Discuss your cluster of questions with a complete, conversational-style answer. Please post your comments after you answer.
Then, respond to classmates' comments. You may stop and read others' answers at any time, and post your responses to their ideas at any time.
Though your writing can be relaxed and contain "you" and "I," follow all punctuation and capitalization rules! This is blogging, but it's not texting! :)
Cluster 1 Taking Sides
Are you more sympathetic to Donald's side or to Pete's side in the story? If you had to choose, are you more like Pete or like Donald? Which of the two makes you angrier? Which of the two makes you more frustrated? Do you agree with the comment that "everybody likes to hear how someone messed up" (para 3)?
Cluster 2 The Con Artist
Does Donald get conned by Webster? Would you be angry with Donald for giving away your money? Your response to the Webster episode might say something about your level of credulity. Were you skeptical of Webster from the first? Would you have given him a ride? Will Donald believe 'anything" (para 237)? Does Pete want Donald to look foolish? Is Donald foolish?
Cluster 3 Skeptical: To Be, or Not to Be
Is it sometimes a good thing to be skeptical? Is it sometimes a good thing to believe in "some outrageous promise" (para. 239)?
Cluster 4 Remembering The Past
How do you interpret Donald's story about Pete hitting his stitches? Is Pete trying to get rid of Donald? What could his reason be?
Cluster 5 Blindness
Why doesn't Pete tell Donald he was blind in his dream? How do you interpret this dream? Is the heart of their dispute "prosperity," or is it something else?
Cluster 6 My Brother's Keeper
Why would Pete turn around to get Donald? Why would he keep going? What would you do? Why?
Cluster 7 Your Stories
Tell a least one of your favorite sibling stories. It can be of sibling rivalry, sibling fun, sibling mischief, or sibling fondness. If you're an only child, tell a story you've heard from your parents or a friend.
Period Two is a great class!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
DeleteMyles
Mrs. Metheny is a great teacher
DeleteI agree, Eric Bryson.
DeleteCluster Five: Pete doesn't tell Donald that he was blind in his dream, because Pete doesn't want to feel like he needs help. It would be a disappointment for Pete to need help, because he has always been the one that didn't need help. In Pete's mind it would be a disgrace to be helped by his underpriveleged brother.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this. However, I think Pete is too proud to admit that he needs help.
DeleteI agree with this, Patrick. However, I don't think Pete would be disappointed, but rather he is just too proud to ask for help.
DeleteI agree completely with your stance on this. I think that Pete feels like he has to be the level-headed one of the two, and sort of help his brother along, even in simple situations. If he were to tell Donald that he was blind in his dream, he will be worried that Donald will try to reverse these roles, and lead him instead. This would embarrass Pete, so he decides to keep this part of the dream to himself.
DeleteGood job, PVD!
I think you're right that Pete would feel humiliated if Donald had to help him; he doesn't want to admit that he is looking for answers and doesn't have life all figured out, as he wants people to think. I think part of the reason Pete is so tough on Donald is becuase he wants to make it look like he has everything under control. Subconsciously in his dream he knows that he has a weakness, but he won't let Donald know that.
DeleteThank you for the reply Dalty.
DeleteCluster four:
ReplyDeleteI do not think Pete actually hit Donald's stitches. Pete probably was jealous that Donald got a lot of extra attention because of his surgery. Pete is not trying to get rid of Donald he just wants more attention. He might feel as if he is not important anymore and feel left out.
Myles
I fully agree with you on this one. I think that Donald is a bit of a drama queen personally. I find it a little unbelievable that a young boy would try to to kill his brother in such a fashion, and then not remember such events. :)
DeleteMaybe Donald is, in a sence, "crazy" or dillusional. Maybe the little communitie he went away to made him this way.
DeletePersonally I think the little community seemed a little bit like a cult. A bunch of people living together on a farm is a little bit sketchy if you ask me. Now all they need is some kool aid.
DeleteI don't know if i believe that he actually hit him or not. It seems like he may have because he keeps changing his story.
DeleteThough I agree that Pete probably didn't try to kill Donald, I don't think the motive was attention or lack thereof. I think that his intention was just to prove that he is still superior to his brother (assuming that Pete actually ever hit Donald's stitches).
DeleteCluster 3
ReplyDeleteI would say it is definantly sometimes a good thing to be skeptical. If people weren't they would end up believing everything they heard, like the stupid fad diets that come up every week. Sometimes things really are too good to be true.
