(88-109) I was thinking about what Hollis must have been feeling as she walked into the Regan’s summer home that cold winter night. ‘Weird’ would be an understatement. I thought it was interesting that she was willing to break into the home but would not go in the Old Man & Izzy’s room. What was the difference in the line being crossed?
Sandwiched between the chapters of arriving and settling into the house was the picture of the ‘welcome to the family’ party – a family she no longer had hopes of being part of. True?
In chapter 10 she recounts leaving the Regans. She talks about walking out the door and then as far as the town, waiting for the bus. The tone of the paragraph did not make it clear to me if she left on her own (‘ran’) or was asked to leave. It lacked the urgency of running yet did not seem like the way they would have sent her away if they wanted her gone.
Do we have enough clues yet to know if she ran or was asked to leave?
In Chapter 11 I think she is starting to realize the difficult spot she is in. Josie seems to be getting worse and Josie gets very afraid when she thinks someone might have seen her. Where do you think this story is going?
(Reread the essential questions.)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Breaking In
Posted by Mr. Z at 1:15 PM
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4 Comments:
Though it is mostly opinion, I think the evidence suggests that Hollis ‘ran’. I believe the author is intentionally leaving the issue unclear. The books seems to be building toward addressing whether Hollis is going to end up with the family that she wants so much. If the Regan’s had kicked her out then clearly that possibility with them would be closed.
Hollis is feeling guilty about what happened with the truck. She thinks it was confirmation the she is a ‘mountain of trouble’. She ran because she felt it just confirmed she did not deserve to be with them. (Notice how she keeps trying to convince herself that she is the reason that the Old Man and Steven were having a hard time getting along?)
We have yet to see any evidence of how the Regan’s felt about the accident on the mountain. We do not know if any of them were part of it. Was she alone in the truck? Anyone Hurt? I think we will soon find out.
I would have to say, breaking in to a home you once lived in would be very weird. Not even as weird as a nacho cheese flavored cake! But, I think in order to make it feel like she is welcome there; restricting herself from Izzy and the Old Man’s room is a good idea. However, we are not sure wether or not she is welcome, so we can’t know that for sure.
I think she can have hopes of being part of the Regans family. She was a nice girl when there, but it seems like the truck could cause the Regans anger. It seems very unlikely that she wouldn’t be welcome. I guess we will just have to keep reading.
I think that Hollis decided to run away. I remember earlier in the book, Izzy said that she wanted children around every corner. It doesn’t seem like they would still have the room they made for Hollis if they asked her to leave. Maybe they kept the room to remember Hollis. Or, she had to leave, because earlier in the book, it mentioned her last weekend there. She must have had to leave, and the Regans decided to keep the room for her next visit.
I think this story is leading to winter ending, and the Regans returning without Hollis leaving. They will be surprised to find Hollis there {who wouldn’t?} and need to know why she is there. I am pretty sure Hollis will be allowed in the family, but I’m not sure about Josie.
Any chance someone is dead- like Steven? Remember when Hollis first meets the Regans and Steven is insisting he can drive and his father is saying how he is just learning and there is an indication that the mountain is extremely dangerous. When Hollis returns to the summer home I find myself looking for evidence that Steven is all right. Evidence of death might be too strong and wouldn't this be awfully cruel to do to a family that lost another child, but clearly something went very wrong on that mountain.
I also think that relative to essential questions, Hollis is having the hardest time forgiving herself for what happened. She seems quite taken with being unlovable except where Josie is concerned and that seems mainly due to Josie's ability to forgive and forget quickly, which she seems to be coming by due to her deteriorating mental condition. Did you see in the movie the demonstration of soup purchasing to show her mental infirmity?
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