So far, in my reading of Room, the one thing that has jumped out at me has been Jack's perception of "Outside". Having been born in Room and having lived in Room for all five years of his life, without ever leaving it, Jack has no real idea of what lies beyond the door. His only idea of what's out there comes from TV, and he believes that it's all just pretend. With Jack narrating the story, this sets up a really interesting perspective from which the story is told: Our narrator has no concept of the real world, something that is so familiar to us readers as people living in that real world.
And even when Ma explains to Jack that there is an outside world, Jack doesn't really get it. And I can understand why. The fact that there is a massive world outside of the 11' x 11' room (not sure if I did the math right, but I got that Earth is 4,536,570,000,000 times larger than the room...try comprehending that now, let alone when you're five) is very hard for Jack to understand, since he can only take Ma's word for it. This takes a lot of faith from a five year old to believe in something that he's so unable to comprehend.
This is reinforced by Jack's personalization of household items, like Thermostat or Room. To Jack, Thermostat is not only a thermostat, but THE thermostat. Room isn't a room, but THE room. It's nearly impossible for Jack to understand the concept of there being a huge outside world, since he's never been in it, been able to interact with it, or even been able to see it. Heck, it was hard for me as a five year old, who wasn't trapped in a room, to understand the concept of the outside world, even though I had a lot more exposure to it than Jack had.
And what this sets up is the imminent situation in which Jack and Ma escape from Room, and Jack is exposed to this outside world. While Plan A to get out didn't work, Ma has a Plan B which may just end up working...
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Sunday, November 16, 2014
How Not to Go From Rhode Island to California: Smithy's Journey Across the US
As many of you know, I'm a transportation (specifically a railroad) enthusiast. The one thing that I really found intriguing about The Memory of Running was that Smithy, of all people, decided to bike across the nation.
First off, as one would think, biking is not the fastest way to get across the nation. Flying would take a matter of hours, while driving or taking the train might take a few days. Biking, however, is a rather slow and tedious process. It takes Smithy weeks to take his journey, and he also uses a lot more energy than he would have if he had gone by any other means.
This was something which struck me as odd about Smithy: the Smithy we know when he sets out on his cycling journey does not seem like somebody who would be up to the challenge to bike across the nation, nor does he seem like somebody who would even try to. Most people we hear of who do transcontinental bike rides are in peak physical condition. While they're going a lot faster than Smithy, it's still a very physically exhausting and demanding exercise. I think Smithy would know this heading into it (especially since he doesn't seem to have exercised in a LONG time), and would have chosen another way, such as taking the train. Quite honestly, I think Smithy would fit in on the train, which always seems to have an interesting and odd group of misfits onboard.
I get it that Smithy's journey represents the formation of a "new Smithy" away from all the vices that had kept him back in the past. But why, in the very first place, did Smithy decide to bike? If he wanted to go to LA to claim Bethany's body at the morgue, you think he would get there in a more urgent manner, since it is a time-sensitive issue. Even if Smithy doesn't realize this since he's drunk, I still think he'd have enough sense (and I don't think it would take much, honestly) to realize that biking there would not only be impractical but impossible as well.
I also know that some people seem to think that Smithy is biking to get away from everything at home. While the loss of his family is definitely a tragic and traumatic experience for Smithy, I don't see why that would motivate him to leave everything behind. I think that it would actually lead to Smithy hitting the booze and food more, since that's what has comforted him, was comforting him, and would continue to comfort him. He's even drunk when he decides to bike out west! Some people find therapy in exercise, but I don't think that would be Smithy's mindset, since he doesn't seem to be a person who'd be very interested in exercise, as I said above.
I understand that without Smithy's bike journey we wouldn't have much of a story. There might be some interesting scenarios on a train or plane ride, but there wouldn't be a true journey, at least a heroic one. The fact that Smithy chose to (and actually did) bike across the nation is heroic, and it's something that not many people can do. Anybody can take a plane or ride a train. Not many people could bike across the nation, and even fewer will do that. The bike ride is what sets Smithy apart and makes him a unique and interesting character, and it's what drives this novel and allowed it to even happen.
