ISG1018 My Sister's Keeper - p71-p145

[chiron]

Dears: Long time no see. To be honest, I'm still working on my next exam, so please allow me to keep skipping our ISG meetings ; however, I never forget my duty. As follows, pls take your time to answer "on-line questions" and discuss "meeting questions" on 10/18. BTW, I think we should change our reply way, here is the rule, if the first replier has already posted the same answer, to save the public space, you should not post it again unless you don't agree with him/her or you have different viewpoints no matter it's regular words/phrases/sentences or other questions. Clear??

On-line questions:
1. Choose at least 5 unfamiliar words or phrases.
2. Choose at least 5 good sentences.
3. What does "steal the wind of another boat" on p.78 mean?
4. What does "I spy something green" on p.82 mean?
5. What does "counting their lucky stars" on p.83 mean?
6. What does "we'd dissolve" on p.85 mean?
7. What does this sentence mean on p.95, "We are 'quite a picture' walking through the automatic doors"?
8. Why does Jesse say, "Like out of trees" on p.99?
9. What does "I can give or take elephants" on p.108 mean?
10. What does "staring at the streets that 'bleed by'" on p.110 mean?
11. Why does Campbell say "to us, 'summer was a verb'" on p.117?
12. What does "the skin of her arm 'hummed' right next to mine" on p.120 mean?
13. Why does Anna say "hoping is new to her" on p.123?
14. What does "tipped myself 'sunny-side up' again" on p.132 mean?
15. Why does Brian say "I shold have named names" on p.145? What names should he name?
16. Why was Anna afraid to hear her own answer when the laundromat girl asked her if she needed change on p.90?
17. In your opinion, what does Kake plan to say on p.96, "tell anna what?"
18. On p.141, what six sides are Brian fighting fire on?
19. In your opinion, why does Jesse set fire everywhere? What's his motivation?
20. Why does Anna's mother happen to be a lawer? Does that have any meaning?
21. Do you like the author's writing style? To keep switching different character's perspective? Explain why or why not?

Meeting questions:
1. On page 77, Campbell argued that he is not Anna's family therapist or best buddy, he is just her lawyer. Do your client (or co-worker, boss...) treat you as a therapist? How do you react?
2. On page 91, Jesse reminisced the first time he played fire? Do you also remember the experience? When, where and how? Did you burn yourself?
3. On page 102, it says, "if you don't get sick, you won't get well." Do you believe that? Why or why not?
4. Julia has the habit to name her furnitures. Do you know anyone having the habit as well?
5. Julia always takes children to the zoo where they are more likely to open up to her. Where will you take a person (client, family member...) to when you want him/her to open up to you?
6. On page 131, two sisters try to break the Guinness Book of World Records. Do you have any record worth being written in the book?

[chiron]

On-line questions:
1. Choose at least 5 unfamiliar words or phrases.

1. by default: a game or competition can be won by default if there are no other competitors （比賽）因對手不到場，因對手缺席
ex: My father found me by default, because I hadn't returned with an answer. p.78
2. in the palm of one's hand 把…置於掌握之中,完全控制
ex: She also has all the public servants in the palm of her hand. p.80
3. service dog: A service dog is a type of assistance dog, specifically trained to help people who have disabilities other than visual or hearing impairment, or medical response dogs.
4. take someone down a peg(or two) 殺某人的威風；挫某人的銳氣（或驕氣）
ex: Kate decided the nurse needed to be taken down a peg. p.85
5. thumbs-up: A thumbs up or thumbs down is a common gesture represented by a closed fist held with the thumb extended upward or downward in approval or disapproval respectively. These gestures have become metaphors in English: "My boss gave my proposal the thumbs-up" means that the boss approved the proposal.
ex: Engineered an embryo given the thumbs-up by scientists to be a perfect match for Kate. p.98
6. lay waste to: to destroy
ex: When there's something upsetting her, I go in and lay waste to it. p.105
7. goody two shoes 指那種故意表現得比別人更高一等的人。這種人給別人的印象就好像他們在道德品行方面都要比別人強。也可以說是自命清高，或者是自命不凡的人。
ex: Izzy was the Goody Two-shoes. p.105
8. pull strings: to be in control of an organization, often secretly; to control the actions of a person or group
ex: He pulled strings to ge me a job when I first became a GAL. p.106
9. reform school: correctional institution for the detention and discipline and training of young or first offenders
ex: She'd been booted out of a girl's reform school. p.118
10. go to pieces: 垮下來;崩潰
ex: Jesse goes to pieces. p.130
11. when push comes to shove 面臨最後緊要關頭、沒有任何回旋餘地的時刻
ex: Sara's told me about her - the woman the judge will listen to, when push comes to shove.

