Quote 2 particular lines or passages from within Chap 2-4: one that feels imp’t to the text and one that feels imp’t to you, and explain why they feel imp’t. End your post w/ a question. (Note page #s.) Skip a line between paragraphs, since you cannot indent on the blog.
Also, reply to at least one student's post.
One passage that I felt was important to the text is the second time Danny visits Reuven in the hospital. Danny says, "'I came up to talk to you now. Do you want to listen?' 'Sure,' I said"(66). This is important to the text because it shows how both Reuven and Danny have grown since the baseball game. Reuven has come to realize that Danny is not his enemy and that Danny wants to become friends with him.
ReplyDeleteOne passage that felt important to me is when Mr. Savo explains his take on religion to Reuven. "'I could've been a priest. Had a chance once. Made a wrong choice. Wound up clopping people instead'"(58). I think Tony wishes he was anything but a boxer at this time. Tony is a somewhat religious person, and he understands the importance of religion.
I really agree with the first passage you chose. While reading, you can feel the tension and anger subside in this part and see a friendship start to blossom. You also see that Reuven is taking what his father says to heart, and actually trying to get to know Danny.
DeleteFor the second passage, I did not even think of it in the way that Tony was religious. I never would have even thought of that and I think it's really interesting that you pointed out that he understands religion and therefore kind of understands what is going on between Reuven and Danny.
My favorite quote from this section was “I lay very still on the table. Except for the time I had had my tonsils out i had never been overnight in a hospital. I was frightened, and I wondered what was causing the pain in my eye,” because it is very relatable. I do not like hospitals, and I always get a cold, shivery feeling thinking about the operations I could have, even when I am not about to have one. It shows he is just another kid, and even if you are confused by other parts, this part most people can relate to because it shows a weakness that most other people have.
ReplyDeleteThe quote I thought was most important to the plot was “‘The Talmud says that a person should do two things for himself. One is to acquire a teacher. Do you remember the other?’ ‘Choose a friend,’ I said … ‘Reuven, if you can, make Danny Saunders your friend.’”. I think this is important to the plot because it explains the relationship between Danny and Reuven. The way Reuven’s father phrases it makes it sound like it will become important in the future. I think it might also have to do with his father already knowing Danny.
My question is, what happened to Mr. Galanter to stop him from fighting in the war?
While I understand your take on how you feel in hospitals, I disagree. In my opinion, hospitals are places where great work is done and lives are saved. Everywhere you go, there is something cool. I do find Reuven more relatable while he is in the hospital, though.
DeleteIn your second quote, I think Reuven's father is explaining to Reuven how alone Danny feels at times. He is also telling him that Danny is very smart, and he also needs a close friend, especially because he cannot relate to the other kids in his yeshiva.
I thought it mentioned that Mr. Galanter couldn't fight in the war because of some health issue he had. I think he wanted to, but there may have been something with his eye.
The part that felt most important to be in these chapters was during the last time Danny visits Reuven in the hospital and he says, “It’s funny. It’s really funny. I have to be a rabbi and don’t want to be one. You don’t have to be a rabbi and do want to be one. It’s a crazy world.”
ReplyDeleteThis part felt really important to me because the boys are realizing so much about each other, and the world. They both had very specific preconceived notions about each other until they had a real conversation. Danny previously thought that Reuven was almost non-religious and did not have a true connection with God, and Reuven thought that Danny was extremely religious and brought faith into every aspect of his life. After sitting down and talking to each other, they learn that both are almost the opposite of what they thought. Danny wishes he did not have to be so religious and wants to choose his own path of life. Reuven wants to be a rabbi and influence religion. They realized that they had completely assumed the other’s identity and “judged a book by its cover”. A significant idea that was also realized in this passage is that sometimes people are forced to do something they really don’t want to do. Because of Danny’s legacy and religion, he must become a rabbi, when he would rather choose his own career. The boys see that the world just works that way at times. I think this is such a pivotal moment because Reuven truly sees who Danny is as a person, and I think Danny also truly sees who he is because has finally let himself say aloud his feelings instead of ignoring them or burying them inside.
