Monday, March 2, 2015
Sophia Scherr ATKM #2
Many seem to find peace out West because something about the ocean and quietness of the West Coast. Jack goes out to California and stays in Long Beach to find serenity from the shock of the Boss’ affair with his true love Anne Stanton. Jack says “Long Beach, which is the essence of California" (377) and has never previously traveled to any other part of California and never left his hotel room other to get a haircut. he was in such a deep pit of despair from the news that he locks himself in his room to observe the beautiful world around him. “It threw the beautiful purple shadow of the whole world in my direction, as I headed back, but I kept right on going, at high speed, for if you had really been to Long Beach, California, and have had a dream on the hotel bed, then there is no reason why you should not return with a new confidence so wherever you came from , for now you know, that knowledge is power” (435). This getaway gave him a clean slate and a fresh beginning to what he had to look at his heartbreak and betrayal to a powerful man and manipulative girl. I feel he did this because it is how he is overlooking the actions that Anne is taking and can’t do anything about it. He is running from his problems that he is too scared to face when he has to get back to face the harsh reality. The West is a land of new beginnings and new dreams but for Jack he doesn't hope to find anything but to run from it. Jack does pursue dreaming when he reminisces over Anne and the wonderful time they spent together. “I dreamed gently back over the years” (379). His adventure that he embarked on changed his perspective and i see it as a clense of negative people and actions back home.
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I agree completely. Jack goes to the West and returns very much a new man. In the following chapter he seeks out more truth and justice, even discovering that the Judge is his father. I think Jack's visit to the West, like you said, planted the idea that he could live a life away from politics, Willie, and Burden's Landing. "On the proceeds of the Judge's old crime I would be able to just go away and lead a nice, clean, blameless life" (Pg. 501). Jacks trip to the West does make him think more clearly.
ReplyDeleteYes, Jack fled West to escape his reality because he was not responsible enough to see consequences, nor was he emotionally intelligent enough to realize you must face these consequences and deal with them in a healing manner, rather than running away. You see this ignorance of Jack when he is first describing heading west. "And kept moving west. For West is where we all plan to go someday. It is where you go when you get the letter saying: Flee, all is discovered. It is where you go when you look down at the blade in your hand and see the blood on it," (Pg. 376). This quote shows how Jack was rationalizing with himself about going to the West. He convinced himself that it was perfectly alright to run, because that is what everyone does and where every one runs to, California. By saying, "It is where you go when you look down at the blade in your hand and see the blood on it," it tells us that Jack recognizes that he is running away from his problems, like the person holding the blade might be, and yet he rationalized that it is perfectly okay.
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