tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301396388822721348.post1386246515893229207..comments2023-10-17T08:21:32.073-05:00Comments on books for calvin: :: peace like a river/pages 70-128 ::jennihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15168293874159673268noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301396388822721348.post-73395721908719563722008-04-29T13:03:00.000-05:002008-04-29T13:03:00.000-05:00I hadn't thought about Davy planning his escape fr...I hadn't thought about Davy planning his escape from jail (before the shootings), too, but I bet you're right. He probably planned to be "on the run" from the beginning.jennihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168293874159673268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301396388822721348.post-61213733716214912762008-04-28T13:26:00.000-05:002008-04-28T13:26:00.000-05:00I'm way late on this one and I don't have much to ...I'm way late on this one and I don't have much to add to what everyone else has already said. I agree that Davy has no remorse and premeditated all of it, probably even his escape as well. I second Crystal's observation that Jeremiah does not get to choose his miracles, otherwise he would have healed Reuben by now. Perhaps Holgren's healing was especially to clear up that point to the reader's mind.<BR/><BR/>I could barely read through Reuben's time on the stand during Davy's trial. Of course he was the only eye witness to the murders, but that whole scene pained me.<BR/><BR/>I think one of my favorite quotes is "The bills were straight voltage, juicing all sorts of hallucinations." p 119 Do you remember your first paycheck feeling like that? I do. I do not remember what I spent it on, but I'm sure it wasn't necessities.Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00873618317920013823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301396388822721348.post-45592655078319173912008-04-28T11:55:00.000-05:002008-04-28T11:55:00.000-05:00Crystal - you may be right. Perhaps I shouldn't t...Crystal - you may be right. Perhaps I shouldn't try to draw direct comparisons between Swede's poem and Enger's characters. Maybe I should just go with the story flow.... Or yes, maybe it is supposed to reveal Swede's confusion! Thanks for all of your interesting comments, too.jennihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168293874159673268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301396388822721348.post-51340350461700107642008-04-25T23:28:00.000-05:002008-04-25T23:28:00.000-05:00Sorry I’m so late posting on all of this. I’ve be...Sorry I’m so late posting on all of this. I’ve been consumed with these crazy Bloggy Giveaways. (I can’t believe the response I’ve gotten on my own blog!) I’ve finished the book and returned it to the library so I’m working from memory here. I’ll just comment on the points that Jenni has made. Here goes:<BR/><BR/>Public opinion and the media;<BR/><BR/>I think it is crazy to get one’s opinion from someone else, but that is essentially what we do every time we watch the news. We take information from someone else and use it to form our own opinions on the subject. Does anyone really believe that the information or the delivery is unbiased? The media is after a sensational story and if the victim gets more airtime or the perpetrator wins the primetime slot just depends on who can present the best “story”. Davy had it for a while and then Finch and Basca got it. It is sooo like the musical “Chicago”. That movie and this book have a lot to say about the power of media over the scales of justice. It isn’t fair but it is the way things are. And it is true that those boys (Finch and Basca) were loved and will be missed by someone…I sometimes forget that when I think about really evil or mean people.<BR/><BR/>Davy;<BR/><BR/>I was crushed when it was revealed to us what everyone but Reuben and Swede already knew; Davy lured the boys there and planned to kill them. That is premeditated murder in my book. Even though it is somewhat justified (if murder ever can be) it was not necessary. A shot in the knee would have kept Finch and Basca away for the future I would think. When he walked up and finished (I forget which one) off with a shot at close range that was a bad sign. That is acting like a murderer, not a person defending his family. It pains me to say it, but I don’t think Davy had any remorse…and still doesn’t.<BR/><BR/>Jeremiah the Janitor;<BR/><BR/>I think everybody can sympathize with Reuben’s feelings about his Dad’s job. My Dad is a farmer. I used to tell people that he didn’t have a job…because I really didn’t consider farming a job. It wasn’t like he went somewhere from 9 to 5 everyday like other people’s dads. Now I realize how stupid I was and how hurtful that probably was to my Dad. I was proud of him and loved him with all my heart, but I didn’t want him showing up in his old grain truck to pick me up from school (which of course he did occasionally, oh the horror). <BR/><BR/>I felt for. Reuben when he had to watch his dad cleaning while other kids made fun of him. I understand why it probably felt like a kick in the stomach when his dad healed mean old Mr. Holgren. Reuben would have felt better, I’m sure, if Jeremiah would have just punched Holgren in the nose. I know I would have. <BR/><BR/>But the healing was so “Jeremiah”. He didn’t have the capacity to hate or harm anyone. I feel like he must be very conflicted about Davy’s trial and escape. He knows the difference between right and wrong and what Davy did definitely falls under ‘wrong’, but on the other hand he loves his son and I’m sure a part of him does not want him to get caught. I often wonder if the Land’s catch up with Davy before the “putrid fed” does what will Jeremiah do? Will he help hide him or make him turn himself in?<BR/><BR/>Swede;<BR/><BR/>For me Swede is like the comic relief in the novel. When she makes that break out plan with the steak knives it cracked me up. The fact that she feels sorry for Mr. DeCuellar because he doesn’t own any guns is pretty funny too. She is definitely a mature little girl. How many of us could cook a full turkey complete with dressing, cranberries, and sweet potatoes for Christmas dinner at 9 years old? I could make grilled cheese and Hamburger Helper.