Another moment that I felt was important was at the end of chapter four when the doctor says that Reuven’s eyes will mostly likely be okay and it says, “I was so happy I felt myself begin to cry”. For the majority of these chapters, Reuven is not in particularly good spirits because he is anxious about his eye and possibly becoming blind. In this instance, I felt the happiness and relief that he felt as I read it. I think Reuven almost becomes himself again because he is filled with so much joy and hope. I also think that he is happy because he has gotten to know and like Danny a lot, and he doesn’t want to blame Danny or make him feel guilty after he has finally become friends with him.
I agree that the first quote is important. It shows a major part of why they like each other. They are almost jealous of each other. They are very similar because they are both Jewish boys from the same neighborhood, with fathers who make judaism important in both of their lives. This sentence shows their differences though because it shows the difference in their religious practices, and how they want to interact with their religion, and people in their future. Part of the reason they want those jobs when they grow up is how they have been raised with religion. Danny was raised so strictly in his beliefs that he can’t possibly imagine spending time as a rabbi, while Reuven was raised to interpret religion in a meaningful way, and he wants to spread that to others.
DeleteI didn’t think the second quote was important because it was just showing his relief to get out of the hospital, but the important part of the section was his experience in the hospital, both with the people he already knew, and the people he didn’t. Also, I thought the part of him going into the hospital was more relatable because I feel like that part was more in the moment, and more important/emotional to him. Also, I feel like Danny was already completely forgiven.
One quote I thought was important to the story was in chapter three when Danny was visiting Reuven for the second time. This is the scene where Danny and Reuven begin to become friends. They discuss a wide variety of things, including baseball, what they want to be when they grow up, and reading. An important part of this scene is when the two are discussing baseball and how Danny convinced his father to let him play, and Reuven says, “‘So you practically had to beat us.’” (71) The loss to Danny’s team was shocking to Reuven because his team was so good. He was really mad at Danny for hitting him in the face, but he was also upset that they lost. Danny apologizes to Reuven for hitting him in the face and convinces Reuven that it was not entirely his fault because there was time for Reuven to duck. The quote I chose came after Danny described to Reuven that his father only allowed him to play baseball so he could beat the “apikorsim” at their own game. This is the point in the book where Reuven truly forgives Danny for everything he did during the baseball game.
ReplyDeleteOne quote that I found meaningful in this chapter was the first time Reuven’s father visited him. “He bent and kissed me on the forehead. As he came close to me, I saw his eyes were red and misty. ‘My baseball player,’ he said, trying to smile. ‘Take care of yourself and rest. I will be back to see you tomorrow.’ He turned and walked quickly away up the aisle, small and thin, but walking with a straight, strong step the way he always walked no matter how he felt.” (53) This passage is very important because to me it seems like typical parent behavior. His son has been injured and is in the hospital. His son might go blind in one eye and he is scared. He probably wants his son’s life to be as good as possible and be able to protect his son from harm, because he is a parent. He is really worried about his son, but is trying to put on a brave face and show courage and hope to his son, who should be optimistic. This quote is important to me because to me because it shows that Reuven’s father is fatherly and loves Reuven.
My question is do you think Billy will have an important role later in the book?
I agree that the first passage you chose was important. Danny makes Reuven realize that it wasn't only his fault for hitting Reuven in the eye. He makes Reuven see that he could have ducked but chose not to which led to him getting hit in the eye with the baseball. This then leads Reuven to forgive Danny and accept his apology.
DeleteI think that the second passage that you chose was also important. It shows what type of relationship Reuven and his father have. It shows how much his father cares for him and how scared he is that Reuven could potentially go blind in one eye. His father also wants to stay strong for Reuven so that he isn't scared about his eye and like you said he wants to stay optimistic. I like how it shows how much love Reuvens father has for him.
I don't think Billy will have an important role later in the book. I think he might be mentioned again but I think the rest of the book will focus more on Danny and Reuvens relationship and on their religion
Do you think Danny will ever rebel against his father?
ReplyDeleteI think that Danny will rebel against his father. I think he will rebel by standing up, against his father, for what he believes in. He will become his own person, which might upset his father. I think that later in the book Danny and his father will get into a lot of fights with each other. I also think that Reuven and Danny will become very close. I think that Reuven will also help support Danny as he and his father fight.