2. Choose at least 5 good sentences.

1. What attorney wouldn't want to be able to put a Judge in a crate every now and then? p.74
2. A woman with a running river of black hair spills coffee on her skirt, dropping the paper cup on the pavement. p.75
3. The sail whizzed across the boat, ripping the seam of the sky. p.78
4. Laundromats draw lonely people like metal to magents. Put ten people together in a Laundromat and chances are you won't be the one who's worst off. p.89
5. He is lighter than you'd think, like whatever was inside him was used up long ago. p.92
6. What do parents look like? You know how the tightrope guy at the circus wants everyone to believe his act is an art, but deep down you can see that he's really just hoping he makes it all the way across? Like that. p.122
7. My dad turned up the wattage on his smile. p.135

[Sherry Liao]

I am not quite sure about the answer to most of the questions, but I have to make a start anyway.

3. What does "steal the wind of another boat" on p.78 mean?

It's a term for sailing. I think at that time Campbell's boat was upwind of another boat, which made the downwind boat lose speed and Campbell's boat sped ahead.

4. What does "I spy something green" on p.82 mean?

I guess Anna was playing "I spy" game with her father.

5. What does "counting their lucky stars" on p.83 mean?

The cancel patients are uncertain about how long they would live, and people usually hope to live longer. So they are counting their lucky stars.

6. What does "we'd dissolve" on p.85 mean?

I think it means "We'd dissolve into laughter.

7. What does this sentence mean on p.95, "We are 'quite a picture' walking through the automatic doors"?

The sight was very impressive and classic, so Jesse described it as "quite a picture".

8. Why does Jesse say, "Like out of trees" on p.99?

I have to admit it's just a wild guess. Jesse asked his mother "Do buses ever fall on people?". If a bus tumbles over, it should be from a higher position. That's why at first thought Sara thought it's like out of tree.

9. What does "I can give or take elephants" on p.108 mean?

From its context, I think it means Julia didn't care if she would see an elephant in a zoo. She was not so fond of elephants.

[Kooper]

3. In a sailboat competition, boats that manage to catch wind with their sails run faster and are more likely to win. Wind in a sailboat game is like a ball in a basketball game – every team wants to gain control over it. If a boat gets wind, other boats will attempt to intercept the wind. By doing so, they obtain wind while the boat of their competitors lose its power source.

16. Why was Anna afraid to hear her own answer when the laundromat girl asked her if she needed change on p.90?
She is afraid to admit that she has no choice but to be Kate’s donor – to admit that she will live a very different life like those she imagines at the Laundromat.

17. In your opinion, what does Kake plan to say on p.96, "tell anna what?"
Tell Anna that Kate has been taken to the hospital again and that Kate wants to see her.

19. In your opinion, why does Jesse set fire everywhere? What's his motivation?
Subconsciously, he is trying to win back his parents’ attention, which has been lost since the first time when his sister came down with cancer. Setting fire is also a symbol for Jess to compete with his father.

21. Do you like the author's writing style? To keep switching different character's perspective? Explain why or why not?
The author’s writing style in this book is very suitable to English learners like me, for the same plot is replayed from different people’s perspective, which helps me better comprehend the plot and prevents it from proceeding too fast.

[Sherry Liao]

10. What does "staring at the streets that 'bleed by'" on p.110 mean?

I think "bleed" here is for comparison with "shrink". As the author wrote, "She shrinks against the window of my car, staring at the streets that bleed by."
Bleed: When a picture or ad is allowed to go beyond a normal margin on a printed page or to the edge of a page.
http://publicrelationsblogger.com/2009/ ... rview.html

11. Why does Campbell say "to us, 'summer was a verb'" on p.117?

When summer is a verb, it means the action to while away a summer. But Campbell just mentioned that the school was like a factory and its products - the students - are all looked the same. As summer is also a period of maturing powers (according to the definition from Merrian-Webster online dictionary), I think Campbell meant the prime time was draining away in school.

12. What does "the skin of her arm 'hummed' right next to mine" on p.120 mean?

Since Campbell was physically close to Julia, he could feel the activity of her skin, just like he could sense the beating of her heart.

13. Why does Anna say "hoping is new to her" on p.123?

It's a new hope that resorting to the lawsuit or the help from Campbell may change her life.

14. What does "tipped myself 'sunny-side up' again" on p.132 mean?

"Sunny-side up" is the way you cook egg. Actually, when you cook an egg sunny-side up, you do not turn it over. I think Anna meant she had returned to the original position.

15. Why does Brian say "I shold have named names" on p.145? What names should he name?

Maybe his family members. They should have been his top priority.

[Sherry Liao]

I kind of feel some of the description the author made is really confusing to me. I have to make some wild guesses when I encounter the difficult parts, like some of the questions Chiron had pointed out. Therefore, I hope I will also get answers from you for the questions Chiron raised.

[chiron]

I kind of feel some of the description the author made is really confusing to me. I have to make some wild guesses when I encounter the difficult parts, like some of the questions Chiron had pointed out. Therefore, I hope I will also get answers from you for the questions Chiron raised.

