Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Penelope, Unable to be scared (Pg 98-117)
Junior says, "...she's scared all the time, but nobody will let her be scared...". this is Penelope's great secret. She is bulimic which is an eating disorder where one will eat alot and then purge their system by vomiting or other laxitives. However she is also the "queen" of Reardan and can't show her weaknesses hence the line "...but nobody will let her be scared...". This shows really how reality deals an equal hand to everyone. Even someone like Penelope. Her character seems to represent the impossibility of perfection, this isnt the usual nerd gets the girl kind of story. This is stark reality, and Arnold knows how to deal with it the best. Society is portraited in this book as the other kids at Reardan. They don't let you be yourself or show your real feelings. Since Junior is really a newcomer to this society he hasn't completely lost his sense of caring for somebody. The lack of caring however reflects on both Arnold and Penelope, Arnold having been bullied onthe Rez and Penelope being unable to show her true feelings and/or trust others with her secret.
From a analytical view it seems that Sherman Alexie is trying to put reality on spotlight, he brings in newer and newer examples of how reality, often harsh, changes the lives of people no matter what background. His examples of losing a friend, a girlfriend with bulimia, physical and mental disease, and losing his dog all surround this line in the sand that limits the dreams one can acomplish, especially Arnold. Do you think the school sudden acknowledgement of Junior's existance will last? How about Penelop and him?
Are Rowdy and Arnold on the track back to friends? Was it a one time occasion?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think that Penelope and Arnold will last because they understand each other and Arnold helps her with the eating disorder. If Penelope and Arnold lasts then that means he will be known by the school and paid more respect by the guys and teachers.
ReplyDeleteArnold brings up that Penelope might be dating Arnold to make her father mad. He's mad because Penelope is dating an Indian boy. Do you think that Penelope is using Arnold or do the two actually like each other?
I think Arnold truly wants to be with Penelope. He really likes her and wants to help her with her disorder. But I do think part of it is that Penelope wants to get back at her dad for being so racist. Arnold, as well as really liking Penelope, is using it for social purposes. Now all the guys think he is a stud. And all the girls think he is cute.
DeleteI think that Arnold is using her for social purposes and educational purposes. Rerdan has a very strict social structure that even the teachers follow so he can use Penelope to further his education by moving up socially. In Penelope's case she isn't using him because she gets help from him and it helps her become who she wants to be.
ReplyDeleteI think that Junior and Penelope will last for a long time because they care about each other. You can tell that Arnold likes Penelope and that Penelope likes Arnold. I do not think that they are going out because they want to get back at Earl, or because Junior wants to be higher in the social rankings. Even though these are a result of them "Dating" they really like each other. You can tell that they care about each other because when he finds out that she is bulimic, he just wants to help, and she is not afraid to share her feelings and her life with him. These this are indicators that they really really care about one another.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone else think that they actually care about each other?
Yes, I agree with Bobby that they do care about each other. If they didn't care and were only "dating" to use the other person in someway, then Penelope wouldn't have said what she had felt and Junior wouldn't really try to help her. I do not think that Junior planned to move up in the social rank, but it just happened that way. I also don't think that Penelope is only dating Junior to get back at her dad, because if she was trying to do that, then she would have started dating Junior earlier on. So I think that they weren't using each other and the results were just unplanned. Do you think that Junior would have been able to work his way up the social class if he never had dated Penelope
ReplyDeleteI think that they actually do care about each other and I do think they would last, but I think that if they broke up Arnold's social status would plummet. Arnold clearly cares about Penelope because he is trying to help her with her Bulimia and by doing that he is showing compassion and support for her. I can tell that Penelope cares about Arnold because she treats him better than she did earlier and she shares her secrets and hopes with him. I agree that Penelope isn't dating Junior to "smudge"herself, she is dating him because he cares about her. Does anyone think that Penelope is dating Arnold to "smudge" herself? Does anyone think that Arnold is dating Penelope to bring himself up higher in the food chain? Do any of you think that Gordy's remark that Arnold is racist for liking Penelope is true?
ReplyDeleteI think that Arnold isn't necessarily racist for liking Penelope, he is just following what society has told him. His whole life people have made him believe that whites are superior. Of course he'll fall for the first white girl who pays him any attention. After the initial contact, their relationship does definitely grow so at the current point in the story, he is no longer racist for liking Penelope. Do you think Penelope's father's racism will have an effect on their relationship? What role will racism play in Arnold's friendships and relationships at Reardan?
ReplyDelete