 8
When reading Book VII of The Poisonwood Bible, one might assume that the narrator is the late Ruth May, although it isn't officially stated at the beginning of the section. This would make perfect sense considering that in Orleanna's sections, she seems to be addressing someone, saying "My little beast, my eyes, my favorite stolen egg..." (385).
The tables turn in Book VII when Ruth May is the presumed narrator addressing her mother. I agree with Tessa, that a parent almost instantly blames themselves for the death of their children. It's apparent that after Ruth May's death, Orleanna suffers from guilt. The final book, nevertheless, is very comforting to Orleanna and the reader, because although she endured an extreme death, she blames no one. If anything, she's happy. Throughout the novel, we learn that Ruth May wants to be a snake. Perhaps this is what she becomes, or rather, is reincarnated into, for it says "The glide of belly on branch. The mouth thrown open wide, sky blue. I am all that is here" (537). Ruth May might've died at an incredibly young age, however, she's at peace with the world, her family, and herself. Implying the narrator allows the reader to think abstractly in this situation, resulting in a similar conclusion--the narrator was Ruth May addressing her mother.
Rylee Kaleel
Period 4
After reading te seventh book, I came to a couple conclusions about the book. Right off the back I thought that Ruth May was narrating this part of the book. When Erin linked the title of this part of the book with what Ruth May said during the book made me more sure about the conclusion that I had drawn. After reading Tessa's I began to doubt myself, because she makes very good points about how it could be all children who died. Even though Tessa made a really good point, I still believe that Ruth May was narrarating, because she is my favorite character, and it brings me a little peace to know that she is still out there somewhere.
Sam Garcia
Period 4
Having no narrator in the last book lets our imagination decide who is writing it. I believe that the title of book VII helps decide who it is. “The eyes in the trees.” Somewhere in the book The Poisionwood Bible, Ruth May talks about how it almost seemed as if she was looking down form the tops of the trees, which leads me to believe that she is narrating the last book. Going to Erins comment about Ruth May writing to her mother is something I hadn't really thought about, but now that I think about it and look back in the book a little bit, makes a lot of sense.
In many of the comments above, many assume the narrator of Book VII in The Poisonwood Bible to be Ruth May. I believe that it is Ruth May, looking back on her life, trying to send a message that "every life is different because you passed this way and touched history" (538).
Ruth May is trying to explain, especially towards her mother, that her death wasn't Orleanna's fault. She tells her, "Mother, you can still hold on but forgive, forgive and give for long as long as we both shall live I forgive you, Mother... Slide the weight from your shoulders and move forward" (543). As Rylee explains, Ruth May died as such a young age, but she is at peace with the world.
Katie Lee
Period 4
As most, if not all responses have mentioned, there is clear evidence in which the narrator is Ruth May. It is implied on the last page (543), last paragraph where the narrator says, "Mother, you can still hold on but forgive, forgive and give for long as long as we both shall live I forgive you Mother." The subject of this being Orleanna, although I think the suggestion given by Tessa could be valid in saying that the previous passage could have been to all mothers of the children whose bond has been broken.
Death plays a major role in this chapter, whether it be the saving or causing of, and our need to contemplate our decisions. The narrator tells the story of the okapi, how the family saved its life by scaring it off. This shows that every action effects every life, and that no matter what the effect, good or bad, we have to to forgive or learn what we have done, gaining something from it.
Matt Shiramizu,
Period 4
The Poisonwood Bible is a story about how four women deal with guilt, the guilt at the death of their sister/daughter and their guilt at the role that their homeland played in Congo's political sphere. Each of these women want to be forgiven by the natives of Congo and RuthMay, but they each have an individual way in which they show this, as Rachel says "After something like that, you can only go your own way according to whats's in your heart. And in my family, all our hearts seem to have whole different things inside" (465).
Rachel, the self-absorbed oldest daughter, refuses to accept to burden of her guilt. Even though she lives a life that appears to her as happy, she has a void in her life that she chooses the ignore, even though very deep down she knows its there. Leah, the middle daughter who desires justice, responds by trying to make the wrongs right. She cannot forget the events she saw in Congo. To her there it no other way to appease her guilt then to live as one of them. Adah responds in a scientific way. Understanding Africa at an atomic level becomes her religion. Adah leads a balanced life of learning how to move on with her life, while never forgetting the guilt, "We are the balance of our damage and our transgressions" (533). Orleanna lives her guilt. She never forgets RuthMay for a moment, and refuses to lead a life without her. Even though she moves on physically, she never moves on mentally. Book VII, the final page reveals how to live with the guilt, "Move on. Walk forward into the light"(543), showing the hardest part of living with guilt is forgiving your self.
Becca Henkels
P 4
Although I didn't understand what the implication of the shopkeepers claim meant at first I thought about the concept of symbolism that was evident in previous parts of The Poisonwood Bible and tried to think about how this thought of Kilanga never existing could be applied to the lives of the Price family.
