My independent reading experience for my novel of choice was very surprising. I didn't expect to be very engaged with my novel. I expected to read what was required but instead I saw myself reading beyond the lines, and anticipating what was going to occur next. An example of this would be when the author says "The baby? she screamed, her fingers bitting into my arm. "Mom ,what baby? What are you talking about?"( De Rosnay 240). This was something Julia was keeping from Zoe because her and Bertrand were having conflicts on keeping the baby. In the end Julia decides that she will keep the baby whether he likes it or not. The book group allowed me to understand the book from a different perspective. It also allowed me to become a more active reader because I was able to be apart of a discussion within our group to fully comprehend the novel. Overall, I don't I was disappointed because I think the novel along with book group work well together, to make a strong impact on the theme of the novel. This overall experience showed to give reading a chance. In the future I do think I will continue to purse independent reading on my own, maybe even seek out book group as well. It taught me the value in reading and to take a look at it from a different perspective. Rather, then looking at reading as an obligation take it as a hobby in which I can take the time and enjoy what I am reading.
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This book gets a little tough to read at some points. It goes back and fourth between two different settings which gets quite confusing. It is very beneficial that I live with Christina and Grace because we all do our independent reading and then come together to discuss what we have just read. Independent reading allows for all of us to create our own opinions of the book and create different visuals. When we come together, we can share those opinions and visuals with one another to have a better overall understanding. One quote that resonated with me while I was reading was, "'Michael?' He seemed puzzled. 'My mother never had a brother called Michael. And I've never heard of the rue de Saintonge. You know, I don't think we're talking about the same person." This quote confused me a little at first because Michael was so confused about his mother. After discussing with my book group we talked about the situation and all had a better understanding. This independent reading assignment allowed me to understand the importance of reading individually. Although at times the novel gets confusing for me, it was nice to be able to read on my own and then discuss with my book group what we all just read. This helped me understand what I read and also allowed me to enjoy reading this novel more. I enjoyed meeting with my book group to discuss and help each other understand the novel. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel. I didn't expect my independent reading experience to be as successful as it is. I really took away the importance of it and I hope in the future I will be reading independently more. "A car accident. Richard and her were already living in Roxbury since the early sixties. Sarah's car skidded on black ice. Crashed into a tree. the roads very dangerous here in winter, you know. She killed instantly" (219). Reading this actually shocked me, I cannot believe Sarah died. I also feel bad for Julia because she waited all of this time to talk to Sarah and now she never can. I am very excited to see how this story is going to end, but I am also really worried that something bad is going to happen. I never can predict what is going to happen and every chapter brings something new. I love that about this novel and I am sad I am going to be finishing it soon. I hope I find another novel like this one that will really catch my attention. Reading Sarah’s Key independently has allowed me to take a certain amount of time each week to sit down and destress from the crazy world around us. This semester has been filled with man ups and downs from COVID-19 to the election and I can say this book has provided me with a sort of escape. Knowing that there will always be this time of peace and quiet has eased my mind even during the busiest of weeks. One of the quotes that really stuck with me throughout reading was on page 9 when Sarah says “I’ll come back for you later. I promise.” This short line did not seem like much but sets up the entire premise of what is to happen. With the course of the story taking many different directions this was always in the back of my mind that her brother would be okay and alive. When later in the story we find out that he has died when the door is open, I was shocked and devastated as a reader. This shock was certainly from this idea in my head that everything in books always works out in the end, but this changed that. Within my book group many of us shared the same reaction as we were in utter disbelief this happened. After discussing many of us thought that when she arrived, they would reunite and be able to escape this terrible world they were living in. However, all of us were wrong. The story is always keeping us on our toes, and I guess that is what is so interesting about it. Each page holds an unpredictable element that allows us to develop our thinking as to what just might happen next. Regarding the group aspect, I have really enjoyed being able to converse with the other members and hearing their thoughts. Everyone’s thought process is different, so it is interesting to hear others. It is also fun to be able to read and look forward to talking to people when many are stuck behind a computer screen with little social interaction. After this class I will continue to read for pleasure because I have incorporated it into my daily schedule to destress. Destressing is important, especially for me with me being super busy in everything that I do. However, the hardest part may be finding a book that I look forward to reading each day.
