Claudia's Discussion Question:
Why is it that whenever Kathy and Tommy or Ruth talk about Hailsham after they left it, Kathy always says "I'm pretty certain he was wrong." (pg. 66) For example, when Kathy and Tommy are discussing the idea of Norfolk and what they thought about it as a kid, Tommy thinks it was always a joke. However, Kathy says he is wrong, and that she remembers it correctly. This sort of thing happened earlier in the book on pg. 49 as well, when Ruth and Kathy are talking about the secret guard. What is the significance of her certainty that her memories are more reliable than her friends' memories?

NLMG Chapters 6-7 Discussion Question

What is the significance of the Hailsham students not being able to bear children and of Kathy's limited understanding or acceptance of that?

NLMG Chapters 6 - 7 Discussion Question

Does North, South and East have a bigger significance than just location? (Kathy talks about the North and South parts of England how how the East coast side is just forgotten... and at Hailsham the playing fields are only talked about as being North and South Playing Fields)

NLMG Chapters 6 - 7 Discussion Question

Ali's Question:

What does Kathy's interpretation of the lyrics of her prized tape as being about a mother and child show about her internal desires and unconscious thoughts?

Bananafish Revolution

If you're at all interested, here's the video for "Bananafish Revolution" by Samantha Crain:

 

“Bananafish Revolution”

(Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers)

You, in all your youth, you understand me

Them, in all themselves, they think I'm crazy

All this yellow I am seeing

Overloading, stop my breathing

Its a perfect day for dying

Its a perfect day for them to start crying

I'm not a child and I don't like reminding myself

All the time

The trees were my audience applauding

That chair, I swear, it was a cat for my company

That piano, it's the angels calling me home

Its a perfect day for dying

Its a perfect day for them to start crying

I'm not a child and I don't like reminding myself

All the time

She'll be alright like she always says

She'll go buy herself a brand new dress

Its a perfect day for dying

Its a perfect day for them to start crying

I'm not a child and I don't like reminding myself

All the time

Seeing Salinger in The Little Prince

As I watch this movie over and over again with my kids, I can't help thinking about the connections to the main themes we've been discussing in Salinger's stories (the difficult process of growing up, the longing for innocence, the ability to escape and connect through storytelling, strong bonds between random adults and young children, the cyclical nature of life and the idea that death isn't an end). If you haven't seen this movie, watch it on Netflix!

Radiolab podcast about colors...

Here's the Radiolab episode about colors that I mentioned very briefly in our discussion today of "Teddy." It's a fascinating listen--if you're riding home and just don't want to talk to your parents about your day, or even if you just want a podcast to escape into for a little while.