I think that this idea of Kilanga no longer existing represents the transition from the pre-Congo prices to the post-Congo Prices, or in other words, the rebirth of the Prices after they left the Congo behind them. After the Prices left the Congo all of them matured in some way, with the exception of Rachel, and that this new version of themselves, along with their memories, is the only evidence they have of their past selves. Just like how the Prices fading memories of Kilanga is the only evidence they have of the village ever existing.This is somewhat relevant to Olivia's theory in that Kilanga represents the Price family in some way or another.
I think that this quote from Rachel best represents the memory of Kilanga and the time the Prices spent there. "I have put the past behind me and don't even think about it."(425)
Tank Sidberry
Period 8
While we were finishing The Poisonwood Bible on Friday in class I kept thinking that Ruth May was narrating book seven. I was happy becasue like Sam Garcia said Ruth May was my favorite too. I was happy with that conclusion. It made a book I didnt really like just a little bit better. I was happy with that ending.
Lucas Widdowson
Period 4
Although Tessa makes some very good points about the VII book being narrated about all the children who have died in the world. I can't help but have this gut feeling the narrator is still Ruth May.
The title of the book, as Erin said , is called "The Eyes in the Trees" (535). Ruth May would always watch people from the trees, and the title is telling us that Ruth May still does that. Ruth May is the guardian angel of her family. She watches over her sisters and her mother. It is much like what Leah said about how Ruth May "disappeared, and her voice was thrown into the trees" (363)
Ruth May is telling not only Orleanna she forgives her, but also her sisters. In my mind, Rachel has also felt grief for the death of Ruth May. Rachel just has a different way of showing it, which is not showing it at all. Ruth May has forgiven everyone in her family for what has happened to her. She is their guardian angel, and she is telling them it is time to let go of the past and "walk forward into the light" (543).
Ruth May has always been the "eyes in the trees" watching over all the ones she loves. She is the guardian angel her family has always needed. Ruth May is the guardian of the trees.
Sarah Weyrich
Period 4
I think the last chapter of the book is giving the message of moving on by starting with the mother, the old and ending with Ruth May, the new. The narrator is Ruth May since the title itself is correlated with Ruth May because she climbed trees.Throughout the chapter it gives hints of the person narrating being Ruth May when she says"Listen being dead is not worse than being alive. It is different, though. You could say the view is larger"(538). We know Ruth May is dead so the person who most likely to say such a comment is her.
I message that is mentioned throughout the book is words, people, places can change drastically depending on your perspective. For example when Adah was almost eaten to death by a lion she was saved due to a small change in breeze or smell. Adah says "I wonder that religion can live or die on the strength of a faint, stirring breeze...one god draws in the breath of life and arises another god expires"(141). The same happens for words. Bangala the word has two meanings, both very different from the other yet the same thing. Adah being the same person,same thing changes in the book. All the girls do, except maybe rachael.
All these things change. Orleanna was a parallel to the Congo, being held captive under her ruler she breaks free, becoming independant. She changed. I think this idea of change and differences is best expressed when Leah says "Everything you're sure is right can be wrong in another place"
Carlo Antola
8th period
Book seven was my favorite chapter In the Poison Wood Bible. It was written so beautifully, I could see every detail that was expressed. It's my favorite chapter, because I believe that the perspective was in Ruth May's account. Although we were used to Ruth May's chapters as more naive and young minded, we come to see the older and much more mature towards the end of the book. After reading Tessa's response I had forgot that Nelson had given her that amulet to make her feel safe whenever she felt in danger, the tree must've been the place she felt safest. Her spirit is in Kilanga and will forever remain in the roots that run deep through out the Congo. In the last chapter, I'm certain that it's Ruth May because she repeatedly mentions forgiveness upon her mother Orleanna. Although Orleanna will never forgive herself for the death of her daughter, going back to Africa was a way of letting go what happened so many years ago in their village. Ruth May's soul and presence live for as long as the memories of Kilanga remains in the hearts of the Price family.
To be quite honest, I did not even know what implication meant. Well, I looked it up and the almighty internet said it was "The conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated." While reading book VII of The Poisonwood Bible I was having multiple thoughts of who this mystery narrator could have been. One that I think is somewhat accurate, in my mind, is Death.
Death itself has usually been something feared by the majority of people, and I think fear appears everywhere in this book. Orleanna fears for her children. Nathan fears for himself. Death was also the narrator at the end of the book, "The Book Theif". Death is a reoccurring theme in The Poisonwood Bible. Every character has experienced it, so all in all, Death knows these characters better than anyone. When I saw book VII was called "Eyes in the Trees", I later felt like I knew why. Death is everywhere, seeing everything.
One person that many people have mentioned in their comments, is Tessa. But not undeservingly. She said that it is possibly the passed children of the world. All of them sweetly and gently swept up by death.
