While reading All Souls chapters 7-9 there are numerous observations MacDonald makes about places and people in Southie. Choose one excerpt where MacDonald gives an observation, write down the page number in your post, and explain why it is important to a theme in the book. You must state which theme you are writing about.
Please respond to at least 2 classmates posts. Your post must be completed by Sunday night and your responses by classtime Tuesday.
One scene in the book when MacDonald makes observations about people and places is on page 163 when he begins to describe one of Kathy's friends Karen. HE describes her as a one of the popular neighbors in Old Colony. He says "...some of the younger kids bragged that they knew her whenever they saw her going off to work in her nurse's uniform". This excerpt is important to a theme of loyalty. It is important to this theme because even though she is a coke head and is a nurse, she still found time to visit Kathy in the Hospital.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that loyalty is a big theme in this book and I liked how you found away to connect their friends into it. It isn't just the MacDonald family that is loyal to each other it is all their friends as well
DeleteI agree also loyalty is everything for Southie people no one would ever rat each other out and they all have each others back no matter what so loyalty is a great theme.
DeleteOne theme of the story that stuck out to me was death in these chapters. It throughout the whole book and keeps coming back in the family. The biggest one that stuck out to me was when frank died. When the author was talking about the line went out the door for the wake it really hit me. (186) He was a role model to the people of Southie and wanted to be respected. One part where one of his friends started to smoke in front of people and Frankie hit it out of his hand saying not to do that. It broke my heart when I found out that he was into cocaine and part of the robbery. From the way the author described it I thought he was completely clean when he started boxing. Then there were other deaths like Kathy, even though she didn’t die from the coma I think a part of her did. The theme of death comes back more and more, seeming to affect everyone in Southie.
ReplyDeleteI like the scene you chose to talk about. I feel that the deaths of all the people in southie are affecting everyone in the neighborhood differently depending who it was who died, and in Kathys case she didnt die but i agree with you that a part of her did die while she was in the coma
DeleteI was also very shocked to find out about Frankie's death and how he was involved in the robbery. He seemed like he was going to be the one who made it out of Southie and helped the rest of the family. He was going to have such a good future and I was very surprised to find out about this
DeleteIt was weird to find all that out. Although they don't really talk about what he did in the Marines we know that training is tough. With that being said he should have been able to survive. Also I thought having been in the Marines would have led him to make smarter decisions. I say smarter decisions because he wanted to help his family and he went the wrong way about doing it. His death is at the top for one of the worst so far because while in the process of indirectly helping his family he died.
DeleteDeath is always hard to deal with. I feel the same as you when it came to reading this part. these are definitely important scenes and are sadly consistent throughout the book.
DeleteI also chose this part in the book. I was very surprised with Frankie's death in the book.
DeleteThere were many scenes in chapters 7 through 9 where MacDonald made observations about people. One scene that stood out most to me was right at the beginning of chapter 7 on page 156. The family was in there house when they heard two sharp noises. The noise had come from a gun. Ma had been shot. Most people would take being shot by a bullet very seriously but Ma didn't. MacDonald says that Ma was only slightly bothered as if she had been hit by a rock instead of a bullet. She then grabbed toilet paper and put it over the wound and when straight to make sure seamus and Stevie were okay. i think this is an important scene in the book because it once again reassures us of how strong Ma is. She takes a second to help herself but goes right back to making sure her kids are safe. This one theme we have been seeing over and over again in the book is violence. This scene just shows how violent the area that they live in is, because people don't expect to get shot in their own home.
ReplyDeleteI think this scene really shows how strong Ma is. Even though she just got shot, she isn't worried about herself and she just wants to make sure the kids are okay. It shows how she always puts her kids before herself even if it might not seem like it to other people. I think this was a good scene to talk about
DeleteI think that this was a good scene as well. It shows how strong Ma is and along with the theme of violence we see the theme of family and how strong Ma is to protect her family.
DeleteI chose the same scene as you because it shows how tough Ma is for her children at very important moments. She sets examples for her kids and they really look up to her.