First off, as one would think, biking is not the fastest way to get across the nation. Flying would take a matter of hours, while driving or taking the train might take a few days. Biking, however, is a rather slow and tedious process. It takes Smithy weeks to take his journey, and he also uses a lot more energy than he would have if he had gone by any other means.
This was something which struck me as odd about Smithy: the Smithy we know when he sets out on his cycling journey does not seem like somebody who would be up to the challenge to bike across the nation, nor does he seem like somebody who would even try to. Most people we hear of who do transcontinental bike rides are in peak physical condition. While they're going a lot faster than Smithy, it's still a very physically exhausting and demanding exercise. I think Smithy would know this heading into it (especially since he doesn't seem to have exercised in a LONG time), and would have chosen another way, such as taking the train. Quite honestly, I think Smithy would fit in on the train, which always seems to have an interesting and odd group of misfits onboard.
I get it that Smithy's journey represents the formation of a "new Smithy" away from all the vices that had kept him back in the past. But why, in the very first place, did Smithy decide to bike? If he wanted to go to LA to claim Bethany's body at the morgue, you think he would get there in a more urgent manner, since it is a time-sensitive issue. Even if Smithy doesn't realize this since he's drunk, I still think he'd have enough sense (and I don't think it would take much, honestly) to realize that biking there would not only be impractical but impossible as well.
I also know that some people seem to think that Smithy is biking to get away from everything at home. While the loss of his family is definitely a tragic and traumatic experience for Smithy, I don't see why that would motivate him to leave everything behind. I think that it would actually lead to Smithy hitting the booze and food more, since that's what has comforted him, was comforting him, and would continue to comfort him. He's even drunk when he decides to bike out west! Some people find therapy in exercise, but I don't think that would be Smithy's mindset, since he doesn't seem to be a person who'd be very interested in exercise, as I said above.
I understand that without Smithy's bike journey we wouldn't have much of a story. There might be some interesting scenarios on a train or plane ride, but there wouldn't be a true journey, at least a heroic one. The fact that Smithy chose to (and actually did) bike across the nation is heroic, and it's something that not many people can do. Anybody can take a plane or ride a train. Not many people could bike across the nation, and even fewer will do that. The bike ride is what sets Smithy apart and makes him a unique and interesting character, and it's what drives this novel and allowed it to even happen.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Talk About a Bad Ending
When it comes to TV shows and movies, people like to complain about endings. Whether it's Seinfeld or The Sopranos, there can be a lot of controversy about how the writers chose to tie up the loose ends on a show and bring it to an end.
Up to reading The Memory of Running, I hadn't really read an ending that I truly hated. And after reading it, I still haven't. However, I wasn't very happy about the way that McLarty decided to bring an end to the novel.
While I figured that Smithy would end up happily with Norma (though I didn't like it, from the beginning), I definitely didn't expect them to end up in LA together, let alone on Venice Beach. I figured Smithy might head home, and then their relationship would start up there. I found the fact that Norma came all the way to California to see Smithy (and Bethany) was rather unrealistic, and quite conceived upon the spot.
As I mentioned in class, this novel, full of stories about Smithy's life, didn't conclude with a typical "Smithy ending" (still working on getting this to become a widely used term in literary analysis) in which Smithy's efforts are more or less for nothing. Smithy's prom, his service in the military, his trip to visit Bill Butler, and his nationwide bike trip were largely negated by the misfortunate endings of these situations. For example, Smithy's poorly timed decision to relieve himself led to him getting shot up and the death of a fellow soldier, ending his military service (though he does receive a Purple Heart for his injuries). Or when, after biking from Rhode Island to New Mexico (that's not easy, folks!) decides to take a truck for most of the rest of the way to California. While Smithy's ride up through New Mexico is definitely admirable and worthy of recognition, but the fact that he slacks off in the end really undermined his previous actions, at least in my opinion.
As such, I was expecting the "ultimate Smithy ending" to conclude the novel. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I figured that there would be something to ultimately disrupt the "positivity and optimism" of the novel that Mr. Mitchell brought up in his previous blog post, despite the numerous misfortunes which Smithy faces. Instead, the ending serves to further reinforce this "happy ending", with Smithy and Norma having a happy ending.
