10/24/12

10/24/12

I think I am finally starting to understand how this book is supposed to be read. It is not a book that makes sense read cover-to-cover, chronologically, as I have stated before. It is a book designed to read in a twisting circle so that if you desire to read things in the order they occurred, you must read them from the beginning of Mattie's story on the farm, skipping the chapters about Glenmore, then reading the chapter(s) about her arrival at Glenmore, then going back to the beginning of the book and reading about the death of that hotel guest, and then finishing the book. This is just a hypothesis, however.
As to the mystery of the girl drowning in the lake and why she was there, I already have a very detailed idea of what happened, thanks to Mattie's "prying." For example, I was hit with the same realization as Mattie when I read the words, "I said no so many times, dear."(216-17) Obviously Grace was pregnant with Chester's baby because of the nature of her relationship with him, and what else would she say "no" to doing? Jumping off a cliff? Another hint of foul play can in the form came by way of Mattie thinking through the whole scenario. She says on page 236 that she believed, "...she [Grace] needed him [Chester] to marry her, but he didn't seem to want to." And then you read on the next two pages describing Chester's "good times," which all seem to occur on a lake. I don't think I could put it much better than Mattie does on page 238 when she suddenly realizes that "...there was no Carl Grahm. I couldn't find him anywhere. There was only Chester Gillette. And Chester Gillette could handle a boat. Chester Gillette could swim." The saddest thing that I read in this section however, was the letter to Chester that Grace wrote where she told him that she couldn't swim. The poor girl had no idea she had just helped to plot her own murder.

P.S. I found this cool website where they have book reviews written by teens, not crazy-brained critics who sometimes can't tell left from right (nothing against book critics personally, but my aunt was a writer and endured some heavy criticism for what I believed were remarkable stories). Check it out: http://www.teenink.com/reviews/book_reviews/article/1397/A-Northern-Light/ 

10/24/12 Alexander Ho

     After reading from pages two-hundred and six to three-hundred and four of A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly, I was very surprised. During the ninety-nine pages, Mattie discovers the truth about the murder of Grace, decides to abandon her dream of college due to a promise she made a long time ago, and decides to marry Royal. The event that most surprised me was Mattie’s decision to give up college to take care of her family. Mattie’s life during the first part of the book revolved around her acceptance to Bernard. She worked days in attempt to raise eighteen dollars for a train ticket to New York City. The author wrote the book so that the reader would continue to think that Mattie would stay in Big Moose Lake. To support the promise, Jennifer sickened Mattie’s entire family while she was working at the Glenmore. Mattie finds out about the incident when Tommy says “ It’s your pa and sisters, Matt. They’re powerful sick” (283). Mattie will be prone to think that she must stay at home to take care of the family when they are sick, or everyone will die. Also, Royal comes to help save the animals when they the Gokey family is sick. Without Royal, all the farm animals would have died, so Mattie will feel obligated to accept his  marriage proposal if he makes one. I think that at the end of the book, Mattie will be married to Royal, and she will not go to college. She will regret her decision just like how her friend, Minnie, married and had babies, but regretted her actions. 

     I am also surprised that after being beating up Weaver, the people are arrested and jailed. I am surprised because during the 1930's there was still a lot of racism, and the Jim Crow laws were still in affect. I do not think that the part in the book would be possible at during the time. People like Emmett Till were killed for breaking a Jim Crow law. The murderers were not found guilty in court. In Weaver's case, he defeated the White people which was unheard of at the time.

     It is also revealed in the nine-nine pages that Emily Wilcox, Mattie's teacher, is really Emily Baxter, a scandalous poet who has been criticized for her feministic poetry. Mattie's teacher is my favorite character in the story because she is a social rebel. She speaks out against issues in the American society and criticizes them, and she finds trouble doing such as with the Society for the Suppression of Vice. The leader, Mr. Comstock, "says [she] is obscene" (219), but the causes that she writes for are valid since " It's not illegal, not yet at least, for a man to destroy his wife's home"(221). I believe Emily is writing for a good cause and she is being suppressed by men of higher power who believe that they are better than everyone else.