I personally really enjoyed having an assignment where we had to independently read. I feel that independent reading is something that gets forgotten about in our generation with technology being what revolves around our lives. As I live with both Justine and Christina, it helped me really understand the book we're reading. After all of us were done reading the pages we planed on reading, the three of us would discuss what we read and answer any questions we had on what we just read. This allowed me to have a different experience with independent reading and my perspective on reading in general. "No. No, no. This is crazy. My mother was French. She was called Dufaure. She was born in Orleans. She lost her parents during the war. She had no brothers. She had no family. She never lived in Paris, in that rue de Saintonge. This little Jewish girl cannot be her. You've got this all wrong." (pg. 239) This quote stuck out to me as I feel that it is crazy that Sarah had never told her son about her life. I can imagine that Sarah wanted to start a new life for herself and want to leave everything in the past, but I feel that her son deserves the truth about his mother's life. I was just shocked after reading about this and reading about Sarah's death. I feel bad for Julia as she was ready to finally talk to Sarah and then finds out that she unfortunately passed away. I am curious to see if Julia will finally be able to have a conversation with Sarah's son where she could explain to him the truth about his mother. Overall, I am excited to finish the book and see what the ending is. I have been really enjoying this novel so far. I have always enjoyed novels that take me through a roller coaster of emotions as I like novels that are unpredictable. I really feel for Sarah as this 10 year old girl is constantly being separated from her family and I just can't imagine how scared she would be. In addition, as Julias character continues to evolve, I really enjoy how involved she is with what she is writing about. "You're playing with Pandora's box. Sometimes, it's better not to open it. Sometimes, it's better not to know." (pg. 127) When I read this quote in this section in the book I was shocked as Julia and Sarah's characters begin to intertwine. I find it crazy to think that Julia's husbands family lived in Sarah's apartment after they were taken away and I am interested to read on to see what exactly happened to Sarah and if her husband has anything to do with Sarah's family. I am really not the biggest reader and usually look at reading as a chore or something that I have to do. I can definitely say that Sarah's Key is one of my favorite books that I've read and I am not even done reading it yet. I have found that I am so constantly interested and engaged while reading, which is something that I am really not used to. It is very rewarding to have found a great read that is not only entertaining me, but also giving me knowledge of past events in history. One quote that stuck with me while reading is, "He was dead, Micheal was dead. He was four years old, and he was dead, because of her. If she had not locked him up that day, he could have been here, right now, she could be bathing him now, this instant. She should have watched over him, she should have brought him here to safety. It was her fault. It was all her fault." This quote was very powerful to me while I was reading. If Sarah had not locked her brother in the cupboard, he could've still been alive with her.
With about half of the novel done, I have been through a roller coaster of emotions going back and forth from Sarah to Julia’s story. There has never been a dull moment so far with new and unexpected events that the writer perfectly implements at the right time. This book has been no Disney fairytale and based on what has occurred so far I feel as though there will be no happy ending. It has been interesting to see Sarah develop as a person with her facing numerous challenges along the way. If I were her age, I am not entirely sure if I would have the confidence and courage to do the things she has been doing. However, it seems that nothing can go right for her with all these terrible things. It is this sort of intrinsic motivation she must keep going no matter what happens. She has never stopped once, but I am worried that this might push her over the edge as she may put blame on herself. On the other side Julia has been facing this relationship conflict that has not allowed her to put all her efforts to the research. Putting the conflict to the side, Julia has been diving deeper and deeper into the history of the roundup. The more history that she unfolds the closer this past may be relevant to her personal life. It is interesting to see these two stories being unfolded and how they are slowly coming together at just about the same time. The writer has been able to keep me interested in the life of Sarah while at the same time causing me to wonder what Julia is going to unfold.With about half of the novel done, I have been through a roller coaster of emotions going back and forth from Sarah to Julia’s story. There has never been a dull moment so far with new and unexpected events that the writer perfectly implements at the right time. This book has been no Disney fairytale and based on what has occurred so far I feel as though there will be no happy ending. It has been interesting to see Sarah develop as a person with her facing numerous challenges along the way. If I were her age, I am not entirely sure if I would have the confidence and courage to do the things she has been doing. However, it seems that nothing can go right for her with all these terrible things. It is this sort of intrinsic motivation she must keep going no matter what happens. She has never stopped once, but I am worried that this might push her over the edge as she may put blame on herself. On the other side Julia has been facing this relationship conflict