Quote a dialogue line or a statement from Christ that you found particularly important for you and explain why it grabbed your attention.
It must a quote nobody else has mentioned before.
Reply to other quotes that, for whatever reason, you found worth noticing.
The quote i want to bring up is the dialogue line said by Pietro which was "Master Geremio, The Devil himself could not break his tail any harder than we here". This dialogue line caught my attention because it expresses the kind of hard manual labor they are doing. Expressing that their work is the hardest and no one works as hard as they do. I feel like it was his way of making a joke to lighten their moods while they struggle to finish their days work. The characters bring up God and the Devil several times in the chapter but this one part was important because it was the first one the men brought up. I felt it described more then any other dialogue how hard and most likely dangerous the work they were doing was. Also from what i was taught to know of the Devil, his work and work available to us people have no comparison. That is if you believe in God and the Devil.
ReplyDelete“Is it not possible to breathe God’s air without fear dominating with the pall of unemployment? And the terror of production for Boss, Boss and Job? To rebel is to lose all of the very little. To be obedient is to choke. O dear Lord, guide my path.” I chose this quote because it gives the reader a look into Geremio’s mind. He knows how dangerous his job is, but he has a large family to feed. The lack of construction safety makes him want to rebel, but if he loses his job his family will suffer. On the other hand, continuing to work is almost suicidal. His obedience literally leaves him gasping for air. This quote foreshadowed Geremio’s fate.
ReplyDelete"But I tell you that all my kids must be boys so that they someday will be big American builders. And then I'll help them to put the gold away in the basements!" I found this particular quote important to me. It tells us some of Geremio's hopes and dreams. Geremio hopes that one day he'll be able to be so rich that he'll have tons of riches and gold. I thought it was interesting when Geremio said that all his kids must be boys so they can be American builders. It shows that they felt that only Men were strong, muscular and brave enough to build skyscrapers and buildings. Unlike today, those times were very different. Today, seeing a woman as a construction worker is more normal as opposed to those times.
ReplyDelete"Ah, bella casa mio. Where my little freshets of blood and my good woman await me. Home where my broken back will not ache so. Home where the midst the monkey chatter of my piccolinos I will float off to blessed slumber with my feet on the chair and the head on the wife's soft full breast." This quote grabbed my attention because I felt like I can relate to it the most. After any long, hard day of work, it is always so nice to have someone or something to look forward to. This quote also shows how rewarding it is for Geremio to have a family and a home to go to after working. During that time, Italian Americans were so grateful for what they had and I think this quote is important because it shows Geremio's love for his family and how grateful he is to have a place called home.
ReplyDelete"Show yourself now, Jesu! Now is the time! Save me! Why don't you come! Are you there! I can't stand it-ohhh, why do you let it happen---where are you? Hurry hurry hurry !" I picked this due to it sounding similar to what Christ said when he was on the Cross, asking for God's help.
ReplyDeleteThe quote I pick is "With the speed of light, balance went sickeningly awry and frozen men went flying explosively." It shows how it even on a day you find holy, things can go bad very suddenly. The days of peace you're having and think will last for years to come can come to an abrupt halt and terrible outcomes can occur.
ReplyDelete"The mad day's brutal conflict is forgiven, and strained limbs prostrate themselves so that swollen veins can send the yearning blood coursing and pulsating deliciously as though the body mountained leaping streams." This quote grabbed my attention because of how Pietro vividly describes how blood is circulating through his legs. Quite graphic.
ReplyDelete"Blessings to Thee, O Jesus. I have fought winds and cold. Hand to hand I have locked dumb stones in place and the great building rises. I have earned a bit of bread for me and mine." - This quote grabbed my attention because it reminds me of people who have jobs that they don't particularly like but they need in order to provide for themselves and those who depend on them. At the end of the day though, for those who believe in the power of God, they have faith that in the end, it will be worth it and they will make it through. That unfailing faith is what I find so beautiful.
ReplyDelete“Something within asked, ‘is it not possible to breathe God’s air without fear dominating with the pall of unemployment? And the terror of production for Boss, Boss and Job? To rebel is to lose all of the very little. To be obedient is the choke. O dear Lord, guide my path.’”
ReplyDeleteI chose this quote because I feel like this is a fear that everyone has - a fear of not being good enough and failing verses the need and want to be successful. I think that this quote can be used in everyday life, not just in employment. Every one wants to be successful, yet we are faced with the fear of taking risks. And that is something that scares everyone - risks.
"An electric machine like magic----yes."
ReplyDeleteThis dialogue grabbed my attention because it shows just how low below the poverty line these men were that they have no idea what a radio is. Which even during that time was a relatively common piece of technology.
When we think of a radio today we just plug in a couple of batteries or plug it into the mains and that is all need to do, back in the 20s it was very different below are all the components needed to provide a radio in the Twenties
Delete, Total cost about $120.00 in 1926 In todays money that is about $1,500 to own a Radio
Your Radio Itself
Price: From $75,00
Description Radios were priced about $60.00 upwards depending on the number of valves etc.
Parts To Make your Radio Antenna
Price: $2.75
Description To gain any kind of good reception you would need to build an antenna on your roof the kit required is shown below
Your Radio Also Needed A Speaker or You Could Use a Pair of Headphones
Price: $8.95
Description The Nightingale Loudspeaker offers the best in tone and sound for your radio, or you could use a pair of headphones costing about $3.00 Battery Charger and Battery
Price: $20.00
Description Radios Used a battery for power and a charger to charge the battery, Or you could buy a battery eliminator that allowed you connect directly to the Main Electricity for $33.00
THE MONTHLY WAGE BEFORE TAXES FOR A BRICKLAYER WAS APPROXIMATELY $250 in 1923.
"Our children will dance for us ... in the American style someday"
ReplyDeleteI like that Geremio and his wife are doing all they can to avoid sending their kids to work. I think they hold a more modern view of immigration, where the parents want to see the kids succeed and know that the kids will pay them back in the long run. By "dancing in the American way" his kids are becoming American and holding a profession in the land of opportunity
"The chill day caused him to shiver, and he thought to himself" Yes, the day is cold, cold... but who am I to complain when the good Christ Himself was crucified?"
ReplyDeleteI chose this quote because I happened to highlight it before I even knew what the blog assignment was. I admire Geremio for acknowledging that even though he is cold, Christ endured much harsh conditions than just a chilly night. This says a lot about Geremio's character, such that he is not selfish and has strong faith. This quote set him up for how he may continue to be for the rest of the book.