Response #3 10/24/12

Dear Mattie,

     You. Really. Like. Books. That is probably all i have gathered in the last week. Along with your insane addiction to the letters of Grace and Chester. Its pretty out of hand, especially when you say "I think of something else . . . that I am the only person, the only person in the entire world, who knows this," (pg217).

Go home Mattie, you're paranoid. But there's an incredibly good excuse, provided that is a big deal. These letters from a supposed murder, so they are a big secret to hold onto. I haven't read that far, but how long will it be until this secret is let out? My guess is that you'll tell Miss Wilcox, because you're always receiving books from her. That's a good habit I suppose, reading a ton of books. I mean you really like Saturdays, because you say "Saturday, my favorite day of the week, for on Saturdays I got to work in Miss Wilcox's library," (pg218). Im glad you like to read a lot. It is a great way to receive knowledge and still have fun. Reading is fun right? I know you think so, considering when you "could hardly breathe by the time I got there... My head felt giddy and light, like the time Minnie and I filched brandy from her father's cupboard. Only this time it wasn't alcohol I'd had too much of. It was books," (pg207). That sounds like a good addiction doesn't it? It really shows how much society can learn from what you do, Mattie. You're so smart with all your books and your words of the day. These simple things could probably raise the average IQ by 20. You make a substantial role model for the kids and adults of the world.

~Hess

Response 3 Brandon McGuirk

As I continue to read this novel, I am discovering how this novel is actually supposed to be read.  Yes, this book doesn't make sense if you have only read a small portion of it.  However, each couple of chapters seem to be puzzle pieces in which come together if you can put all of the pieces together.  Anyways, these 100 pages start with Mattie talking about her mother.  She remembers her mother's final request to take her spot in the house as the woman.  Mattie reflects on her mother's cancer that ended her life and begins to think that maybe everyone's lives would be better if she would have been the one to pass away instead of her mother.  Mattie even goes on to say, "I wished I cut cut the rest out of me the way the doctor cut the cancer out of her, but I couldn't.  No matter how hard I struggled to keep my last images of her at bay, they came anyway." (211)  What Mattie needs to do is forget the past.  The past is something you cannot change.  Things happen and there is no way to altar them.  She needs to focus on where she lies in the present, and how she can shape her future.  Anyways, as this story carries on, so does Mattie's relationship with Royal.  These two have so much passion for each other that they decide to get married.  What?  You don't believe me?  Well, yes, this happens.  Even though Mattie is just 16 and has SO many other things going on with her life, she decides to marry Royal.  "'Oh yes! Yes, I would,' I whispered.  And then I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him and nearly sobbed with relief when I felt him kiss me back." (225)  I have decided to take this information I have just read out of my mind.  Too many things are going on at once.  However, this can bring in a bit of foreshadowing towards the future.  Ya' see, Mattie's dream is to attend college in New York.  Royal's dream is to have just as much land as Mattie's father.  There is going to be a tough "bridge", if I may, that these two will have to c"cross over" if they each want to follow there dreams.  So, if this much information hasn't confused you yet, maybe this will.  Mattie finds many letters in which are between a girl and a boy named Grace and Chester.  Now these two have been sending out love letters to each other for quite a while now.  However, Grace states in one of her letters that she is unable to swim while Chester states that he can and can also handle a boat.  In all, Grace ends up drowning in a lake while she was pregnant with what we may assume is Chester's child.  "There was only Chester Gilette.  And Chester could handle a boat.  Chester Gilette could swim." (238)  What I believe that is is being applied here is that Chester killed Grace.  This information is not written, but one may assume that Chester is behind this madness.  I believe these pages can best be explained by this song written by the old Escape the Fate with Ronny Radke.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wpKY00XyXw  To me, this song explains how so many things are going on, but no one is there to stop the bad things from happening.

