Saturday, August 29, 2009
Group D Golden Lines
Golden Lines "Golden lines" are powerful quotes that automatically provide interesting discussion material. Many students find it much easier to select something the author said than to come up with their own reactions. Therefore, Golden Lines are an easy and effective strategy for gathering information to discuss.Post your Golden Lines for Marshfield Dreams to invite discussion.Please respond to each others' golden lines entry.
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The first quote that struck my attention was on page 51. As Vidya watches Appa being beat by the British soldier, she comments, "Then the lathi hit Appa's skull again, with a sound like the priest cracking open a coconut at the temple - the sound of my father's final sacrifice." Particularly the last phrase of the quote really hit me as I was reading, as Venkatraman vividly portrays the final "battle" Appa would fight due to that "sound." Here is a man with strong convictions, and due to his selfless actions, he would now be looked at as an "idiot" in his society. It was a powerful quote whose meaning followed Vidya throughout the story both as she tries to talk Kitta out of joining the army and as she continually blames herself for her father's "death". The other quote that struck me is a part of an entire scene that I feel was central to the text. On page 233 Vidya meets up with Raman after she did not accept his proposal. At that time, Raman comments, "You taught me a lot. You made me see things about me that I need to change." This quote really hit me because I feel it represents so much in the text. Throughout the text, Vidya's extended family lives very traditionally and the men clearly carry the power and authority in the family, while the women are meant to serve them and be seen and not heard. This quote not only shows how different Raman is from the other men in his traditional family, but it also shows a break in the strict Indian heritage. Here is a man who not only will allow his wife to go to school and speak her mind, but he is also willing to admit that his fiance (a person who should do what he says and not complain) has taught him a lot. He is a man who wants to learn from his partner and is willing to change himself in order for her to feel successful and whole. It becomes clear at that point that he and Vidya were a perfect match. I feel that quote really says a lot about Raman's character.
ReplyDeleteKrysta,
ReplyDeleteI agree that the quote on page 233, where Raman tells Vidya "You taught me a lot" is very important. However, I disagree with you a bit because of the fact that I do not truly feel as though Raman is all that different from the other traditional Indian men. I believe that Raman wants to be different in the sense that when he sees Vidya smelling the flowers she has picked for a religious ceremony (an act frowned upon by traditional Indians) he is okay with that and believes God would want her to smell the beautiful flowers. However, I feel as though Raman really scared Vidya away by asking her uncle for permission to marry her before consulting and proposing to Vidya herself. This just went to show that Raman had very traditional ways instilled in him that would make it hard for him to truly change. Vidya knew at that moment that if she were to marry Raman he would still restrict her in ways she did not wish to be restricted. Also, at one point Raman says to Vidya, "If we were to marry I would permit you to attend college." Vidya is upset by this comment and wonders what makes Raman think he can permit her to do anything. Therefore, I feel that despite Raman's attempts to be different and more free-thinking like Vidya he really is not as free thinking as he would like to believe or as Vidya would want him to be.
I think the quote on page 133 where Vidya says, "My meals were left outside on the ground for me as though I were a dog. I had to pick them up without being seen. I could not change my clothes or bathe either because I was too dirty to be allowed into the bathing rooms" is such a vivid portrayal of how men in traditional India viewed women. This quote is describing the tradition of women having to leave their homes during their period and go out to the outhouse because they were viewed as being "dirty." I cannot imagine being part of a culture where I was not respected. For Vidya being so outspoken and free-thinking I was surprised that she allowed this to happen to her. Especially, knowing that Vidya would sneak up to the library to read, which was not permitted in Indian culture because women were not allowed upstairs in their homes.
ReplyDeleteHeather, I agree that the treatment of women during their period is harsh. Still, even though Vidya is outspoken and freethinking, she does often follow through with the traditional customs of her culture. There are probably certain battles that are more important to her, such as using the library and going to college. If she is contrary about everything, life would be impossible in Madras. In the Bible, it also explains that women are "unclean" during their cycle and must keep their distance from others. It is humiliating; however, I don't think it recommends they be held up in outhouses and fed like dogs.
ReplyDeleteThere were many quotes throughout the book that I felt were either powerful or beautifully written. One was on page 39. Vidya wants to go to college and does not want to marry young. After having a discussion with her mother about marriage, her attention turns to Raja. "I heard Raja whine softly, still tied to a pillar on the back verandah. He wasn't happy. Even dogs prefer freedom, I thought." The theme of being trapped and wanting freedom and equality is vividly illustrated in this quote. I can almost see the picture of Raja on the porch tied up with his head on his paws next to the picture of Vidya feeling tied up and hopeless. Does she feel she is only a step above a dog? That reference comes up again in the quote Heather chose. How terrible it is for a woman to feel no better than as if she were an animal.
ReplyDeleteOn page 104, Kitta tries to help Vidya see beyond the negativity of their relatives by saying, "There are a lot of others in the world, saying far more important things. I try to concentrate on what is happening outside this house." I thought his advice was very poignant. If we only listen to one viewpoint, and a sheltered viewpoint at that, we will not be able to see beyond it. I think this book encourages the readers to think and search out information in order to help them become strong and make good decisions for themselves. That is why reading books, listening to the radio,and seeing the newspaper are such guarded activities in this story. The less outside information a person receives, the more controlled he/she can be. For Vidya, books are her connection to the world beyond her own. And they spark ideas in her that other Indian women may not think of.
