I am headed to the Essencia Island party but not sure of the directions on how to get there. It has been a while since I have been to one of the island parties but oh the breeze will be worth it on a hot day like this.
Wonder who will be there?
Lynne
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
House Rules - Chapters 10 and 11 (pgs 446-532)
Finished! I liked the book, but not as much as others here and at The Book Nook did. I figured out the mystery of Jess' death in Chapter 4. I had thought I'd be wrong and Jodi would throw a curve with some details I'd missed. It was frustrating to me that no one ever asked Jacob how Jess died, given how much he loves solving murders. The more interesting part of the book for me was the details about Asperger's Symdrome, both living with AS and living with someone who has AS.
In Case 10: Woodn't You Like To Get Away With Murder?, Richard Craft kills his wife and leaves very little evidence, but one missed detail leads to a trail of evidence against him. Jacob's detail is the iPod, which lead to the true events of Jess' death coming out into the open.
Henry really is there. He want to do the right thing and be there for Jacob and Emma. Emma is argumentative. The house rule are reiterated as another clue to the reader. Emma knows deep inside that a jury will not decide Jacob is not guilty.
Jacob asks Theo for help with his tie. He's tried so hard and succeeded to overcome his AS symptoms and do something he knows needs to be done. Jacob remember his father from back when he lived with them. We learn that AS is like being bombarded with sensory stimulation. I did not know that apples could rust. The first day Jacob met Jess, she taught him how someone else felt in a situation by putting him in the same situation. Jacob thinks Jess is the best teacher he's ever had and she would have understood what he did.
Oliver is really into Emma. He's focused on getting Jacob off. Then he sees Henry. Jacob doesn't like that Helen has her hair down, it's making him anxious and he thinks it's a bad omen. Jacob tells Oliver again to make sure to tell the jury the truth. Oliver tells the jury about AS and Jacob in his opening statement. He says Jacob doesn't understand what he did to Jess was wrong. Jacob writes to Oliver that he has to tell the jury what he did was right.
Theo realizes the Oliver likes Emma and Emma might like him too. Theo tries to talk to Henry but he doesn't respond well. Jacob's regular psychologist testifies about what AS is and how it manifest in Jacob. She explains why Jacob has acted violently in the past. She says that's likely what happened with Jess. Jacob stands up and denies it. There is a sensory break. Theo doesn't go. Theo thinks about Jacob not trying to help him before, that he only wants to help himself. Wrong! Another clue. Jacob is trying to help Theo. Possibly only because it is one of the house rules.
Jacob doesn't know why his psychologist said that and why Oliver isn't telling the truth. He feels like he's trapped in a nightmare. Jacob tells Emma that he didn't loss his temper with Jess and that he didn't mean to hurt her, referring, of course, to the bruises he made dragging her to the culvert and the tooth he knocked out getting her downstairs. Emma assumes that he's says he hurt Jess but didn't mean it. Helen tries to point out that diagnosis AS is a judgment call and maybe Jacob doesn't have AS.
Jacob's guidance counselor testifies. Court adjourns. Oliver makes an excuse to go to the Hunts. He tries to get Emma to ride there with him, but she refuses. Jacob rides with Oliver. Jacob tell Oliver he is not autistic, he has autism. Henry says he's staying until the trial is over. Emma offers to let him stay at the house. Oliver is jealous. Jacob walks in on them kissing as they make up. He's runs off.
Jacob is angry because he thinks if Emma likes Oliver she won't be focused on his trial. Emma slap him. She apologizes and says she didn't mean to hurt him. She realizes that maybe that's what happened to Jess. Henry talks to Emma when they both can't sleep that night. They come to an understanding and a truce. Emma thinks about the only other time she remembers blowing up at Jacob. Then she realizes he would never understand love.
Oliver and Jacob talk. Oliver tells Jacob liking Emma only makes him want to win Jacob's case more. A forensic psychologist testifies. There is a sensory break. Jacob thinks everyone is lying about him. He just wants to tell the truth. He didn't want Jess to die. It wasn't his fault. It was an accident. Emma thinks he killed Jess by accident. At this point, I start thinking that Emma is going to admit to Jacob killing Jess by accident. Jacob is going to stand up and say that he didn't kill Jess. But Jodi will pull a twist and Jacob will go to jail for creating a crime scene and not coming forward that he didn't kill Jess.