DeleteOne passage that I thought was important to the text was when Danny visited Reuven when he was in the hospitable. “I looked at him, and suddenly I had the feeling that everything around me was out of focus. There was Danny Saunders, sitting on my bed in the hospitable dressed in his Hasidic-style clothes and talking about wanting to kill me because I had pitched him some curve balls. He was dressed like a Hasid, but he didn't sound like one. Also, yesterday I had hated him; now we were calling each other by our first names” (67). I think this is important because Reuven assumed that Danny wasn't a good person but he ends up becoming friends with him. It shows how Danny and Reuvens opinions about each other have changed since the baseball game and how they got past their differences and became friends.
ReplyDeleteOne passage that I think is important to me is when Reuven couldn't stop thinking about his first encounter with Danny and how bad he felt about it. “We talked for a while about the invasion. Finally, my father left, and I lay back in my bed, feeling depressed and angry with myself over what I had said to Danny Saunders” (64). I think this is important to me because I can relate to how Reuven feels. I know how it feels to feel really bad about saying something mean or rude to someone and not being able to stop thinking about it.
Do you think Reuvens father had a lot of influence on him to become friends with Danny?
I agree with you that the scene where Danny visits Reuven is important. It is interesting how quickly Reuven’s opinion of Danny changed from being, “I hate you,” to, “Let’s be friends.” The quote that was important to you ties into that as well. Reuven’s shame at how he treated Danny at Danny’s first visit to the hospital led him to be much more open minded for Danny’s second visit. Just listening to Danny’s apology allows Reuven to find common ground with Danny. Before this it seemed that Reuven only viewed Danny as a Hasidic Jew, but the conversation they had at the hospital showed Reuven that Danny was human.
DeleteI agree with you that the guilt felt by Reuven after being mean to Danny is relatable. I have felt the way you described, not able to stop thinking of the wrong you did.
I believe that Danny’s second visit to the hospital is where he and Reuven begin to become friends. This is before Reuven’s father tells Reuven to make friends with Danny, so that comment was not very influential to their friendship, but I think Reuven’s father might have influenced it in different ways. I think what he told Reuven about Danny in his previous visits, basically saying not to judge Danny without first hearing his side of the story, influenced Reuven’s friendship with Danny. He also could have done or told Danny things at the library that influenced Danny’s willingness to befriend Reuven.
A passage that felt important to me is when Danny came to visit Reuven. He says,
ReplyDelete"Look at that. Look at all those people. They look like ants. Sometimes I get the feeling that's all we are--ants." (79). I feel like this is important because it makes the characters more relatable because it helps show what they are thinking about sometimes.
A passage that felt important to the text was in the same visit when Danny about people being ants. Danny says, "Sometimes I'm not sure I know what God wants, though." (79). I think this is important to the story because it is showing a growing friendship between Reuven and Danny. It also helps show what might be an underlying theme in the rest of the story. I think that this theme might be about finding your own path in life.
Why do people keep calling Reuven, Bobby, in the hospital?
I agree with you I think those quotes are important. I think that they both show emotional dept of the characters. We learn that Danny is not that religious even though he has to be. We also learn that Reuven isn’t too sure of the world around him.
DeleteAs for people calling him Bobby instead of his name Reuven I think it is a way to cover up his religion. Reuven is a religious name and maybe his religion is not accepted. He says his name is Robert which is close to Reuven. Bobby is a nickname for Robert.
I wonder if Reuven could be a religious name, I know that I do not know how to pronounce it. I think Bobby is probably easier to pronounce.
DeleteThe theme of finding your own path is a very interesting choice. I think that the book so far could easily have that theme, and continue to have it as the theme.
Though there were multiple quotes that were important to the text I feel like the moment where Danny enters the eye ward is the most pivotal. ““Hello,” Danny Sanders said softly. “I’m sorry if I woke you. The nurse told me it was all right to wait here” I looked at him in amazement. He was the last person in the world I had expected to visit me in the hospital (61). ” I believe this is an important moment because it is the start to what seems like a friendship. I believe this is their first time really meting, not during a baseball game. They get a chance to talk something that did not happen at the game.
ReplyDeleteAs for an important moment to me the passage where Reuven’s father tells him that he should have listened to Danny’s apology. ““What I tried to tell you Reuven, is that when a person comes to talk to you, you should be patient and listen. Especially if he has hurt you in any way. (64) ”” This is important to me because it is some real life advice that can not only benefit Reuven but the reader too. I believe that forgiveness is an worthwhile action.People can surprise you. Your worst enemy could become your friend just like Reuven and Danny. What will happen with their friendship now that Reuven is out of the hospital?
