I LOVED this book. I would look at it every time I was in a bookstore, but for some reason, I would never buy it. So, thank you Karen for making me finally buy it. I will go ahead and address the questions Karen wanted us to discuss.
1. 1st person vs. 3rd person narration: The question at the back of the book states “…one may feel that Sarah is neither honest with herself nor correctly interpreting others’ actions or feelings.” Well, isn’t that real life? We all live our lives in our own 1st person. We all interpret others’ actions and feelings based on our own experiences. People can experience the same event without experiencing the same event. We all have our experiences, thoughts, knowledge, etc., which influence how we interpret what happens around us and to us. I liked that it was in 1st person. I loved that everyone around Sarah knew that Jack was in love with her, but Sarah didn’t see it? On March 28, 1882, Captain Elliot came to visit. Mama kept telling Sarah to fetch him stuff, but also to comb her hair. Savannah helps Sarah “spruce up.” On July 4, 1882, Savannah “accidentally” slops milk all over Sarah’s work dress, then tells Sarah that her other work dress was covered with mud so that Sarah will have to wear her new dress during another Captain Elliot visit. I learned more about Sarah from how she saw things around her than I would have learned, I think, from an all-knowing third person explaining Sarah.
2. Sarah’s thirst for education: Sarah’s education changed the whole book…literally. Sarah’s diary entries at the beginning of the book are grammatically rough. As she reads and learns, her narration improves. I’m glad Sarah wanted to improve herself – she wasn’t going to resign herself to her lot in life. However, I think Jack said it best (August 28, 1886), “Education doesn’t keep a person from being a fool, and the lack of it doesn’t keep a person from being intelligent.” Seeking education is a good pursuit – however, being educated doesn’t make one smart.
3. The heroic in women’s everyday lives: I think every woman is heroic. Let’s start with Sarah – a couple of events stand out. The first one is when she defends Savannah and her sisters from those filthy men. And although I don’t agree with Ulyssa’s not fighting back, isn’t she a heroine for living her Quaker beliefs even in the direst of circumstances? The second event that show’s Sarah’s heroism is the fact that she eventually forgives Jimmy. He was the person she should have been able to trust the most, but he ended up betraying her (from the beginning). It took awhile, and it took some suffering, but she ended up forgiving him in the end. There’s a paragraph Sarah writes on October 6. 1887: “After I got my bread dough set to rising, I cleared off the table of flour and got out my gun cleaning rags and brushes and oil, and made sure I was ready for trouble.” Sarah had to cook, clean and then “be prepared for trouble.” Although women today don’t necessarily need to cook from scratch or clean their guns, they still need to defend their homes from outside dangers. Mother’s today have the same desires as Sarah, I think, “[o]ur children weigh hard on my heart, and thinking about them growing up honest and healthy, or just living to grow up at all, makes a load in my chest that is bigger than the safe at the back, and more valuable than all the gold inside it.” I don’t have children, but I have the same desires for my nieces, nephews and their children.
4. The relationship between Sarah and Jack: I thoroughly enjoyed the relationship between Sarah and Jack. They were each so independent, yet dependent on their love for each other. It gladdened my heart watching Jack treat her like an equal, not like a possession – not only did Jack treat her like an equal, she acted like an equal. I’m glad that Sarah finally got the experience the kind of love that she envied so much watching Albert and Savannah. I enjoyed watching Jack tease her, I enjoyed the fact that Sarah’s family kept trying to push her into a relationship with him, but she had no clue. The reading group question at the end of the book asks, “What is the significance of Jack and Sarah exchanging time pieces for their wedding gifts to each other?” What do you guys think?
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3 comments:
I made it a point to not read any reviews before posting my own. How different ours are! I like that you include examples from the book, Katie. I agree with what you say about us all having our own perspectives and interpretations of other situations. But that can be where third-person helps the reader: It tends to state things as "fact." Of course, everything is always up for interpretation. You also make a really interesting point about Ulyssa. It was heartbreaking to watch her just be there. I do have to question, though, beliefs that allow you to be open to such physical torment without trying to protect yourself. I guess there's an entire "self-defense" discussion in that one. But if those beliefs are ones that Ulyssa had examined and found sound, then, yes, she is certainly heroic for living them.
And, finally, Jack and Sarah rock.
I agree so much with your review. Thank you!
The time pieces, I think it was just a case of great minds thinking alike. It was romantic that they had irony in their relationship on many levels and in many sticky situations.
Again your review is beautiful reading! I wondered if the time pieces were symbolic of valuing every minute they had together, not knowing how long life would last. It may also have foreshadowed Jack's early death.
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