The last quote I wanted to include is found on page 155. It seemed to be brushed over quickly, but it was quite powerful. Vidya is on the verandah watching the ants carry away lumps of sugar when she says, "I thought of the size of the burdens the ants carried on their backs, so much larger than their tiny bodies." Is she relating the ants to herself because she feels she has an enormous burden to carry causing herself to feel pity? Or is she gaining strength from seeing how powerful the ants are and that they trudge on?
Before I respond to some of the comments already made, I'll throw in a quote that hasn't been covered yet. On page 153-155 Vidya approaches Malati to say goodbye and sees that she has been crying. "My chest felt tight. I wanted to shrink and hide myself away. I had been celebrating her departure, waiting for it, glad I would hardly ever see her agin. I never thought that she might have been scared by all the changes she would have to make when she moved away. However much she wanted to get married, there must have been times when it had felt overwhelming and frightening." The reason this struck me was two fold: first, here she is learning that there is more pain in the world then just her own (it kind of prepares her for her brother's news)and second, it is interesting that while she acknowledges that Malati may have felt pain, she doesn't yet connect Malati's bad behavior to the fear and insecurity Malati may have been feeling. And/or she does not move to the point of forgiving Malati for her behavior.
ReplyDeleteLiz,
ReplyDeleteI love the quote you chose about Malati and her tears about the changes she was about to undergo. Vidya feels sorry and sympathizes with Malati's feelings and for once I think she almost feels guilty for how she and Malati were harsh toward one another. It is interesting when they actually reconcile over Malati going away because she is now married. It is like both of them finally see the others point of view for the first time and realize that "to each his own."
Heather
Krysta,
ReplyDeleteI think the quote that you chose on page 51 is very interesting as well. It is also very powerful. I think the words the author chose make the reader feel that although this is a horrible event, Vidya's father allowed it to happen because he is doing what is right, even if it means he will lose his life. Not fighting back is a clear theme in this book. Most of the women do not fight back either. Following tradition, following the values that one holds paints of picture of these Indian people. It is Vidya and eventually Kitta who rebel. It is like a new generation of thinkers that begins to emerge. After all, look what the sacrifice resulted in for Vidya's father...he is now an "idiot." The sacrifice is not even commended by his own family. But for him, he knew he did the right thing. There are many opportunities for the characters and the reader to question what really is right and what really is wrong. I think the author does an excellent job in making the reader examine his/her own beliefs.
"And even in the midst or all the uncertainty and change that lay ahead, of the reality of the evacuation and the Axis creeping closer to Indian soil, and of Kitta fighting on some far away battlefield, I felt nothing but pure joy for a few moments: joy that I would soon be leaving the house, joy that I would go to college and that someday Raman and I would be more than friends."
ReplyDeleteI feel that this is a Golden Line from the story for a number of reasons. As our textbook said in chapter 2 (Children’s Literature Briefly), the reason that fiction is so powerful and that, as readers, we feel compassionate for the characters and find ourselves rooting for them to overcome their struggles, is because they have been created in a way that seems real and believable. We can connect to the human experience that they are going through, and we find ourselves thinking, “Oh yeah!”, because we have found ourselves thinking or feeling exactly as that character is feeling at that moment. As human beings, I think that we have all been through times of extreme struggle at one time or another. My husband became severely ill while I was pregnant with our daughter. When one experiences such times of uncertainty, the feelings of sadness and struggle are what is expected. What are more surprising are those moments when, even in the midst of crisis, pure joy is felt. I felt that connection when I read this paragraph, and found myself thinking, “Oh yeah!” as I connected to the character.
I also like the author’s craft that is evident in this paragraph. The repletion with the word “joy” and the technique of summing up all of the major happenings in the story in just one paragraph make it an excerpt that I would consider using as a model for my 5th graders during our writer’s workshop.
Liz,
ReplyDeleteI also love the quote you chose about Malati. At the beginning of the school year, for the past two years, our principal has written a quote on her welcome letter that speaks to your exact sentiments. It says, "Be kinder to the others than you need to be, as you never know the pain that lies within." When we are going through times of extreme hardship, it is easy to get lost in our own misery. We can make no assumptions about why others behave the way they do, as there are only the chosen few who we will confide in. The rest of the world are left to pass judgment on us without the full knowledge of what sorrows may be causing our actions. Thank you for pointing out this bit of human nature!
Many of the quotes brought you more deeply into the story. I like the interaction and response to each other's ideas.
ReplyDeleteLisa,
ReplyDeleteI, too, had the quote underlined on page 155 in which Vidya describes watching the ants carry the sugar on their backs - a burden that is much bigger than their bodies. I personally interpretted this quote as Vidya reflecting upon her own life at that moment. At that time, Vidya had a tremendous amount of grief and guilt for "causing" her father's "death," a burden that she would not let herself forget. I personally cannot imagine the immense guilt I would feel if I were in her position. At the same time, as she watched those ants, she was able to recognize how they were able to carry on and complete their duties of transporting their food in spite of that great burden. I then took that to mean that Vidya realized that she, too, had a job to do, a role to play, and a life to lead, and she couldn't let any burden stop her from doing that. Therefore, as you said Lisa, I believe she did gain some strength from those ants and the symbolism their actions had toward her life.