"I kicked and flailed and thrashed me way to the surface, gasping for air, and reached out to dad. But he pulled back, and Didn't feel his arms around me until i'd sunk one more time. He did it again and again, until the realization that he was rescuing me only to throw me back in to the water took hold, and so rather the reaching for dads hands, I tried to get away from them. I kicked at him and pushed away through the water with my arms and finally, I was able to propel myself beyond his grasp."
I know this is a bit long, but I wanted to show how every single word in the passage adds to the extent of its full meaning. I find it insane how the father is ruthless when it comes to her swimming. He just keeps on throwing her back in the water, even though he can see she is in distress. I hate this passage so much that it comes to point in which I love it. I can never understand the dad, I cant really come to a point in which I think he is just a bad father or just a good father period. Jennette Walls (The little girl) really shows the way she must be feeling through her choice of words. I believe that this beautifully written and would love to see what other people think when they read this!
-Zoe
Great passage to pick - I can tell it affected you! Try to push yourself to notice how diction (word choice) and syntax (word order) and sentence length contribute to the overall effect of the passage.
ReplyDeleteI love what you said about the quote. It is a very powerful qoute. It sounds like a very intense moment for Jeannette Walls, who is the author. The Glass Castle sounds like a interesting book. Why did you chose the Glass Castle as your memoir choice? I might read it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you how it's hard to grasp why the dad acts the way he does. I find this quote somewhat intriguing. I think this is a horrible way to get his kids to swim, but we know he thinks he has good intentions. It's hard for parents I guess because they have to teach the kids not to always rely on the parents. I just don't think it's a good way to get Jeannette to learn how to swim. I guess it's hard to understand her dad because he's gone through different things that he never talks about. I do wonder why he kept waiting and waiting to get her from the water. Do you think we'd get a better understanding if there was a narrative of the dad's views or if Jeannette talked more positivly about her dad?
ReplyDeleteGreat passage to chose, it really shows Jeannette's relationship with her father. I don't think Jeannette even understands what her father does, but she still forgives him for everything he does and still loves him.
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