Laddie Post 2: Chapters 1-3

For the first time in my life I'm reading a book with an unnamed protagonist. She's referred to as Little Sister. I think we can safely assume her name is Gene (after Gene Stratton-Porter, the author) because the entire story follows the true story of the author. Little Sister, a young girl (maybe 7 or 8), is the youngest of 12 children. Her favorite brother, Laddie, is probably 16 or 17 years old. According to a Little Sister, Laddie does everything well. Laddie is probably Little Sister's favorite because he seems to be the only one who loves her. There had been a four year gap between Little Sister and her next older sibling. The family wasn't ready for another kid, and everyone cried when Little Sister was born. Except for Laddie, who rejoiced. For a girl who must feel very unwanted and accidental, Little Sister keeps her head up high and makes the most of her life and enjoys studying the world around her. Laddie tells her that she has to deliver a letter deep into the woods to the Princess. When she arrives, she finds the Princess (who is actually Mr. Pryor's daughter) and gives her the letter. The Princess, in turn, gives Little Sister a letter to give to Laddie. It's made pretty obvious at this point in the story that Laddie has a crush on this girl. Mr. Pryor is an atheist that offended Little Sister's father by proclaiming that there's no such thing as God. The next character we meet is Leon (Little Sister's brother). Leon is a charming and witty boy. He recites his memory verses in front of the whole congregation. But his verses are completely out of context and he looks at specific members of the church in the eye when he says each verse. But in the end it turns out okay and people weren't too terribly offended. Later, Little Sister enacts a church service with her birds. A pretty interesting form of make-belief. After that she overhears her father talking that Little Sister should spend more time outside because she doesn't belong in the house.

Laddie Post 1: About the Author

Warning: This mini-biography might contain spoilers for Laddie, A True Blue Story. I’m not actually sure because at the time I’m writing this I’ve only read a few pages of the book, but from what I can tell it seems as if the author based the story on her real life story.

The next book (and final for the 2012-13 school year) my class is reading is Laddie, A True Blue Story by Gene Stratton-Porter. Born Geneva Grace Stratton, Gene Stratton-Porter was born August 17, 1863 in Indiana. Gene’s passion was nature. She loved being outside and examining the flowers and other plants. She was the youngest in the family and had 11 brothers and sisters. When Gene was just 8 years old, her favorite brother Laddie (coincidence? I think not!), drowned, leaving the family devastated. 

I don’t know about you, but Gene Stratton-Porter was feeling 22. In fact, she was 22 when she married Charles Porter. She began writing after her marriage, rather spontaneously when she started studying nature more in depth. Her books received more and more praise with each publication. She published 12 novels, 8 of which were made into movies. She even founded the Gene Stratton-Porter Film Company. She died when she was just 61 from injuries from a car accident. 

“For every bad man and woman I have ever known, I have met . . . an overwhelming number of thoroughly clean and decent people who still believe in God and cherish high ideals, and it is upon the lives of these people that I base what I write. To contend that this does not produce a picture true to life is idiocy. It does. It produces a picture true to ideal life; to the best that good men and good women can do at level best.”

- Gene Stratton-Porter 

Magnificant Obsession Post 7 (Final)

In this last post I'm going to cover the ending (the final four chapters) in just a few sentences, and then give my opinion of the book as a whole.

Helen Hudson went to Europe. She was involved in a train accident. Bobby Merrick performed eye surgery on Helen because the accident made her blind. Helen didn't know who did the surgery until she recognized Bobby's voice. They she was very agitated because Bobby hid it from her. But after Helen could see again, she and Bobby were married and they lived happily ever after.

Magnificent Obsession didn't have much of a definable plot. It went all over the place, which I guess can be a good thing. One good thing is that the characters were very defined. At first it was hard to keep track of all the different characters, but then it got easier. The book uses too many metaphors and similes. It's nice when authors do this to enhance the writing, but Lloyd Douglas writes nearly everything in metaphors and similes which makes the book very hard to understand. As a whole, Magnificent Obsession was relatively entertaining, but very bland at points. Would not recommend.

Magnificent Obsession Post 6: Chapters 16-18

Contrite - feeling or showing sorrow and remorse for a sin or shortcoming - pg. 262

Veal - the flesh of a young calf - pg. 271

Twaddle - silly idle talk - pg.  282

Chapters 16-18

Helen goes to Bobby to tell him that she everything she's ever had is actually Bobby's. The conversation they had was far from twaddle. She says that she plans to return all the money to Bobby. But he says that he's already used it all up. Bobby then tells Helen that he loves her which came as a shock to Helen. 

Next, the gang went to a fancy dinner, then to the theatre. Now, we meet a new character: Dr McLaren. McLaren invites Bobby to church, and he accepts. McLaren is the pastor of Grace Church. McLaren and Merrick have differing views on religion, and they engage in a debate. 