While this happy ending isn't necessarily an overall bad ending, I was disappointed by it, because I felt like there were more interesting ways to end the novel, that would've been better fit for Smithy.
Up to reading The Memory of Running, I hadn't really read an ending that I truly hated. And after reading it, I still haven't. However, I wasn't very happy about the way that McLarty decided to bring an end to the novel.
While I figured that Smithy would end up happily with Norma (though I didn't like it, from the beginning), I definitely didn't expect them to end up in LA together, let alone on Venice Beach. I figured Smithy might head home, and then their relationship would start up there. I found the fact that Norma came all the way to California to see Smithy (and Bethany) was rather unrealistic, and quite conceived upon the spot.
As I mentioned in class, this novel, full of stories about Smithy's life, didn't conclude with a typical "Smithy ending" (still working on getting this to become a widely used term in literary analysis) in which Smithy's efforts are more or less for nothing. Smithy's prom, his service in the military, his trip to visit Bill Butler, and his nationwide bike trip were largely negated by the misfortunate endings of these situations. For example, Smithy's poorly timed decision to relieve himself led to him getting shot up and the death of a fellow soldier, ending his military service (though he does receive a Purple Heart for his injuries). Or when, after biking from Rhode Island to New Mexico (that's not easy, folks!) decides to take a truck for most of the rest of the way to California. While Smithy's ride up through New Mexico is definitely admirable and worthy of recognition, but the fact that he slacks off in the end really undermined his previous actions, at least in my opinion.
As such, I was expecting the "ultimate Smithy ending" to conclude the novel. I didn't know what was going to happen, but I figured that there would be something to ultimately disrupt the "positivity and optimism" of the novel that Mr. Mitchell brought up in his previous blog post, despite the numerous misfortunes which Smithy faces. Instead, the ending serves to further reinforce this "happy ending", with Smithy and Norma having a happy ending.
While this happy ending isn't necessarily an overall bad ending, I was disappointed by it, because I felt like there were more interesting ways to end the novel, that would've been better fit for Smithy.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
The Irony of Smithy as a War Hero
One could call Smithy Ide a war hero...he has won a Purple Heart, after all. However, the situation in which he managed to earn that decoration was less than heroic. As we all know, Smithy's unfortunately timed pee break during his sentry duty led to him being shot multiple times, along with fellow soldier Orlando Cepeda being killed.
The thing is, what Smithy did wasn't very heroic. When I think of Purple Heart recipients, I think of those who charged up a hill or saved the lives of injured soldiers while under enemy fire. Until I read The Memory of Running, I never thought about Purple Hearts being earned in the manner which Smithy did.
Granted, Smithy doesn't exactly flaunt the fact that he received a Purple Heart in Vietnam. As we know from Smithy's narration throughout the story, he doesn't seem to like attention. In fact, most of the attention that we see Smithy getting comes in a negative light, whether it's getting beat up by the cop at Carl's house or getting shot by a cop in the Rockies, after saving Kenny's life in a sudden blizzard. The only exception to this is Smithy's interactions with Georgina Glass, Bethany's psychiatrist, who Smithy is attracted to, and as a result, wears his Purple Heart medal whenever he goes to drop off Bethany at her appointments there. It would be very, very ironic if Smithy was to brag about his Purple Heart everywhere, considering how he managed to get it.
If it wasn't for Smithy's screw-up (which was a careless action, not a malignant one), Smithy wouldn't have gotten shot up, and Orlando would still be alive. It's definitely not a heroic moment for Smithy, though the general public sees him as a war hero because of the fact that he was given a Purple Heart. Smithy does deserve a Purple Heart, since he was wounded in combat, but it's not exactly the same as it is for other (but not all) Purple Heart recipients, who took truly heroic actions, and as a consequence, received Purple Hearts.
Basically, to sum it all up, while Smithy does deserve and receives a Purple Heart, the situation in which he receives it is less heroic than many of the situations which we hear about soldiers receiving Purple Hearts for, but this fact is unknown to the public. How would the public view Smithy's Purple Heart if they knew the situation in which he earned it? I doubt it would be as positive of a view as they have just knowing that he's earned one.
Jacob
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