I know that the 1st post was due ages ago but I'm going to do it anyway. I wasn't sure if we could simply combine the 1st and 2nd (as Geoff did) because so many people haven't done the 1st, so I'm doing both just to be on the safe side.
Honestly I am not very fond of the book at this point. I allow for the fact that it is still very early in the story and it could pick up, or that there are actually deep, thoughtful, hidden meanings that I'm simply not understanding. However, right now I find the book rather dull, depressing, and unnecessarily confusing.
Several people have commented on how difficult it is to determine the past from the present in the book. I feel that flashbacks do have their place in books, but there are just so many in this one! And really, how hard is it to let the reader know it's a flashback? (“thinking back on the war...” or something like that gets the point across and really isn't hard to work in there!) Is it possible that Silko is intentionally not defining when a flashback begins to show how the past has played such a large part in Tayo's present?
I'm going to have to agree with Geoff on something. (I know–shocker!) Right now Tayo seems generally lifeless. I find his moroseness extremely dreary and a little annoying. One thing that I don't agree with Geoff on is that surviving a war should make you more “happy”. In some cases yes, people might feel invigorated by their survival and live life to the fullest. However, many wars have shown us that it can also ruin a person. I could see how a soldier, after seeing so much death and injustice, could simply give up on humanity and ultimately give up on life. Is that what Tayo is doing?
My favorite quote is from when Tayo is in the hospital and the doctor comes to check on him and tells him he can go home: “'It's easy to remain invisible here, isn't it, Tayo?'...'I'm sending you home, Tayo; tomorrow you'll go on the train.' 'He can't go. He cries all the time. Sometimes he vomits when he cries.' 'Why does he cry, Tayo?' 'He cries because they are dead and everything is dying.'...'Go ahead, Tayo, you can cry.' He wanted to scream at the doctor then, but the words choked him and he coughed up his own tears and tasted their salt in his mouth... 'Goddamn you,' he said softly, 'look what you have done.'” (pg 16) Tayo is speaking in third person (“He can't go”) because he imagines himself invisible so he can't talk. It's almost as if he doesn't realize he is Tayo. I find it interesting that when the doctor “wakes him up” and he cries again he swears at the doctor. He didn't want to face the fact that he had been hurt. He wanted to crawl in a hole and forget. I think that the quote 'He cries because they are dead and everything is dying.' pretty much defines Tayo right now, or at least, it defines why he is the way he is.
Basically, I don't really like the book yet, but I'll give it a chance. Hopefully it will get better.
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Tasha,
ReplyDeleteGosh you guys are so harsh on Tayo. Imagine the pressure this guy feels. He grows up being hated for who he is, promises to protect the 'golden child' but is unable to, comes home to a Reservation where he continues to be judged for mistakes made by other people, and was previously fighting for a country that judged him for who he is. Imagine not fitting anywhere. How might that make you feel?
Ms. Champagne
Hey Tasha,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you on your opinion on Tayo. He is really lifeless and I kind of don't get him. I get that he has been in a war but it's like he is practically dead.
Hmmm you're pretty mean : P half kidding
ReplyDeleteHe comes home to what he would believe would be a heroes return when he entered the war, but when he gets back he is just pushed to the side to rot in his ranch. This would not help the loss of his friends and his experience with war.
I felt you found a great quote that depicted exactly what you wanted to show from Tayo. "The living dead" basically, how he blames his problems upon everyone else except himself, since were not reading a different book idk what questions to ask.
ReplyDeleteSorry but i have to totally disagree with you. I find that Tayo is an interesting character and your just not getting him. He is depressed and cynical but that's the character. There's also much more to him as shown in the flashbacks. Tayo may not be exciting but to me he is interesting.
ReplyDeleteI think that Tayo is lifeless, but i really like his character. He is annoying at times, but he seems to have reason for being lifeless. He's lost a lot. But something about him I really like is that he isn't resentful toward the Japanese about the war, and I think that says so much about his character. He doesn't define people by what side they're on. He didn't see them as "one of the enemy." Good post. Your quote was also one of my favorites from that assignment. I agree with Daniel too, haha. I find him interesting
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