"I was still mad at her, furious with her, but that wasn't the question. The question was did I love her. And I always loved her."
Patchett skillfully captures the power of friendship, because although the strong-willed Lucy and observant Ann have polar opposite reactions in the wake of 9/11, the two close friends are able to brush the incident off. Friendship is never about embracing similarity, but about accepting the other's differences. This passage moves me emotionally because of its realistic nature- I would likely go through the same thought process as Patchett does after a major fight with a good friend.
"History is strangely incomprehensible when you're standing in the middle of it."
This was so profoundly moving at first glance that I took out a pen and immediately underlined it. Patchett takes a step back from the horrors of being in the midst of 9/11 to make a general observation of how she- and others- reacted in the face of the most important event the millennium has seen. The brief passage puts her emotions into perspective. Her thoughts aren't drawn to the potentially injured people or the cause of the event, but instead, she exhibits common curiosity.
Ass Burger
"A weight has been lifted. And I understand why sometimes people speak in clichés because sometimes there is simply no other way to describe something. A weight has been lifted. It's not all my fault. I'm not retarded. Or slow. It's him. It's always been him. And nobody knew it."
Not only does this move me emotionally, it likely moved Burroughs emotionally more so than other passages in this chapter, as nothing draws a reader further into the thoughts of the reader than a sudden change in sentence structure. I can only imagine being Burroughs in this situation; after so many years of being confused, his brother's actions finally make sense. Despite worshipping his brother's abilities, he feels a sense of relief that he isn't the "retarded" one. The passage benefits from its authenticity, allowing the reader to relate to Burroughs' conflicting emotions.
"It is associated with geniuses, and this is why Manhattan parents are often secretly thrilled to have their bratty, brainy, introverted children diagnosed with this condition. It is the first trendy thing ever to occur in the atmosphere surrounding my brother."
One of the most powerful emotions Burroughs utilizes in Ass Burger is humour. Rarely does anyone associate Asperger's syndrome with an opportunity to make a quip concerning elitist parents. However, by using a variety of emotions, Burroughs shows his ability to move the reader. Most would find it a difficult and horrifying experience, but it takes courage to use humour when discussing a grim diagnosis.
After the Falls
"I had no idea then that I was leaving behind the least-troubled years of my life. Strange, since i felt there was no way I could cause more trouble than I'd caused in Lewiston." (5)
Cathy goes through the difficult experience of having to move homes during her adolescence, and reminisces on the time she spent in Lewiston. It is clear that although Cathy attributes some of her angst to the downgrade in homes, she truly misses Lewiston and the tradition that accompanied her former abode. This passage early in the memoir sets the stage: we are immediately presented with the fact that she will have her share of struggles. As someone who moved a number of times, I can relate to her missing, and going so far as glorifying, the past in an old home. Upon each move, there was a turning point in my life, and the same can be said for Cathy as she leaves Lewiston.
No comments:
Post a Comment