Week 8: Quote
The Beginning of Everything by Robyn Schneider
81-165
This quote is said by the towns new girl Cassidy. She says this to the main character Ezra after he complains about his life. Ezra was the most popular kid in school playing tennis and being student body president. That all changed when he got in an accident leaving a party the week before from his junior year. The story skips to his senior year and Ezra's life has changed a bit. He mentions how he hadn't seen his friends all summer and instead had many surgeries to repair the damage to his body. He was told he could never play tennis again because of the damage to his knee. Ezra went from being the cool kid to the loner who walks around with a cane. Ezra makes friends with Cassidy and reconnects with his childhood best friend, Toby. In the opening chapter, Ezra describes how when he and Toby were in 7th grade, Toby experienced his tragedy. It was Toby's twelfth birthday and they were on a ride at Disneyland. Ezra explains how a kid in the front of the roller coaster was standing up and the ride went under a tunnel. The kid was decapitated and his head flew into the arms of poor Toby.
I feel like this quote is very accurate. I feel like almost everyone experiences a tragedy in his or her lifetime. The tragedies vary from person to person but affect him or her in a similar manner. The death of a family member could be an example of this. A friend of mine lost her father freshman year unexpectedly. I believe that is her tragedy. The death took a big toll on her personality and actions. I think that tragedies force people to change. They affect someone's life so severely that there is no returning to what life was before. Another tragedy I have experienced is with my stepfather. In high school, he played football and baseball. He was very active, healthy and athletic. That was changed when he was in a bad car accident. His back was damaged severely and his knees as well. He lives his life in constant pain because of his tragedy. His life changed so drastically in a second. My hopes are that both my friend and stepfather will get some relief from their tragedies but most likely they'll never heal.
Personally, I have not suffered my own tragedy. I have had bad things happen to me but I would not consider them tragedies. I predict that the loss of my parents or grandparents will be tragic for me. Even the thought of losing any of them makes me emotional. I realize that I must prepare myself for these situations but it is hard to imagine the type of pain it will cause.
81-165
“Life is the tragedy,' she said bitterly. 'You know how they categorize Shakespeare's plays, right? If it ends with a wedding, it's a comedy. And if it ends with a funeral, it's a tragedy. So we're all living tragedies, because we all end the same way, and it isn't with a goddamn wedding” (Schneider 125)
This quote is said by the towns new girl Cassidy. She says this to the main character Ezra after he complains about his life. Ezra was the most popular kid in school playing tennis and being student body president. That all changed when he got in an accident leaving a party the week before from his junior year. The story skips to his senior year and Ezra's life has changed a bit. He mentions how he hadn't seen his friends all summer and instead had many surgeries to repair the damage to his body. He was told he could never play tennis again because of the damage to his knee. Ezra went from being the cool kid to the loner who walks around with a cane. Ezra makes friends with Cassidy and reconnects with his childhood best friend, Toby. In the opening chapter, Ezra describes how when he and Toby were in 7th grade, Toby experienced his tragedy. It was Toby's twelfth birthday and they were on a ride at Disneyland. Ezra explains how a kid in the front of the roller coaster was standing up and the ride went under a tunnel. The kid was decapitated and his head flew into the arms of poor Toby. I feel like this quote is very accurate. I feel like almost everyone experiences a tragedy in his or her lifetime. The tragedies vary from person to person but affect him or her in a similar manner. The death of a family member could be an example of this. A friend of mine lost her father freshman year unexpectedly. I believe that is her tragedy. The death took a big toll on her personality and actions. I think that tragedies force people to change. They affect someone's life so severely that there is no returning to what life was before. Another tragedy I have experienced is with my stepfather. In high school, he played football and baseball. He was very active, healthy and athletic. That was changed when he was in a bad car accident. His back was damaged severely and his knees as well. He lives his life in constant pain because of his tragedy. His life changed so drastically in a second. My hopes are that both my friend and stepfather will get some relief from their tragedies but most likely they'll never heal. Personally, I have not suffered my own tragedy. I have had bad things happen to me but I would not consider them tragedies. I predict that the loss of my parents or grandparents will be tragic for me. Even the thought of losing any of them makes me emotional. I realize that I must prepare myself for these situations but it is hard to imagine the type of pain it will cause.
Ugh, I can't even imagine that an author would write something like that into the plot of her book! : / It's horrible! But you are right that we experience more "expected" tragedies all the time. Some people have a more positive way of dealing with them, in that while they do suffer, they also don't see their suffering as being permanent.
ReplyDeleteIt's a strong point, tragedy and the suffering that comes as an inalienable part of life. As you said we each have different experiences and coping mechanisms but these problems and pains can be alleviated though not cured by the help of others who have felt the pain as well.
ReplyDeleteSome times it is a hard truth, bad thing do happen which is very sad, but it is just not something that we can let go and not talk about. I'm glad you were brave enough to even bring a subject like this one. That is why people come together to talk about heir issues and it is very comforting when someone else has the same issue. It almost lifts a weight off your shoulders, that is why communication is so healthy.
ReplyDelete