Occasionally it is alright to believe in outrageous promises. I think they are sometimes what give people hope. Every time we have a presidential election the candidates like to make ridiculous promises to the American people. Most of us know they really aren't going to be capable of doing what they say, but it's still nice to have that glimmer of hope saying just maybe it'll happen.
I agree with the fact that it is good to be skeptical and that sometimes it is necessary to believe in promises, that is where much hope comes from. I do not see the relevance of fad diets or the presidential election to the story though.
DeleteI was listening to the State of the Union Address for a few minutes last night. Obama kept saying all this stuff about how college should not be a luxury and should be affordable for everyone. It's a great sentiment that I agree with, but he never said how he will actively pursue this goal. A promise without a plan is like a sentiment on a get-well card; it sounds nice, but it will not actually remedy the situation. It seems most politicians are that way. At first you want to believe them, but after a while, you don't.
DeleteI think that is a very good interpretation Patryke. Nice job.
DeleteHonesty, I like your stance on politicians. I do agree that all americans should be able to afford college. Yes, I watched the State of the Union Address last night as well and Obama spoke in very broad terms that did not focus on, like you said, actively pursueing any solutions.
DeleteCluster 5
ReplyDeletePete does not tell Donald he was blind in his dream because Donald will see it as a sign that Pete does not know what is really important in the world. Pete only cares about himself and disregards the well-being of others. Pete may also feel as though the blindness in the dream is a weakness and he does not want to feel like he needs to rely on his brother. I believe this dream shows how Pete is blind to the world and he does not recognize the need of others. I do not believe the heart of their dispute is "prosperity," but rather, it is that Donald cares too much for others and is caught by his gullibility and Pete does not care enough about others and is skeptical about everything.
Devory
I like what you said about the dream showing that Pete is blind to the world and other people's needs; he is lost and needs direction in his life, especially when it comes to compassion and sympathy. I also agree that he doesn't want to admit his weakness. Both of them are not very prosperous because of their weaknesses: Donald's naive behavior and Pete's lack of consideration for others.
DeleteMiss Devory,
DeleteI agree with you entirely. I don't think Pete really cares whether or not Donald is prosperous, he just wants his brother to stop being niave and maybe try to do something with his life. And it wouldn't kill Pete to maybe care a little bit.
I agree about Pete being blind to other's needs. It seems that he helps his brother only because others, such as his wife, expect him to. However, Donald needs to think about himself a little more. Both could learn a lesson from each other.
DeleteCluster One: I'm really not more sympathetic to either character because I feel like they both have issues they need to work out for themselves. However, if I had to choose which one I relate to the most, it would be Donald, simply because he understands the need to have faith in God. While I believe that a person who doesn't have a religion can be just as decent as a believer, for myself, I know that my religion has helped to make me the person I am. Pete makes me angrier and more frustrated because of his lack of understanding for his brother. It's true that they are almost complete opposites in the physical world, but in their thoughts and in what they are missing in life, they are more alike than they want to admit.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with Donald's statement because it usually makes someone feel better about himself when he is made aware of another's mistakes.
I see where you are comming from an who you are more angry with, but I still find myself angry at Donald. Only because I have been in this situation and its frustrating to try to help someone and be taken for granted.
DeleteI agree with everything that you said. They both definently have issues they need to work out. I also relate to Donald more than Pete. I agree that the two brothers are more similar than they want to admit.
DeleteCluster 2
ReplyDeleteI think that is highly likely that Donald was conned by Webster, although it is not directly stated, it is heavily implied. If it had been myself in Pete's shoes I would have been extremely mad also. That money was given to Donald as a gift and as charity, and he basically just wasted it instantly. At First, Webster did not seem to strange to me, I might have even given the man a ride, but by the time they had driven a short while i could tell that he was one sketchy fellow. I think Donald is so big-hearted that he will believe in just about anything that people tell him. Pete obviously wants Donald to look and feel foolish to a point so that he himseld can look like the smarter and more successful of the two brothers.
Eric
I have to say Mr. Scott, you raise some valid points within the parameters of this post.
DeleteI greatly apperciate your praise. It warms my heart to see someone truly appreciate and decipher my writing.
DeleteYes, I believe that Donald was conned by Webster. Webster took advantage of both Donald and Pete in order to get a ride. From the very beginning, I was skeptical of Webster solely based on his description. I became more and more skeptical when he began his story about his gold mine in Peru. Based on the first encounter, I would not have given him a ride or stopped to chat with him. His excuse to get a ride was that his car had broken down and he needed to go see his sick daughter.Especially after hearing his story about all of his riches from Peru, I am led to believe that he in fact is nothing more than a phony and is just taking advantage of them. During the time Pete was sleeping, Webster left stating that he was going to borrow a car from his brother in Soledad. During this time Donald gives Webster what he had left of the hundred dollars Pete had given him, thinking he was investing it in Webster's gold mine in Peru. I would be mad at Donald for giving that much money away like it was nothing especially if it were my money. Donald is a very gullible person who will believe anything. I also think that Pete does want Donald to look foolish so he points out all of his faults. Pete might be doing this to make himself look and feel superior. I wouldn't say that Donald is foolish, I just believe he is gullible and believes any situation he is in.
