These are the two short stories we have read so far this year. All along the week we'll be reading the students reviews. Read one make a comment stating your points of view.
Amanda
Pérez Riesgo 1NA
1.- What is your interpretation of this short story?
I think this story tells the memories of Neddy Merrill, a rich man who
seems to have lost everything in his perfect life, above all his youth.
The story starts in the season of summer and it ends in autumn. In my
opinion the summer represents his youth and the autumn represents his old age.
It compares that period of his life, when he was young, rich, and happy with
his family, with his actual situation of poverty and loneliness that made of him
an alcoholic.
It seems that “Lucinda River
On his adventure he goes through different pools (“Lucinda River”) that
belong to his rich friends, where he could enter without any problem and where
he was welcome, and also he goes through a public pool in which he would never
have thought to be, because he belonged to a high social class and where it was
necessary to have proper documentation to enter, and to obey rules for use.
This public pool was very noisy and much water smelled of chlorine. He
compared it to the turquoise water of the Bunkers’ pool.
At the end of the story we don’t really know if the protagonist still
had a family and still belonged to a higher social class or, on the contrary,
he had lost everything and was a homeless person who missed his previous life.
2.- Say which of
the two short stories we have read in this book you have liked more and why.
Although I found more difficult to read fluently the first one, I like
it more than this.
“The swimmer” it´s a very depressing story, on the contrary, the story
of Benjamin Button is more enjoyable, funny, positive and cheerful. “The
curious case of Benjamin Button” presents life like something positive and
without any problems that a person cannot solve. On the other hand, “The
swimmer” falls down easily and it seems hard for him to continue with his life.
I think most of us are like the “swimmer”, influenced by an unreal
society which steals our freedom from us.
We should think of ourselves choosing freedom in order to become happy.
I like very much Amanda’s interpretation as for the identification of the age of the protagonist with the seasons. It’s something that I have just realized now.
ResponderEliminarOn the other hand, I quite agree with all those that think “The swimmer” is a criticism to a certain type of life and society, specifically the American way of life, where hypocrisy and insincere appearances seems to be a normal thing.
In general terms I agree too with those that prefer Benjamin Button’s story, for being easy to read as Cristina wrote, or because it can make us think about the fact that we are obliged by the society for to do some kind of things according to the age we are, as Estefanía has written.
I like Amanda's interpretation. I had not thought that each season could be a different time of Neddy Merrill's life and, actually, now I think this was the writer's intention.
ResponderEliminarI totally agree with Cristina when she says that 'The Swimmer' is a sad story about the human beings' hypocrisy.
I have liked all interpretations. I am a bit surprised that we have very different views about the same story. In my opinion, all of them are interesting and valid.
I think the comparisons are very interesting. I had not thought about it. Nevertheless, they have common sense.
ResponderEliminarIt's a new point of view that nobody does it.