Magnificent Obsession Post 5: Chapter 8

In chapter 8, we really begin to dig into Mr. Hudson's secret journal. He explores with Nancy Ashford. At first, Bobby thought that Hudson was a psychopath, but later, he found a hint of sanity that encouraged him to move on. Nancy and Bobby learn that Doctor Hudson was a Christian, but he kept it a secret. He says that he read the verse in the Bible that says "If your left hand causes you to sin, cut it off." At first, he took the Bible very literally, but later dug deeper into the real meaning of it all. Unlike many people, Hudson valued the Bible, and considered it to be far from lees.



New words from this week

Exultant - pg. 112 - Triumphantly happy - "Returning from Tony's, wide awake and exultant, he [Bobby] had resolved, late as it was, to decode a few pages of the journal."

Lees - pg. 113 - Dregs; refuse - "He had gouged his hot face into his pillow and decanted his wrath to its bitter lees..."

Magnificent Obsession Post 4: Chapters 5-7

Chapter 5

Nancy Ashford (the receptionist at the hospital) and Bobby go on a car ride together. Bobby says that he'll do the listening; Nancy will do the talking. Bobby gives Nancy the proffer to drive. Bobby's plan doesn't quite work out as he talks as much as Nancy does in a pretty evenly split dialogue. Eventually, Nancy brings up Dr. Hudson's secret journal (which is an actual book that Lloyd C. Douglas published as a supplement to Magnificant Obsession). But, the journal is written in code! Bobby decides that he'll devote his time to solving the puzzle.

The first page of the Hudson Journal, on page 91 (the last page of chapter 5) of Magnificant Obsession. No copyright infringement intended :)

Chapter 6

In chapter 6, we take a break from Bobby's story and come to Helen and Joyce. Helen warns Joyce not to go to Gordon's for dinner. Of course, Joyce goes against her mother's wishes. Helen describes Gordon's as a "dangerous place." When Joyce returns home, she's drunk as a skunk (what does that even mean?). Wasted as ever, she says to Helen (fyi, there are no typos in the following quote, this came directly from the book) "Tommy nice boy! Goin' - goin' to marry Tommy. ... Well - can't you congrat - can't you feli - I'm afraid I can't say it very distinc'ly - but aren't you glad - about Tommy and me? ... I come home - all happy - to announce my engagesh to Tommy - and you cry! What's the big idea? Do you want him?" Luckily, Joyce's hangover was ephemeral.

Chapter 7

Bobby solved the encrypted journal! The first line says

READER I CONSIDER YOU MY FRIEND AND COMMEND YOUR PERSEVERANCE HAVING ACHIEVED THE ABILITY TO READ THIS BOOK YOU HAVE ALSO THE RIGHT TO POSSESS IT MY REASON FOR DOING THIS IN CIPHER WILL BE MADE PLAIN AS YOU PROCEED

Obviously, Bobby was thrilled. He had quite the swagger.

Next we explore the story of Tony, an italian cook. Like the late Dr. Hudson, Tony is a bit of a philanthropist. He loans money and doesn't ask for the money back, but he does leave a box out for those who do want to repay him. When people return money to the box, Tony stays quiet about it, and respects the ones he's loaned money to.



New words from this week

Proffer - Chapter 5, page 84 - "Many of his wards and beneficiaries have been coming to see her with expressions of sympathy, and some with proffers of assistance if she needed it."


Verb
Hold out (something) to someone for acceptance; offer.

Noun
An offer or proposal.


Ephemeral - Chapter 6, page 100 - "She had been disposed to wave that implication aside as a mere pose ... a bit of ephemeral martyrdom to be toyed with until he tired of it.


Adjective
Lasting for a very short time: "fashions are ephemeral".



Swagger - Chapter 7, page 103 - "... swinging his long arms with a triumphant swagger."


Verb
Walk or behave in a very confident and typically arrogant or aggressive way: "he swaggered along the corridor".

Noun
A very confident and typically arrogant or aggressive gait or manner.

Magnificent Obsession Post 3: Chapters 3-4

Chapter 3

At the beginning of the chapter, we see Joyce (Hudson's daughter) and Tom Masterson (Bobby's college friend) having a conversation in the garden. They talk about how Bobby has had a change of lifestyle. He stopped drinking (as much) and started to be a better person. Helen tells Masterson how Hudson was a philanthropist. She tells a story about hot Hudson once loaned $20,000 to a man so he could get back on his feet, and out of his destitute way of life. When the man finally had enough to pay Hudson back, Hudson refused the money! He said, "I've used it all up myself!" The characters in the book have no idea what that meant, and quite frankly, neither do I.


Chapter 4

In the first sentence of chapter four, we're introduced to a new character: Nicholas Merrick, Bobby's grandfather. Nicholas was a pretty awful father to Clif, and consequently, Clif was a pretty awful father to Bobby. But, Bobby decides to do something with his life. When Nicholas learns that Bobby is graduating from college, Nicholas is overjoyed.



New words from this week

Destitute

From chapter 3, pg 58 

Adjective
1. Without the basic necessities of life.
2. Not having.

Synonyms
needy - indigent - poor - necessitous - penurious


Eohippus

From chapter 4, pg 66

Noun
earliest horse; extinct primitive dog-sized four-toed Eocene animal

Eocene - from 58 million to 40 million years ago