that has not allowed her to put all her efforts to the research. Putting the conflict to the side, Julia has been diving deeper and deeper into the history of the roundup. The more history that she unfolds the closer this past may be relevant to her personal life. It is interesting to see these two stories being unfolded and how they are slowly coming together at just about the same time. The writer has been able to keep me interested in the life of Sarah while at the same time causing me to wonder what Julia is going to unfold. So far with about half way done with the novel, I can personally say that it has not been like a typical read for me. I say this as an eager way to continue reading. I have defiantly enjoyed reading the novel and discovered how much I actually do like to read. Even, though it's clique to say this but I can concretely agree with this statement that says " Dont Judge a book by it's cover". Sarah's Key has had many heart wrenching moments that have taught me valuable lesson in life. This novel so far has showed me how cruel and unjust people were towards the Jew's during this time. It taught me to value the life I have today, that I can say is a luxury compared to what the Jewish had to endure. One line stuck out to me that says "The Germans had come to get Rachel and her. She felt her bladder loosen"( De Rosnay 129). This quote resonated with me because these young girls lived a life of fear, in which they got their childhood cut short. Another important aspect that I picked from this line was how Sarah was so terrified that she urinated on herself. As I continue to finish this novel, I know that it will continue to surprise me and spark my interest to pursue reading. So far while I have been reading this book I have come across a few issues. I easily get confused while reading because each chapter is a different story line and as it continues to go back and forth between the stories I notice myself forgetting what just happened. I overcame this by constantly stopping in between each chapter to discuss with myself what just happened. Overall though, I really enjoy this book because of how much is going on and how I am constantly on my toes. Everything that occurs is different than what I expect to be which makes me want to keep reading to figure out what will happen. This story being so unpredictable makes it way more fun to read because I never know what to expect. "But I still wonder how my husband's family could live there after the Starzysnkis' arrest. I can't understand that" (126). This quote is an example of how the stories are starting to connect. Something like this confuses me and take me a minute to realize what just happened. Julia's husbands family moved into Sarah's apartment after they got arrested which made Julia upset. Julia is a hardworking mother and journalist. She is very committed. to her job, and she is always ready for a challenge. In the reading it says " No I didn't know, and I wasn't told about it at school back in Boston in the seventies. But now I a lot more. And what I have found overwhelmed me"( de Rosnay 43). This quote directly characterizes Julia because the author explains to us the emotions she is feeling as she takes on such a heavy felt topic to write about in this case the round up that occurred in France with German orders. Another important person is Julia's husband Bertrand, they met in France and have a daughter together. It is important to look at how Bertrand affects Julia and her actions. The novel states " Julia, do you put up with Bertrand because you're afraid of losing him?"( de Rosnay 52). During this conversation with Julia's friend questions her relationship with Bertrand. This quote indirect characterizes Julia because it shows how her friends are aware of her actions and the relationship that is between her and Bertrand. After reading the novel, I have started to develop some characterization on one of the protagonists, Julia Jarmond. Julia is a forty-five year old American woman who lives in Paris with her husband, Bertrand, and their daughter Zoë. Julia grew up in America, but moved to Paris to work as a journalist. Although Julia had been living in Paris for the past twenty-five years of her life, it seems as though there is still sort of a disconnect between her and France. Her husband said, "Oh, yes indeed, we know what Miss Jarmond thinks of our schools, our hospitals, our endless strikes, our long vacations, our plumbing systems, our postal service, our TV, our politics, our dogshit on the sidewalks." It seems like her husband is sort of mocking Julia and her view of the French society. There are two main characters in Sarah’s Key are Julia Jarmond and Sarah Starzynski. Sarah is first introduced to the reader in a series of events that are heart wrenching. When the police are about to take the entire family Sarah quickly thinks and locks her brother away, out of sight of the police. With the key in her pocket she is constantly thinking of what she is going to do with it and how she will manage to let him out. “The girl was thinking fast, how could she get the key to her father? Where could she leave it? With the concierge? Would she be awake at this hour?” Sarah was not thinking one step ahead, but multiple and this can allow the reader to view Sarah as an intelligent and bright young girl. This is sort of an indirect characterization the reader can develop in their head. While locking up her brother Sarah is proud of herself as it says “The little brother was safe in their secret cupboard, she whispered, proud of herself. He’d be safe there.” Here she is feeling accomplished and the reader can directly characterize her as independent and competent to complete things on her own. After reading what I have read so far I found a lot of evidence to show Sarah's character. With what happened so far in the novel it is evident that sarah is smart and caring. "Where was her brother? She showed him the