"She had rags tied around her shoulders to keep out the spring chill and was pick through the trash while her dog, a black-and-white terrior mix, played at her feet... Her long hair was streaked with gray, tangled and matted, and her eyes had sunk deep into their sockets,but still she reminded me of the mom she had been when I was a kid, swan-diving off cliffs and painting in the desert and reading Shakespeare aloud. Her cheekbones were still high and strong,but the skin was parched and ruddy from all those winters and summers exposed to the elements."Through the description of the general features of her mother and the roughness that has become apparent over time, you can tell that her mother was once beautiful but that beauty was ripped away by her harsh life. The author uses words like ruddy, rags, parched, matted and tangled that really gave me a feeling of neglect and abuse and told of the many hardships this woman had been through. We can also get a clear picture of the separation that exists between Jeannette and her daughter, as Jeannette moved forward and her parents stayed right where she left them.
Abby was, and always has been, taller than me, but she was especially tall today because of the wedges she decided to wear. Her dark brown hair reached half way down her back in wavy strands. She had on a black plain dress that reached just above her knees, paired with a crochet sweater. Her brown eyes, which she insisted were green, were bright, as if a secret lay behind them. She had a general warmness around her that matched her quarky personality. Today she was followed by her younger sister, Madi, who was rolling her eyes at something Abby had said. Abby was always asking the weirdest questions and usually thouroughly annoyed her younger aand more dramatic sister. Abby had a good six inches on Madi, but what was lost in height was made up for in sass.
I really liked your description of your friend Abby. I could really picture her and tell that she is a fun person to hang out with. I also think you analyzed the mother's description in the book well. I could really understand what the author was trying to portray about her mother because of what you said. I think descriptions of characters in books are really important because they help the reader connect more with the story and understand what the different people have been through.
ReplyDeleteThis was really good and your use of imagery and how you described Abby's hair and how she looks, and it was really cool that you talked about the "secret that lays behind her eyes".
ReplyDeleteI agree that this description of Jeanette's mother is very detailed and it is quite impressive when you think about it, because the author is able to show not only the homelessness and dirtiness of her mother, but also describe from that the woman she used to be when Jeanette was a child. Also, like you said, Jeanette gives us a sense that her and her mother are separated somehow, and maybe don't come in contact very often. I also think the dog as part of they description is key; it gives you a snippet of Jeanette and her mother's life when Jeanette was a child. They owned some pets over the course of her childhood, and some of the stories in the book (such as her dad throwing the cat out the window of their car, or when Jeanette saved the little boy from the dog in Welsh) involve an animal.
ReplyDeleteI love your description of your friend Abby. The small extra details, such as "which she insisted were green" adds to the personality of both the character and the writing in general. However, I would of liked it if you had described Jeanette's mother's personality more and why you specifically liked that, rather than just what she had been through. Personally, I do not like the mom's character so far. I think she is quite cowardly for not trying to stand up to her abusive husband. Although she has been through hardship, as you said, I wish she was trying to do more to ensure that her children do not go through the same hardship as her.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with that and now that I've read more of the book her mother seems more and more childish. In the beginning her mom was portrayed as positive and uplifting, but now she is just whinny and depressed.
DeleteThe description of Jeanette’s mom was definitely very vivid as was the description of your friend. The way you described her eyes was very intriguing and interesting to read. I kind of feel like it must have been sad to see her mother that way. In the same way that Jeanette’s portrayal leaves you a little bit floored your description conveyed cheerfulness.
ReplyDeletewow thats so cool how you included a picture in your response, but it wasn't just any picture. it was a picture of you! I completely agree with you about how the mother used to be really pretty, but i kinda feel that their father and the life they live might have taken their toll on her and taken away some of her beauty.
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