(no subject)

[kippurbird]

And continuing on.

Last chapter. Cole hates everyone. Cole sets his supplies on fire. Cole hates people even more. Anyone sensing a theme here?

Cole stands in front of the fire feeling empty because his act of revenge (against whom, when it's only hurting himself?) doesn't make him feel better. Then he takes in the scenery. "Overhead eagles drifted on the air currents. In the bay, a mother seal played with her spotted pups as a golden sun peeked through the gray overcast and glinted off the waves. "This place sucks!" Cole mumbled as the breeze drifted sparks upward like wandering stars. He stared back into crackling red hot flames, and his anger burned." This is an interesting juxtaposition of images. It shows how self centered Cole is, because he's unable to appreciate, even a little what is around him.

And then we flashback while Cole feels sorry for himself. Garvey shows up with a paper bag and asks Cole about his life. Cole tells him that his parents hate him. He went out for wrestling, they rarely came to see him. And when they did, he lost. And his dad acted like it was his fault. He continued to spill his guts to Garvey not knowing why. Of course, we do, so that way we can learn all about his wangsty past and feel sorry for him.

We learn this about his parents, as Cole says, "He drinks until he turns into a monster. Mom just gets drunk and pretends nothing has happened." His father also beats him. So, his life sucks.

Garvey takes things out of his bag: Sugar, salt,butter, flour, eggs, baking soda, water and molasses. He then asks Cole to taste the things. Cole goes what the fuck? Gavery asks him if he's afraid of a little bad taste. Personally, having tasted those things, they don't taste bad. Anyway, goaded, Cole tastes everything, large big bites to show that he's not afraid. Garvey then gives him a piece of cake. Garvey asks if he likes the cake. Cole says it's okay. Garvey asks him what ingredient he should have left out. Cole says none, and calls him an idiot. Garvey walks out disgusted. Cole screams that he hates the cake.

Annnnd then we're back to the island and Cole. Who starts laughing manically. He laughs and cries and laughs. And then he burns that special blanket that Garvey gave him. All those who saw that coming, raise their hands.

So, he laughs, and we learn that Cole was a swimmer. His father made him swim because his father swam. This is incredibly convenient because he plans on swimming off the island. Which he does. He takes off his clothes and goes off into icy cold water.

Again we flash back to Cole and Garvey. Cole learns that he's been accepted into the circle of Justice program and the First of the Keepers are going to call a Hearing Circle to look for solutions. Anyone who wants to help Cole will be there.

Cole asks if Peter is going to be there, Peter being the boy he beat up. Garvey says he doesn't know if Peter is ready to forgive Cole. Cole doesn't give a rats ass if Peter forgives him. The chapter ends with:

Garvey rubbed the back of his neck, then glanced up toward the ceiling. "How come everything is always about you? This forgiveness isn't for you. Until Peter forgives you, he won't heal."

"Maybe if he forgives me, everyone will forget about what I did and I can get out of this pit faster"

Garve stood to leave. "Forgiving isn't forgeting, champ."

Comments

[christinaathena.livejournal.com]

This is an interesting juxtaposition of images. It shows how self centered Cole is, because he's unable to appreciate, even a little what is around him.

Yeah, that's actually a pretty good bit of writing. Though, I'll attribute it to accident there ^_^

Garvey asks him what ingredient he should have left out. Cole says none, and calls him an idiot. Garvey walks out disgusted. OoOo, allegory!

And then he burns that special blanket that Garvey gave him. All those who saw that coming, raise their hands. That wasn't among the supplies he burned earlier?

He takes off his clothes and goes off into icy cold water.
Bloody brilliant our boy, isn't he?

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Garvey asks him what ingredient he should have left out. Cole says none, and calls him an idiot. Garvey walks out disgusted. OoOo, allegory!

Naaah, you think?

And then he burns that special blanket that Garvey gave him. All those who saw that coming, raise their hands. That wasn't among the supplies he burned earlier?

Nope. He tossed it on the ground and just left it there. Then he tossed it on the fire.


He takes off his clothes and goes off into icy cold water.
Bloody brilliant our boy, isn't he?

Regular Einstein.

[christinaathena.livejournal.com]

Naaah, you think? The sad thign is, I bet the author thought he was being oh-so-clever with that scene.

[jacedraccus.livejournal.com]

That last bit about 'forgiving isn't forgetting' may just be the smartest thing this book has said so far.

I find this very sad.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

I find this entire book very sad, and I'm only on chapter three.

[dryaunda.livejournal.com]

[H]e burns that special blanket that Garvey gave him.

Already? I thought he'd wait until 2/3rds into the book.

[W]e learn that Cole was a swimmer.

Mmmm, a swimmer body. Pity he's not in prison being raped. Hmmm, maybe that body of his is the real reason Garvey's taken an interest in him; Spirit Bear wants to visit Starfish Cave.

On a different note, how do you do your sporkings? I have plans for Oryx and Crake and am looking for advice and general how-tos.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Spirit Bear wants to visit Starfish Cave.