ReplyDeleteCluster Two, Melissa
I believe that Donald did in fact get conned by Webster, because the whole situation of Webster hitchiking and telling the men about his gold mine in Peru was very suspicious. He did not seem genuine and believable, and I was skeptical from the start; I wouldn't have given him a ride. It was especially suspicious when he had Donald drop him off before they reached Santa Cruz to go to his brother's house and drive to Santa Cruz in the morning. If his daughter was really ill, he probably would have kept going with Donald and Pete instead of waiting until later. If I were in Pete, I would be upset with Donald; after he lent him 100 dollars to help him get by, Donald spent is as if he had extra money to give away. Donald is very naive and I think Pete is right that he will believe pretty much everything. However, I don't know if this would be considered "foolish;" I guess I would call it ignorance. I also don't think Pete wants Donald to look foolish.
ReplyDelete-Emily
Well played Emily...Well played indeed...I like the idea of ignorance with the brothers.
DeleteEmily, I agree with your point that Donald wasn't being foolish, but only naive. Throughout the entire story I felt like Donald was in some ways still a child. All of his mistakes i believe have stemmed from that.
DeleteCluster 3:
ReplyDeleteI think that sometimes it is definitely a good thing to be a little bit skeptical. If you're skeptical, you are a lot less likely to be manipulated into doing what someone else wants. You can really see this come into play when Webster comes into the story. Had Donald been a little more skeptical of Webster's story, he would have not been played out of Pete's money so easily. Then again, there are some occasions that roll around every once in a while where you need to believe in "some outrageous promise." Perhaps a rich person is presented with a bold new idea, and is asked to fund the project. If he decides to believe in this idea, and provide the money for it, it may result in a huge financial gain. This is a rare situation though, and in my opinion it is almost always better to be a little bit skeptical.
Cluster 4
ReplyDeleteSometimes when kids go through things during their childhood that bother them, they tend to always remeber those events. Often times, they exaggerate those events mainly because they only remember certain aspects of what happened. I honestly don't think Pete did that to Donald, if he did, I doubt it was as bad or as often as Donald made it out to be. If Pete really did do this, it was probably because he was seeking more attention from his parents. He did mention that his parents basically favored Donald over Pete.
I agree with this Amber, because, although it is true that the account of the incident is incredibly detailed, it could easily have been made up in Donald's mind. The fact that he was a young boy when these events supposedly occured, I feel, more openly allows for the possibility that the events are the creation of the younger brother's imagination and simply memorized to present them as true.
DeleteI agree that Donald was overly exaggerative. While Pete may have done something similar to beating up on Donald, I doubt he was trying to kill him.
DeleteCluster 4:
ReplyDeleteI think Donald is telling the truth when he accuses Pete of hitting his stitches at night. Donald seems to have some issues, but I think he has good intentions so I personally find it hard to think he was making it all up. The detail Donald uses and the desperation in his voice when he says, "you remember, Pete, you have to-" proves to me that he's being honest. I don't think Pete is necessarily trying to get rid of Donald, but I do think he doesn't want to be in charge of taking care of him all the time. Like I said, Donald has some issues and I don't think Pete really knows how to take care of him nor wants that responsibility.
I could interpret it both ways. To me, Donald seems to be slightly on the crazy side and seems to have some problems with being around people. Because I sence craziness, It may be that he is making things up. Also i can see it from your perspective. Pete seems to nudge it off and not make a big deal about it. He shows no remorse or regret. He tries to deny it, but isn't straight forward with it. (:
DeleteCluster Five: I would interpret this dream as Pete being blind and not being able to "see" other people's perspective. Pete doesn't care for others, only himself.
ReplyDeleteI personally never would have interpreted his dream in such an outstanding fashion. I believe you may have realized exaqctly what the author was trying to imply with this rather odd dream of Pete's. You sir are a scholar.
DeleteCluster 1
ReplyDeleteI am not more sympathetic toward one or the other because i can put myself in both situations. Both of the situations are tough. I find myself sympathizing with Pete because he earned the money and Donald just throws it away. I think he feels used in a way becasuse Donald keeps getting and getting, but doesn't give anything. I feel sympathy for Donald because he is trying to get his feet back on the ground but also tries to help others altough they may not even need help.