DeleteVery good point! It also shows the family bond and how Michael views his mother. In his head, that is what he saw or wanted to see which comforted him in this situation
DeleteI also thought that the scene where Ma gets shot was a very important scene in Chapters 7-9 that shows both Ma's strength as well as the prevalence of violence in Southie.
DeleteOne scene in the book where MacDonald make observations about a scene was on pages 212-213 where he describes the kids in the neighborhood chasing after a racoon. He describes the kids as a "pack", as if they are wild animals hunting the racoon. He is very descriptive as the scene unfolds. he called the kids sticks and bats "weapons raised for battle" and explained how more kids kept joining in when they saw what was going on. After K.J got chased out of the shower by the racoon and kids, Michael described the crowd as "laughing and chanting in Southie untiy, chasing the racoon out of old Colony Project for good. I think this description ties into the theme of pride. Even though Michael has just experienced so much tragedy due to the crime in Southie, he still feels for a moment that it is "the greatest place to grow up" he said that he couldn't control the feelings of joy he got from scenes like that/ it. It shows how powerful his and everyone in Southies pride is.
ReplyDeleteI like that you brought up this scene and the observations that are being made here because I agree that it shows how strong the pride and loyalty is in Southie.
Deletegreat scene showing the unity and pride of southie, a great underlying theme throughout the book.
DeleteThis is a great scene that shows pride but also in a way of loyalty. Michael Macdonald said that use to be him when he was younger until he grew up and had to worry about following the rules of southie and staying loyal
DeleteThroughout the numerous observations that MacDonald makes within the chapters of 7-9 about places and people of Southie, there was one that stood out the most. This scene took place in Chapter 8 on page 184. Frankie has a new flashy car and he loves to drive Ma around to show it off and one day he mentions to her how he wants to give more for her and the kids. He talks about giving her a real house with a yard and taking the kids to Disney land. I thought that this scene was important because it shows the theme of how family is so important in this story. We also find out later that Frankie dies while working with Whitey and it shows how low he would go to try and do right for his Ma and family.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a great scene to portray for family. I also think he was doing this to show his appreciation for his mom. I think in part it was his way of repaying her for everything that she did for him, his brothers, and sisters. He was willing and crossed a line for his family.
DeleteI agree with you that it shows the theme of family because Frankie wanted to do so much for Ma. It is so sad that Frankie died but he went that low for Ma.
DeleteI agree with one of the themes being family throughout these chapters. Another good scene that shows that family is a theme is when Kathy was in the hospital and a lot of Southie came to visit as if they were one big family.
DeleteI agree with you also and thought your quote was an important section of the reading.
DeleteI agree with you also and thought your quote was an important section of the reading.
DeleteThis scene showed how much family is important to all of them. Frankie wanted so badly to show Ma that he can take care of them and be that man figure within the family. Making and keeping his mother happy is what makes him happy
DeleteI agree on this with you. I thought the quote you picked was a powerful one.
DeleteThroughout the book we see the themes of family and loyalty expressed numerous times. Particularly on page 143 we see Frankie getting arrested for the gun and drugs that were placed in his room by Kevin. Frankie knows that one of his family members had put both items in there. Instead of resisting arrest he goes with the undercover cops quietly. As the readers we know the items don't belong to Frankie and that Kevin had put them both there. Even Michael and he shows his loyalty to Frankie by respecting his decision when he could have said or done something about it. To avoid jail time Frankie takes a deal to join the marines. He comes home after 3 months and not a word is said about what happened with the cops that night.He doesn't even say anything to Kevin. This shows the loyalty and love that Frankie has for his family.
ReplyDeleteI think you did a good job talking about overall themes and describing his loyalty to Frankie.
DeleteI also felt that loyalty and love were huge reoccurring themes throughout these few chapters.
DeleteThat was one of the themes i thought about with Frankie too, I also thought of death as the other one.
DeleteThe scene that stood out to me the most was when Ma got shot around page 156 in chapter seven. Being shot is definitely not something that happens everyday but it seemed as though Ma was coping with it well as all she did was grab some towels and tend to her kids to see if they were alright. I mean 99% of people would be freaking out if they were shot but Ma remained calm which i believe compliments her reputation for being a strong woman. Obviously this scene falls underneath the theme of violence that has been so persistent throughout the book.