Response #2 10/17/12

     This book is getting more and more . . . predictable. Its like the author took a basic story, cut out the plot and pasted it into her book with different characters and settings. Now I am kind of getting a general consensus that everyone thinks this book lacks originality, but it still reaches out to its audience like any other book would. I think we all know a stereotypical girly girl that acts like Mattie when she says "I though about the kiss he'd given me, and the thinking alone made me feel warm and swoony. Just like all those silly, fluttery girls in the stories in Peterson's Magazine," (pg163). See? Even she recognizes she is being a girly girl. But that's not always a bad thing. I don't really relate to this, but maybe a lot of women can make these personal connections with Mattie about similar issues or situations. But since I'm not a girly girl, and I don't have anywhere close to a personality of a girly girl, I will refrain from going into detail. But within being a sappy love story between Mattie and Royal, there is the story of how she works her way up to going away to college and leaving the farm. So she is still waiting for approval from her father on whether or not she can leave the farm, which is very hard to come by since her father is a very stubborn man when it comes to his family leaving him (probably due to the eldest son running away). But finally, Pa gives Mattie a mix between a farewell and a kick out talk, saying "I won't stop you. But don't come back if you do," (pg168). Boom, faithful father dreams were just shot down the drain. This shows the true character behind Mattie's father. It shows his real emotions, how he is very protective of his children and is worried that they'll all leave him like his eldest son did. He doesn't want to face that feeling again, so he wants to do everything in his power to keep Mattie safe, which is a somewhat good intention. But like other situations, the parents are being to protective and don't realize their child's true potential. Which is what happens when he receives information about Mattie's high scoring grades on her tests. This reminds me of a classic story between an ignorant parent and a potentially successful son. The parent believes the son has no talent and has been shutting his/her eyes of the possibilities for years. Until the son does something remarkable and the parent comes to the conclusion that the son is ready to move on.. But like every parent, they aren't ready. This little story is directly relate-able to the situation between Mattie and her father. But as the father accepts to the undeniable conclusion of Mattie leaving, the story continues. And finally, she starts to open letters. Like on pg 75, how it says "I opened another letter," (pg175) in case you didn't believe me. Finally, the mystery about who killed starts to unfold. I just hope that the story gets more interesting now that were done with her upbringing. I really want to like this book, It just moves to slow.
~Hess

10/17/12

10/17/12

I'm starting to feel a little lost and even dizzy reading this book. It's like there are two entirely different stories being told simultaneously and it's very hard to follow what is going on when. For example, in one chapter, Mattie is going for rides with Royal and kissing out on the lake, in the next she is running around a creaky old hotel trying to burn secret letters that belonged to a dead girl. It's as if there are two Matties, one who is scared and confused and not knowing what to do, and one who is confident and bright and content with her lot, for at least the time being. I almost don't want Mattie to go away to college; to marry Royal and have a beautiful family and live on the farm. I want her to understand that she doesn't HAVE to go gallivanting all over to write and that she can find happiness in her own home, in her own town, writing about the people she cares so much about. Her teacher, Miss Wilcox, is not entirely right when she says that, "She needs the challenge...and the guidance...to improve" (166). Miss Wilcox doesn't seem to understand Mattie's true desire. The only thing Mattie, "wanted was my own story and no one else's" (192). I admire Miss Wilcox's individuality, but I think that she is fundamentally lonely and is looking for someone to be her companion. Furthermore, I believe that Miss Wilcox is convinced that seeing Mattie go to college will fill some void in her that has isolated her from her community and made her an outcast. I think Miss Wilcox even envies Mattie a little because of Royal. I think Miss Wilcox alienated other people so much that no man ever felt any desire to be with her. Mattie, however, is a kind, caring, and intelligent girl who believes in the best in people, even though she may not show it often. For example, when Mattie is out on the lake with Royal, she sees a side of him that is completely new to her, a side where, "his quietness masked a great and boiling soul" (188). I am of the personal opinion that going away to college would be awful for Mattie because once she leaves, she will never be able to enjoy the simple things that she enjoys now and she will probably never find another person who cares for her the way Royal does. I honestly wouldn't be surprised or disappointed if they end up getting married.