Donald makes me the most frustrated becaus his brother is trying to help him in anyway he can, but he takes it for granted. If I were trying to get back on my feet and my sibling gave me 100 dollars, I'd try to make it last and he just gave it to some stranger. I've kind of been in this situation, my cousin got kicked out of her house and my parents said she couldn't stay with us and I felt bad and felt like I needed to help, so I lent her 70 dollars and 3 months later have yet to get it back. It upsets me because I am the one who worked hard for that money.
I think I myself am like Pete. Not in the sence of I'm rich, because I'm not, but because if anyone needs help, I take it upon myself to help them.
I think that the saying is true to most people because it makes them feel like the mess-ups in their life are normal. It makes them feel better about themselves. I also think that it is entertainment for others.
I feel the same way. I symapthize with neither of them but I am more like Pete. He is a hardworking man who earned his money. Donald wants to help others but by doing so he hurts himself. One must have to be able to give and Donald gives when he does not have.
DeleteIf there was a like button here, I would push it (:
DeleteI don't feel more sympathetic to one over the other. I feel equally sympathetic to both of them. They both have problems and issues. I relate more to Donald. Like him my world does not revolve completely around money. I also care about being kind to others and I care about what happens to my soul. Donald makes me angrier because he's so careless with money and he's irresponsible. He is unattached from reality and very gullible. Pete makes me more frustrated. He is consumed with money; it seems that's all he cares about. He is rude,and lacks understanding of other people. Yes I agree with with that. I think it helps people feel better about themselves and also helps them learn to not make the same mistake.
ReplyDeleteCluster One
Cluster 5: Blindness
ReplyDeletePete doesn't tell Donald he was blind in his dream because he doesn't want to seem as if he is dependant on Donald. He tries to make it seem like he doesn't need or care about Donald. Throughout the story, Donald seems to be more of a neucense to Pete.
I think Pete's dream is a sign that he is somewhat blind to the world around him and it also shows a need he as for Donald to be in his life, no matter how much he wishes otherwise.
I believe the heart of their dispute is not prosperity, but the way the brothers view the world. They are so different in their viewpoints that it seems as if they live in different worlds. Pete, the brother who is successful, seems to only think about himself and money. Donald, the brother who is barely getting by, thinks about everyone else before himself. These two separate views seem to keep them clashing about every little thing.
I really like what you said about Pete being blind to the world. I agree with you that all their problems as brothers come down to the fact that they live their lives completely opposite of one another.
DeleteCluster 3-
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is sometimes a good thing to be skeptical. However, being too skeptical can be a bad thing because you could miss out on many oppostunities in life. In the story I think that Donald should have been more skeptical of Webster than he was because in my opinion he got tricked. I think that sometimes it is a good thing to believe in outrageous things because every now and then it could end up being something great. If you never believe in anything, you will never reap the benefits that could come from it.
I really like your last sentence, and it's true that you have to take some chances in life.
DeleteI think it is better to be skeptical. I think if it is ever good to believe in some outrageous thing it is very rare.
DeleteCluster 6
ReplyDeletePete would go back to get Donald because he can't stand facing his wife and having to answer for leaving Donald. Pete would continue on without Donald because he doesn't want him in his life anymore. Pete doesn't want to deal with Donald and all of his problems. I would go back and get Donald. I couldn't live with myself if I left a family member behind, even if I didn't get along with them.
I don't think one should abandon family, but there comes a point when you have to say enough is enough. Your family member's mess-ups are not always your responsibility. DNA is great and all, but a chemical should not demand you give up your life for someone who is being a parasite.
DeleteCluster Six: I believe that Pete would turn around to get Donald because he would realize that his brother is a part of him, just like his love of money makes him who he is. If Pete wouldn't get so upset with Donald, this would be proof that he truly is seperated from him. However, he does feel extremely frustrated with his brother. The only reason that I can come up with as to why he would keep driving is that he would listen to his angry thoughts more than his rational thoughts. If I were put in this position I would no doubt turn the car around immediately because I'm one who lashes out something fierce but five minutes later feels immensely guilty and starts backtracking.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comments on this cluster. If I were to have answered this question I would have said the same thing!!
