10. Ian gets very irritated when anyone assumes he would, of course, become a doctor like his father and grandfather before him, as in the scene with Mr. Hardy:
"Am I right to assume I'm speaking to the next Dr. Christopherson?"Have you ever said something impulsively that you later regretted? How was it decided where you would go to school or what work you would do? Has irritation ever gotten you into trouble?
He had smiled and Ian had felt irritation rising up in him like a wave. "I've decided I'd like to study agriculture," he said. ...
"There's an excellent school of agriculture in Guelph. Would you like to apply to that?"
Ian's heart started to thump. Was this it, then? Had he just decided his future in a single spasm of irritation? (pp. 116, 117)
11. The scene where Ian helped his father work on the cut and profusely-bleeding logger was very powerful. Ian himself was shocked that the man died under his hands between one breath and the next, and his meditations took him here:
Good luck. Maybe that's all it was. Maybe the whole of life depended not on how hard you tried, how determined you were, how sensible, how smart: maybe the whole shooting match depended on luck. (p. 126)Is luck that important? Does determinations and hard work matter? Is the author saying being sensible or smart doesn't make much difference if your luck runs out?
12. And yet, in the same chapter, Ian knows there may be angry people on the reserve, but is enraged with Pete's tone after almost missing the final exam ... thus ruining his chance of getting a passport out of Struan:
"You have a choice, whether or not you let yourself get drawn into all that crap! It's history! Some people are stuck in it, but you have a choice!"The oppressed usually understand the situation quite differently from the oppressors, so Pete probably feels the tensions between his and Ian's communities more deeply. What do you think, does Pete have a choice? Does Ian just not get it? Is it luck to be born into one family or another? And how does that impact your life?
Pete, his eyes still closed, his face still turned to the sun, said, "You know what I like about you, man? You have such a simple view of life." (p. 130)
13. What happens when we assume everyone thinks the way we do? Can you think of an example?
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NOTE: Those of you who are not reading the book may also jump in with your thoughts about luck, life, and assumptions. I hope you'll do that and let's all talk here.
5 comments:
10. Ian gets very irritated when anyone assumes he would, of course, become a doctor like his father and grandfather before him, as in the scene with Mr. Hardy:
"Am I right to assume I'm speaking to the next Dr. Christopherson?"
He had smiled and Ian had felt irritation rising up in him like a wave. "I've decided I'd like to study agriculture," he said. ...
"There's an excellent school of agriculture in Guelph. Would you like to apply to that?"
Ian's heart started to thump. Was this it, then? Had he just decided his future in a single spasm of irritation? (pp. 116, 117)Have you ever said something impulsively that you later regretted? How was it decided where you would go to school or what work you would do? Has irritation ever gotten you into trouble?
The most recent major case of foot in the mouth disease that I shudder when I think of was the night after my son's death. My youngest son had taken it very hard and after a horrible breakdown at the hospital, said that he needed to get away, left, and we didn't hear from him for several hours. It was with great relief when one of the boys' friends called and let me know that he was all right. When he finally came home, in my effort to comfort him I commented that things would seem better again and that we could perhaps figure out something for him to do for a career (he has been working various low paying jobs after dropping out of college and I have been troubled wondering how what he is going to do for a career). This was pathetic timing. How stupid could I get? He left again. His girlfriend called to let me know that he was o.k., he did meet with us for the funeral arrangements the next day, and I have avoided the subject since then.
The whole career issue is one that becomes rather touchy. My older son was happy doing tech work primarily at the local performing arts center. It didn't pay well so my husband and I encouraged him to get training in something else. He went to vo tech and received training to become an electrician and later earned an associate's degree. He did not like working as an apprentice electrician and later went back to his original job. In his room, one of the quotes he had hung on his door was a quote from George Burns, “I’d rather be a failure at something I enjoy than be a success of something I hate.” Brendan listened to his heart and was successful in his work both paid and as a volunteer in technical stage work.
Although I am concerned about my younger son's career, I am going to try to be a supportive listener and not offer unasked for advice.
Shirley, you weren't being 'stupid'. you were just being a mom, in the midst of this terrible tragedy.
I find it very hard to shut up and listen with our young adult kids. Our son chose a military career, need I say more? we tried to talk him out of it, but stopped doing that, when we saw how happy it made him to be in the army. we don't understand what the attraction is, but we honor him, and are proud of his stamina!
Shirley, unless you wanted it partially hidden, this would have been a very good post.
Margreet, do you prefer yours to be a bit hidden, too?
I am still uncertain when to post something as a post or as a comment. It is true that in order to locate comments one has to try to remember whether there were comments before or not.
I wasn't trying to hide or partially hide my post, I was just trying to put it in the "proper"place.
When it's short or chit-chat, comment. When it's about a book, post.
We're all learning what works best for this version of Book Buddies, including me.
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