Surprised, Intrigued, and puzzled.
I was puzzled by “Gil’s Furniture Bought & Sold” because reading this vignette, I was lead to believe that this item would have been bought and cherished by Esperanza or her sister. The way the story hones in on this one music box. The way the store was described was is if there was really nothing of much value in there. As the story came to a close, I realize there was much value in the music box as Gil say’s it’s not for sale
I was intrigued by “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark”. This man is obviously dedicated to his family, head of the household and the one everyone is relying on. So Esperanza has never seen him in this emotional state, as many times you don’t have the space to be emotional when you’re in those leadership roles. This vignette brought a human side to her father, and gave her view of his emotional moment.
“The House on Mango Street” surprised me because even though it was an improvement from where this family lived prior, it was still not was Esperanza expected. The house still had flaws, and lacked adequate rooms and bathrooms. It just goes to point out the importance of being content. There will always be bigger better houses, but it’s a home when you live and create memories there, Which is exactly what happened in this house. Who knows what could’ve happened if they actually did hit the lottery.
6 thoughts on “James Terry Discussion 16”
James, thank you for the good comments. I think I shared some of your feelings about Esperanza’s view of her new house. It was such an improvement, but it was not her dream house and did not stop her longing for something better and more like herself.
Hi James, I, too, was puzzled by “Gil’s Furniture Bought and Sold,” it seems like the items were old and of no use, but there’s always that item that stood out, which was the music box that meant something. Most times in life, the little things matter the most, and we tend not to realize it immediately. Also, “The House on Mango Street” was a surprise. Sometimes children need help understanding the vision of what lies ahead. Esperanza’s expectation of the house was not what he envisioned, but he needed to keep in mind that he had a roof over his head where he could create memories; he never knew they might hit the lottery and be able to purchase a better home.
Hello, Terry. Thank you for interesting and valuable point of view. I also, was interested in the part with the musical box, I don’t know why is it so exactly, however, it sounds very mysterious for me. And, I want to say, that even taking into account the fact that the house was not a house of her dream, I like the stories which connected with it. So, finally, it takes a very important part of the main character’s life, and makes her the person she is now
I was also intrigued by “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark”. Most people tend to view fathers as the providers for their families but we often forget that they have feelings and emotions too. It’s true that fathers are so busy and caught up with work and providing for their families, that they sometimes don’t get a chance to sit down and just feel. This vignette definitely made me think of how hard my father works and probably doesn’t get a chance to process his emotions sometimes.
Hello James! I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on the vignettes “Gil’s Furniture Bought & Sold,” “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark,” and “The House on Mango Street” from “The House on Mango Street.” It’s understandable how “Gil’s Furniture Bought & Sold” left you puzzled with the unexpected value of the music box and the contrasting description of the store. I agree that “Papa Who Wakes Up Tired in the Dark” brought a human side to Esperanza’s father and showed his vulnerability. And how the surprise you felt with “The House on Mango Street” emphasizes the importance of finding contentment and creating memories wherever you are.
Tony, you are just repeating Jame’s comments. Your response has to somehow enlarge the conversation.