ReplyDeleteI almost wrote about this scene. I think that it covers both violence and possibly even the role of Ma being the protector. She doesn't want her children to see her suffer, so she stays strong for them, ignores the wound, and goes out that same night to earn money for her family. And I agree with you when you said pretty much anyone would be freaking out if they had been shot. I know I would.
DeleteI liked this part, too. It showed that even though Ma got shot she was worried about her children instead of tending to her own wound. She wanted to protect her children.
DeleteThis part made me look at Ma as being that dominant figure that she seems to be throughout the book being able to get through anything that comes her way. This definitely fits the violence theme as the neighborhood seems to be getting more and more violent.
DeleteViolence is definitely one of the main themes throughout the book. Also, it's amazing how resilient Ma is, even after getting shot in her own home
DeleteMacDonald makes plenty of observations about places and people in Southie. One theme that i see over and over is Ma being tough. In chapter seven on page 156. " When i looked up to find Ma, she was crouching in a corner of the kitchen, holding onto her side. She just said " i got hit." and looked slightly bothered, like she'd been hit with a rock, not a bullet." This is important to the theme of the book because it shows how tough Ma is, she knows if she has her kids worried by not acting tough then they wont be tough. So being tough is they way in southie so she acted tough when she got shot so her kids would be tough at the moment . Everything Ma does is for her kids.
ReplyDeleteIt shows how brave their mother is and how much she is a protector for her children.
DeleteI wrote about this exact same thing and I comepletely agree with what you said. Ma does do everything for her kids, it shows that she is a good mom.
DeleteThe scene that stood out to me the most was page 186-187 when Frankie died and his grandpa went up to Frankies body and everyone silent. Grandpa said," That's an awful fuckn' shame? A handsome man like that being buried in an old bathrobe." I feel like the theme is death and death keeps occurring even if its the Macdonald family or not. There is always a ton of death that is caused by violence too.
ReplyDeleteThis scene, and these chapters in general, were really difficult to read because of all of the death. I don't know about you, but I was just waiting for the next time someone else was going to die, because it seemed pretty obvious that someone was going to die soon. One after another, the kids died from one thing or another, and it was a shock even though it was anticipated and expected.
DeleteI also chose this scene. Frankie's death was a huge shock in the book.
DeleteOverall i agree with death being the theme of this book. Everyone that we have met in this book basically got killed.
DeleteAngela, I agree with that completely. Death keeps occurring to the MacDonald family and everyone they are surrounded with are affected by it.
DeleteOne scene that portrayed the theme of violence/danger is on page 160 when Michael was describing how he felt when he returned home at night. He says "Whenever I came home late, I was scared to walk into our pitch-black hallway with all the broken lights. I might turn the corner and...someone being chased might mistake me for a cop and shoot me," This description is important to this theme because it shows that a violent act can happen at any time, and that danger was always present. No one should be this scared to walk into their own house at night, but in his neighborhood, there is always danger and the possibility of a random act of violence.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I felt that in this scene I could see myself there
DeleteThis definitely an important passage from the book as the author describes the scene in a very detailed way. I could easily relate with that scene or for others that have never been in that situation could easily picture this scene.
DeleteDefinitely a good example of the danger of living in Southie.
DeleteThis is a great description describing the theme of violence. Michael is scared to even go through his front porch at night because of all of the violence.
DeleteOut of all the observations Macdonald makes in Chapters 7-9, the scene that stood out to me the most would be Frankie's death on page 186. At the very top of the page, he explains how out of all of Southie's wakes, this was the most people to show up to pay their respects to someone. Also, the part when Macdonald explains how Ma saw Frankie in the casket "with his huge boxing fists folded and wrapped in Rosary beads." One of the recurring themes in this book would be death. With Macdonald's family, as well as others, there have just been too many deaths.
ReplyDeleteThat was defiantly one of the saddest descriptions in the three chapters
DeleteThat was a very sad description in the chapters. I do agree with you that death is a recurring theme in the book.
DeleteI also agree that death was one of the key themes in the book and this was probably the saddest death in my eyes because he was actually making something of himself.