DeleteCluster Three:
ReplyDeleteLife must be lived with a degree of skepticism. The person who believes everything will often be disappointed and taken advantage of. Very quickly in childhood, you learn which of your peers can be trusted to keep their promises and which to be skeptical of. This skill is often reinforced throughout life. Those who trust too much often end up like Donald; washed out and a burden to others. However, sometimes it is good to believe outrageous promises. For example, some people were skeptical that man would ever fly, and even the US government patent office refused to give patents to any flying machine that wasn't lighter than air. Today, this seemingly outrageous dream and promise has become commonplace, reaching the apex with space exploration.
I agree that it is better to be skeptical than too believing. I think that it saves a lot of trouble to be more skeptical. I think that if it is good to believe in outrageous promises, the occasions are very rare.
DeleteCluster One:
ReplyDeleteI don't think I feel sympathetic to either Donald's side or Pete's side. I think that each of them have made their decisions on how they want to live and they're happy in their own mind. Donald is content with being poor because he is a rich soul; Pete is content with being wealthy, even if he isn't a good soul. I believe I would be more like Donald. I don't really care about being wealthy, I trust too easily, and I would rather be rich in spirit and soul. I think both Pete and Donald make me frustrated. I can understand that Pete is angry that his brother seems to "waste" his money, but it bothers me that he doesn't try to see the good in people. I also understand why Donald gave the groceries to the family that looked like they couldn't buy them for themselves, but I can't help but be angry that he was naive enough to believe Webster. I do agree that "everyone likes to hear how someone messed up." Especially in high school, gossip goes around quickly; everyone seems to have one person they want to see fall. Everyone messes up in some point in their life and it always feels like someone is waiting to point out your faults and laugh while you're already down.
Cluster 7
ReplyDeleteAlthough my brother and I have a close relationship we still drive each other crazy. Like most siblings we like to pick on each other. One day my brother kept bugging me and teasing me. I became very annoyed so I decided to get back at him. My brother and I had just got food from Subway and he left his sandwich out. I recieved stickers from Subway and decided to put one in his sandwich. My brother unknowingly ate his sandwich with the sticker in it.
Did you ever reveal to him that you put the sticker inside the sandwich? That's so funny though!
DeleteThis isnt about a sibling but a cousin that I was close to. He put a worm in my sandwich and I bit into it.
DeleteI wonder how long that takes to digest?
DeleteCluster Five
ReplyDeleteQuestion 1
Pete most likely does not tell Donald that he is blind in his dream because he does not want Donald to know that he needed Donald's help in the dream. Pete sees his dream as a weakness because he is not able to help himself. Relying on Donald would be seen as a weakness by Pete.
Question 2
I interpret this dream as Pete is lost and needs help. It is clear he only thinks of himself and in a way is blind to the world. He only sees his needs and not those of others. This dream could be pointing to the fact that Pete needs help opening his eyes and caring for others. Pete probably sees this dream as an indicator that he needs help as well and that is why he would not tell Donald he is blind.
Question 3
I believe that the heart of their dispute is the different ways in which they think. Donald sees the good in everyone and relies on others to be able to help him. Pete thinks of himself and rellies on himself to get by because he knows he cannot rely on others. These two completely different ways of thinking cause the many disputes between these brothers.
Just out of curiousity, does your brother know he ate a sticker??
ReplyDeleteCluster 7
ReplyDeleteWhen my brothers and I were little we always fought. One time, Adrien and I wrapped Eli up in duct tape, put him upside down on the couch, and poured Sprite down his nose.
Adrien broke Eli's arm twice. Once on our trampoline and once on our rope swing.
Eli killed my fish.
One time Brook threw Adrien outside in a foot of snow in only his underwear and locked him out.
When I was little, Eli and I were racing and I "cheated" and he pushed me down. I bit my lip almost completely off.
Cluster 4
ReplyDeleteI believe that Donald's story about Pete hitting his stitches is true. It is hard to think that Donald would make up such a story about his brother if it were not true. The details of the story are clear and precise. Pete leads me to believe that this story is true when his first response was the he did not do it, then his next response was he might have done it because boys act like that. It is clear to me that this story that Donald tells about Pete is true.
When Pete did this I think that he was just experiencing mixed feelings. His brother was probably getting all of the attention because he had surgery and Pete was jealous. His jealously led him to hit Donald at the heart of the reason for his attention.
Cluster Six
ReplyDeleteI think Pete turns around to get Donald because he feels a sense of responsibility for him. He doesn't believe that Donald can take care of himself, so he has to keep a constant watch on him. I also think that Pete isn't able to handle the thought of something bad happening to him, so he has to get him. In the end, Pete really does care for Donald. He doesn't want to think about possibly losing his brother if he leaves him behind. I would go back if I were in that situation. If I had any siblings, I couldn't leave them on the side of the road to take care of themselves, no matter how mad I was with them. They have to learn how to take care of themselves, but just dumping them on the side of the road isn't going to help. I think Pete would keep going because he's tired of taking care of Donald. He doesn't want to be Donald's caretaker forever, and Pete believes he's only going to understand that if he has a rude awakening.
