Sorry that I have been really absent this month, I have some things planned to make up for it. Anyway. it's time for the second discussion in Amber at Seasons of Humility's Emily of New Moon Read-Along!!
Spoiler alert! If you haven't read Emily of New Moon, don't read any more of this post! It is a really sweet book and I don't want to spoil it for you.
Emily of New Moon ~ Chapters 11-17
Discussion Format: your favorite quotes, general impressions, and five questions to answer for each week's reading
Favorite Quotes:
1.
"The little clap-boarded house topped a small hill, over which tansy grew in a hard, flaunting, aromatic luxuriance, rising steeply and abruptly from a main road."
2.
"Life tasted good to her again---'Tasted like more,' as Cousin Jimmie said."
3.
"It is raining tonight and it sounds like fairies feet dancing over the garret roof."
(Emily's spelling, not mine.)
4.
"I think God is just like my flash, only it lasts only a second and He lasts always."
(Oh, this is so beautiful!!)
General Impressions:
I love reading Emily's letters to her father, they are so sweet and innocent. I love how everything flows for her and how she is so happy when she is writing. She has such lovely, beautiful thoughts, it is a delight to read, even if her spelling is a little off sometimes. Hey, I struggle with that, too (Spell check is really helpful).
She does get a little over dramatic about some things, but I can understand that being that way myself. I hope that with all of her little adventures and "tragedies" she will learn some things, but that she will always stay true to herself.
"...but I am sorry---or ought to be---to have to state that Emily's conscience never worried her about the matter at all."
(See what I mean...)
It has almost been a year since she has been at New Moon! I'm glad that she finally has found some real friends in Ilse, Teddy, Perry, and even Jennie. I love how she is helping Ilse to grow in her faith and Perry in his manners. They are such a fun "rag tag band".
Cousin Jimmy continues to be my favorite! He reminds me a lot of some people I know. I love this quote about him:
"For a little while he was strong and young and splendid and beautiful, accredited master of song to a listening, enraptured world."
Aunt Laura is such a dear, and she really is trying to understand Emily that even at times when she doesn't I love the effort that she puts in. Aunt Elizabeth... I feel like she is coming around. She is so proud of being a Murray, sometimes I wish she could just forget about that for a moment. Emily claims that Elizabeth doesn't love her, but I think deep down she does.Oh, what is the matter with Miss Brownell!? She is a horrible person. Why does she pick favorites? Why does she hold grudges over tiny things? I do not understand her. I was hoping that in these chapters she would redeem herself, but my new hope is that they just get a new teacher.
Discussion Questions:
1. If you could have Ilse, Teddy, or Perry as your friend, which one do you think you would get along with the best? Which one do you think would help you grow the most?
Wow, this is a really hard question! I feel like Teddy would help me the most. I often fell really insecure about anything that I do, that I am not good at it a therefore shouldn't be doing it, where Teddy loves to draw and it makes him happy so he does it. I feel like that could rub off on me.
2. What did you think of Emily's response when Lofty John suggests she's eaten poison? How might you have reacted similarly or differently?
To be truthful I would probably have thrown up, even though it wasn't poison my mind would tell my stomach to get rid of it ASAP.
3. Which scene did you find the most humorous in these chapters? What part particularly made you laugh or smile?
Aunt Elizabeth telling Perry to come down right away when he said he couldn't. I don't know why, but it surprised me into laughing out loud!
4. Imagine yourself as a student in the classroom when Miss Brownell is reading Emily's poetry—or in the house when Miss Brownell comes to speak with Aunt Elizabeth. How would you feel, and what might you do to come to Emily's aid during or after the incident?
Being home schooled I haven't ever been in many classes, but in the few I have been in (even though I am an introvert) I find myself very talkative. In this class I might be nervous because of Miss Brownell (who wouldn't be?), but I would have done something to help. Either help Perry throw things at Rhoda or distract Miss Brownell in someway (I am very good at this.)
I always want to hear both sides to the story, so at New Moon I feel like I could have gotten Aunt Elizabeth to listen to Emily.
5. If you lived at New Moon, which season would be your favorite to experience?
Winter!!! As I will never stop saying I love snow!!! This made me want to be there even more:
'To-day the sand-hills were softly rounded and gleaming white under the snow, but beyond them the gulf was darkly, deeply blue with dazzling white masses of snow like baby icebergs, floating about in it.'
But, that said, I would love to see Cousin Jimmy's garden.
Thank you to Amber for hosting this! Have any of you read this? If so, tell me your thoughts!
Thanks for reading!
MovieCritic
I too love Emiky's letters to her father. She can tell him all that is in her heart. They are really sweet. Love the wuotes you chose, especially the last one! Miss Brownell has GOT to go! There is something wrong in a person that delights in bringing embarrassment or harm to a child. Wasn't that scene with Perry hilarious? I could just imagine his bare legs peeking through on his way down! Bwahaha! I'm certainly enjoying this book and the discussions.
ReplyDeleteAh, they are so sweet! We all need someone to tell things to, and I love how that person is her father who is "waiting" for her. Thanks! That might be my favorite one so far! Agreed, she does have to leave! Haha, yes, it certainly was! Perry cracks me up. XD Lol. Oh yes, it is so much fun to read this with you and Amber!
DeleteIt's great to read your impressions and responses to the discussion questions! I'm so glad you and Julie are participating (and I agree with Julie; I'm really enjoying this book and chatting about it with you guys!). :)
ReplyDeleteI love that second quote, and the fourth one really is lovely in its reminder!
It's a fun and different element of this book, to have some parts of the story told through Emily's letters and the rest as narration. I like it too! :) And like you and Julie, I admire that Emily can just let the words flow and be completely open with her thoughts and feelings.
I love that you call the four friends a "ragtag band"! That fits them perfectly!
Your response to question #2 is very practical. If you think you've been poisoned, it seems like a good idea to get it out of your system!
From your response to question #4, it sounds like you are a great friend and peacemaker. :)
And that's neat you're a huge fan of winter! It does sound like it would be very pretty in the area of New Moon. I confess I'm glad the snow has started melting where we live... ;) But it can definitely be beautiful, especially in early winter!
Thank you for your wonderful post, and I look forward to the next one for this read-along!
~Amber
Thank you! I definitely agree with both of you, it is such a delight to be able to read each others opinions! Thank you for hosting this, Amber! :)
DeleteCousin Jimmy says some of the best things. :) True, it is something that we need to remember.
Yes, yes, yes, yes!! It is so interesting to be able to see it from two different points of view: the general narration and Emily's own thoughts. For me it is often hard to write and I love how there is no barrier for her!
Thanks, it was jușt the first thing that came into my mind. :)
As much as I hate to admit it, I have a pretty weak stomach, so that's what would happen. As for #4, aw, thanks! I'm the middle child of three so I learned how to keep the peace pretty quickly. :)
Haha, yes, I know what you mean. My sister says that I can't deny that it is spring and all of the snow is melting here, but I keep trying to! I never get tired of it. :)
Thanks! I look forward to yours, too! :D