DeleteOne excerpt when Michael MacDonald gives his readers an observation is when Kathy was still in her coma. On pages 169 and 170 MacDonald tells us that he started to get to know Kathy more and more while she was in her coma. He explains to us he went through Kathy’s bedroom to snoop on her. He figured she would have drugs all through her room but instead he found out all the things Kathy felt about herself. He found photos and letters Kathy saved. He also found poems and letters she wrote on how worried she was for her girlfriends and how much she loved Southie. I thought this was very important in the book because Michael got to know Kathy more. He figured she would only be interested in drugs and other illegal things, but he found out Kathy was a poet who loved to write. He also found out that she was a caring and loving person who cherished her friends and family and loved where she came from. I think the theme that stood out in this excerpt was “family”. After Michael went through Kathy’s room and found more about her it help them bond together and they became closer as siblings. Family is a very important theme in the book as the whole MacDonald family sticks together as whole and will do whatever to protect one another. “Mess with one, mess with them all” is the family motto and believe they will never give up on one another.
ReplyDeleteI agree even though that was his sister he knew very little about her. It kind of opened his eyes a little and showed him that there is more than meets the eye.
DeleteI agree that this scene stuck out, it is very sentimental and shows that the people of Southie are not all exactly how they seem, and the toughness they present as a front is very important.
DeleteOne theme that I thought was prominent throughout these chapters and the book as a whole was the theme of death. When Michael says, "Whenever I came home late, I was scared to walk into our pitch-black hallway with all the broken lights. I might turn the corner and...someone being chased might mistake me for a cop and shoot me," (page 160) this really stood out to me because it shows the fear of death that he faces in everyday life. I think this is an important all around theme because not only does his family experience it but everyone in the community.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree i love that decription
DeleteI agree that death is a common thing in the book. I also noticed that death occurs a lot.
DeleteI thought the best description Macdonald gave was at the beginning of chapter 7 when he gives the description of his mom getting shot by that stray bullet. He talks about how every on reacted to the experience by diving on the ground, and how he looked over and saw his mom crouched dover in the corner holding her side, saying she had been hit. Surprisingly though he says she only looked slightly bothered like she had been hit by a rock. I thought it was incredible how he said that even though his mom got shot she coordinated him to get toilet paper to dress her wound. This in chapter 7 page 156/157
ReplyDeleteI agree and it is also crazy that people really didn't care about Ma getting shot they all wanted to watch the TV show that was about to start
DeleteI liked that part of the story also. it was crazy that people really don't care about Ma.
DeleteOne scene in the story Macdonald gave an observation was when he talks about getting home late and describing the dark hallway he has to go through. It kind of of when you are scared of going to your own house and what might happen to you. He also talks about the scenario that he imagines in his head of what could happen to him and it always had a tragic ending. The observation is and page 160 and the theme would be violence because he has heard so many stories of violence he thinks that all those things might happen to him. It is kind of sad to be at an young and be scared be shot or beat up everywhere you go.
ReplyDeleteThe observation about getting home late and describing the dark hallway, I could definitely relate of how you get home late and have to walk through a dark house and it kind of scares you until you turn on the lights.
DeleteOne thing that Macdonald made observations of in chapters 7-9 was the death that occurred while Kathy was in her coma in Chapter 7. In this chapter a lot of people who had some type of connection with Kathy died. Tim Baldwin was some who visited Kathy a lot while she in hospital was shot twic in the head. Julie also visited Kathy and she drowned at the beach. Those were just two of many who people died. It seemed like everyone who visited Kathy was bound to be killed.
ReplyDeleteShows the theme of violence.
DeleteDuring this part of the book, It was real crazy to me how everyone was passing away after visiting Kathy, So yes this was an important scene throughout the book.
DeleteOne scene that represented the theme of drugs is on page 162 when after Kathy falls off the roof and is in critical condition, the Doctors had said Kathy's system was loaded with Valium, speed and cocaine. Some say Richard Amoroso pushed Kathy off the roof because she accused him of stealing her Vals, some don't believe it. Many of Kathy's friends, like Frankie McGirk, that visited had died later on in life due to drugs. This observation shows that drugs are a problem in Southie and leads to many deaths and prison.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with this observation. From this situation alone it goes to prove how drugs are a major problem. It shows how drugs leads to not only deaths, but plenty of crimes throughout Old Colony.
