Nineteen Minutes
Dear Lacy,
I have so much sympathy for you, because you have been through so much. You thought you were raising a normal family of four when everything just went the wrong way. A question that has been growing on me as a possible theme is "Can your own child be a mystery to you?" You did not know Joey, your son who passed away did drugs and you thought Peter was just an adolescent growing boy. You ponder about what you did that may have caused peter to act this way: "That she didn't pay more attention when Peter showed her some new programming skill; that she hadn't bought him another dog after Dozer died; That they did not go back to the Caribbean last winter vacation, because Lacy had wrongly assumed they had all the time in the world"(256). That may have been a possible cause, but you probably could not have stopped it all. Also, i think that it is unfair of the other parents whos children were victims should not be mean and not understanding to you. They need to put themselves in your shoes and realize how hard it is to have one son dead and one son in jail; so technically you have lost two children, that you have had barely no control over.
THANK YOU!
~ Claire O'Neill
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Week 6, Post A
Nineteen Minutes
Vocab
1.) Reviled(250): to speak abusively.
2.) Canonized(250): to glorify.
Figurative Language
1.) Metaphor. "This mother's pain seemed to take up all the empty space in the gallery;heat the emotions of the other spectectors to a boiling point"(263). THis is a metaphor because someone's pain cannot actually take up empty space, but it may seem like that could happen.
2.) Metaphor. "She continues reading the charges in a courtroom so quiet you coudl hear hearts break; you could hear hope fluttering to the rafter on the ceiling"(263). Similar to the previous quote, hope cannot actually flutter to the ceiling, but it may seem that way in a situation like that.
3.) Metaphor. "Josie was two feet away from her, but they might as well have been on different continents"(265). Similar to the two previous quotes, this is also a metaphor because it may have felt like Josie was far away, but actually she was right next to Alex.
Quote
"How could Alex describe what it had felt like, seeing all of those nameless mothers and fathers in the gallery, without a child between them?What if you'd just been stupid enough to let her slip away?"(265). This quote is very similar to many other in how alex feels about her relationship with her daughter. She feels she is losing Josie, when other parents have actually lost their children to a tragic death. I think, Alex needs to put herself in Josie's shoes and understand what Josie is feeling in order to grasp her before she is lost.
Theme
A very large theme in this novel is how well you know you children. Alex thinks she knows her daughter but she is actually losing her. Lacy thought she knew Peter until he brought a gun into school.
Vocab
1.) Reviled(250): to speak abusively.
2.) Canonized(250): to glorify.
Figurative Language
1.) Metaphor. "This mother's pain seemed to take up all the empty space in the gallery;heat the emotions of the other spectectors to a boiling point"(263). THis is a metaphor because someone's pain cannot actually take up empty space, but it may seem like that could happen.
2.) Metaphor. "She continues reading the charges in a courtroom so quiet you coudl hear hearts break; you could hear hope fluttering to the rafter on the ceiling"(263). Similar to the previous quote, hope cannot actually flutter to the ceiling, but it may seem that way in a situation like that.
3.) Metaphor. "Josie was two feet away from her, but they might as well have been on different continents"(265). Similar to the two previous quotes, this is also a metaphor because it may have felt like Josie was far away, but actually she was right next to Alex.
Quote
"How could Alex describe what it had felt like, seeing all of those nameless mothers and fathers in the gallery, without a child between them?What if you'd just been stupid enough to let her slip away?"(265). This quote is very similar to many other in how alex feels about her relationship with her daughter. She feels she is losing Josie, when other parents have actually lost their children to a tragic death. I think, Alex needs to put herself in Josie's shoes and understand what Josie is feeling in order to grasp her before she is lost.
Theme
A very large theme in this novel is how well you know you children. Alex thinks she knows her daughter but she is actually losing her. Lacy thought she knew Peter until he brought a gun into school.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Week 5, Post A
Nineteen Minutes
VOCAB
1.) Testimony (425): evidence in support of a fact or statement; proof.
2.) Amoebas (237):having no definite form and consisting of a mass of protoplasm containing one or more nuclei surrounded by a flexible outer membrane.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
"I'm great." Josie pasted on a smile. It felt gummy, like wallpaper that hadn't been smoothed right. But she had gotten so good at this - faking it- that it was second nature"(253). This describes Josie perfectly. She says shes fine when her mom talks to her, when police officer asks her, and even her friends. People are only trying to help her, but she doesn't know it!
THEME
Tying into that quote, Josie and alot of other characters in the novel fake how their feeling. A possible theme, is faking your emotions.
VOCAB
1.) Testimony (425): evidence in support of a fact or statement; proof.