key. The little brother was safe in their secret cupboard, she whispered, proud of herself. He'd be safe there" (23). This quote shows how she believes she saved her brother and kept him safe the best way she knew how. She tried very hard to be a good sister and care for her brother in this rough time. Even though it wasn't right she believed she did the smartest thing she knew to do. "Papa, she said, how long are we going to stay here? I don't know my sweet. Why are we here?" (25). This characterizes Sarah indirectly. She is clearly confused as to what was going on and what would happen to her family. This emphasizes her innocence and shows how young she really is. Her not understanding allows readers to see how traumatizing this experience was because to affected children as well. Both quotes are examples of direct and indirect characterization of Sarah. Directly characterizing Sarah she is a young girl, who is brave, smart, strong and caring. "But she had seen. She knew what it was. A young woman, her mother's age, and a small child. The woman had jumped, her child held close, from the highest railing....The girl bent her head and cried." (pg. 33) This quote characterizes Sarah as she had just witnessed people jump and die, her eyes are scarred and all she can do is cry. She's crying because she is scared, she is crying because she just witnessed a mother and child die, she is crying because she wants this to end, and she is crying because she doesn't understand. Sarah is so brave for seeing things that no-one should ever see but finding a way to keep moving forward. "Unfair. So unfair. Why? Why them? Why all this? It suddenly seemed that nobody could possibly explain it to her." (pg. 25) This quote characterizes Sarah indirectly as Sarah is confused and conveys how this is unfair, which it is. Sarah is a young girl and should be able to live a normal childhood, not having to wakeup to a nightmare everyday. No matter what anyone says to her won't make sense as any explanation wouldn't allow her to understand why. At the beginning of Sarah’s Key we notice that the novel takes place in two different settings. We are first introduced in Paris, France in 1942 at the Starzynski apartment. The Vel d'Hiv roundup has just started to occur as the police arrive and are trying to take the family. “Was that why they were here, had the police come to take Papa to the places he had mentioned during those hushed midnight talks: the “camps,” far away, out of the city?” Sarah and her family are filled with uncertainty and terror as they have no idea where the police might take them. The story than switches to a more modern era of 2002 in which the writer, Julia Jarmond, is in Paris, France. She is interested in learning more about this point in history and it will be interesting to see how these two different time periods influence the story. The setting of Sarah's key is in Paris in 1942. Chapter one begins with Sarah and her family in her apartment in Paris. Sarah's family is very cautious as they are Jewish and the German's are now arresting jewish men. Sarah's father has been hiding in their cellar. The French police showed up at their door and asked if Sarah and her mother could go with them. This leads me to believe that the setting will definitely change in Sarah's story in the coming chapters. "Had the police found Papa in the cellar, she asked herself. Was that why they were here, had the police come to take Papa to the places he had mentioned during those hushed midnight talks..." (pg. 2) The story takes place in her family apartment in Paris, France in the year 1942. During this time there were many Germans trying to find Jewish people like Sarah's family to take. The French Police knocked on their apartment door asking for Sarah and her mother to go with them. "You heard me. You are coming with us. Your daughter too. Just do as you are told." (pg. 3) This quote shows how the setting greatly impacts the story and what occurred. The setting will probably change throughout the story because as shown in the quote the family is being taken from their apartment. Sarah’s Key begins its reading with introducing to two distinct stories and two different time periods. First, we are placed in Paris of July 1942 where it speaks about a young Jewish and her mother opening up the doors to French policeman. The young girl at the time is still un named. The mother and daughter are asked to gather their things for a few days and leave with them. The young girl and her mother don’t know where there are being taking them but without the policeman knowing they leave behind the woman’s husband and son. The author writes “But where are you taking us? Pleaded the mother. “My daughter is French, she was in Paris, why do you want her too? Where are you taking us?” (DeRosnay 7). Another scene we are placed is in Paris, May of 2002 in this setting we are introduced to Julia and her daughter Zoe who originally are from Boston Mass “ Although I had been living in Paris for twenty-five years, been married to their son for fifteen, and produced their first grandchild, Zoe”( DeRosnay21).Julia is currently working as a journalist in France. Sarah's Key is composed of two different settings throughout the novel. It begins in Paris in 1942 where a young girl named Sarah is living with her family in a small apartment. "The men banged again. The mother opened the door with clumsy, trembling fingers. The girl winced, expecting to see green-gray suits.(p.2) The girl and her family are living during the Vel d'Hiv. This is going to play into the setting a lot. The next chapter beings in the perspective of Julia Jarmond, a middle-aged writer living in Paris in 2002. These two different settings are placed at very different times of history, but I believe that these stories will somehow overlap and come together at some point. |
Authors:- Julianna Archives
November 2020
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