In Flight Behavior we meet the East Tennessee mountain family of Dellarobia Turnbow. What is your impression of the Turnbows so far? Does this impression reinforce or dispute your image of the people of the mountains of East Tennessee?
[3. Describe Dellarobia. How is she of this mountain town in Tennessee and how is she different from it? How are she and her family connected to the land and to nature itself? How are they disconnected? How does this shape their viewpoints? How does she describe herself? Do you agree with her self-assessment?]As she climbs the mountain Delarobia sees the mountain "explode with light." "The forrest blazed with its own internal flame." "The flame now appeared to lift from individual treetops in showers of orange sparks, exploding the way a pine log does in a camp fire when it is poked. The sparks spiraled upward in swirls like funnel clouds."
[7. How does Dellarobia react when she first sees the Monarchs? What greater meaning do the butterflies hold for her? How is she like the butterflies? How does finding them transform her life? Were the butterflies a miracle?]
11 comments:
And we're off! Zorro has posted the first set of questions about Flight Behavior.
What is your impression of the Turnbows so far?
The Turnbows seem like a family who is struggling to overcome financial problems while keeping their family together. They have their share of conflicts with Cub being caught in the middle between his domineering mother and his wife.
Does this impression reinforce or dispute your image of the people of the mountains of East Tennessee?
I don't think that I had preconceived notions of the people of East Tennessee. Bonnie, with your Tennessee background, do you have anything to share on this?
[3. Describe Dellarobia.
Dellarobia seems ot have a superiority complex feeling intellectually better than the others she is around and also rather smug in her maitenance of her figure in spite of three pregnancies.
How is she of this mountain town in Tennessee and how is she different from it?
She has roots in the town, but thinks she is better than the others.
How are she and her family connected to the land and to nature itself? How are they disconnected? How does this shape their viewpoints?
As farmers, the family is connected to nature. However, they seem rather confined to themselves as noted by the fact that they do not even visit parts of their land such as the area where Dellarobia saw the butterfly swarms.
How does she describe herself? Do you agree with her self-assessment?]
Skipping these remembering that one of the neat things about these book reads is that they are for pleasure with nary a worry about being tested on them.
As she climbs the mountain Delarobia sees the mountain "explode with light." "The forrest blazed with its own internal flame." "The flame now appeared to lift from individual treetops in showers of orange sparks, exploding the way a pine log does in a camp fire when it is poked. The sparks spiraled upward in swirls like funnel clouds."
[7. How does Dellarobia react when she first sees the Monarchs? What greater meaning do the butterflies hold for her? How is she like the butterflies? How does finding them transform her life? Were the butterflies a miracle?]
At first, she doesn't seem to understand what she is seeing. It appears that she feels that their appearance is a warning to her not to pursue the path she was following (meeting another man). Finding them does change her life both in her attitude to others (such as speaking up to Hester) and how she is viewed by Cub and the community.
The butterflies are a wondrous sight, but a natural phenomenon rather than a miracle.
"Skipping these remembering that one of the neat things about these book reads is that they are for pleasure with nary a worry about being tested on them."
You can say that again!
I hope we will use these questions as just a springboard to discussion. I always skip some/several when I use the publishers discussion questions. I know I am lazy for using them, but it sure is easier than making them up myself.
Does this impression reinforce or dispute your image of the people of the mountains of East Tennessee?
Shirley said:
I don't think that I had preconceived notions of the people of East Tennessee. Bonnie, with your Tennessee background, do you have anything to share on this?
As Bonnie and AuntieDon know, my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter have recently moved to the Chattanooga area. I have been very concerned about my granddaughter's school and the kids/parents there from the hills of East Tennessee. Much of the stereotypes that I hold, comes from the books that I have read by Southern authors -- As I Lay Dying, Bastard out of Carolina, Swamplandia, Winter's Bone, Suttree, Child of God, A Good Man is Hard to Find, Wise Blood -- are books that I have read in the last 6 months since the kids moved moved to TN. So I have to say that with my recent reading experience of the south and hillbillies, this community in Flight Behavior reinforces my stereotype.
Thanks to Bonnie for finding and correcting the questions that the publisher(?) prepared and that are posted at several places online.
I am just thrilled with this book, starting chapter 11 today.
On a personal note: Years ago a ninety year old Japan man’s wife Taka, sent me three hand painted butteries, which I still have two. One of my cats destroyed the other one. My physician had a butterfly collection hanging in his office. Last year, I made new curtains for my kitchen “butterflies on a blue background”. Was this all preparation for FB? I sure believe it today.
Caboose
In Flight Behavior we meet the East Tennessee mountain family of Dellarobia Turnbow. What is your impression of the Turnbows so far?
Accidently became pregnant at 17 years old. WOW that was I at seventeen.
Does this impression reinforce or dispute your image of the people of the mountains of East Tennessee? Reinforces my personal thinking of our youth all across this country.
[3. Describe Dellarobia. How is she of this mountain town in Tennessee and how is she different from it? Della’s self-importance is understandable considering her husband weakness, and Hester, who I dislike being a Christian woman, shame on Hester.
How are she and her family connected to the land and to nature itself? The properly belongs to her in-laws
How are they disconnected? Della is disconnected to the family maybe due to Hester’s jealousy.
How does this shape their viewpoints? How does she describe herself? Do you agree with her self-assessment? Yes at this point in the book.
As she climbs the mountain Delarobia sees the mountain "explode with light." "The forrest blazed with its own internal flame." "The flame now appeared to lift from individual treetops in showers of orange sparks, exploding the way a pine log does in a camp fire when it is poked. The sparks spiraled upward in swirls like funnel clouds."
[7. How does Dellarobia react when she first sees the Monarchs? Talks about the burning tree.
What greater meaning do the butterflies hold for her? Her life changes overnight but at this point she has no idea how much change.
How is she like the butterflies? I do not know the answer to this question from the first chapter.
How does finding them transform her life? A new window opens up for her but I do not believe she knows this yet.
Were the butterflies a miracle? There landing on the farm was the miracle.
Until Zorro mentioned her recent reads of the area, I had forgotten a book I'd read years ago "Christy" which was set in the Smoky Mountains. Although the poverty of the area was memorable, I thought the people came across as uneducated and superstitious but loving.
How old is your granddaughter, Zorro? I hope that your daughter and son-in-law are able to fill in any gaps in her education as well as her cultural experiences. Is the move to the area temporary or permanent?
While reading chapter 3, I wondered if others thought of the mega churches mentioned in "Christianity for the Rest of Us". I had thought that the book's setting was in a small town so was surprised with the mega church that was so large that it even had a cafe where people could hang out there rather than attend the church services. It was also interesting that the minister was dressed casually (a coworker attended one of the mega churches in Topeka and mentioned that the minister and assistants wore tuxedoes) and that he was the only one that Dellarobia respected for his education even though he didn't fully measure up to her expertise.
Chapter 2 pg 57
"Lord Almighty the girl is receiving grace"
I am not familiar with this phrase.Could someone explain
Caboose
Caboose, "the girl is receiving grace"
I think this is an expression that means she is part of a miracle. She is receiving a special gift of God with a special meaning for her.
What do others think?
Shirley, my granddaughter is 5 and is in kindergarten at Snowhill Elementary in Ooltewaugh, TN. I hope the move is not forever, but you never know. Brian has a good job, so we'll see. I hope they come back to Texas.
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