Emma does admit that Jacob killed Jess by accident. Jacob is happy that Emma told the jury the truth. Jacob think that he's not obsessed with violent crime, he's obsessed with solving it. The judge wants to stay in court longer to finish Emma's testimony. Jacob is anxious because it is close to 4:30 when CrimeBusters is on. Jacob has a major meltdown and Emma is unable to answer whether she thinks Jacob killed Jess. Jacob is put in a holding cell and talks to Rich about the case.
Jacob wants to testify. Oliver says no and tries to rest his case. Jacob insists on testifying, as is his right to make that decision. Jacob tells about creating the crime scene to make it look like Mark tried to make it look like Jess was kidnapped because Mark killed Jess. He says there isn't much to tell about Jess' death, when asked. He says he's not sorry for killing her because he knows in his head that he didn't kill her. But it looks like he's saying he did. I wonder if Jacob thinks he's on trial for creating the crime scene. If so, why is he admitting it. Doesn't Jacob realize they think he killed Jess. Why doesn't he say he didn't and that she was dead when he got there. The attorneys make their closing statements.
The jury deliberates for three days. Jacob comes to terms with Oliver dating Emma. Emma feels like she's saying goodbye to Jacob. Then it is Theo's birthday. Theo thinks everyone will forget, but they don't. Jacob has a gift for Theo and no one knows what it is or why he got Theo something as Jacob doesn't give gifts usually. Jacob gives Theo Jess's iPod. I thought he was keeping it to keep evidence of Theo killing Jess suppressed. Does Jacob think no one will know it's Jess' iPod. Then the truth about Jess' accidental death come out and the truth about Jacob setting up a crime scene to protect Theo. They head to court to explain what happened and we are left to assume Jacob gets off. This is a rather upbeat ending from Jodi. Usually her books end sad.
Next book, I'm taking notes as I'm reading, =) instead of flipping through the long chapters of this book and posting as I go.
In Case 10: Woodn't You Like To Get Away With Murder?, Richard Craft kills his wife and leaves very little evidence, but one missed detail leads to a trail of evidence against him. Jacob's detail is the iPod, which lead to the true events of Jess' death coming out into the open.
Henry really is there. He want to do the right thing and be there for Jacob and Emma. Emma is argumentative. The house rule are reiterated as another clue to the reader. Emma knows deep inside that a jury will not decide Jacob is not guilty.
Jacob asks Theo for help with his tie. He's tried so hard and succeeded to overcome his AS symptoms and do something he knows needs to be done. Jacob remember his father from back when he lived with them. We learn that AS is like being bombarded with sensory stimulation. I did not know that apples could rust. The first day Jacob met Jess, she taught him how someone else felt in a situation by putting him in the same situation. Jacob thinks Jess is the best teacher he's ever had and she would have understood what he did.
Oliver is really into Emma. He's focused on getting Jacob off. Then he sees Henry. Jacob doesn't like that Helen has her hair down, it's making him anxious and he thinks it's a bad omen. Jacob tells Oliver again to make sure to tell the jury the truth. Oliver tells the jury about AS and Jacob in his opening statement. He says Jacob doesn't understand what he did to Jess was wrong. Jacob writes to Oliver that he has to tell the jury what he did was right.
Theo realizes the Oliver likes Emma and Emma might like him too. Theo tries to talk to Henry but he doesn't respond well. Jacob's regular psychologist testifies about what AS is and how it manifest in Jacob. She explains why Jacob has acted violently in the past. She says that's likely what happened with Jess. Jacob stands up and denies it. There is a sensory break. Theo doesn't go. Theo thinks about Jacob not trying to help him before, that he only wants to help himself. Wrong! Another clue. Jacob is trying to help Theo. Possibly only because it is one of the house rules.
Jacob doesn't know why his psychologist said that and why Oliver isn't telling the truth. He feels like he's trapped in a nightmare. Jacob tells Emma that he didn't loss his temper with Jess and that he didn't mean to hurt her, referring, of course, to the bruises he made dragging her to the culvert and the tooth he knocked out getting her downstairs. Emma assumes that he's says he hurt Jess but didn't mean it. Helen tries to point out that diagnosis AS is a judgment call and maybe Jacob doesn't have AS.
