Difference between revisions of "33-41 Summary"
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
In this chapter, Li contemplates the death of a baby whose mother joined the tribe before the last rains of the season. Where did the mother come from, how, and why? Where is the baby's spirit now, and what happened to the little person who had tried so hard to fight off sickness? Li realizes that these thoughts have no answers, unless she becomes as "other" as death itself. She moves on, still wondering about the small baby, and goest oforage for food in hunger. While she is searching in the ocean, she spots a school of fish that is frantically swimming away from its predator - dolphins. In a quick, speedy motion, Li snatches one of the fish and chews on it, delighted to have such an easy meal. She notices that one dolphin stays behind, and she lets him eat the rest of her fish. A friendly relationship develops between the two unlikely strangers after the exchange of food, and the girl and the dolphin play and frolic together in the sunlit ocean until Li reaches her tribe's shore. | In this chapter, Li contemplates the death of a baby whose mother joined the tribe before the last rains of the season. Where did the mother come from, how, and why? Where is the baby's spirit now, and what happened to the little person who had tried so hard to fight off sickness? Li realizes that these thoughts have no answers, unless she becomes as "other" as death itself. She moves on, still wondering about the small baby, and goest oforage for food in hunger. While she is searching in the ocean, she spots a school of fish that is frantically swimming away from its predator - dolphins. In a quick, speedy motion, Li snatches one of the fish and chews on it, delighted to have such an easy meal. She notices that one dolphin stays behind, and she lets him eat the rest of her fish. A friendly relationship develops between the two unlikely strangers after the exchange of food, and the girl and the dolphin play and frolic together in the sunlit ocean until Li reaches her tribe's shore. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ---- | ||
==== The Concept of Death and an Afterlife ==== | ==== The Concept of Death and an Afterlife ==== | ||
| Line 7: | Line 9: | ||
In the beginning, Li mentions a woman who brought her sick, dying child to her tribe. The stranger had been accepted, but her baby dies. The mother eventually forgets her grief and her baby, but Li imagines that the baby's soul and spirit must have gone ''somewhere,'' and so she asks herself these unexplainable questions of afterlife. She believes that to answer those questions, she would need to become something intangible, such as Ma-ma's dreams, or perhaps she would need to go where the baby itself had gone. | In the beginning, Li mentions a woman who brought her sick, dying child to her tribe. The stranger had been accepted, but her baby dies. The mother eventually forgets her grief and her baby, but Li imagines that the baby's soul and spirit must have gone ''somewhere,'' and so she asks herself these unexplainable questions of afterlife. She believes that to answer those questions, she would need to become something intangible, such as Ma-ma's dreams, or perhaps she would need to go where the baby itself had gone. | ||
| − | + | ==== Examples ==== | |
"...but her baby had died. Where had it gone? Not the body - the stranger had carried that back into the dunes and left it - but the little sick person who'd looked out of the weary eyes? That too was other, never-to-be-known, like dreams" (34). | "...but her baby had died. Where had it gone? Not the body - the stranger had carried that back into the dunes and left it - but the little sick person who'd looked out of the weary eyes? That too was other, never-to-be-known, like dreams" (34). | ||
| + | |||
| + | ---- | ||
Revision as of 12:02, 18 September 2011
Brief Summary
In this chapter, Li contemplates the death of a baby whose mother joined the tribe before the last rains of the season. Where did the mother come from, how, and why? Where is the baby's spirit now, and what happened to the little person who had tried so hard to fight off sickness? Li realizes that these thoughts have no answers, unless she becomes as "other" as death itself. She moves on, still wondering about the small baby, and goest oforage for food in hunger. While she is searching in the ocean, she spots a school of fish that is frantically swimming away from its predator - dolphins. In a quick, speedy motion, Li snatches one of the fish and chews on it, delighted to have such an easy meal. She notices that one dolphin stays behind, and she lets him eat the rest of her fish. A friendly relationship develops between the two unlikely strangers after the exchange of food, and the girl and the dolphin play and frolic together in the sunlit ocean until Li reaches her tribe's shore.
The Concept of Death and an Afterlife
In the beginning, Li mentions a woman who brought her sick, dying child to her tribe. The stranger had been accepted, but her baby dies. The mother eventually forgets her grief and her baby, but Li imagines that the baby's soul and spirit must have gone somewhere, and so she asks herself these unexplainable questions of afterlife. She believes that to answer those questions, she would need to become something intangible, such as Ma-ma's dreams, or perhaps she would need to go where the baby itself had gone.
Examples
"...but her baby had died. Where had it gone? Not the body - the stranger had carried that back into the dunes and left it - but the little sick person who'd looked out of the weary eyes? That too was other, never-to-be-known, like dreams" (34).