2.) Amoebas (237):having no definite form and consisting of a mass of protoplasm containing one or more nuclei surrounded by a flexible outer membrane.
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
1.) Similie. "She felt Matt's hand stroke her hair, and that only made her cry harder; tenderness cut as sharp as any knife"(223). This sentence used as, and compares Matt stroking her hair and tenderness so sharp as a knife.
2.)Imagery. "They were think and tortoiseshell, Coke-bottle glasses, very different from the thin wire ones Peter usually wore" (360). This sentence is imagery because it makes you imagine what Peter must have looked like those type of glasses.
3.) Similie. "The conversation between Peter and Mr. McCabe was as superficial as a dragonfly on the surface of a lake, darting around topics neither of them particularly cared about"(234). This is a a similie because it compares Peter and Mr. McCabes conversation to a dragon fly...how it goes nowhere.
QUOTE"I'm great." Josie pasted on a smile. It felt gummy, like wallpaper that hadn't been smoothed right. But she had gotten so good at this - faking it- that it was second nature"(253). This describes Josie perfectly. She says shes fine when her mom talks to her, when police officer asks her, and even her friends. People are only trying to help her, but she doesn't know it!
THEME
Tying into that quote, Josie and alot of other characters in the novel fake how their feeling. A possible theme, is faking your emotions.
Week 5, Post B
Dear Jodi Picoult,
I recently finished you novel Nineteen Minutes and I am amazed. For weeks now I have not been able to put it down! I have many questions including, what inspired you to write such an intense novel about such a deep subject such as a school shooting? Did anything inspire you when you were in high school? I felt so many strong emotions while reading, and realized that everyone probably went through a stage in their life where inside they didn’t feel the most popular or the prettiest. I really felt that an important theme in the novel was pretending to be something your not and hoping no one finds out your faking. Did that happen to you in high school? I agree with you when you say " In Nineteen Minutes you can stop the world...or just jump off of it" (1). This refers to Peter, jumping off the world by shooting 10 students, and taking an unnaceptable way out. Also, would you say you relate more to Josie, afraid to be turned down by the popular crowd or, Peter, an outcast thriving to be with the popular kids? Also, like Alex and Josie, is that a similar relationship that you have with someone? I realized that when something so bad happens, that tragedy can bring two people closer together. For example, before the shooting Josie could not talk to her mother about anything. After they got things figured out, she realized she needed her mom all along. Your novel has become my new favorite book and I can’t wait to read more! After reading, I am also more aware of possible shooters and I know that it’s important to be you in life. Finally, I learned not to put people down. Although it may seem they don’t have feelings, it could ruin their life, and possibly yours.
Sincerely,
Claire O’Neill
I recently finished you novel Nineteen Minutes and I am amazed. For weeks now I have not been able to put it down! I have many questions including, what inspired you to write such an intense novel about such a deep subject such as a school shooting? Did anything inspire you when you were in high school? I felt so many strong emotions while reading, and realized that everyone probably went through a stage in their life where inside they didn’t feel the most popular or the prettiest. I really felt that an important theme in the novel was pretending to be something your not and hoping no one finds out your faking. Did that happen to you in high school? I agree with you when you say " In Nineteen Minutes you can stop the world...or just jump off of it" (1). This refers to Peter, jumping off the world by shooting 10 students, and taking an unnaceptable way out. Also, would you say you relate more to Josie, afraid to be turned down by the popular crowd or, Peter, an outcast thriving to be with the popular kids? Also, like Alex and Josie, is that a similar relationship that you have with someone? I realized that when something so bad happens, that tragedy can bring two people closer together. For example, before the shooting Josie could not talk to her mother about anything. After they got things figured out, she realized she needed her mom all along. Your novel has become my new favorite book and I can’t wait to read more! After reading, I am also more aware of possible shooters and I know that it’s important to be you in life. Finally, I learned not to put people down. Although it may seem they don’t have feelings, it could ruin their life, and possibly yours.
Sincerely,
Claire O’Neill
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Week 4, Post B
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Dear Alex,
You are another main character in the novel Nineteen Minutes. Besides that, your daughter was wounded in the school shooting. How does that feel? To know that your daughter could have been killed? You've gone through so much considering you raised her on your own, and you would think that you would be so close to her, but really you aren't. One reason for that is because you are the county judge. To your small town, you are very well known, but known as being serious, and not having a life. Sometimes you just want to be treated like a normal person...not to be called "Judge Cormier" by the person at Starbucks. Throughout Josie's life, you've gone through many struggles balancing being a judge ANd a mother. Most of your daughters life has been missed by you because you have not treated her like any regular mother would. Another reason is, there has been growing tension between you two especially after the shooting. You thought it would be a great time to get to know your daughter better, but she would not accept it. You really wanted to be put on the court case of the shooting, and she could! you want it so bad that you, "I think that is what put Josie over the edge. You wanted to work on the case, but Josie did not want you to. You tell her, "I will go off the case anytime[...]"(107), but truly i think you wanted to stay on it, no matter what she said. I hope you can get alone better with your daughter because she needs it, as well as you, in this time of pain.