Jacob's guidance counselor testifies. Court adjourns. Oliver makes an excuse to go to the Hunts. He tries to get Emma to ride there with him, but she refuses. Jacob rides with Oliver. Jacob tell Oliver he is not autistic, he has autism. Henry says he's staying until the trial is over. Emma offers to let him stay at the house. Oliver is jealous. Jacob walks in on them kissing as they make up. He's runs off.
Jacob is angry because he thinks if Emma likes Oliver she won't be focused on his trial. Emma slap him. She apologizes and says she didn't mean to hurt him. She realizes that maybe that's what happened to Jess. Henry talks to Emma when they both can't sleep that night. They come to an understanding and a truce. Emma thinks about the only other time she remembers blowing up at Jacob. Then she realizes he would never understand love.
Oliver and Jacob talk. Oliver tells Jacob liking Emma only makes him want to win Jacob's case more. A forensic psychologist testifies. There is a sensory break. Jacob thinks everyone is lying about him. He just wants to tell the truth. He didn't want Jess to die. It wasn't his fault. It was an accident. Emma thinks he killed Jess by accident. At this point, I start thinking that Emma is going to admit to Jacob killing Jess by accident. Jacob is going to stand up and say that he didn't kill Jess. But Jodi will pull a twist and Jacob will go to jail for creating a crime scene and not coming forward that he didn't kill Jess.
Emma does admit that Jacob killed Jess by accident. Jacob is happy that Emma told the jury the truth. Jacob think that he's not obsessed with violent crime, he's obsessed with solving it. The judge wants to stay in court longer to finish Emma's testimony. Jacob is anxious because it is close to 4:30 when CrimeBusters is on. Jacob has a major meltdown and Emma is unable to answer whether she thinks Jacob killed Jess. Jacob is put in a holding cell and talks to Rich about the case.
Jacob wants to testify. Oliver says no and tries to rest his case. Jacob insists on testifying, as is his right to make that decision. Jacob tells about creating the crime scene to make it look like Mark tried to make it look like Jess was kidnapped because Mark killed Jess. He says there isn't much to tell about Jess' death, when asked. He says he's not sorry for killing her because he knows in his head that he didn't kill her. But it looks like he's saying he did. I wonder if Jacob thinks he's on trial for creating the crime scene. If so, why is he admitting it. Doesn't Jacob realize they think he killed Jess. Why doesn't he say he didn't and that she was dead when he got there. The attorneys make their closing statements.
The jury deliberates for three days. Jacob comes to terms with Oliver dating Emma. Emma feels like she's saying goodbye to Jacob. Then it is Theo's birthday. Theo thinks everyone will forget, but they don't. Jacob has a gift for Theo and no one knows what it is or why he got Theo something as Jacob doesn't give gifts usually. Jacob gives Theo Jess's iPod. I thought he was keeping it to keep evidence of Theo killing Jess suppressed. Does Jacob think no one will know it's Jess' iPod. Then the truth about Jess' accidental death come out and the truth about Jacob setting up a crime scene to protect Theo. They head to court to explain what happened and we are left to assume Jacob gets off. This is a rather upbeat ending from Jodi. Usually her books end sad.
Next book, I'm taking notes as I'm reading, =) instead of flipping through the long chapters of this book and posting as I go.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Jodi Picoult wrote to us!
Hi all, I'm so glad to hear you're reading House Rules and hope it sparks some great discussion. Many thanks for choosing to read my novel, when there are so many great ones out there!
Jodi
Bonnie's note: I emailed Jodi Picoult this afternoon, and five minutes later -- yes, 5 minutes later -- she sent back this message for us.
House Rules ~ fourth set of discussion questions
1. What does a crumpled piece of paper have to do with the story?
2. How does Theo’s interaction with his father in San Francisco change his attitude toward Henry? Why does he erupt into laughter when Henry offers him a few twenty-dollar bills? Is the short trip also a turning point for Emma?
3. "You’re either a father twenty-four/seven or not at all" (p. 448). Is Emma being fair to Henry? What does House Rules have to say about parenthood and its responsibilities?
