Ivan: Part II
I can't imagine what it must be like to be marched around every day all day like cattle.  Obeying every word or else feel the consequences.  I have a newfound appreciation for my own personal clothing...coats and boots.  I can say I know what it's like to be cold without hope of warming up, well, no hope for maybe a day, but not for days like Ivan.  I found myself grateful that I live in a country with freedom of speech and life.  When reading the part about him laying bricks and being cold doing it, it brought me back to my child hood days when I would be forced to to stay outside during bitter cold and work...my hands would be so numb I thought they would never warm up again. 
something that surprised me a bit was how he held onto that spoon.  I often think of how prisoners might make and maintain a knife or two(which he did have), but that spoon was his lifeline.  He was very good at hiding things, it was obvious his years in prison brougt a skill for this. 
Ivan had quite an outlook on life...but was very interesting was the ending.  It was great that even amid this awful place, Ivan could see the good things.  I wonder if he would have realized this w/o Alyosha's discussion?  This was a great insight for not only Ivan, but me, too!  Something I realized a long time ago that this reminded me is:  Life is full of dissapointments, it how you handle them that defines who you are.

A day in the life of Ivan Denosovich:
I thought the story was actully going to be worse.  What I mean is, I was anticipating reading things that would make my jaw drop, things of a prisoner's life that one could only imagine.  However, I was pleasantly surprised to read about a 'normal' day in prison...a practical one. 
I found myself often remembering the tv show, Hogan's Heroes.  There was the dress code, the way they walked around the compound, etc that brought back those memories.  Of course, I realize that Hogan's Heroes was television, but perhaps there was some truth to the show.  Ivan's daily life was quite mundane and very harsh...at least in the winter time.  I would like to know how summer would differ.  I was surprised to read about how they would lay bricks in such cold weather.  I understand the prison needed to make sure the prisoners kept busy, but as Shukov put it, winter isn't exactly the best time to be laying brick if one wants the wall to be put together well.
I'll post more about my feelings/thoughts on the book in my next post.

I just fnished with the lit. circle.  I really enjoyed the insights and input by everyone...as I am not much of a reader, it was great to see that I was intune with everyone else, but also learned new things about the story, "The Things They Carried," by Tim O'Brien.  One insight I liked, and learned, was the one where perhaps Martha is seeing her relationship with Lt. Cross as complicated...the part of the story where she writes to Cross about the pebble she sent from the beach...the place that gives light to being seperate but together. 
An observation, or link in the story I saw, that was interesting, is how the pebble Lt. Cross brings memories of Martha and home...which keeps him unfocused with the war at hand, particuliarly the men he is leading, but how later in the story, he will now carry a Rock in his stomache as a reminder of Ted's death, a death that he feels responsble for happening and which will now be the emotional weight he will bear for this, one that he will never be able to get rid of.  This Rock in the stomache, is also now his new focus on the war at hand and his men...a focus he will take seriously.
That was one part I really saw as a connection.  Perhaps others of you agree or perhaps not.

Week 4: The things they carried
I read, The Things They Carried, for the lit circle.  I found it very interesting.  These men carried gear that was very heavy, but the emotional weight had to have been much heavier.  I imagine the emotional weight lasted much longer, since it can never be 'taken off' like their gear.  I have family members that served in Vietnam, and they have told very similiar stories...thus bringing this story to life and demonstrating its reality and trueness to what happened over there. 
The part about the tunnel reminded me of Forest Gump where Forest enters the tunnel...I see that segment of the movie being exactly how O'Brien painted it in this story.  Eerie really.
I imagine, too, that our men and women today that have served in Iraq and Afghanistan experience the same emotional burdens.  We have heard on the new how they physically must carry all the equipment along with the flak jacket, so I suppose it goes without saying, they have/are experienced(ing) the same things.  I don't read much...only when mandated...but this story is one that I am intending to go out and get from the library and read it all...or, I can probably borrow the one from someone at work.

The Lottery:
At first I was thinking this was the "Hunger Games" under a different name!  I guess it is in a manner of speaking...just no game and no opportunity to survive, it simply goes from being the one that picks the final black dot to--death.
What was interesting and what reeled me into the story was all the induendos to the end for Tessie, and yet, not really sure if what I was thinking was happening was actually happening...I caught myself wanting to jump to the end like a young child just to know what happens, but found myself grateful for waiting to know the stories end w/o jumping to the end first.  I actually found myself intrigued by each sentence/paragraph and excited to see how each one ended, giving me a clue to the end. 
I also am grateful we don't do this today.  I do wish I knew the whole story and would know why they had the lottery.  Perhaps if someon reading this knows, please, let me know!!!

Dead Men's Path:
I really liked this story.  I seem to relate to it personally as well as an observer.  What I mean about my personal experience is that I have, unfortunately, done similiar things as Michael.  I once let my leadership role go to my head and instead of listening to those around me when attempting to implement change, I decided "I knew best" and proceeded with my own agenda...this like Michael's experience, did not go well...at all.
This is a great example of youth and age clashing..when it ought to be an opportunity for both to listen and learn and then discern the best possible outcome.  I learned this lesson the hard way in life..and truthfully, I forget it at times, only be knocked back into place afterwards.

The readings this week for me were difficult to read from the standpoint that they seemed so choppy.  the only story that didn't feel that way was, A Pair of Tickets.  However, once I had them all read through, I did enjoy each one.  the all gave me the opportunity for creating my own pictures and using my imagination for both understanding the story and for my own feelings/thoughts when I put myself in different individuals' places.  for example:  I found myself wondering how I might react if I were in Emily's shoes...I found myself thinking I might not be as kind as she was, in fact; I probably would have taken a more "in your face" approach.  Looking at the story about Sammy, I think I would have spoken my mind, but i don't know that I would have quit...not because of how it would have impacted my parents and myself in society, but rather because I think back when I was younger and I would have tried to change things while still working there.  Overall, I found the stories inspiring and grateful these weren't my experiences.  I also found myself thinking of people I know who can call these experiences, or similiar ones, their own.  Perhaps this week's stories are a reiteration of me, probably because I've found myself being older lately, asking the various people I know from a wide array of backgrounds their story, their life story.  I am amazed at what I hear.