Sincerely,
Claire
Dear Alex,
You are another main character in the novel Nineteen Minutes. Besides that, your daughter was wounded in the school shooting. How does that feel? To know that your daughter could have been killed? You've gone through so much considering you raised her on your own, and you would think that you would be so close to her, but really you aren't. One reason for that is because you are the county judge. To your small town, you are very well known, but known as being serious, and not having a life. Sometimes you just want to be treated like a normal person...not to be called "Judge Cormier" by the person at Starbucks. Throughout Josie's life, you've gone through many struggles balancing being a judge ANd a mother. Most of your daughters life has been missed by you because you have not treated her like any regular mother would. Another reason is, there has been growing tension between you two especially after the shooting. You thought it would be a great time to get to know your daughter better, but she would not accept it. You really wanted to be put on the court case of the shooting, and she could! you want it so bad that you, "I think that is what put Josie over the edge. You wanted to work on the case, but Josie did not want you to. You tell her, "I will go off the case anytime[...]"(107), but truly i think you wanted to stay on it, no matter what she said. I hope you can get alone better with your daughter because she needs it, as well as you, in this time of pain.
Sincerely,
Claire
Week 4, Post A
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
Vocab
1.) Martyrs (133): One who chooses to suffer death rather than renounce religious principles.
2.) Aphrodisiac (223): Something, such as a drug or food, having such an effect.
Figurative Language
1.) Metaphor. "He left them holding the truth between them, a stone that got heavier with every passing moment"(191). This is a metaphor, because it's comparing the truth with a stone and how it left space between them.
2.) Similie. "He turned to her, beaming, and Josie felt everyone's eyes on her - a hail of arrows. She curled over her desk like a midnight rose, letting her hair fall over her face"(211).
3.) Imagery. "The flames dances in front of his face, the heat distorted his features"(215).
Quote
"Had Peter's anger been born of jealousy or loneliness? Or was his massacre a way to turn attention to himself, finally instead of Joey?"(185).
At this point in the novel, Peter's lawyer Jordan was trying to figure out the reason for why he caused such a mess. Peter's brother was a straight-a student, captain to the hockey team, and Peter felt he needed to measure up to him. His parents were always so proud of his brother, but they never seemed to show as much appreciation for Peter. Imagine if you were his parents and realized that his massacre was because of this. He just wanted the attention from his parents like another kid his age, and it was difficult for his to get that because Joey was haugging it.
Theme
I think that the theme so far is how people influence you. Peter was influenced by his parents and brother in a way that cause him to do harm. Josie is influenced by her popular group of friends to stay in the status quo, and not associate herself with anyone lower.
Vocab
1.) Martyrs (133): One who chooses to suffer death rather than renounce religious principles.
2.) Aphrodisiac (223): Something, such as a drug or food, having such an effect.
Figurative Language
1.) Metaphor. "He left them holding the truth between them, a stone that got heavier with every passing moment"(191). This is a metaphor, because it's comparing the truth with a stone and how it left space between them.
2.) Similie. "He turned to her, beaming, and Josie felt everyone's eyes on her - a hail of arrows. She curled over her desk like a midnight rose, letting her hair fall over her face"(211).
3.) Imagery. "The flames dances in front of his face, the heat distorted his features"(215).
Quote
"Had Peter's anger been born of jealousy or loneliness? Or was his massacre a way to turn attention to himself, finally instead of Joey?"(185).
At this point in the novel, Peter's lawyer Jordan was trying to figure out the reason for why he caused such a mess. Peter's brother was a straight-a student, captain to the hockey team, and Peter felt he needed to measure up to him. His parents were always so proud of his brother, but they never seemed to show as much appreciation for Peter. Imagine if you were his parents and realized that his massacre was because of this. He just wanted the attention from his parents like another kid his age, and it was difficult for his to get that because Joey was haugging it.
Theme
I think that the theme so far is how people influence you. Peter was influenced by his parents and brother in a way that cause him to do harm. Josie is influenced by her popular group of friends to stay in the status quo, and not associate herself with anyone lower.
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