Q3 Outside Reading Week 4 Post A

Vocab:
derelicts(245)- A homeless or jobless person; a vagrant
segue(230)- to make a transition from one thing to another smoothly and without interruption

Figurative Language:
"My father looked right at me, but he didn't answer. And his eyes were dazed and staring through me, like I was made out of smoke. That was the first time I thought that maybe I was"(245). This quote contains a simile. It compares Jesse to smoke using the word "like". I also wanted to put this quote here because I think it is pretty striking. Jesse is only 11 years old and all of the joys of being a boy has been taken from him. All he wants is for his parents to notice him, to go on a normal outing for once in his life, but he can't. And he never will.

"The thing about a flame is that it's insidious--it sneaks, it licks, it looks over its shoulder and laughs. And fuck, it's beautiful. Like a sunset eating everything in its path"(246). This passage has two elements of figurative language, personification and simile. The personification comes from when Jesse says a flame sneaks, licks, looks over its shoulder and laughs. These are all actions a human can do and a flame normally wouldn't, making it an instance of personification. The simile is when a flame is compared to a sunset eating everything it its path using the word "like".

"My mother, she folds into herself, that's the only way to explain it. Like paper, when you put it deep into the fireplace, and instead of burning, it simply seems to vanish"(251). This is an example of imagery and another simile. It is imagery because Anna describes her mother "folding into herself" which pertains to sight. With this description, we are able to picture the motion Sara Fitzgerald does. Secondly, Anna compares this motion to paper burning up in a fire using the word "like". This makes it a simile.

Quote:
"I tell myself that I've invited him along to add to the thrill--one more person who knows only makes it more exciting. But it's really because there are some nights when you just want to know there's someone else besides you in this wide world"(244). Every time I read one of the chapters narrated by Jesse, there is always some quote that really resonants within me. He has so much insight and understands a lot about his position in this world and is far deeper than he first appears. I feel so bad for him! He's so lonely with no one to care about him. Everyone needs some form of attention and when they don't get that kind of love and care, the results aren't usually positive. It's so sad that Jesse has to resort to hanging out with a bum for company. He has no real friends nor does his family have time to pay attention to him. It's just not fair how his parents treat him. If I could, I'd bring him into my family, but I can't. I know that Jesse is not really part of this whole ethical dilemma, at least not directly, but he is one of my favorite characters nonetheless. I just wish that there was someone to understand and love Jesse like family is supposed to. I hope he'll have a happy ending.

Theme:
Hang on to what little you have because you never know when that's going to be gone too.