[today, I'm drinking a yerba mate/Sencha green/ginseng/echinacea tea blend. Really tasty & healthy.]When Swede asked sweet Birdie if Davy missed his family, Birdie replied, "Like sunshine .... He said it's like having no sun in the sky, Swede - he missed you that much." [page 136] I'm with Reuben - Davy doesn't strike me as "generally lyrical." I think Birdie made that up knowing it would comfort Swede's heart. But I do think Davy missed his family, don't you? At least it pains my heart to hope that he missed his family. A part of me wonders if he's not really lonely for them, though - like the kids' Mom, since I think Davy might take after Mrs. Land. Do y'all think Davy pined for his family at all?
I thought it was odd that Davy laughed in his sleep twice, while resting upstairs in August and Birdie's house. I tried to figure out why he laughed - what was he dreaming about? Lurvy jumping off the roof into the snow (from Reuben's dream)? I'm kind of kidding, but I am truly curious to know why Davy laughed.
Also, I think August & Birdie are the dearest of people. I can see why they remained Jeremiah's lifelong friends. In fact, they are a real extension to the Land family. They seem just as conflicted about Davy as do Jeremiah, Reuben, and Swede. August and Birdie took Davy in, fed him, and gave him shelter. They begged him to see a dentist and even to return home and turn himself in. I was so sad to read that Birdie's plea "....brought a great smile to Davy's face, and in that smile the Shultzes saw the truth, that turning himself in would be the very last thing Davy would do in his life, however long it lasted." [page 140] Yes, that made me very sad - for Davy's future as well as the outcome of this story. I can't see it ending very well at this point.
I felt the emotional conflict when August and Birdie gave him that old car with food in the trunk. I thought, "What a nice thing to do!" Then, "Wait - that's against the law! Aiding a fugitive and all." And, they lied to the mean ole Fed, Andreeson. I honestly believe that these controversial acts of kindness even gave righteous Jeremiah great relief. He is such an upstanding man, but parents love their children immensely. I wish Davy had thought more about the shootings - what the aftermath would do to his family. I tend to think he's OK with being alone, on the run, and his future unsure. But I don't think he considered his family's turmoil. On one hand, I know he was trying to protect them, but on the other, I think he premeditated quite selfishly.
Oh, Davy.
P.S. - {I have 1-2 more posts for pages 129-179, but then I'm moving on to pages 180-222. However, I'm sensing y'all might have lost interest in this discussion. I'm not upset or anything. I know that each of you are very busy, and I might not be leading this discussion very well. Please let me know if you plan to keep discussing, or if this blog just isn't for you. Thanks for all your comments so far!}
6 comments:
I'm sorry I haven't been participating much, especially after how excited I was! I'm finding it's hard to remember specific things to mention, from when I read it in the past, without rereading it all right now! But I do love reading your thoughts about it and the things you pick out- they are beautiful.
As for Davy, I think he did miss his family. How could he not, after doing such a thing to protect them? However, I believe he has an adventurer's spirit, and perhaps finds more personal satisfaction in performing feats of daring and rebelliousness than in living a stable family life.
i feel a bit guilty admitting this, but i must say i feel quite disconnected from davy's character. i think i see him as the character who keeps the story moving but from a distance.
his quietness and aloofness have made me feel the same way towards him.
i agree with you. i don't think he thought of his family's turmoil. did he think of anything after the point of shooting them and then realizing he would need to be on the run?
I think this story is so real because real life is so like this with the conflict between what we should feel and do feel.Like Davy was a fugitive and Birdyand August should have turned him in and they tried to talk him into it but then when he wouldn't they had to help him. Man those would be hard decisions. I keep thinking if it was my nephew that did something like this I could see me helping him if he wouldn't turn himself in and yet I would be so conflicted in doing so.
That's OK, Robin! Ah, yes - I think your assessment of Davy is correct.
Kate, I understand your disconnection to Davy. My connection to him is really through his family - I love them, they love him, and so on. I think we are supposed to feel disconnected from Davy somewhat, from the way the story is written. He's just not like the rest of the Land family, as far as I see them.
And Libby, I hear you. I tried to picture one of my family members in Davy's role and man, it would be so very hard.
I agree with Katie's assessment of Davy. He is what is moving the story but he is absent most of the time. We dont' get a really good look at his thoughts and motives. That laughing in his sleep part was a little disturbing actually.
It does make me sad that Birdie seemed to have to embellish Davy's feelings about missing his family...almost as if he didn't really mention it. I agree with Jenni that he just loves being on his own little adventure and on the run and he hasn't really understood or thought about how it is hurting his family.
But think about it...he's a teenager. Thank goodness I don't have any yet, but isn't this what they do? They act without thinking things through. They act selfishly. They think that as long as they are happy then everything must be going OK. I know DAvy loves his family but I think he underestimates how much his actions have affected them.
As for the book discussion. I really like it but the pace has been a little slow for me. I have already read two books since this one so I'm commenting from memory..which isn't all that great. I love the comments and the discussion and I'd definitely like to do it again. I've just been done with the book for so long that it is hard to keep thinking about it.
I do really like these divided up posts. The smaller amounts of content do make it easier to post thoughts on specific parts of the book. Overall, I've really enjoyed it.
Thanks for your input about the blog, Crystal.
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