Once when I was little my brothers thought they were cool because they learned how to repel. Jordan had all of the ropes and harnesses hooked up in a tree and was climbing up then sliding down. I wanted to try it too so Jordan put a harness on me, got me up into a tree, and then left me there...for three hours.
ReplyDeleteCluster 7-
ReplyDeleteWhen my dad and my aunt were teenagers they didn't get along at all. They're a little better now but not much. When my dad was 16 my aunt already had her car and my dad put a snake in her seat. He also put cords behind her car that hooked to the sides of the garage so that she couldn't pull out. Shortly after this incident he also shot her with a bb gun because she was yelling at him.
Cluster 7: My sister and I still fight like crazy, but when we were younger it was pretty intense between us. The age difference between Reagan and me is 7 almost 8 years. She is 10 and I'm obviously 17, almost 18. You would think we wouldn't really fight but it's the complete opposite. I remember Reagan always doing things to my cat to make me angry. She used to pull her tail, this didn't actually bother me so much. Once she shoved the cat into the bathtub while I was in it. She threw my cat off of our top bunk once to our barking dogs below. Over the years, Reagan has become much more skilled in the art of making me angry. Nowadays she sticks her nose in my business constantly, goes off on me for unknown reasons, and just whines all the time.
ReplyDeleteCluster 2:
ReplyDeleteYes, I do believe Donald was conned by Webster. When they picked up Webster, he told Donald and Pete that his car broke down on the way to see his sick daughter in Santa Cruz. Then he tells them about his gold mine in Peru. His story was very skeptical. Webster seemed like a very shady person and I was suspicious of him from the start. Then, as Pete was sleeping, he told Donald to drop him off before they reached Santa Cruz because he was going to borrow his brother's car. It seems very suspicious because if he really was in a rush to see his daughter, he would of just kept riding with them. Then he asks Donald for money and Donald gives him the rest of the hundred dollars Pete gave him. I would of been very angry at Donald because Pete gave him that money to help him out, not to give away to some con-artist that he just met. I wouldn't give Webster a ride based on Pete and Donald's experience with him. I believe Donald is a very gullible person and would believe anything, but I don't think he is foolish. Also, I don't think Pete wants Donald to look foolish because Donald is his brother and, though, Pete gets very irriated by him, he still wants what is best for him.
Cluster 5: There is a good possibility that Pete's blindness in the dream is a reference to his lack of spirtual finding in his life, and that he is in fact "stumbling blind" in the real world, which might go on to suggest that he isn't successful in the spirit state. So in a sense, the blindness is referring to prosperity, the main argument, but it may refer to prosperity of a different kind. I've seen many a person happy and content with having simply found the right church for them, or a great way of living, and not necessairly prosper in the monetary way.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that it necessarily means prosperity but rather lack of prosperity.
DeleteIt didn't occur to me to think of Pete's blindness as a lack of spirituality. And this makes me wonder where Donald is in all this. Has he actually found a spiritual home or not? He has a gullible nature, but just because he has a TRY GOD shirt on, does that mean he's officially a Christian? Sorry, I went off on a tangent there.
DeleteCluster 3:
ReplyDeleteI think it is okay to be skeptical. You don't want to believe everything you hear. If someone is trying to sell you something for example, you wanna pay attention and question things incase they are trying to scam you. However, don't be too skeptical, you may overthink things. I also think it is okay to believe in something outrageous. If you truly believe it, that's your own opinion and your own fault it=f it's not true. You shouldn't believe everything you hear, but you also shoudn't ignore something just because it seems crazy. Think things through.
I agree. I think in mine I stressed too much that being skeptical is good.
DeleteCluster 5
ReplyDeletePete may have left out the fact he was blind because he may not have wanted Donald to think Pete could be dependent on him as a brother because the brotherly ties he has are strong tp Donald. Pete being blind may indicate that there may be a time when Donald is the only person Pete can count on for help, ironically enough. I think the main issue of their problem involves prosperity, but on what each brother values as being prosperous. For example, Donald worries for his soul, and therefore, believes that his security after death and findign his spirituality as being prosperous. Pete believes that money, work, and having a good life in this world is prosperous, and he worries for Donald because he doesn't seem to possess the skills required to get by in life
Don't forget to mention that Pete seems rather shallow while Donald doesn't. Although I guess he is pretty naive. You may have implied that, though. I'm just throwing it out there. The blindness could refer to Pete's lack of depth.
