Tuesday, August 9, 2011

The Violet Dress

I think this chapter is maybe used to start introducing Valentina's persective into the story. At this point in the novel we have relied mostly on other characters but now we start to see how one of the twins feels. I'm hoping this means we will get into the action of the story soon. The idea of fairy tales also arises in this section and I'm not sure of the significance. I guess it could simply be used in an ironic way given how, so far, I would not say any other character's life has ended "happily ever after". But the fact that we're hearing this from Valentina may suggest that she is the one who will learn the most from the experience in her aunt's flat. And she may be the one who makes the most personal progress, especially in terms of standing up for herself, which is also discussed in this section.
Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device on the Bell network.
Envoyé sans fil par mon terminal mobile BlackBerry sur le réseau de Bell.

Monday, August 8, 2011

The History of Her Ghost

I found the idea of this chapter pretty interesting. At first I was surprised that Elspeth's character had returned. I'm assuming she will be in the flat when the twins arrive and I wasn't expecting this to be any kind of ghost story. Not literally anyways. What I found interesting though is Elspeth's perspective. Usually when a writer presents a ghost they are all-knowing. They know their limits, their powers, and their purpose. But it is made quite clear in this chapter that Elspeth knows none of this and she is distressed because of it. In the last line she even wonders if "someone who was already dead could kill herself." I think this perspective offers another way for the author to express her theme of the physical world versus the spiritual one. When more characters come into play I think she will explore this further through Elspeth.
Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device on the Bell network.
Envoyé sans fil par mon terminal mobile BlackBerry sur le réseau de Bell.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Sunday Afternoon

Well I haven't posted in a while. Frankly, I haven't read any more of this book because its become a little boring to me. It seems Niffenegger is giving us a long introduction which seems rather repetitive to me. But I can't leave a book unfinished for long so..back to it.

I like the style and easy flow of this chapter. When Robert and James are discussing Elspeth, their conversation seems so natural and casual. I think it takes effort to write so naturally while including casual humour. It seems to take on an easier tone than previous chapters. But it is repetitive. The argument between Elspeth and Edie has been mentioned several times already, including the twins' roles in the scenario.

What I do find particularly interesting though is the conversation they had regarding the supernatural. The thought of objects being ghosts is intriguing and unexpected, and it seems Robert agrees. I also admire the use of body language in this section, ending with an affirmation of a couple's love for each other. I like the flow of this chapter and it's use of intrigue.
Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device on the Bell network.
Envoyé sans fil par mon terminal mobile BlackBerry sur le réseau de Bell.