Post #2 Brandon McGuirk

As I continue to read A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donelly, my opinion has not seemed to change.  I do believe that there is a lack of originality in going on with this book.  In my perspective, I am one for new ideas and "thinking outside of the box" when it comes to writing.  For example, Mattie stays at the Loomis's house for awhile.  She has a falling out with her Aunt Josie in which her Aunt Josie states that "You are just as bad as your no-account brother." (113)  Mattie, trying to gather herself after what she just heard, thinks to herself, "Your wrong Aunt Josie.  It's not pride I'm feeling.  It's another sin." (114)  This event just further explains the hardships Mattie is going through in life.  Yes, I do acknowledge that I may be repeating myself over and over again when stating this, but I really am not one for the basic stories that just roll on by the events that occur.  Anyways, to further explain my sights on this book, Mattie falls for a boy named Royal Loomis.  When I first read this, I said to myself "of course she does."  By the way, what's a book without a good love story involved?  Anyways things seem to escalate quickly between these two as they are found "fooling around' with each other.  ""I couldn't take my eyes off him.  Had someone that handsome really kissed me?  I wondered.  Or has I dreamed it? (163-164)  Now to explain, I do not show any offense to those who enjoy a good love story, but to me, they can be a bit cheesy at times.  This novel is a perfect example of just that.  How a girl really likes a boy and he likes her back and they finally confront each other, it just seems to be a bit too reoccurring.  I understand that books are not meant to be true to what would really happen, but the same thing seems to happen in many other stories we read.  Lastly, to even further demonstrate this idea of "cookie-cutting", the story moves on back to Mattie and how she is going to go against all the odds and will pursue herself in becoming a very successful women when she grows up.  Mattie's teacher, Mrs. Wilcox, seems to be the only one on her side.  She evens goes so far into offering Mattie housing in New York with her sister while she's going to school.  "Miss Wilcox is in the parlor with Pa,' Abby whispered. 'She brought your exam results. You got an A-plus on your English literature and composition tests, and A in history, a B in science, and a B-minus in mathematics. Her and Pa are talking about you. She says you have genius in you and that you got into college and that Pa should let you go" (165)  There seems to be a large amount of of foreshadowing happening anywhere and everywhere.  If I were to guess what would happen next, I would say that Mattie might have to face a tough decision in the future whether or not to stay at home with Royal, or go to New York and pursue her dreams.  I may be incorrect, but those are my thoughts and ideas thus far about the novel A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly.

10/17/12 Alexander Ho

Dear Mattie,

    After reading about your life from pages one-hundred and one to two-hundred seven, I am interested in your view of books. For example, you said the there are two kinds of books, ones that " show you life like you want it too be" (201) and those that "show you life more like it is" (202). You like the real books because when you read them you do not feel that you have to be a noble and unselfish person. I think that when you read those kinds of books they remind you of how you brother was selfish and left the family, and how you plan to leave home to study in college. I too believe that those are the two types of books, but I like to read the kind that shows life like you want it. I think the difference between is the the setting of our lives. You live on a farm in the 1930's , and do not have many opportunities or money, while I live in the 21st Centuries, where everyone is living your American dream. If I were living during your time, I would probably like the more realistic books too. 

     Next, I was surprised that Lou volunteered to take your chores so you could work for Miss Wilcox and earn enough money for the train ticket to college. I did not expect Lou to go against Pa and support you when they knew that if Pa found out, the girls would be punished for helping you. I remember a time when I helped someone even though I knew I would be punished if I was caught. I also wonder about murder. Why is it necessary for the book? I feel that if the murder was taken out, Jennifer could have gone into more depth about Mattie’s life, but I believe that the story behind Chester and Grace demonstrates the difficulties in life. 

     In addition, after reading, I feel that my views towards the world have changed. I always thought that people in the past, especially white people would have easy and happy lives, but everyone's seems to have their own problems. For example, Pa says he "haven't got the money to send her" (166) to college. Even then, people had the same troubles as people do now: earning enough money for higher education. I now realize that people's lives in the past were just as hard if not harder than they are today.