DeleteI had not considered that his blindness in the dream could correlate to Donald one day having to take care of his odler brother Pete. I feel this is a great interpretation. The first few times reading the story I felt that Pete's blindness was in refernce to his blind searching in life. Where Pete, surrounded by so many tangible luxuries, is not content with his materialistic lifestyle. In my opinion, the author uses the dream to show that although Pete portrays Donald to be ignorant, Pete is the one with the true mental handicap because he can not grasp the true definition of happiness.
DeleteCluster 6:
ReplyDeleteWhen Pete turns around to get Donald, he has a feeling of love and potential guilt...
to be continued
I do think that in many cases being skeptical is a good thing, because nowadays people will lie about anything to get something they want. A great example of something you can't really trust is infomercials, especially about weight loss. Sometimes whenever they put the skinny, toned person's head onto the fat one's for the "before" picture, the skin tones aren't even close to each other. But even with all the people who will say anything for a quick buck, there are still a few honest people. You just need to know who to trust... I guess...
ReplyDeleteCluster 3
ReplyDeleteMost of the time, it's pretty alright to be skeptical. To believe everything you hear in life is pretty much to fail. The lottery is a good example. The lottery in of itself is an outrageous promise: "Pay a dollar, win millions." Of course, the lottery does have a winner, but it's not worth investing hundreds of dollars on hundreds of lottery tickets. Donald gave every cent he had to this guy who promised him a hefty sum of money. If what Webster says were even halfway believable, it would've been okay to maybe invest a very little bit. The fact is, though, that what Webster says is complete garbage and Donald throws all his money at him. The same goes for an instance such as the lottery. Whereas there IS a chance of winning, it's not worth it at all to blow a bunch of money on something that's probably never going to happen. The short answer is that it's good to be skeptical, and it's stupid to throw all your eggs in one basket when the basket probably doesn't even exist.
Great story Steve, but I'm in agreence with you. No sense in wasting funds on what may not even be true (in Webster's case, complete and utter bull).
DeleteI mean, $100 couldn't have been much to Pete, but I think he was just frustrated at the complete lack of thought and responsibility.
DeleteI agree that taking incredible risks often ends badly. However, the author does leave Donald's prosperity in question in regards to the gold mine investment. We see Pete thinking of the possibility that Donald could potentially become rich although the idea is very far fetched.
DeleteI would be, heads would roll for falling for a terrible story like that.
DeleteCluster 4:
ReplyDeleteI believe Donald and Pete both fabricate elements of the story regarding Donald being punched in the stiches. Where Donald described in details how Pete snuck into his room while he was sleeping and attempted to kill him, Pete completely denies the truth of the story and then accepts that something did take place. I feel as the reader we must find the clouded truth amidst all the contradictions. Moreover, Pete's intent, in my opinion, was not to murder his younger brother. One is led to assume that Pete and Donald are the victims of sibling rivalry. Thus, it is possible that the actions were done as a small feud. If I felt as though Donald's tale was completely true I would believe my comments to be heresy. However, the extent to which Pete attacked Donald is unclear, and therefore the dispute could be trivial. Pete's actions highlight his intent to be superior to his brother Donald.
I agree Ashley! I think Pete punching Donald in the stitches was just sibling rivalry. Pete would have be younger and immature. All siblings fight, not everyone gets along. Also, it is usually the older brother who picks on the younger brother. I do not think that Pete was trying to kill Donald. I also think that donald exaggerates the story a little, although we don't know for sure.
DeleteI think you make a good point, Ashley. I believe both of the brothers have their own version. I remember a part of the story where Pete mentions that their mother was always worried about Donald, and that could account for their sibling rivalry and Pete being jealous of the attention given to Donald. I also think that the incident mentally scarred Donald so badly that that might have been a nightmare that he began to adopt as a memory. Or, like we discussed in class, he might have been trying to manipulate Pete into feeling sorry for him so he would have his brother to depend on.
DeleteI don't think that Pete ever hit Donald in the stitches. I think that that was simply a lie that Donald made up to make Pete feel bad for him once again.
DeleteCluster 3:
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is a good thing to be skeptical. If you are always gullible and think the best in everyone, then someone could take advantage of you. I do not think it is a good idea to believe in "some outrageous promise." In this day and age, there are not many trustworthy people out there.
