1) REPLY to the comment immediately above yours. Avoid the "agree/disagree" bit: did the comment say something you had not thought about? Or, you had reached the same conclusions?
The first student to post will have the luxury of not having to reply to anyone.
2) From the list of quotations I selected for the assignment, CHOOSE A QUOTE different from the two quotes in your assignment. Explain the reason of your choice and what it means for you. Please, try to choose a new quote, something that has not been posted here by someone else.
"Oh. What a beautiful message!” And tears came from her eyes. “His face comes through and he’s speaking right over my shoulder and facing’ you and your boy. He says he never left you and never will.” I absolutely loved this quote and reading the scene involving the Cripple, Annunziata and Paul. To me, this meant comfort and Annunziata's pain a little more at ease. Geremio was right there watching over his family. He said he had never left Annunziata and was there to protect her forever. What better than Annunziata knowing that her dear husband was watching over her from above, always?
ReplyDeleteI do feel that quote is indeed a great quote that was mentioned at that time. I feel it was exactly what Annunziata and Paul needed to here to feel hope about continuing to live on without Geremio.
ReplyDeleteThe quote that i felt was very moving and powerful was what Dame Katarina said to Paul in the church when he went to Father John for help. The quote was " Dear little son, we are the unfortunates under the skies of God...There are none to help-but many to take from us. From the sweat of our blood comes the bread in mouth. Good night,little son, straight-straight your spine with hands into the heavens,and the poor carpenter Christ build strong the bread of your arms." She is indeed reminding him of his troubles but telling him that if he works hard he will be rewarded with God. He will get no help but only used if he does not work for his bread. Paul must show himself strong to the world for then he will get help. He knew then that he was the one who had to help his family get food by working as a bricklayer himself.
I didn't realize how powerful that quote was the first time reading it, but after reading your comment, I do see how what Dame Katarina says to him helps him realize that he has to step up and get a job instead of going around and asking people for help.
ReplyDeleteThe quote from the list of quotes that I chose was, “I have nothing to do with the Charities. There is a board of trustees who confer ad pass every expenditure. Do you understand?” This quote actually kind of bothered me. A little boy goes to the church to seek help, and Father John is having a meal that could be described as a thanksgiving feast, and he has nothing to offer him but a large piece of strawberry shortcake. My house burned down when I was 10 years old, and my church contributed food, clothes, and toys for my brothers and I. Though the church did not have much money, one of the members of the conjugation was suffering, so it collected offerings and donations of things to help. I just felt like Father John could have done a lot more to help Paul than he did.
That quote actually made me very mad. Members of the church are always contributing but when a family is in need Father John had the nerve to turn the little boy asking for food away. That didn't seem holy, or God-like, where Father John is supposed to be the one who is closest to God then the rest.
ReplyDelete"Annunziata flew to the door, and as she reached out her arms.....the policeman lowered his eyes and slowly removed his cap." This quote may not be much more than a woman expecting, hoping to meet her husband at her front door, but it meant something much more to me. I come from a military base where fathers, brothers, and uncles are deployed all the time. It is the absolute worst feeling to be enjoying your day, and the all of a sudden have a police officer of military officer knock on your door or a friends door. I think this quote really captured how upsetting it is to lose a loved one, father and husband. I fly Annunziata's heart break and her world crash down.
Since my father was a policeman this too was always in the back of my mind. I did come to the same conclusion because after Geremio died someone was going to have to inform not only his family but the other men’s family as well on Good Friday. Sadly even if you parent of love one isn’t a member of the armed forces or in law enforcement, the fear of hearing the doorbell ring or a telephone call with a doctor or police officer on the other line is enough to keep us all up at night.
ReplyDelete"Why do I live and give life when there is not Geremio to hold my hand....?” I chose this quote because Annuzatia was brings a child into the world during the most difficult time in her life. It shows the sheer stress and hardships that this woman will face, get how strong she is when she is able to survive. Without her husband as both a father and a provider to the new baby, a stress filled life lay ahead. Annuzatia had also lost the love of her life, her soul mate, the person who when times got difficult they could fight them together. This was now no longer the case, she was a poor widow. She now questions how she and her children will survive all while maintaining her strong faith in Christ.
That quote strikes me the same as it did you, Travis. Already struggling to maintain food on the tables and support their 6 kids and counting. Losing the patriarch of the family puts her situation in a very bleak perspective. Who will help raise and rear her children and keep a roof over their head and food on the table.
ReplyDelete"He hated money and war and cruel people. The crowds carried him on their shoulders. I'll never forget"
This quote made my Paul's Jewish friend puts in perspective what is really worth fighting and struggling for. The whole idea of making money and materialism did not matter. It is about fighting for the people you love and care for. That is what matters and that is who we live for.
I see the importance of this quote. It adds to the thought that money is the root of all evil. Louis' brother's ideals were so moving that people praised him by carrying him on their shoulders.
Delete"The wop is under the wrappin' paper out in the courtyard." This quote shows the lack of respect for Italians in those days. Geremio recently passed away and when his children come to find out about him, an officer says the wop is in the wrappin paper out back. He could have at least referred to him by name. I chose this quote because it give me the feeling that Italian men dying on the construction site was pretty common.