4. The final case study in the book — "Case 11: My Brother’s Keeper" — outlines the events that occurred in the course of the novel. It ends with a single line: "I’d do it all over again" (p. 531). Does this line reveal anything new about Jacob? Does it change your feelings toward him in any way?
5. What did you know about autism and AS before reading House Rules? Did the novel challenge your views on the subject, or on disability more generally? Is it an educational book?
House Rules - Chapter 9 (pgs 379-445)
Only one chapter left to go, I think. So I should finish the book tonight. Then I can see if my theory is anywhere near correct.
In Case 9: Pajama Game, Jeffrey MacDonald was convicted because his story of the events that lead to his wife and daughter's murder didn't match the evidence. Some thing(s) about this case are bound to not match the evidence since a crime scene was set up that wasn't the actual crime scene. Indeed, I believe there was no crime at all. Just a crime scene that Jacob created to protect Theo.
lol @ Jacob in the yellow pimp suit. If it is that much trouble to get him into dressy clothes, how do they expect him to stay in them willingly. Theo tries to tell Emma what he knows about that happened the day Jess died, but she assumes his concerns are about something else. Emma wears a yellow dress to help Jacob better deal with not wearing yellow on Yellow Wednesday. I don't think it was noted before now that Jacob also wore the color of the day as well as ate it.
Jacob remembers being fired from his first job for not wearing the uniform due to certain color days. Prior to telling his boss about his AS, he had made excuses about this for several weeks with no trouble. It was only after Jacob told him that he was fired. No one anticipates the reporters at the courthouse. Jacob has a meltdown and flees. Oliver has to tackle him. Jacob closes his eyes and they all sing and that gets Jacob through the reporters and into the courthouse without another meltdown. Jacob realizes the Oliver thinks why he's not guilty is not the same as the truth. Jacob remembers calling a girl out for lying in his social skills class. It's very important to Jacob not to lie. He remembers practicing with Jess asking a girl to a dance. He's not doing a very good job until he really opens up and asks Jess herself to the dance. Jess is so happy about the sweetness of his declaration, thinking he is just practicing, that she hugs him. Jacob lets her and he likes the hug. Jacob cares for Jess in the ways that he can. It seems even clearer that he wouldn't hurt her.
Helen Sharp, possible last named so by Jodi because of her harshness in attitude, the prosecuting attorney, crumples a piece of paper in her opening argument, setting Jacob off into a meltdown because he can't stand paper to be crumpled and not folded. It seems like Helen might be aware of this fact and might have done this to set Jacob off to show the jury how easy it is to do and how erratic and possibly violent Jacob acts when it happens. Jacob just wants to paper smoothed. Emma doesn't want to be pitied for having a child like Jacob, she would not pity someone else for the same. But she hates that she might be pitied for having a child who is a murder because she would pity someone else who did. Notice that Emma thinks "if Jacob is a murderer" here, not "if Jacob were a murderer". Despite Emma saying she believed Jacob when he said he did not kill Jess when she asked him, it seems she still has her doubts. Emma worried about what kind of child she's raised. Oliver makes sure the paper is smoothed for Jacob to calm him down.
Jacob hates Mark. Did Jacob frame Mark because of this. Mark distracts Jess from Jacob during their sessions. Jacob assumes he is boring her. He thinks he likes her. He is hurt. Jess wants Jacob to meet Mark. They all go skiing. Jacob thinks Mark is good with people, specifically girls, but not smart. Jacob hates Mark because he is then unsure if Jess is truly his friend. Mark calls Jacob retarded. Mark testifies. He says he's hung out with Jacob several times but paid little attention to him. Jacob has noticed that Mark abuses Jess physically. Oliver gets Mark to admit that the bruised on Jess' neck are from where he choked her the morning she died.
A CSI testifies that Jacob's fingerprint was found in the kitchen and Mark's boot prints were found outside the window where it was set up to look like a break in. Jacob points out to Oliver that Luminol can have a false positive with reacting the bleach.
After an inappropriate reaction to the ME's testimony, Jacob has a sensory break. During it, he comment that he would have killed to be at the autopsy. Oliver asks under his breath did you. Oliver thinks Jacob may have actually killed Jess.