<BR/><BR/>Poetry;<BR/><BR/>It is getting confusing to do a one to one comparison with the poem characters and the family members. I felt like Davy was Valdez, but as Jenni points out, why are they afraid of him? I never thought of Jeremiah as Sunny Sundown but that is a good point. He is sacrificing everything for his wife…something that Swede probably wished her father would do. (It seems odd that we never see any of their feelings about their mother/wife. Beyond the one comment that they were replaced by her second husband we don’t get any glimpse into how they feel about her. Maybe they don’t fell anything. That’s sad.)<BR/>Maybe the reason we are getting confused about it is because Swede is confused about it as well. Her feelings change as the situation changes and then her poem changes too.<BR/><BR/>Miracles;<BR/><BR/>I don’t think Jeremiah can choose which miracles he performs. He would have healed Reuben by now. He would have saved Finch and Basca. He wouldn’t have healed Holgren’s face. I think he communes/converses with the Lord on a personal level and the Lord uses him as a tool to do his work; albeit in a very unorthodox way sometimes. I was really worried about him when he got pneumonia. I was so afraid that Swede and Reuben would be left alone…although I thought that might bring Davy out of hiding to take care of them. I am happy that isn’t the way it happened though. Leif Enger is a better writer than I am…whadda ya know.<BR/><BR/>Lurvy;<BR/><BR/>I knew he would come back into it in some way but I didn’t know how. This is perfect. Jeremiah was probably the only person that gave Tin the time of day. He had unlimited patience with his stories and butting in on family meals. Lurvy repaid that kindness with the best gift he could give to the Land family. If you think about it Davy is now living the type of life that Lurvy once did, in a way, or based on the dream maybe the type of life Lurvy wanted to have.<BR/><BR/>Sorry these thoughts are so scattered. I don’t have the book and I was so engrossed in the story that I didn’t take time to make notes while I was reading. Good books do that to me.Cainan & Rykerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03332286843937815351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301396388822721348.post-69324973695493542652008-04-22T10:08:00.000-05:002008-04-22T10:08:00.000-05:00I do want to figure out the best way to do this. ...I do want to figure out the best way to do this. I'd like to keep this book discussion blog running for a good while, and with other books. If y'all have suggestions like Megan, please comment or e-mail me. Thanks!jennihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168293874159673268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301396388822721348.post-53635720262241480342008-04-21T12:41:00.000-05:002008-04-21T12:41:00.000-05:00Oh, you don't need to apologize or change anything...Oh, you don't need to apologize or change anything on my behalf! I usually jump on the internet at random times of the day with snippets of time, so the length was daunting for me (and I wanted to read through all the comments too, but they are were also long in response to the post!) - I think I just skimmed it and waited until the next post (this one).<BR/><BR/>It will be a process of figuring out the best way to do this. I don't know if it would serve anyone else to break up the thought remnants into different posts of their own, so one giant post becomes five different ones? That might get goofy too, but it would be easier to track on particular conversation between your thoughts and those of the other commenters. Just an "I wonder."<BR/><BR/>Back to Davy. I probably shouldn't like him as much as I do. I should probably demand justice more than I do. I may be too much like Swede where I can make excuse for any ill for the greater good. The scene where he wallops the police officer to escape? That should have been disturbing to me, yet I kept thinking he did what he had to do.<BR/><BR/>If this happened in our county jail, I would be terrified! :)Meganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08487688993874872845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301396388822721348.post-81561695766702156002008-04-20T22:35:00.000-05:002008-04-20T22:35:00.000-05:00Hi, Megan. I'm sorry my posts are too long for yo...Hi, Megan. I'm sorry my posts are too long for you! I was under the impression that most people were reading way ahead and wanted to cover more chapters at a time.<BR/><BR/>Would y'all like me to post on fewer pages at a time? I know I can't please every single person, but I'd really like to know.<BR/><BR/>Megan - your thoughts are very interesting. I've seemed kind of harsh on Davy, I guess, but I do think he planned out this murder and that disturbs me. I could understand his actions more if it had been a true self-defense situation (which was what I thought was coming at first). I think the further we read, I'll sympathize with Davy more and more because Jeremiah loves him dearly. And I do like things about Davy, but murder creates inner turmoil just like this.jennihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15168293874159673268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301396388822721348.post-60195150641285768192008-04-20T20:47:00.000-05:002008-04-20T20:47:00.000-05:00Hey - I haven't participated in the conversation y...Hey - I haven't participated in the conversation yet (these giant posts of info and long comments are hard for me to read/process in quick sittings!) - but I thought I'd jump in on this one thing:<BR/><BR/>You said, "I really don't think he had any remorse. Do you?"<BR/><BR/>Well... no. Of course Davy didn't feel any remorse for this. He didn't feel like he did anything wrong. And here's where I turn wishy washy with my own ethical standard. On paper I have to say that what Davy did was wrong. In my heart I think he was absolutely right. I don't know how to reconcile that. I just know that according to what we know about the characters of the Finch/Basca boys, and how the whole town probably feared them, so they wouldn't act, Davy did what he knew nobody else would have the courage to do - vindicate the weak.<BR/><BR/>I know how all this ends, so it makes my hope irrational, but I still continue to hope for a pardon for Davy. I know he won't get it, but I hope anyway.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, that's that for now.Meganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08487688993874872845noreply@blogger.com