Chapters 35-36
• Johnny's death is foreshadowed throughout the book. For example, in the beginning of the book, the narrator says that all the Nolan men die before they are 35. Many other details in the plot have prepared for this moment as well; Katie has thought many times that Johnny will not be with them for long. Francie's diary entries in Chapter 32 not only record a high frequency of sick days, but also detail Johnny's decline in health.
- What other hints of foreshadow can you recall regarding Johnny's death?
Also relating to corresponding chapters...
• The day that Johnny gets thrown out of the labor union; shall we consider this a turning point for the novel? It is a symbolic death, or "loss," that signals Johnny's real death? Without the labor union, Johnny has nothing, not even singing jobs, which at least gave him some sense that he was contributing to the welfare of his family. Johnny's reaction to the news is another sign that something has changed and nothing can be as it was before.
Chapters 37-39
• After her fathers death, Francie asserts that she no longer believes in God. Francie begins to puzzle over the big questions: if God brought Johnny into the world, did not that mean that God wanted him alive? Why is God punishing Johnny? Although Francie has questioned God's means before, she never says she doesn't believe in Him until her father dies.
- Does the theme of "Religion" play a role in the novel? How so?
- Through your eyes, should Francie separate from God, or pray in regards to her father? Is this situation caused by age/kids at school? (Influence by others.)
Jenna S.
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I think throughout the whole book we are expecting something to happen to Johnny. mainly because we see his alcoholism get progressively worse over time. I also predicted his death because not one of the Nolan boys lived past 35. I think that him getting kicked out of the labor union can symbolize his death because in a way it shows that it is the end. Without work his family has nothing, so it ends hope. Without being able to sing for a living, it signifies the end of his dreams and doing what he loved. Music was the most important thing to Johnny, even more so than his family which he always had to escape from through alcohol. What more did he have to live for now that that was gone?
ReplyDeleteI think religion has been important through the entire book. One of the most important things I think religion cause in the book was segregation. Throughout the book, there was always a negative attitude portrayed towards Jews.
Religion has been a really important theme in the book. Since the beginning we've seen things such as bad vibe toward Jews, and now, the dis-belief of God.
ReplyDeleteI probably first sought to think that Johnny was going to die because of his worsening behaivor toward alcholism. Then I thought he may have later overcome the stage he was in but he didnt, it became even worse, thus he died.
And like Danielle said: music was the most important thing to him. and that was even more important then his family and it may have helped him recover from his alcoholism.
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