*giggles*

How do I do my sporkings? Um... let's see. First, I have a good working knowledge of literary concepts and written a lot of essays analyzing things.

Then... um, well, I read the chapter and look over what's written, finding the 'flaws' in the written text. Plot holes, things that don't make sense. Then I write it up, pointing these things out and why they're "wrong".

[dryaunda.livejournal.com]

So we don't have to read the whole thing beforehand, then go through each chapter again?

Presuming very short chapters, one sporking per ~21 pages is about correct?

(Sometimes I ask questions I probably know the answers to, just to make sure.)

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

If you want to you can. I don't. Not always. Sometimes I'll read a couple chapters ahead though.

I don't have a page limit. It's just on how much I feel comfortable writing. Though I do try to do complete chapters.

[bee-in-a-garden.livejournal.com]

What are you going to spork in Oryx and Crake? Just out of curiosity. We had to read it last year.

[dryaunda.livejournal.com]

It's cliches and propagandistic nature, mostly. I've already got two (as of this comment) up here.

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

... I thought Garvey called him 'chump?' And there was an exclamation point there?

... I had to read the chapters sometimes several times so I could do a report on them, okay? I remember things. D:

[(Anonymous)]

Let's see... Chump? Yah... the maturity of a kindergarten who chants that glue thing whenever anyone says anything is within this book. He's an adult, and he knows that Cole is a self absorbed creep and calling him a chump will probably harden him in his ways but he does it anyway. Because I am quite sure that he is fully aware how cliche this book feels and he wants it to end as quickly as the rest of us.

[(Anonymous)]

oops... Anyway maybe he's hoping Cole will be magically sucked into Eragon land where he will be eaten by the magical dragons who are currently be oppressed by the forces of bad story writing?

[authoressarktos.livejournal.com]

We're only a few chapters into the book and I already want to kill the main character. Eat your heart out, Eragon!

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I mean, at least with Eragon he was mildly amusing before he actually got to the point where you hated his guts.

[yattara.livejournal.com]

The story makes even less sense than it did back when you told us the summary. No mean feat, that.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Yeeeah. I know. And we're only a few chapters in.

[berseker.livejournal.com]

I didn´t get it. Blame it on, uh, cultural differences or something. What´s with the ingredient things? Could anyone explain this to me?


Aaaandis just me os this book is a little repetitive? I´m getting tired of Cole´s anger. He hates everything, we got it. Could we have some plot, please?

[christinaathena.livejournal.com]

A little symbolism. To bake a cake you need all the ingredients working together. None of the ingredients by themselves is a cake, and if you leave out any ingredient, you don't have a cake. It's supposed to symbolize how a community of people needs everyone in the community to work together, and how none of the people by themselves is complete.

[berseker.livejournal.com]

Ah. Thanks. So, not cultural differences then, because that´s how you bake cakes anywhere. Ups.

Anyway, this story´s pace is terrible. Why the hell is the guys saying that now? If he really wanted to make a metaphor or something, he should wait until Cole starts to think right, because otherwise the kid is bound to think he´s an idiot.

This counselor (is he a counselor? Whatever) is not very skilled. u.u

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

He's a parole officer.

[berseker.livejournal.com]

Still. He doesn’t sound very smart. It’s like the author had some things to say and didn’t bother to research if it was plausible for the character to say it.

I think a competent parole officer wouldn’t start with the symbolism right away. Take the Blanket of Trust. Why would he give it to a kid who hasn’t done anything but destroy stuff right away? It’s silly. It’s amateurish.

Has anyone here read Hole (now that´s a good book). There´s this character who is supposedly a counselor/therapist/something. He speaks wise things, tries to teach moral to the kids, insults them when they misbehave, calls one of them retarded – everything that a real therapist would die before doing. And his ineptitude is a major plot point.

Here? Sounds like the author has some misguided idea of how a parole office would work.

ok, me neither, but still. It´s just me getting those vibes?

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

The entire book isn't very smart. That's why I suggested Kips spork it. And, yeah, trusting PsychoBoy with the blanket was really stupid.

It's not just you.

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

It was supposed to be a 'you have to have many different things happen in your life to have a life' metaphor. My teacher told me so.

[christinaathena.livejournal.com]

Oh, well, if a teacher said so, then I guess it's the only correct interpretation. ;-)

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

This is true. But then again, he'd apparently read the book tons of times and liked it. ... On the other hand, this could indicate brain damage.

[dryaunda.livejournal.com]

Probably brain damage. Was it caused by drugs or plain stupidity?

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Plot= Cole hates everyone. Cole learns that he's wrong. Cole loves everyone. Stretch out for 240 pages.

[berseker.livejournal.com]

Heh. Sounds pretty developed and complex to me


Also, you should send this to Book-a-Minute. They´ll like it.

(http://www.rinkworks.com/bookaminute/)

[delphinapterus.livejournal.com]

Well now that's he's burned the magic blanket and is surely going to get a bad case of hypothermia only to be saved by some miraculous intervention should I be taking bets on how he's going to replace the blanket 'o trust (please tell me he doesn't weave a new one)?