Chicks On Lit discussion
This topic is about
The Signature of All Things
Archive 08-19 GR Discussions
>
Part 4- The Consequence of Missions
date
newest »
newest »
message 1:
by
Irene
(new)
-
added it
Dec 14, 2014 04:12PM
Part4
reply
|
flag
Not sure I liked the turn this section introduced. Alma has shown no interest in adventure. She has virtuly no experience off her parents' estate. But, she makes a rather unconsidered decision to transfer all her assets to her sister and run off to Tahiti? It feels as if Alma developed a brain tumor which caused dramatic personality shifts. I also found the revelation about Prudence to feel contrived. We were given no hint that Prudence would have thrown herself on the sword of an unhappy marriage so that she could elminate herself as a suiter. Even as I look back at the earlier info about Prudence, I don't find myself thinking "Sure, now I understand..." What to make of Tomorrow Morning and his revelations about Ambrose? Maybe I was not in love with Ambrose, but I did not find that little chat in the cave some awe-provoking moment. Ambrose just seems more and more deluded, not angelic. And, Alma has been celabit for 50 years and her only real desire is to give someone a blow job? Is it me, but did that whole thing in the cave just feel like something thatt only happens in romance novels?
I like to think she is crazy in love and needs closure to dismiss these feelings.
I think that there is some love for Ambrose still there. But, the pictures has added some additional emotions to an already complicated mix. She is confused and hurt by Ambrose's unwillingness to consumate the marriage. Now she is disgusted by her suspicion that he is homosexual. She feels guilty with herself for having him shipped off to the south Pacific where he dies young. She doubts herself since she was unable to make her husband want her. And, now she realizes that she knew so little about the woman she has grown up with. If she got Prudence so wrong, what can she trust about her perceptions of Ambrose?
Mod
I read once that dreams reflect the pain of the waking life.
Sheila wrote: "Finished this section last night. Really?!? She goes on this day trip with Tomorrow Morning, learns all the details she went to Tahiti to find, and then her big desire, the one thing she wants to ..."
Irene wrote: "Sheila wrote: "Finished this section last night. Really?!? She goes on this day trip with Tomorrow Morning, learns all the details she went to Tahiti to find, and then her big desire, the one thi..."She's wanted to do this since she read it in the binding closet. LOL
I wish this book had ended with Henry's death. The events that followed did not seem to fit the well developed characters we had come to know in the previous pages.
She is curious about who Ambrose is. So we follow her to Tahiti.
I posted in the initial thread. Please read and respond.
Mod
So that is her life long dream? That is the best she could come up with, to fulfill all her wildest longings?
That blow job made me really wonder about the fantasies of our author. LOL!
Mod
I did enjoy this author's memoir, Eat, Pray, Love. Maybe I was expecting something more of that line with this, instead of...this!
Alma had unresolved conflicts. She knew and accepted the fact that she is an old ugly big woman that will never be in a relationship with anyone like the ones she read about in the binding closet. Then here comes Ambrose and turns her world upside-down. She was fine with their friendship, but he had to screw it all up. He gave her mixed messages. I feel for her because he played her. He deserved what he got.
Mod
I don't think that Alma and Ambrose communicated well with each other at all! They both took completely different expectations out of their 'experience' in the binding closet. Maybe if they had just talked about what they wanted, life would have been much better for them! :-)
She is acting like a jealous wife who discovered her husband's unfaithful behavior .
When Alma finally has a chance to talk with Tomorrow Morning, he begins to make comparisons between him and her, why is that?
Sheila wrote: "Wow, you are TOUGH Irene! LOLI don't think that Alma and Ambrose communicated well with each other at all! They both took completely different expectations out of their 'experience' in the bindin..."
I'm mad at him for not being honest with her and not communicating clearly of his expectations for the relationship . Every one thinks he was something special.
I'm a little behind. I'm not mad at him anymore. Actually , I feel sorry for him. He committed suicide after being "conquered" by Tomorrow Morning a hypocrite. This guy goes around holding the bible in one hand and sinning with the other. Disgraceful! I don't know what to think of Ambrose. Who was he, really?
That game, haru raa puu, is like the combination of soccer and hockey.
Why did being held under water during that game have such a transformative impact on Alma? And, why did the woman seem to know that Alma needed that near death experience? That scene struck me as a bit contrived.
Irene wrote: "Why did being held under water during that game have such a transformative impact on Alma? And, why did the woman seem to know that Alma needed that near death experience? That scene struck me as..."I was shocked to learn it was one of the ladies she well sitting on her. I think she needed to get out of that slump she was in. She needed to stop singing the poor me song, me me me me, and realized who she is and her worth as a woman and scientist regardless of what others (society and looks)think. She is a strong woman. An intellectually beautiful woman. She needs to consider where she came from. Her dad didn't work hard for nothing. She needs to know where she came from and why she needs to be proud and continue moving forward.
We are strong until someone finds our weak spot, like kryptonite to superman. Then we want answers that are logical. We want to know why.....but there are no answers. We need to pick up ourselves where we left off and move on. That's where Alma is.
I agree, but why did the experience of nearly being drowned by a "friend" in thecontext of a game cause such a sudden awakening for her. Spludder, cough, gasp...AH, now it all makes sense. Time to claim my life. No more wining.
Because nobody but she cares about herself. She realized she is important to her. Mommy and daddy aren't there to support her or validate her. She must do it herself. She just became an emotionally independent woman.
