For this section I have chosen three quotations that I think give light to who Miranda is writing to as well as give insight into her feelings. But the interpretation is up to you!
"'It is weird,' Mom said. She put her hands on her hips. 'But if you think about it, one thing really can't have anything to do with the other. Someone with the key wouldn't have to ask where the key is. It makes no sense.' She was right, of course. It was backward. But somewhere in my head a tiny bell started ringing. I didn't even notice it at first." p. 61
I chose this quotation because I feel like it represents Miranda's thought process very well. As a reader I can see that she is thinking through who the writer could be, how they knew where the key was, and also why the order of events is backward.
"Upstairs, a weird thing happened. After living there almost everyday of my life, I saw our apartment as if it were usually invisible to me: the stuffing coming out of the sofa in two place, the burns form Mr. Nunzi's cigarettes, the big flakes of paint hanging off the ceiling, and the black spot next to the radiator where dripping water had stained the floor." p. 65
I liked the quotation because I think it not only showed that Miranda was being critical of her house because Anne Marie was there, but it was also odd how this feeling of seeing all these things stuck out more after Miranda's house had been broken into.
"Mom says each of us has a veil between ourselves and the rest of the world, like a bride wears on her wedding day, except this kind of veil is invisible. We walk around happily with these invisible veils hanging down over our faces. The world is kind of blurry, and we like it that way."
In my opinion, this quotation relates to the previous, but also to how Miranda feels about her world and how her mom explains to her about seeing the "big stuff" as opposed to being distracted by the little stuff.
What do you think of all of these quotations and how they relate to what we have read so far, as well as foreshadow what we will read?
Ashley, I agree with you about the first quote. Even though Miranda seems to agree with her mom and accept her explanation, I think this is the point when she really starts thinking that this mystery person is more than just your basic intruder.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was reading this section of the text (the second quotation), it just reminded me of what most adolescents go through as they begin to compare themselves to their peers. Whether it's an annoying relative (like Chin-kee in ABC) or a not-so-nice apartment, this is the age when children really start to begin to judge themselves and feel self-conscious. I loved how the author portrayed these very real feelings.
To be honest, most of the "veil" discussion was confusing for me. Although I can interpret it, I'm not very good with symbolism. I do think, however, that the veil is mentioned because Miranda is struggling to see the "bigger picture" in order to solve her mystery. She has so many little clues, she does need to find a way to look beyond the little clues and find the string that connects them all.
Ashley, I love the second quote that you chose to illuminate. Miranda has definitely taken a more critical eye when looking at her apartment through the eyes of Annemarie. I could totally identify with this quotation and it lit up vividly in my mind as well. It is kind of like when you bring a guest into your home and you notice things that would not have originally stuck out. I also like how you relate your 3rd quote to the second quote. The veil is sort of like how Miranda has to look through the blur of her apartment. She would not have noticed those things if she did not have a more critical eye and looked through the veil.
ReplyDelete