I also thought that it was very important that Danny came the hospital to apologize. This was an important event to create the friendship of Danny and Reuven. This friendship is a little odd since Danny admitted that he wanted to kill him and Reuven hated him. Reuvens father's advice is very good because you do not want to burn bridges with people that you may need later in life. I think Dannys and Revuens friendship will continue and lead them to rethink what they want to do in their lives.
Delete
ReplyDelete"Sometimes I'm not sure I know what God wants, though"
"That's a funny thing for you to say"
“‘Isn’t it?’ he said. He looked at me but didn’t seem to be seeing me at all.
“I’ve never said that to anyone before” (79).
I chose this passage because it seemed important to the text and I found it interesting that a few hours ago Reuven hated Danny, and I am assuming that Danny did not enjoy Reuven. Now they are sharing deep secrets about who they hope to be and what they want to do with their lives, and to me those things are incredibly deep and personal. I also find it interesting that Danny was able to admit to Reuven that he wanted to kill him, I would have trouble admitting that. Then they were able to turn the conversation around to discuss personal things, and seem to become friend. The ability to turn the conversation like that is amazing, because most adults are not capable of doing what children did. I also find it interesting how Mr. Savo tells Reuven to watch Danny closely, and I wonder if that will play an important part in the book later on. Do you think it will?
“I never saw a light like that” This part stuck with me because I felt bad for Reuven. He had no clue how much damage had occurred to his eye, and head. I wonder why nobody told him, was it to keep him calm, wait for his dad to come? I feel like Reuven’s coach was incredibly nice to stay with him. I feel like most coaches wouldn’t stay. I like how by the end of the assigned reading we were able to get some closure about his eye, and the future of it. Do you think it was right for them to keep the extent of the damage to Reuven eye was okay?
"You didn't want to have to duck any ball that I hit. You had to try and stop it."(71) This quote was important to the book because the blame of the glass in his was transferred from Danny on to Reuven. Reuven realized that the reason he was in this situation was because he hated Danny so much he would not have let him make him look like a fool. Danny saying this to Reuven makes him realize that this wasn't anyones fault it happened because they both wanted to make a play to help win the game. This made the boys think that they weren't so different.
ReplyDelete"I stared at him 'The scar tissue,' I said slowly. ' The scar tissue can grow over the pupil.' And I felt myself go sick with fear." This was a very important because Reuven realized that he could go blind in one eye. He had never though of what would happen if he went blind with one eye. For me personally going blind even with just one eye would be terrifying. I wonder what his dads reaction was when he heard he could go blind in one eye?
During this reading there were a lot of passages I thought were important. One that felt important to the text or book in general was on page 67 after Danny comes to visit Reuven at the hospital and Danny speaks about how he likes to think about things that don’t make sense to him until they do, and it didn’t make sense to him that he literally wanted to kill Reuven
ReplyDelete“Do you remember I stood in front of the plate afterwards and looked at you?”
“Sure.” I remembered the idiot grin vividly.
“Well, that’s when I wanted to walk over to you and open your head with my bat.”
(67)
Danny then goes on to explain that it wasn’t the ball game that made him want to kill him, and I think maybe Danny wanted to kill Reuven in that moment because he was jealous, after what I’ve learned during this reading it seems almost as if they want exactly what each other has. But even saying that he REALLY wanted to kill Reuven doesn’t sit right with me, I think maybe he wanted to hurt him really, really bad but I don’t believe he really wanted him to die. But maybe he did.
Another important passage that was important to me personally and to the text as well was on page 90 when Reuven learned his eye will probably be okay.
“Well, I think you’re going to be all right. I’m not absolutely certain, you understand, so I want to see you again in my office. But I think you’ll be fine.”
I was so happy I felt myself begin to cry.
(90)
This passage seemed important because before he was crying because of his eye and now, Well, he’s still crying because of his eye but in a different way. I think the fear surrounding his eye wasn’t just the fear of his eye and the damage as much as the fear of Danny. I feel like glasses and eyes/eye sight is a theme throughout this book so far and I wonder if it has a deeper meaning?