Hi Curious Visitor
In my point of view, immortality has a tremendous impact on the individual. If a person is already living in awful conditions, their immortality would be a curse for them. For example, there is a character in Greek mythology named Prometheus. He was punished by Zeus for stealing fire and gifting it to mankind. His punishment was to be tied to a rock and have his liver get eaten by an eagle every day. This torment in addition to immortality is an external curse. On the other hand, if the person is already living a nearly perfect life, they may seek immortality to be able to enjoy their perfect life forever. Immortality not only affects the individual, immortality could be a blessing or a curse for the people around the immortal individual. Regardless of whether it is a curse or a blessing for the immortal person, it has the potential to affect the rest of the world. Each action a person commits has a ripple effect on those around them. For example, if a person uses their immortality to be a firefighter and save lives, immortality would be a blessing for them and those around them. The firefighter won’t have to be in danger. However, if the immortal person chooses to be a criminal and commit crimes, the community would suffer. It’s possible that the immortal person would get caught and locked up in jail, but it is also possible that they do not get caught and end up continuing to commit crimes. In which case, the community will continue to suffer. In conclusion, immortality is a blessing or a curse depending on the situation.
Winnie is frustrated because she is the only kid and her mother and grandmother are always watching her. Winnie wants to have a sister or a brother to divert the attention away from her. Then, she will have freedom. But, she knows that getting a sibling is not up to her. Right now she thinks that her parents are overprotective and she needs a quick solution. She comes up with many ideas of escaping. First, she thinks of changing her name, but then she realizes it won’t grant her freedom. She ultimately plans to run away from home. I don’t think this is a good idea because I don't think it will be safe for her to wander around without adult supervision. And even though I can’t relate to her situation directly, I have a slight idea from witnessing the frustration of a friend. My friend used to be the only kid in her family and she felt controlled and trapped. She wished to have a sibling so the attention on her would disappear. After a few years, she actually got a sister. But then, she felt neglected, and she felt sad. I think Winnie will regret her decision. The attention that she has now is better than neglect. If she runs away and loses her family’s protection, not only will she miss them, she will be in danger. A person will always feel discontent in their present situation and not realize the blessing that they have.
The yellow suit man gives readers a suspicious feeling or mysterious impression. The yellow suited man is a stranger who shows up to the Fosters house without being expected. During the conversation on page 20 the yellow suit man asked a very specific question without elaborating: “‘Wait!’... He had stiffened and his voice was eager. ‘You've heard that music before, you say?’" In the passage above the word “eager” is highly suspicious. This word is suspicious because readers are curious about his eagerness. What information is the yellow suit man trying to extract for the fosters? What secret is he hiding? Readers are motivated to find out. Furthermore, the copious amount of dialogue this yellow suit man has in this chapter proves that he is a special character. Only main characters get to speak as much as he does. Readers would wonder whether he is a character with good or bad intentions out is a mystery for them at the stage of the story. Finally, another reason why the yellow suit man is worthy of suspicion is because of the question that he is asking. The question is extremely specific and peculiar. Readers want to know about the questions as well. The yellow suited man comes to the Fosters with the goal of finding information of a particular family. Yet, he never explicitly says who he is looking for, not even at the end of the chapter. Readers find this part questionable. Additionally, the book states earlier that the Foster’s house has a “touch-me-not appearance” and that no one dares to venture into the property. However, the yellow-suit man does enter the property. He clearly has a goal that he is not being honest or up front about. There are several other reasons why the yellow-suit man seems like a suspicious or even an untrustworthy person. He clearly has a motive for being at the Fosters’’ gate, yet he is constantly being not transparent about the details. He declined the chance to speak to Winnie’s father, who is an adult and would be excellent help. Instead, the yellow-suit man interrogates Winnie, who is an innocent child. She even tells him that she hasn’t explored outside the property and wouldn’t be much help to him. Lastly, Winnie’s grandmother seems to have a bad feeling about the yellow-suit man, which in turn, causes the readers to mistrust him as well.
The woods have a creepy atmosphere. One of the pieces of evidence is on page 5. The text: *But on reaching the shadows of the first tree, it sharply swung out in a wide arc as if, for the first time, it had reason to think where it was going, and passed around.* If the author intends to describe the scene in a way that is light-hearted and happy, or generally positive, she wouldn't begin the descriptions with the word “shadows”. When readers think of shadows, they think of darkness and coldness. A more positive and cheerful mood could be accomplished if the author had focused on how the woods are sunny and warm. Another piece of evidence is on page 6. *On the left stood the first house, a square and solid cottage with a touch-me-not appearance, surrounded by grass cut painfully to the quick and enclosed by a``=capable iron fence some four feet high which clearly said, "Move on-we don't want you here."* Although this piece of evidence does not straightforwardly describe the woods, the woods and the house are owned by the same family, the Fosters. Therefore, the atmosphere of the house would influence the way the woods are perceived. The passage above gives readers a creepy and unwelcoming feeling. It is described as having a “touch-me-not appearance”. The “four feet high” iron fence is stern and unwelcoming. The author even mentions how the vibe it gives off is “move on-we don’t want you here.” Since the woods and cottage are owned by the Foster family, they are inseparable. The unwelcoming tone of the cottage lends the same unwelcoming tone to the surrounding woods. When readers feel unwelcomed, they sense danger and creepiness. The third piece of evidence is on pages 7 and 8: *There will be a dimness shot through with bars of sunlight, a great many squirrels and birds, a deep, damp mattress of leaves on the ground, and all the other things just as familiar if not so pleasant—things like spiders, thorns, and grubs.* In the passage above, it talks about how the dimness is shooting through the forest and the forest is deep, damp, and full of creepy animals. This gives readers a creepy feeling. This is because the main subject of the sentence is the dimness. Dimness means darkness, and dimness is doing the action, so this would make the sentence feel generally negative. Also, insects like spiders and other animals are normally taken as creepy creatures. These plants and animals probably wouldn’t be used to describe a place that is joyful.