ReplyDeleteI reached the same conclusion that you had. I definitely think it was very offensive not to call him by his first name, but rather call him by an Italian slur. However, I hadn't thought about that maybe It was common for Italian men to die on the construction site. Which now reading that scene over I can see that.
Delete"After Rinaldi gave him the envelope with five dollars in it he wanted to speak at least and pleaded more money but he was voiceless and his breast stuck out with paralyzing emotion." The reason why I chose this quote was because this scene stood out to me the most. While reading this part I imagined everything in my head. To me, you could almost feel the pain and helpless emotions that Paul was feeling. It could possibly be related to how people put so much into their job, but at the end of the day they either don't get that much money rewarded or the appreciation they deserve.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this quote in the text, I too was able to feel Paul's pain. This quote is well written in the sense that you can feel exactly what the character felt, and I love that you pointed that out because the first time I read it I felt the same way.
DeleteThe quote I chose was "They forgot themselves and their troubles”. This quote doesn’t seem like much when you read it without the context, but when read within the text it describes a beautiful and powerful moment. It describes a breakthrough for Annunziata and Paul, who have been stressing and working relentlessly ever since Geremio’s death. The visit to the Cripple provides both Paul and Annunziata something they never got after Geremio’s death: closure. I love this quote because it is so simple yet says so much.
ReplyDeleteI thought this line said a lot too. Especially since we've seen firsthand just how much misfortune they've had come across their way, just the simple statement of them forgetting their troubles must have meant they had the world released from their shoulders, even if for a little while.
DeleteThe quote I chose was "I have nothing to do with the Charities. There is a board of trustees who confer and pass every expenditure. Do you understand?" because Father John denies them help, even while he eats lavishly. He spares Paul a piece of cake, but that is all. Even with his role as a clergyman he denies an responsibility to help the poor and this angered me while reading. What kind of religious official would not help the poor when they come to him?
ReplyDeleteThis quote angered me also. Not only did Father John not help Paul in the way he was expecting, but did not help him at all in any kind of way. Sparing a piece of cake is no help to Paul and his family. The least Father John could of done was prayed for him or told him that there was hope for him and his family and they will get through this and he did not even do that. I was so angry that a priest denied someone help and I was so upset for Paul who had such high hopes that Father John would help him and his family.
DeleteI also found this quote surprising, especially coming from someone religious. With him being Father John, you'd think the first thing he would want to do is help the poor. When I think of religion, this is the firs thing I think of: how they're always willing to help.
Delete"Why do I live and give life when there is not Geremio to hold my hand...?" I feel such pain for Annunziata when she says this. I could only imagine going through what she is during this time. Having Geremio's child without him there must be so hard for her. She does not even see the point in living without him, that shows how much she loved him. She questions how her and her family will survive without him. She knows they will struggle majority of their life without him and because of this Annunziata does not know what to do. I have such a strong admiration for single mothers, I can only imagine how hard it can be for them to be the only one to support the family. But they find the strength and a way to do it. I hope Annunziata overcomes this pain of losing her husband and gets through this with her family.
ReplyDelete"The wop is under the wrappin' paper out in the courtyard."
ReplyDeleteThis quote stands out to me since it shows the lack of respect that is being shown towards Italians and Geremio himself. Geremio, who risks his life on a job that eventually kills him, is being referred to as a "wop" out of all things. The thought of calling Geremio by his first name and not a "wop" doesn't even cross the gentlemen's mind when his own children are wondering about his whereabouts. It is mindboggling to think that it is all as though Geremio was never there.
Once someone passes away, the reaction to their death can go one of two ways. They can leave behind a legacy or they can be forgotten like they never existed. In Geremio's case, he wasn't considered anyone special outside of his family so he was unfortunately treated like he was nothing.
Delete"Those Eyetalian names are quite confusing (...) I've always had the same difficulty with Eyetalian laborers (...) I speak from experience. The Eyetalians are good workers, when you watch them and take care of them like a wet nurse. But when not personally supervised they get themselves into all kinds of trouble. They're careless like children."
ReplyDeleteThis quote was shocking to read considering it was coming from Geremio's boss. He referred to him as just another laborer even though he was actually the foreman and spoke ill of Geremio's race. This stands out to me because it shows that you can be the best worker, you can give 100% in the things that you do and never get the respect that you deserve. Mister Murdin used his workers and showed very little sympathy for any of the ones who passed during the collapse. Probably because once they were gone, they were no longer of use to him.
I agree, he is a terrible man who only cares about getting the work done. His lack of regard for the lost of Geremio's life when it was their bosses that ordered the building to be built sloppy and quick. He could have easily been the one who died.
DeleteAlready are we left alone and avoided. -- for we have nothing to give -- except our need."
ReplyDeleteThis quote stood out to me because of how incredibly sad it is, no one is willing to help them. They have so many mouths to feed and everyone around them can barely afford to feed themselves. Not only do they not help Geremios family but they avoid them because they know they are so very poor and need a lot of help. I had a time in my life where there wasn't much money for food and other things, my mom had to make it work for 3 of us, I can only imagine 8 mouths with a new born. I would be so completely lost.