The Memory Keeper’s Daughter

1. Generally, The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards is about a 1964 couple who are pregnant with twins. While stuck in a blizzard, Dr. David Henry has no choice but to deliver his own babies. While his wife, Norah, was in labor he called upon his nurse Caroline for help. Norah first gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Paul, but when the baby girl came into the world, it was apparent that something was wrong. The baby girl was born with Down Syndrome, and Dr. Henry made a split decision that would change their lives forever. He had the baby taken immediately away and proclaimed dead before Norah found out that there was different problem. Caroline was put in charge of taking the baby, Phoebe, to the correct facility, but can't bare to leave the baby to grow up in a place with such horrible living conditions. So, she decided to keep her and ultimately start a new life she has always wished for with his baby. Ultimately, life with Phoebe turns out well. On the other hand, as life goes on for the Henry family, it isn't as fortunate. Norah is forever haunted from the daughter she lost, and finds comfort in burying herself in her job. David looks to photography and being the "memory keeper", with the secret weighing heavy on his heart. He keeps track of Phoebe and her where abouts, keeping photos from Caroline, as she grows up. Paul, the son, feels to be a disappointment to his father and looks to music for comfort. Norah and David's marriage ultimately leads to a divorce.As the secret unravels, hearts are hurt, anger lingers in the air, and a sweet reunion of mother and daughter, brother and sister brings a greater love that could ever be experienced. But after David's sudden heart attack leaving him dead, Norah discovered his memory keeping photos of Phoebe growing up which leaves her to see a side of her husband she never knew.
2. A theme discovered in The Memory Keeper's Daughter would have to be deception. Kim Edwards does a great job of showing how lies and deception can be destructive within a family. Somewhere under that decision it was for a good cause, but ultimately pulled this family apart.
3. The overall tone in the novel was very solemn, grave, and melancholy. This was an issue weighing heavy on everyone. A father deceiving his wife into believing their child is dead, and a mother going through life believing her baby girl is dead.

• "This was her life. Not the life she had once dreamed of, not a life her younger self would ever have imagined or desired, but the life she was living, with all its complexities. This was her life, built with care and attention, and it was good." (page 254)

• "Lately, the world felt fragile, like a blown egg, as if it might shatter beneath a careless touch." (page 375)

• "You can't stop time. You can't capture light. You can only turn your face up and let it rain down." (page 319)

4. Kim Edwards used literary elements and techniques that helped me to understand the theme. Edwards did an excellent job using imagery, figurative language, syntax, and symbolism. Imagery and figurative language is used throughout the book, especially in describing people and objects. When the thoughts of David and Norah were evident, being descriptive let the reader be exposed to their pain.
The author's syntax includes speaking in the first person, which allows you to see all the pain behind the characters and what they are experiencing.

•  "You missed a lot of heartache, sure. But David, you missed a lot of joy." (page 249)

• "Either things grow and change or they die." (page 376)

Tools That Change The Way We Think

I have noticed that by using extensive internet, media,and technology it has really impacted the way I think. I'm more interested in getting the quick facts rather the whole background information. In a matter of seconds, I have the information I need, and I don't feel the need to look any further or dig deeper to confirm if the facts are true. I am willing to admit that my concentration is repeatedly broken. I am focused on a researching task, but then a new tab is opened, and suddenly I find my attention focused else where. Whether it be Facebook, Tumblr, or Youtube, my attention is there rather getting the information. With these daily distractions, researching is getting harder for people to do. It is becoming a bothersome thing, and something they aren't willing to spend time on. It's unfortunate that it had come to this, but its something we all struggle with.

Notes on Hamlet

Taking notes in general is a difficult thing for me. It's picking out the certain things that are important which is difficult and not writing down useless things. I felt Hamlet was a hard task to take notes on this, because to take notes, I feel you have to have a full understanding of the characters and the situations. That was something I didn't have. I though Hamlet was some psycho youngster who was getting crazier by the second, but ultimately he is smarter and wittier than I expected, than anyone expected. I don't know what lies ahead for Hamlet in the future, but I'm guessing it will be good.

Who was Shakespeare?

There is only a limited amount of strong background information on William Shakespeare. It is agreed that he was born in 1564 and lived in England.  His parents were John Shakespeare who was a landowner and glovemaker, and his mom was Mary Arden.  He was married at 18 to Anne Hathaway, and they had a daughter and another girl who was once a twin.  He died in 1616 and had collaborated 32 total plays.  I essentially googled "Who was Shakespeare?" And I was sent to this website http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/merchant/shakespeare.html 

Shakespeare was a complex writer, that leads people to different translations and  understandings of his writings. I found the material hard to understand as it was without the iambic pentameter, and Old English writing. Once I read it slowly, studied it I found it easier to understand. Of course, it is still quite difficult to understand, and most likely always will, but I'm getting the hang of it.

To Facebook or not to Facebook?

With teens waiting and wanting to be wrapped up in the next big thing, it was nothing different when Myspace was dropped for Facebook. I was always careful of what I put on Myspace, due to stories and situations linked to exposure on Myspace. I found myself having the same want of security and privacy.

You can find both benefits and not so many fortunate things involved with Facebook. Little did I know, slowly and deceitfully my privacy was being taken from me. My information, I though was being kept private was slowly being leaked to the public. Reading an article on Facebook, made me realize the real issues going on with Facebook and those who are head of it. CEO of Facebook knew the problems with privacy and he was told to quiet up and ultimately left the company. These people are looking to make money and invading children's privacy is something they are willing to take advantage of.

Facebook is very beneficial and convenient to reunite old friends, stay in contact with long distant friends. You are able to see your friends and event going on at your finger tips. You stay in contact whether you talk to your friend constantly or not.

Facebook has good and bad things going for it. I don't think people should boycott it because there are certain things on Facebook that are enjoyable, but I feel you should be careful. Be careful what you put, click on, and say on Facebook, or any website.

(Don't) be Hamlet

To continue to exist or end it all, is the dilemma, Hamlet struggles with. To commit suicide or go on with the struggles one ill be forced to bare is something he can't seem to make a firm decision on. It isn't necessarily his personal decision to commit suicide, but a general thought of the process whether to or not. He contemplates it all.    

Hamlet is struggling with his father's death, his mother's marriage to his uncle, appearances from a ghost, and the murder of his father coming from his uncle. This would drive anyone to insanity and for Hamlet is not much different. He contemplates suicide in general, in a way of sorting all these issues out. What needs to be known is that it won't solve the problems that are still left on earth, you are merely removing yourself from the equation.

By Hamlet coming suicide, it would not show a good example to those who look up to him. He has been given a privilege at birth, and with that privilege comes responsibility. He will not only be hurting himself but all who love him. He will hurt his mother, his friends, and the girl, Ophelia, he has formed a bond with. With suicide he would be put into the category of might I say, coward. He would rather take himself away from the equation rather himself figuring it out. Suicide is not an option for Hamlet. He has too much ahead of him, and struggles to deal with. n the end he will come out victorious.