Arnold laughed so much during this time so that he can hide his emotion, and cover tears with laughter. When he learned the worst things, that’s when he laughed the hardest. “Yep, even weird boys are afraid of their emotions(132).” This quote sums up how he is reacting. Arnold is afraid to express his emotions, and wants to make it seem like it’s no big deal, and make it seem funny, instead of the common sad, tearful reaction. Although he reacts this way, he is very, very sad and heartbroken, because Mary and Arnold were very close.
Arnold laughs the hardest when he is with his dad after he picks him up. When his dad arrives at school, and he thought he had possibly died in a car wreck, he hysterically laughs. All of this is very ironic. It is especially ironic when Arnold says, “‘I know, I know,’ I said. ‘She’s dead. But you’re alive. You’re still alive.’” You would expect Arnold to be so sad and depressed when his dad pulls up. You would especially not expect him to say that Mary died with such ease. He also laughs a ton when his dad tells him how Mary died.
Do you think Mary would blame Arnold for her death? why or why not?
If you were Arnold, how would you react to this sad news?
What do you think his dad was thinking while he was laughing?
Do you think Mary would blame Arnold for her death? why or why not?
If you were Arnold, how would you react to this sad news?
What do you think his dad was thinking while he was laughing?
I do not think that Mary would blame Junior for her death. Mary wanted to follow her dreams and that was her decision. If anything I think Mary would blame herself and the people on the Rez. There was so much drinking on the Rez I think Mary though it would eventually happen so she didn't care. However that is reason she died and she would probably be disappointed in herself for giving up and going to alcohol like everyone on the Rez did. She might of been able to write a book and live a normal life if it was not for alcohol.
ReplyDeleteI think that Mary would definitely not blame Arnold for her death. Mary has had the absolute time of her life since Arnold taught her that leaving the reservation is something that is indeed do-able. Mary found love when she left the reservation. She found her dreams when she left the reservation, and I don't think that she would have preferred to stay cooped up in the rez. Rather than that, I think that she would sooner be in the countryside, even if the expense is her life. Arnold paved the road out of the reservation, and Mary took it by her own choice.
ReplyDeleteIf I was Arnold, I would react very differently to the news. I would immediately start bawling, and sit down and just weep. Arnold, on the other hand, didn't cry, but laughed. Arnold and I react in very different ways, clearly.
I think that Arnold's dad was most likely thinking that Arnold was going insane. Generally, when someone laughs at a death of a sister, that is a fairly large reason to be concerned for their mental health. I think that his dad was a little scared of Arnold in the moment because it does come across as pretty creepy.
When Arnold laughs, you know he is going through a low point in his life, and his dad already knows this. When Arnold laughs, Arnold’s dad may also be thinking about how his son is a bit crazy, but needs this craziness in his life. During the car ride home after Mary’s death, Arnold laughs so hard he “might die of laughter” (204), while his dad says, “Son, you're freaking me out right now” (204). In the cartoon on page 204, Arnold’s dad can see that Arnold was a bit ‘off of his rocker’, due to his upside down head and twitching fingers. Despite this, His dad also knows that laughing is his coping mechanism, which he shouldn’t take away, otherwise Arnold will go crazy- for real.
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