DeleteGood observation Shamila, the use and trafficking of drugs play a major role. I totally agreed with your statement.
DeleteYes I agree. It is also right in his family so the thought of 'it's other people's problem, not ours' is thrown out the window and they have to deal with it first hand
DeleteOne description that represented the theme of family / protection was between the pages of 173 - 175 when MacDonald is describing his brother Frankie. MacDonald describes him as one of the few young people in the neighborhood who wasn't dragged down by drugs or crime. Instead he stayed focused on his boxing career, which was apparently one of the only things that brought good news to the streets of Old Colony. Frankie was becoming a neighborhood hero in Old Colony as well as Southie. Throughout the pages MacDonald continues to say how Frankie has won plenty of championships, tournaments and Junior Olympics based on his accomplishments. He was viewed by many as a mentor, a hero, as a role model. What really caught my attention was the quote on page 175, "In Southie having the gangsters in your corner, in the ring or on the streets meant you had the ultimate protection and power." Due to the fact that Frankie was always in the ring, because of his career, this observation showed how Frankie and his career alone represented the themes of family, protection and power. It showed how Frankie is the family man that is providing the protection and power the MacDonalds need.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you observed his brother and stated how the theme family related to that. I definitely agree with your statement as to how Frankie didn't let the neighborhood drag him down into doing drugs or being involved in crime.
DeleteIn chapters 7-9 of All Souls MacDonald makes many observations. The observation that I observed the most was in chapter 7 page 156 when Ma got shot in the armpit. MacDonald states" When I looked up to find Ma, she was crouching in a corner of the kitchen, holding onto her side. She just said " I got hit." and looked slightly bothered, like she'd been hit with a rock, not a bullet." She then sticks toilet paper in her wound and crawls over to check on the two boys to see if there alright. The theme that was acted out in this observation was toughness. Ma showed that being tough would make her kids tough and they wouldn't have to worry. Toughness was also a huge emotion that is shown throughout the people of Southie.
ReplyDeleteThe scene I choose to write about is the sceen where Ma got shot. this scene took place on pages 156 and 157. Ma has to watch out for her family and be strong and tough, show no fear. Michael looked up and saw that Ma got shot and all she said was "I got hit." She said it calmly and had a slightly bothered look on her face. She put on a front so that her children wouldn't be so frighten that she was shot and of the shooting itself. The theme that is being shown in this scene would be tough. Ma really shows that theme really well. This theme is shown in the book a lot and Ma is usally the one who is showing it.
ReplyDeleteOne observation that stuck out to me the most in these chapters is mostly on page 186, after Frankie dies. It describes his wake, and how people were lining up at the door to attend it. In my head after this observation it gave me a picture of what the wake looked like with all these people there. After knowing many people attended his wake I realized how much Frankie was liked and respected.
ReplyDeleteI got a good visual of the wake as well!
DeleteI liked how you were able to came to that realization by the description of the wake.
DeleteWhile reading through chapters 7-9 of All Souls, MacDonald makes many observations. One observation that stood out to me was at the bottom of page 186 and the top of page 187, the description of Frankie's wake. Although an obvious theme of this scene is death, I felt that this showed the theme of strength as well. Frankie's death was so unexpected and like they do with all the losses they had been faced with, they use the strength of love and family to keep them going and not allowing the struggles to make them shut down. they dressed Frankie in a purple robe that they felt made him look like royalty, grandpa even making a statement that made the family laugh. They allowed this tragedy to strengthen them as a family.
ReplyDeleteI agree that deaths was a huge theme throughout the book and this particular observation also stood out for me.
DeleteI wrote about this too, I agree with you that death is the whole theme throughout the book but it makes the family stronger.
DeleteA scene in All Souls that really stuck out to me was the scene where Ma got shot. The way she dealt with getting shot in order to assure Michael it was okay was very brave of her, and it gives the theme of toughness, which is shown throughout not only this scene but the entire book itself. Ma always looks out for her children and tries to protect them from anything that comes their way, even by playing off getting shot like it was nothing, was protecting her children from seeing her in pain. Not only the theme of toughness, but protection, and death are shown as well.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what your saying, because i believe that scene really made the reader understand how tough Ma is.