                                                                                                                                                                  From,

  

                                                                                                                                                                             Alex Ho

10/10/12 Brandon McGuirk

In the novel titled, A Northern Light, by Jennifer Donnelly, we find Sixteen-year-old Mattie Gokey who has much stress being the oldest in her family.  Mattie dreams big and desires to go live in New York City for a much better education.  My personal opinions on this novel so far vary from it keeping me wanting to read more, to just having enough of it.  To further my opinions, I could describe this book as one of those in which the protagonist has a very difficult life and struggles with her daily routines due to her their family not giving them the chance to spread their wings and go somewhere in life.  To make matters even worse, Mattie's mother has passed away, leaving seven of her family members to fend for themselves.  "When Mamma was alive, she could make breakfast for seven people, hear our lessons, patch Pa's trousers, pack our dinner pails, start the milk to clabbering, and roll out a piecrust.  All at the same time and without ever raising her voice.  I'm lucky if I can keep the mush from burning and Lou and Beth from slaughtering each other." (9)  Although the author is describing the hardships in which Mattie faces in life, I do find myself getting a little exhausted from reading this type of writing.  In many books I have read in the past, such as The Glass Castle, the protagonist finds themselves facing hardships in living their daily lives due to their parents lack of support.  Also, Mattie's father gives Mattie a very difficult time,  He doesn't let her follow her dreams and get somewhere in life.  He believes that she should work on his farm for the rest of her life.  "'Can I work at one of the camps this season?  Maybe the Glenmore?  Abby's old enough to get the meals and look after everyone.  I asked her and she said she's be fine and I thought that if I-' 'No.' 'But Pa-'  'You don't have to go looking for work.  There's plenty.'" (23)  With a father like this, it is a challenge for anyone to have  a guide on their own life.  Mattie's father seems to control her and guide her in the path that he wants to take her.  However, Mattie finally overcomes everything that has sent her back in life and applies to a college in New York named Bernard College.  To this , Mattie is accepted and receives a letter from the college.  "'It says I'm accepted,' I finally said.  'And that I've got a scholarship.  A full scholarship.  As long as I pass my exams.'" (65)  Mattie is a very smart and intelligent girl.  The only thing holding her back is her father.  This letter proves her intelligence and how much she really cares about her education.  In all, I have very mixed opinions about this novel.  The only major problem I have with this book is that it seems to be too plane and can relate to many other books in its category.  It just doesn't seem to stand out from all the rest.

Response #1 10/10/12

Dear Mattie,

       I can relate to all the stress that you felt as you were growing up. I'm not the eldest child in the family, but i feel I take on a big portion of the responsibility. You are always talking about how you see yourself being an everyday housewife. It's probably the most relevant when you said you "stared at my hands - red, crackled, old woman’s hands - and saw what was in store for me... doing everything that fell on the eldest in a family of four girls, a dead mother, and a pissant brother who took off’” (pg23). You share a similar characteristic with me, as in we both feel it is our responsibility to run and control the family while our parents are incapable of doing so. Although, your case is a little more severe, with your mother dead and all. My mother just has a disease that makes ordinary things pretty difficult, so I help her do most of it. Even though your situation might require your help more than mine, we still hold some amount of responsibility. But your views contradict mine, in the way that you don't seem to thrilled to have that power, that control. It's almost like you see it as an obligation. And in some cases you don't have faith in yourself, like when you said that you "are nowhere near as capable as my mother was," (pg13). Then again, your father doesn't really help to support any of your dreams. That must be a real downer, if the one parental figure you have doesn't support you, even for the slightest idea of working at a hotel. I remember you said “It wasn't the idea of strange men that bothered Pa. That was just an excuse. He knew all the hotel people, knew most of them ran respectable places. It was the idea of someone else leaving him,” (pg24). Even though you don't think your Pa respects your ideas, i think he is just trying to be a protective father. This addresses an idea that is pretty important to me, which is being a good and responsible parent. He is just trying to do what he thinks is best for you, like a responsible parent should do. But then I agree with your views. You are practically capable of living on your own, so getting a job at the hotel or going to New York City would be a great idea. But your point of view kind of clouds what other people are trying to tell you, like how even though it is a great idea to go to college, sometimes you are needed at home to do housework in order to help your family. Some things are more important than others, and something that's really important is taking care of your family as if you were the mother, or if you were a parent.