Rich returns to the narrative. Its seems like Rich and Emma aren't to be at this point. I still don't like Rich. Rich presents Jacob's journal entry about Jess' crime scene. He says that no one would know all that except the police and the killer. Or someone who set up the crime scene, as we know Jacob has admitted to doing. During a sensory break, Jacob is proud that the cops have figured out his crime scene and thinks that Oliver is doing a good job. Emma and Oliver are more and more worried about the outcome of the trial. Oliver points out in court that perhaps the journal entry is Jacob trying to help solve the case. But then it is reveal that Jacob wrote at the end of the journal entry "solved: me" and underlined it ten times.
Theo tells Jacob after dinner that night that he was there the day Jess died. Jacob tells Theo he knows and that's why he did it. Theo thinks Jacob killed Jess to protect him. Jess was alive when he left. Jacob thinks Theo killed Jess and set up the crime scene to protect him. Jess was dead when he got there. It seems like there was a small window of time between Theo leaving and Jess being alive and Jacob seeing Theo and finding Jess dead. I'm still going with Jess slipped and fell.
Jacob watches a home video of himself before the AS manifested, back when he was normal. Midway through the video, it has been taped over with Jacob's prom date. Jess is on the tape. Jacob is watching to see Jess again. Jacob realizes he might have done something wrong. I think this is covering for Theo, not killing Jess.
Emma can't sleep that night. She imagines life if Jacob were a normal boy. She goes to see Oliver. He is writing his opening statement. He's having a hard time with it. They admit their worries and fears about Jacob's trial and their lives. Oliver tells Emma how he feels. Then he makes a move. Emma lets him. They spend the night together. Emma feels everything might be okay then. I am so happy about this. I felt sure Jodi wouldn't end up pairing Emma and Oliver together, even though to me they seem to be a well-matched pair.
Emma and Oliver go to Emma's house in the morning and discover that Henry is there.
In Case 9: Pajama Game, Jeffrey MacDonald was convicted because his story of the events that lead to his wife and daughter's murder didn't match the evidence. Some thing(s) about this case are bound to not match the evidence since a crime scene was set up that wasn't the actual crime scene. Indeed, I believe there was no crime at all. Just a crime scene that Jacob created to protect Theo.
lol @ Jacob in the yellow pimp suit. If it is that much trouble to get him into dressy clothes, how do they expect him to stay in them willingly. Theo tries to tell Emma what he knows about that happened the day Jess died, but she assumes his concerns are about something else. Emma wears a yellow dress to help Jacob better deal with not wearing yellow on Yellow Wednesday. I don't think it was noted before now that Jacob also wore the color of the day as well as ate it.
Jacob remembers being fired from his first job for not wearing the uniform due to certain color days. Prior to telling his boss about his AS, he had made excuses about this for several weeks with no trouble. It was only after Jacob told him that he was fired. No one anticipates the reporters at the courthouse. Jacob has a meltdown and flees. Oliver has to tackle him. Jacob closes his eyes and they all sing and that gets Jacob through the reporters and into the courthouse without another meltdown. Jacob realizes the Oliver thinks why he's not guilty is not the same as the truth. Jacob remembers calling a girl out for lying in his social skills class. It's very important to Jacob not to lie. He remembers practicing with Jess asking a girl to a dance. He's not doing a very good job until he really opens up and asks Jess herself to the dance. Jess is so happy about the sweetness of his declaration, thinking he is just practicing, that she hugs him. Jacob lets her and he likes the hug. Jacob cares for Jess in the ways that he can. It seems even clearer that he wouldn't hurt her.
Helen Sharp, possible last named so by Jodi because of her harshness in attitude, the prosecuting attorney, crumples a piece of paper in her opening argument, setting Jacob off into a meltdown because he can't stand paper to be crumpled and not folded. It seems like Helen might be aware of this fact and might have done this to set Jacob off to show the jury how easy it is to do and how erratic and possibly violent Jacob acts when it happens. Jacob just wants to paper smoothed. Emma doesn't want to be pitied for having a child like Jacob, she would not pity someone else for the same. But she hates that she might be pitied for having a child who is a murder because she would pity someone else who did. Notice that Emma thinks "if Jacob is a murderer" here, not "if Jacob were a murderer". Despite Emma saying she believed Jacob when he said he did not kill Jess when she asked him, it seems she still has her doubts. Emma worried about what kind of child she's raised. Oliver makes sure the paper is smoothed for Jacob to calm him down.