DeleteI agree with what your saying, because i believe that scene really made the reader understand how tough Ma is.
DeleteWhile reading this chapters, Michael MacDonald stated the theme was violence clearly when he said that his mother got shot but she reacted like it was an ordinary event. " She just said, "I got hit," and looked slightly bothered, like she'd been hit with a rock, not a bullet." This passage was extracted from chapter 7, page 156. This passage is extremely importance, since it demonstrates the level of violence at that time. Ma was hit inside of her own house, but she was so used to it that she confronted the event in a oblivious way.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the scene you chose, I chose it as well. It shows that violence is a major theme in the book and it keeps occurring.
DeleteThe scene that stuck out to me the most after reading chapters 7-9 would have to be on page 161 when he finds out his sister Kathy fallen off the roof, " I didn't know Kathy was lying in a pool of blood down the street. 'She crashed onto her head,' a woman's voice outside echoed right through me. There was no way I was going to believe this. This couldn't happen twice." This particular scene ties in with the theme of Death that lingers throughout the whole book. Though we don't know at this certain point if Kathy had died or not it's the first thing the reader thinks of. The family was about to go through another death. As we continue to read on we realize that she has not died but the theme of death drags on through out the chapters as he goes into detail of the deaths of a lot of Kathy's friends and friends of the family. The family seems to never escape death. follows them no matter what. Death is a strong theme throughout the book.
ReplyDeleteIn All Souls chapters 7-9, MacDonald describes many major observations, but the scene I thought was most crucial would be when Ma gets shot on pages 156-157. MacDonald goes into depth about how she got hit, and seemed more like she got hit with a rock than a bullet, and how her white shirt got redder by the second from her "skin ripped off under her armpit". Ma really shows the kind of mother she is, after getting shot and bleeding out she worries more about the safety of her children. The theme of this could be Protection and Toughness.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think this was important to and also relates back to the theme of Family and Loyalty because you can tell she really cares about the sake of her kids.
DeleteThroughout chapters 7-9, MacDonald makes a lot of observations. One observation that stuck out the most to me was in the beginning of chapter seven, on page 156, "We heard two sharp noises and Joe screamed for everyone to duck. I saw the two bullet holes in the living room window as I hit the floor. When I looked up to find Ma, she was crouching in a corner of the kitchen, holding onto her side". I think this scene shows the importance of the theme violence that shows up a lot in the book. Even as they were in the safety of their home, one of them was hurt by another person from outside.
ReplyDeleteThe description that I picked is on page 198, and it is when Michael talks about forgetting about Kevin and everything that they use to do together. He also says, “I remember wondering without feeling how many times tragedy could pound Ma’s already shattered heart.” The theme that this description has to do with is family. It shows how important family is to Michael and his family through the pain that he goes through after the deaths of his brothers. He has a sleepless night and also wonders how his mother could take all this pain, really showing his emotions for the family.
ReplyDeleteThere were a lot of deaths in this book, but I felt like Kevin's death was very important to the theme of crime. His death may have came as a shock to some. He was found hanging from a bed sheet from the prison bathroom. People questioned whether he was murdered, or if he actually hung himself. It was hard to believe that Kevin would commit suicide because of all the letters that he had written about him being emotionally stable again. Also, police found it very strange that a friend of Whitey Bulger, who was the last to visit him, visited him so late at night.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read about Kevin's death I also pointed out how important it was. I was upset about how he hung himself and it just goes to show the reader how tough times were.
DeleteOne scene that was really touching me was chapter 7 page 156, when the shots were going off and Ma had gotten hit. Even though she was shot she wasnt like acting out or didnt even care enough to go to the hospital. I think this is where the theme of loyalty and family comes in because Ma doesnt leave the kids behind for anything. You can tell from this scene that Ma really cares for her kids, by checking on them after she had been hurt.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your theme in this. I also was thinking about how loyal they are to their family and no matter what Ma sticks by them.