Sincerely, Josh

10/10/12

10/10/12:

   "A Northern Light" by Jennifer Donnelly is not a book that I find myself liking thus far. In all honesty I find it dreary, common, and whiney. However, it does share certain characteristics that I found in another  book I had previously read. In "The Glass Castle" the main character is also a girl with many siblings and a disfunctioning family. Mattie (Mathilda), from "A Northern Light," is a creative, intelligent girl who, like her counterpart in "The Glass Castle," has a dream of escaping her family's poverty and brokenness by going away to college and getting a proper education. She, sadly, feels that there are so many obstacles in front of her that this may never happen. She says she is okay with this and then reassures readers that she believe's this with a disheartening statement, "For I am good at telling myself lies."(1) In reality, It is not so difficult to tell that Mattie wants so much more out of life because she says later on in the text that she, "...wanted it peaceful for once. I wanted Pa to find everything in order and everyone behaving when he came in, so that he would be peaceable himself..." (8) I do not think that it is fair for Mattie to have to deal with all the responsibilities of a growing family full of children and a depressed father like she has to. She is only a young girl and is trapped in a world where her creativity with words is covered like a hunting falcon's head is covered by its hood.She is also still reeling from the death of her mother. This fact is very evident when she says, "...I was wishing for my mother. As I do everyday. At least a hundred times." (9) I believe Mattie has the potential to do great things and if I was able to give her something, it would be this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyQ5ZSMENF0&feature=related
I think this video is full of the type of support that a character like Mattie needs to get through her troubles and I have a feeling that she will triumph and be successful in her endeavors.

A Letter to Donnelly

                                                                                                                                     October 10, 2012
Dear Jennifer Donnelly,

     I am enjoying your book, A Northern Light, thus far. In the first one-hundred pages, Mattie Gokey explains her life in the little town of North Woods during the early 1900's. She tells of her life on Pa's farm, where she plows the fields and does chores, her relationships with her friends, and her dreams. One instance where I appreciated the book is at the beginning of the book where "Uncle Vernon says Pa ought to take [his dog] out behind the barn and shoot him" (9). When I read the quote, it reminded me of Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. In his book, Carlson wants Candy to shoot his dog because it was old, blind, and lame,  just like Barney, Pa's dog. In addition, I also wonder why Donnelly created Weaver Smith as a Black boy. The story takes place in 1906 in New York about 50 years after the abolition of slavery, but at the time, Blacks still had almost no rights. I am surprised that Weaver was hired to work at a hotel. Maybe it is to convince the reader of Mattie's innocence since she is sixteen. She treats Weaver as an equal, rather than an inferior as exhibited when Mathilda says "There's more alike than different about Weaver and me...he's exactly like me. He love's words, too, and there is nothing he would rather do than read a book" (31). Mattie has the letters Grace Brown gave her and told her to burn, so when the murder occurs, her view towards the world might change. Furthermore, the book has made me treasure my life more. I appreciate that I am expected to attend college after High School, unlike Mattie, who's father did not even want her to receive her diploma. Miss Wilcox visited Mattie's home and "after she left... I was to get my diploma even though Pa wanted me to leave school"(59). Her life is always a struggle. Mattie has to balance learning with working, so Pa will have enough help, and she will have enough time to learn. My life is a lot easier than the protagonist's, I only need to worry about school. In conclusion, Donnelly's book is certainly one that interests me so far. I am very eager to continue the reading so I can learn new words from Mattie's word of the day, and see how the murder unfolds.

                                                                                                                          Sincerely,
                                                                                                                             Alexander Ho