Nick Richardson
Period 8
I agree with Sarah and Sam, in the fact that the narrator is Ruth May. In book VII the narrator says, "The wooden animal in your pocket will soothe your fingers, which are simply looking for something to touch. Mother, you can still hold on but forgive, forgive and give for long as long as we both shall live I forgive you, Mother(543)," and I feel this proves Ruth May is the narrator; although, this narrator there-after states," I shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers(543)," in which I can see where Tessa drew her point.
I believe that because there is no labeled narrator, in Book VII, the narrator may resemble many different people. I saw this book as a sort of wrapping up of where all of the characters ended their lives and how they finally moved on from Ruth Mays' death, especially Orleanna. Also, since this Book can come from the perspective of more than one person, those persons can signify not just the children of Africa, as Tessa mentioned, but all spirits of Africa. At this point, Ruth May tells her mother to forgive herself, and because she is the whole of Africa, she is instructing the people to forgive the leaders for the suffering and death of innocent lives that occurred by their hands.
Amy Cremer
P.4
I thought that book VII was the best book of The Poisonwood Bible. I thought it was a very powerful and sad way to end the book. While we were reading it in class, I was not quite sure who the narrator is, but now, I think that the author is death. In The Book Thief, the entire book is told by deaths point of view. I think this is an interesting way to narrate a book, but it is very powerful. I agree with Nick that all the characters fear death and that they all experience it, each in their different ways. Nathan is oblivious to Ruth Mays death, but the girls all are affected by it. Nathan experiences death when the boat full of the children flips and the children are all killed, and then he is killed by the village.
To conclude, I thought that The Poisonwood bible was a very good book and I thought book VII was the best and most well-written book.
Harry Pendergrast
Period 4
The narrator speaking in Book VII is a spirit. While many say it is the spirit of Ruth May, I say it is the liberated spirit of Ruth May and now the spirit of Africa. Yes, there is evidence supporting that the narrator Ruth May, but this Ruth May is different from the young girl that left the physical world many years ago.
I believe this to be when Ruth May's soul rests. A closing to all the chaos and guilt, now washed over with peace. The narrator brings closure; closure to Orleanna, closure to the Price sisters, and closure to me as a reader.
Everything happens for a reason. Everyone plays a small intricate part in this life. We have no control of what happens, but as Muntu, the wise spirit of Ruth May and Africa, said, "You will forgive and remember... Move on. Walk forward into the light."(p.543)
Alicia Canales
Period: 4
When the shopkeeper said that there were no villages on the road to Bulungou, I got really confused. At first I thought that the shopkeeper had amnesia or something. Then I realized that the shopkeeper probably forgot about the village on purpose.
I think that ever since the Price family left the Congo, everybody started to erase the village from their minds because it reminded them of the Price family. The Price family thought that they were doing good deeds while they were in the Congo but the other people that lived there knew that the Price family was doing nothing good. I agree with Tank that that one quote that Rachel says really shows or represents how the Price girls felt about the Congo.
Max Winston
Period 8
Although book VII did not have a narrator attributed to it I assumed that it was Ruth May speaking to her mother.There were clues throughout the text, "She sees innocence,...", "I am muntu Africa,..." and "Call it muntu: all that is here." page 537.I felt like she was assuring Orleanna that she was forgiven and that she must forgive herself. There is a statement on page 538 that states, "Listen: being dead is not worse than being alive. It is different, though. You could say the view is larger." When I read this statement I gathered that she was talking about the view from where she was above in the trees. She saw them mourn, but Ruth May wanted her family to move on, to know that she was watching over them and that she was ok.
After reading Tessa's comment my perspective on the narrator changed because of the first quote she wrote from page 537. She makes a really good point that Ruth May is not the only narrator, there are the other children that were lost on the same day. I do think that a lot of the text is written from Ruth May's point of view but I personally think the other children that lost their lives stated this "Every life is different because you passed this way and touched history. Even the child Ruth May touched history."
I believe that the last chapter's narrator is Ruth May or at least heavily influenced by Ruth May. This is because the narrator is called the "eyes in the trees". Ruth May talks about how her family may not be able to see her but she can always see them from the trees. I think that it is her way of giving her mother forgiveness.
Another idea that really caught my attention was Tessa's idea that it is from all the children who have passed looking down upon their family. I found this to be quite interesting and I think that it is a definite possibility.
Ethan Archibald
Period 4
I believe in boo VII of The Poisonwood Bible is narrator is Ruth May. Mostly because her character didn't seem finished and with the line on page 537,"I am muntu Africa, muntu one child and a million all lost on the same day. Throughout the book she was the voice of African children. She was the first to communicate with the African children not by language but by playing. She did Nathan's job of communicating with the children but instead of teaching the about god she just played. She spoke for the children and was a definite role model for them. As the leader of the children she is rightly the voice of them all talking to all the parents of all of the dead children of the world.
Jacob Bowersox
Per.8
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