The Memory Keeper’s daughter – post 3- DD- Derrick Truax- period 1
Okay well, Shank, it would be much better if you made the blogs due during the week so less people forget to do it.
So… Lets get this discussion going! So guys, how do you feel about Dr. Henry? What does Dr. Henry wanting Paul to choose a career with alot of money say about his character. Does it make him a lesser man for pushing Paul away from a career in music? Also, why do you think Dr. Henry wanted Phoebe and Paul to meet? Finally, if Dr. Henry knew that Norah had had an affair, why is he so okay with it?
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April 13th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Derrick Truax
We have to be logged in to post a comment now?
Okay, since for some stupid reason, I have to respond to my own post, here we go.
I think we can see that Dr. Henry is a man that measures success by wealth and not other things like happyness. I think this can connect to why there are problems in his marriage. He seems like a man that would rather be wealthy and raise a good family than to actually be happy. I don’t think it makes him a lesser man, just a man destined to be unhappy (kinda like Mr. Shank), and hes trying to make his son the same way, with good intentions of course. I’m not quite sure why he wanted the two children to meet. Finally, I believe Dr. Henry didn’t bring the affair up too much because he didn’t want to create more problems in the marriage, and I think this relates to what I said about his personality earlier in the post.
P.s. It is so hard to remember to type uppercase I’s
April 13th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
1. As a reader and a person, I feel that Dr. Henry is a very self-centered, uncaring person. As I mentioned before, he is the type of person who is trying to live his imagined life through his son for he has the power to do so.
2. Dr. Henry is trying to also control his son’s life by making him choose a certain career. I believe that even if the job doesn’t make a lot of money, if it is something that Paul enjoys doing he should be allowed to do it. Paul is entitled to make his own decisions, and therefore his will be able to make his own mistakes.
3. Lesser is a term that is difficult to use, for it is the opinion of the reader to use this adjective to describe Dr. Henry. Therefore I am going to say it does not make him a “lesser” person but more of a greedy character. The only reason He does not want Paul to go into the musical business is because it does not make a lot of money. In my opinion, I believe that Dr. Henry is looking out for himself and how the lack of income will affect him, not his son.
4. I think that the truth is coming back to haunt Dr. Henry and it is making him uncomfortable. He wants to get rid of that guilty feeling, even though in my opinion it will always be there right by his side. Again, he wants to come up with a solution that would best suit him.
5. I think that the love the two characters once shared is long gone. Therefore, Dr. Henry can understand why Norah would go and have an affair. There is no longer a connection between the two and because of this, there is nothing between them that must be protected or saved. He is able to see this and it does not come as a surprise or a disappointment to him.
~Megan Douglas
April 13th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
I agree with Megan that David is really uncaring sometimes. But I think that he just wants Paul to be successful, even if he isn’t doing what he dreams of.
I think that, again, he wants Paul to be successful, first of all. It doesn’t nessecarily make him less of a man for that. Not that I agree with that, because if Paul wants to pursue music, David should not try to push him to pursue something he doesn’t enjoy as much. And anyway, music careers could be very well paying, especially if you have talent, which Paul seems to have. If anything, that is what makes him a lesser man.
I think he wants the twins to meet because, first off, they are siblings, and should be either united or at least knowing of each other. Secondly, I think he could be doing it to make up to Norah for taking her daughter away. Them knowing each other could replace the emptyness in their relationship. (Not completely, though)
I do not think David is at all ok with the fact that Norah had an affair. He could, however, just not care because they are not connected like they once were, and he might very well go and do the same thing if he had the chance.
April 14th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
I don’t understand why David is so uncaring. He is only trying to make Paul money so he can have the pleasures of life later on. I think you need to look at the perspective of a parent. Just look at it this way. Would you want your child to fail? Of course not… unless your Mr. Shank. There is a good chance that Paul wont make it in the music industry. By becoming a doctor, there is a sure sucsess in that.
I think that David wants them to meet becuase it will some how make everything alright. But we all know that David and Norah’s relashionship is beyond repair. Also it will only make Norah doubt David even more.
I know that the affiar does not sit well with David. He knows that if he approaches the problem it will only send the marriage spriling downward. Its a no win situation.
BP
April 21st, 2009 at 10:11 am
BP and DT: You do know I read and grade these things. For each insult to my person, you loose 5 points. Chew on that for a bit!