Jacob hates Mark. Did Jacob frame Mark because of this. Mark distracts Jess from Jacob during their sessions. Jacob assumes he is boring her. He thinks he likes her. He is hurt. Jess wants Jacob to meet Mark. They all go skiing. Jacob thinks Mark is good with people, specifically girls, but not smart. Jacob hates Mark because he is then unsure if Jess is truly his friend. Mark calls Jacob retarded. Mark testifies. He says he's hung out with Jacob several times but paid little attention to him. Jacob has noticed that Mark abuses Jess physically. Oliver gets Mark to admit that the bruised on Jess' neck are from where he choked her the morning she died.
A CSI testifies that Jacob's fingerprint was found in the kitchen and Mark's boot prints were found outside the window where it was set up to look like a break in. Jacob points out to Oliver that Luminol can have a false positive with reacting the bleach.
After an inappropriate reaction to the ME's testimony, Jacob has a sensory break. During it, he comment that he would have killed to be at the autopsy. Oliver asks under his breath did you. Oliver thinks Jacob may have actually killed Jess.
Rich returns to the narrative. Its seems like Rich and Emma aren't to be at this point. I still don't like Rich. Rich presents Jacob's journal entry about Jess' crime scene. He says that no one would know all that except the police and the killer. Or someone who set up the crime scene, as we know Jacob has admitted to doing. During a sensory break, Jacob is proud that the cops have figured out his crime scene and thinks that Oliver is doing a good job. Emma and Oliver are more and more worried about the outcome of the trial. Oliver points out in court that perhaps the journal entry is Jacob trying to help solve the case. But then it is reveal that Jacob wrote at the end of the journal entry "solved: me" and underlined it ten times.
Theo tells Jacob after dinner that night that he was there the day Jess died. Jacob tells Theo he knows and that's why he did it. Theo thinks Jacob killed Jess to protect him. Jess was alive when he left. Jacob thinks Theo killed Jess and set up the crime scene to protect him. Jess was dead when he got there. It seems like there was a small window of time between Theo leaving and Jess being alive and Jacob seeing Theo and finding Jess dead. I'm still going with Jess slipped and fell.
Jacob watches a home video of himself before the AS manifested, back when he was normal. Midway through the video, it has been taped over with Jacob's prom date. Jess is on the tape. Jacob is watching to see Jess again. Jacob realizes he might have done something wrong. I think this is covering for Theo, not killing Jess.
Emma can't sleep that night. She imagines life if Jacob were a normal boy. She goes to see Oliver. He is writing his opening statement. He's having a hard time with it. They admit their worries and fears about Jacob's trial and their lives. Oliver tells Emma how he feels. Then he makes a move. Emma lets him. They spend the night together. Emma feels everything might be okay then. I am so happy about this. I felt sure Jodi wouldn't end up pairing Emma and Oliver together, even though to me they seem to be a well-matched pair.
Emma and Oliver go to Emma's house in the morning and discover that Henry is there.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
HR ~ accommodations for Jacob
"Oliver gets four of the the five concessions he asked the judge for."This gets us into the discussion I had in mind when I asked in question #6:
"Oliver requests accommodations for Jacob in court. Do they seem fair? The first five minutes of the trial show the constant vigilance needed to keep Jacob from having a meltdown and how much Emma does know about her son. Let's talk about the kind of provisions made for Jacob at home, at school, in the wider community, and in court. Do you think they are excessive, inadequate, appropriate, fair or unfair?"What were those concessions Oliver got for Jacob? What did the judge NOT allow?
Changing the subject (slightly). Did you notice that the judge also quotes something from a movie, after Jacob does? In Oliver's section (see page 195), Jacob is being dragged out of court, shouting:
I look from her to my client, who has gone boneless and is being dragged out a different door. "Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!" Jacob yells.
The judge narrows his eyes at me.
"It's from Planet of the Apes," I mutter.
"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore," he replies. "That's from Network. I highly recommend you watch the movie after you get your client under control."
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