This next portion of the book Naked was very interesting. We still see the same old David, cocky and ignorant, but, as we see him age, he gains some perspective and starts to recognize his loneliness. “At some point we all go beck to our family. Once we get hit one too many times” (198). Being the reader, one has to feel his growing but still we see his jerkiness. He says, “When I wake up I look great. As always” (213). He just can’t seem to stop loving himself wore than anyone else. He constantly puts down anyone even remotely different than his norm. Mr. Sedaris, while riding the bus, refers to a woman as “a poor hillbilly” (173). However much his rudeness bothers the reader there is always an undercurrent of joking. David, being much older when he wrote this, reflects on his inability to learn about others. The majority of this reading took place with a group of his new Christian friends as he is, apparently sticking with that phase of his life. He recognizes his change, “I was a Christian now, a Christian” (194). At the end of the reading though, he does end up back with his family and even says he loves them.
Themes in the book are still the same. The strongest two themes being cats represent the disappointment in his life and women are a mystery. His topic about women for the most part revolves around his mother and sisters and him being the only boy. It is a bit like he was left out of a society all around him and banned from their secrets. When his mother develops lung cancer and he is worried about her, she simply shrugs it off. She says, “…and it will happen to you someday. It will be my time soon and I accept that” (238). He is shocked that his mom would let go like that and even more surprised that she can accept dying, which, to him, is not acceptable. His mom was so calm and happy in her last months and he could not understand her attitude. The cat theme about disappointment reappears in this section when he is on a bus, which happens to be a theme in itself as busses in the story and adventures. They are at a stop and when he gets off he sees a cat. “It was beautiful and black as night… I bent to help it but it hissed and ran away” (219). No matter how much he cares for something and wants to help it, he is never rewarded for his trying with love in return.
1 comment:
I really liked how you used you're quotes to express the almost erratic mindset of the character David. It really helps to prove your point that he cannot stick to one phase or idea in his life. I would like to hear more about how the author of this book uses cats to describe the disappointment in the characters life, as they often are symbols of companionship for lonely people.
Post a Comment