Week 3: Pink and Prediction

      Pink is definitely an interesting character. I don’t know whether he is a good or bad character, but I don’t think I completely trust him. Though Cloyd has made it very obvious he doesn’t trust or like Pink, Sonny still continues to interact with him. Maybe part of that reason is to not only to show Cloyd he doesn’t care for his opinion but also because he enjoys Pink’s company. I think the significance of Pink in the novel is that there is a lot of tension arising between all the characters; especially between Sonny, Sylvia, and Cloyd. I think Pink may be the character to set off the tension between Sonny and Cloyd especially. Even though Pink sounds like a nice guy, he has other priorities, and I have a feeling he may be the first to get Sonny into trouble. Not only with Cloyd and Sylvia but also the law. I didn’t think Sonny did the right thing in taking the keys from Pink, he should have stayed completely out of the situation because I just sense trouble with that car. 

I feel like all the tension between all the characters living in Los Flores is going to erupt in the end. Sonny has been in many difficult and compromising positions while living at Los Flores, but I feel like even he senses the change to come. “It was that I didn’t think we would be living very long at Los Flores” (134). In the last couple pages of this weeks reading I also noticed a change in Sonny. He has become more restless and desperate and even stooped so slow as to brawling with an old man and stealing his wallet. Though Sonny attempts to put on a strong and brave front, deep down he is just a kid living in a very vulgar, intense, adult playground. He hides his emotions well, but he is hurting and suffering inside. I feel sorry for Sonny, and want someone to give him the love and attention he needs. I wish his mother realized that she is doing more hurt to him then help, and I wish that Sonny finds something in his life that truly makes him happy and his life fulfilling. I see Sonny in the end of the novel finding and realizing that there is meaning to all his troubles and experiences living in Los Flores. Sonny is an observer and intelligent thinker, he just needs to apply his strengths towards something fulfilling and I really hope to see him succeed rather then fail, even though everyone expects him too.  

Week 2: Reader Response Theory

"Pink shook his head at me. “That is a good man in the making, one who ain’t gonna be led by nobody. Ain’t that right, Sonny?”" (67).
       Sonny goes out for a ride with Pinkston, one of the tenants at Las Flores, who happens to be an albino. Pinkston is sort of an interesting character. Sonny knows that the business and people Pinkston hangs around can mean trouble but because Cloyd doesn’t like him, Sonny doesn’t mind talking to him. Maybe more to get on the nerves of Cloyd. Cloyd has sent Sonny to do a tedious amount of weeding and Sonny just doesn’t seem to care to finish it or get it done at all. Sonny has given up on trying to make Cloyd happy for his mother’s sake. He now does his own thing more then ever, including hanging out with Pinkston.  Pink and Sonny go to an auto parts store and meet with a friend of Pink, Sonny and Pink had been drinking and the man at the auto parts store hands Pink a coke instead of a beer, because he doesn’t want to let Pink become a bad influence on Sonny. Pink makes the statement that Sonny is going to be a good man and not be led by no one but himself.
    I feel this part of the book foreshadows what is to become of Sonny. Though through out the beginning of the novel Sonny hasn’t done much of anything, things will begin to change. Sonny holds a lot of anger and resentment for his mother. Sonny acts as though nothing bothers him, and he doesn’t show his emotions to anyone; but deep down inside he has a lot of emotions. I can relate to Sonny because sometimes I keep my emotions to myself. I must admit its not always the best thing, but I believe there is a time and place for everything. I feel Sonny feels the same way, even though he doesn’t know what he want’s to do with his life, he knows who he doesn’t want to be like in his life. So though he keeps things to himself, he knows that one day he is going to do something to change all the problems in his life, he just doesn’t know what quite yet. I think Pink foreshadows that we need not to worry about Sonny, and also gives Sonny something to see in himself that he may not be able to see.

Week One: #3

“I was mad at her. I don’t think I’d ever been so mad at her before. No, i didn’t really like this husband of hers-the Cloyd, the Hernandez twins were calling him, a lumpy wad that held it together-but that wasn’t it, because I didn’t care about him no more, bad or good. And even though I knew it was his decision about Goof, I blamed her and her only” (37).

I found this part of the book difficult to comprehend because I found Sonny in a difficult position. Yes, I would be just as angry and upset if I were him and someone took away my beloved dog for no good reason, but I find Sonny constantly criticizing his mother for never speaking up or speaking the truth, and yet Sonny does the same. Sonny seems to have all this anger and resentment towards his mother and his life but he never seems to do anything about changing the situation. His mother seems to put on a happy face even though she isn't happy. I feel she genuinely wants a better life for herself and Sonny, but doesn’t know another way of achieving it; therefore resulting in marrying Cloyd. Sonny doesn’t know what to do about his life, he merely goes around doing his own thing, yet he is not happy, and doesn’t try to achieve happiness. It is never a good thing to keep so many emotions to yourself, and I feel like Sonny has so many emotions inside though he never really shows any real emotion on the outside. I understand he has anger towards his mother for not putting her foot down and demanding that they keep goof, but I also feel that Sonny should have said or done something about it. I don’t trust Cloyd one bit, and Sonny doesn’t either. I can see Cloyd’s motives in keeping goof away from Sonny. Cloyd want’s complete control over Sonny, and want’s him to feel alone; alone enough to not feel to comfortable in his new environment. As much as Cloyd want’s to control Sonny, I also think deep down he fears Sonny. Sonny is so quite, to himself and Cloyd may feel intimidated that he can’t control or understand Sonny. I don’t know Cloyd’s ulterior motives, nor Sonny’s, but I am interested in finding out what is to come next.

  

I am

I am Amanda.
I am 19 years old.
I went to Anzar High, and I graduated last year.
I don’t know what I want to major in yet, but I am planning to transfer.
I am adventurous.
I like to see new things, and meet new people.
I want to travel the world.
I can be shy, and quite at times, but at the same time I can be very outgoing and friendly.
I am very open minded, I like learning new things, as well as discussing opinions and beliefs with others. I am always interested and willing to learn form others opinions and experiences.
I like fashion, beauty, and the simple things in life.
I work to live, not live to work.
I love watching movies.
My favorite book of all time is Siddartha by Herman Hesse. I read it my senior year of high school and it completely changed my life and way of thinking.