I have to admit the author uses a lot of informal English. Though hard, we still can gain something from it.

[chiron]

16. Why was Anna afraid to hear her own answer when the laundromat girl asked her if she needed change on p.90?
She is afraid to admit that she has no choice but to be Kate’s donor – to admit that she will live a very different life like those she imagines at the Laundromat.

Yes, she is afraid to say she doesn't need to change her kidney.

17. In your opinion, what does Kake plan to say on p.96, "tell anna what?"
Tell Anna that Kate has been taken to the hospital again and that Kate wants to see her.

I thought she plans to say, tell Anna "I love you."

19. In your opinion, why does Jesse set fire everywhere? What's his motivation?
Subconsciously, he is trying to win back his parents’ attention, which has been lost since the first time when his sister came down with cancer. Setting fire is also a symbol for Jess to compete with his father.

In another way, he also helps his father's "business", for the county doesn't have to add more budget on fire department if they don't have so many fires.

[Sherry Liao]

16. Why was Anna afraid to hear her own answer when the laundromat girl asked her if she needed change on p.90?

Anna was tired of being a donor for her sister; however, she was also torn by the thought of reacting against her parents, for it meant her sister was likely going to die because of her.

17. In your opinion, what does Kake plan to say on p.96, "tell anna what?"

I am also curious about her answer. I made several guesses. No idea which (maybe none of them) is the true answer.
1. Tell Anna I don't hate her for filing a lawsuit.
2. Tell Anna I need her.
3. Tell Anna it's never her duty to be a donor for me.
4. Tell Anna don't worry about me.

18. On p.141, what six sides are Brian fighting fire on?

Kate, Anna, Anna's lawyer, Jesse, Sara and himself.

19. In your opinion, why does Jesse set fire everywhere? What's his motivation?

Maybe it's because of grudge, for he didn't grow up in a normal family and didn't get enough attention from his parents. Or he doesn't do it on purpose – maybe he suffered from a obsessive-compulsive disorder, which results from the feeling of hopelessness.

20. Why does Anna's mother happen to be a lawer? Does that have any meaning?

For me, Brian and Sara's jobs do not necessarily imply anything. But if there have been arrangements, I think as a firefighter, Brian acts as a rescuer in the family, while as a lawyer, Sara acts as a defender.

21. Do you like the author's writing style? To keep switching different character's perspective? Explain why or why not?

Yes. It is quite refreshing to me. When it comes to reading novels, first person writing is always my favorite, for it gives a detailed description of the mental process of the main character, which help the readers experience the character's thought and feeling. Amazingly, this novel is written from perspectives of different characters, instead of a single one, which make it even more intriguing.

[janet12tw]

3. What does "steal the wind of another boat" on p.78 mean?
3. I guess it means try to steal the thunder of another boat.

4. What does "I spy something green" on p.82 mean?
4. It is a game that you can play with your kids, or that they play with each other. To play, ask your child to find something in one of the pictures.
You could say "I spy seashell. Can you find it?" Or "I spy something green." Or "How many pieces of candy do you see?"
I assume that it originated from a guerrilla game. One party would say the feature of something and let the other party to guess what it is.
Here is an example from the movie Brother Bear(《熊的传说》 as below:
Tuke: Do you wanna play I Spy?
　Rutt: Yeah.
Tuke: Okay, I spy something... green.
Rutt: Tree?
Rutt: Okay, my turn. I spy something... tall.
Tuke: Tree.
Rutt: Ohh!

20. Why does Anna's mother happen to be a lawer? Does that have any meaning?
20. Her mother being a layer is the reason why Anna knows she can file a lawsuit against her parents. And Anna wants to obtain more attention from her parents by doing so to show her mom Kate is not the only child in this family.

[chiron]

20. Why does Anna's mother happen to be a lawer? Does that have any meaning?
20. Her mother being a layer is the reason why Anna knows she can file a lawsuit against her parents. And Anna wants to obtain more attention from her parents by doing so to show her mom Kate is not the only child in this family.

Good point.

[chiron]

20. Why does Anna's mother happen to be a lawer? Does that have any meaning?

For me, Brian and Sara's jobs do not necessarily imply anything. But if there have been arrangements, I think as a firefighter, Brian acts as a rescuer in the family, while as a lawyer, Sara acts as a defender.

In another way, to have a lawer mother would increase the tension of this novel. I think that may be for the reason of dramatic effect.

21. Do you like the author's writing style? To keep switching different character's perspective? Explain why or why not?

Yes. It is quite refreshing to me. When it comes to reading novels, first person writing is always my favorite, for it gives a detailed description of the mental process of the main character, which help the readers experience the character's thought and feeling. Amazingly, this novel is written from perspectives of different characters, instead of a single one, which make it even more intriguing.

We alway identify ourselves with the main character of a novel. By using this writing technique, we will not identify ourselves with one specific character too much. It also has the gennre of the movie "羅生門" since different people have different feelings to the same event.