Deleteposted on behalf of zhenya
ReplyDelete"In Southie having the gangsters in your corner, in the ring or on the
streets, meant that you had the ultimate protection and power. Grandpa
didn't believe that, though. He had warnings for all of us, from his
own days as a longshoreman on the Southie docks, where he said he'd
worked alongside some men who ended up in the Brinks robbery of 1950,
"the big one." Grandpa always told us how the rule on the docks was to
keep your mouth shut about the rackets you saw. He said many a time
the longshoremen were lined up by the cops and asked to step forward
and speak about crimes. That's how a waitress from the local diner got
killed, after she stepped forward among the silent longshoremen. She
was found murdered the next day, her blood scrawled into the letters
SNITCH all over her cold-water flat."
This excerpt is important because it really defines the theme of
protection. This theme has come up numerous times throughout the
story, and this paragraph is the perfect epitome of the meaning of the
term. When it says, "He said many a time the longshoremen were lined
up by the cops and asked to step forward and speak about crimes." This
defines the good part of protection where everyone is silent and do
not tell on one another. However, there is another bad part to the
word and it is defined when the author talks about the waitress
getting killed because she told on her gang members about the robbery.
The book says that the next day the woman was murdered. The gang
members protected the other members by killing her to show that the
same will be done to anyone else who betrays the gang. Even though
they were still protecting one another, an innocint human being died.
This excerpt is important because it demonstrates that even within the
closest communities the promise of protection is broken due to
betrayal.
"Frankie had gotten a flashy new Lincoln Continental, the size of a boat, from working in the Carpenters Union, working nights at the Rat, and saving his money. "But Frankie wanted to give more to Ma- and Seamus and Stevie, who loved sleeping over his apartment and bragging to friends the next day.." Page 184.
ReplyDeleteI believe that this observation shows a lot about the kind of person Frankie is. In the first quote that discusses him buying a car and saving money you can tell that he looks up to him for being independent. I found it touching in the following paragraph when it discusses all of the things that Frankie wanted to do for his Ma. Another observation when Seamus and Stevie slept at Frankie's apartment and showed off to their friends shows that they appreciate the little things and they enjoy family time.
I also found this part touching and I admire how much Frankie did in order to better himself and to be one of the lucky few to "get outta southie".
DeleteShe was found murdered the next day, her blood scrawled into the letters SNITCH all over her cold -water flat.
ReplyDeleteMacdonald, Michael Patrick (2010-07-28). All Souls: A Family Story from Southie (p. 175). Beacon Press. Kindle Edition. (Kindle location 2840)
I am speaking about is the "no one's a snitch in Southie" theme portrayed in this book. This is after his grandfather was explaining to Michael how a local waitress was killed because she spoke to the police after many others stood without expression. This is very important to the book because it is highlighted many times in the previous chapters discussed in class. This also shows the loyalty the people have to one another living in south Boston.
I chose an excerpt in chapter seven, and on the IPhone version of All souls it is on page 415. The scene is when Michael is listing off the people that visit Kathy in the hospital. He describes Timmy Baldwin and he recalls a time where Timmy says to a group of kids beatin on Michael. He says " Do you know who this is? He's a Macdonald!..... I knew the Timmy who was loyal and watching our backs." This scene shows the loyalty that the people of Southie have for each other and how ready they are to protect one another.
ReplyDeleteOne observation that MacDonald made during Chapters 7-9 is on page 156 when he observed how strong Ma is when she got shot and acted like it was no big deal. This observation is important to the theme of violence, because it shows just how prevalent it was in Southie at the time. Violence is one of the most recurring themes in this book, and this particular instance is just one of many occurrences throughout the book.
ReplyDeleteOne observation that stuck out to me was on page 156 when Michael witnesses Ma being shot. She acts like it's not big deal "like she was hit by a rock". She also refuses the ambulance and when forced to go to the hospital, she still manages to escape in order to play music to make money for her family.This goes to show how tough Ma is and how she always puts her family first before herself, even with a bullet in her. The theme demonstrated here is protection/family loyalty. Ma will always be protecting her children and staying strong around them through all the tragedies and violence.
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