I agree with the logic that you can't trust anything that people tell you. Sometimes though, there are gullible people who are trapped by "some outrageous promise" who never had the chance to be informed or trusting complete strangers is all they have left to rely on. There are people in this world that are willing to lie 24/7 in order to get what they want. The easiest route is to not trust anybody until you really know them well.
DeleteI agree that it is good to be skeptical sometimes; however, there are times that if you don't trust other people, you could be missing out on something. Deeper relationships with family and friends come with trust, and it is hard to trust someone if you're skeptical of people.
DeleteThen who do you trust? Can you trust anyone?
DeleteCluster 5-
ReplyDeletePete did not inform Donald that he was blind because he didn't want Donald to know that he had any sort of dependency. Pete likes to think of himself as the better brother, the brother that is the one that made it in life. I believe that Pete didn't want to feel like Donald was in control.However, Donald is very much in control. Pete is always helping Donald out of situations. Donald is really not held to any accountablity, because Pete always takes him under his wing. The dream was sympolizing their relationship. Pete was blind and lead by his brother. It symolizes Pete's fear toward Donald coming out on top.
The prosperity is the heart of their arguement. Pete has material goods, such as a home and a fancy car. Donald conatins nothing but he gives everything he has away. Pete is flourishing in the eyes of society. On the other hand, Donald gives everything away and could be flourishing in the eyes of God.
You make very good points.I also thought the reason why Pete didn't tell Donald that he was blind in the dream was beacuse he didnt want Donald to know that Pete depended on him to help him when he was blind. Pete also doesn't want to think that he will ever have to depend on Donald. Pete doesn't think it is fair that Donald could possibly come out on top after all the mistakes he made and all of the work Pete has done for Donald. Pete wants all of the credit for the hard work he has done.
DeletePete is wealthy in the tangible items he owns such as his nice car, house, and luxary items. Which is considered successful in society. However Donald is rich in intangible wealth with his soul and his caring personality such as when he gives his necessities away to people who need them. Donald is successful in God eyes.
I agree with Cassie, I feel Pete doesnt want to tell Donald he is blind due to the fact that it would give him the upper hand in the situation. Donald would then think Pete needs him instead of Donald needing Pete. If Pete gives Donald that little bit of insight into his dreams Donald will then see he has leverage and can use it against Pete and force Petes hand into some possible undesierable issues.
DeleteTo cassie on cluster 5.
The dream can stand for Pete being the better more well of brother their entire lives thus far; now the table has turned. Pete is the problem brother possibly and Donald is the one who is successful. When Pete needs help Donald is the only one who can help him no matter the situation.
Cluster 4:
ReplyDeleteWhen Donald told Pete of when he hit him in the stitches when they were younger, I think that Donald was exaggerating the story quite a bit. Sure, Pete probably did hit Donald in his stitches a few times but he probably didn't wait for their parents to leave to hit his helpless brother. Donald probably would have not been able to just sit there and take repeated blows to his stitches either. However, one could argue that Pete could foresee the future and tried to get rid of his brother since he knew that he would have to take care of him later on in life. I believe that they were just kids and maybe Pete got a little too aggressive.
Cluster 1: I'm more sympathetic towards Pete because I know people exactly like Donald. Being naive with good intentions doesn't justify and of Donald's actions. I would say I'm more like Pete (a realist), but I do not however have money to just throw around. Reading just how "blind" Donald is to the real world frustrates me almost as much as how boastful Pete seems with his money. I have to agree with the statement that "everybody likes to hear how someone messed up," because it makes other people feel better about themselves.
ReplyDeleteI am more sympathetic towards Donald because how would it feel to always be the one to mess up. Pete has to fix it, and I can't imagine not being able to fix my own mistakes.
DeleteI have the same feelings, Eric. I am more sympathetic towards Pete because I also know many people who are like Donald. Donald is an adult; he cannot blame all of his mistakes on the fact that he is naive. Donald seems as if he never grew out of his childhood. He wants to help people less fortunate, but he does not think of how it will affect others. I really think people enjoy hearing other people's mistakes. It makes them realize that maybe there are other people in the world who mess up more than they do, like Donald.
DeleteCluster five: Pete did not tell Donald that he was blind in his dream because that would make him seem weak. Pete sees himself as the stronger brother because he always has to take care of Donald. He does not want to admit to anyone, especially Donald, that he cannot take care of himself all the time. Pete believes he is better than Donald when really he is not. He seems like he has his whole life figured out, when really he is just as lost as Donald.
ReplyDeleteI think your claims are extremely valid and can be easily supported with the text. However, I don't believe the fact Pete was blind in the dream indicates weakness. I interpretated this situation as Pete being lost in his life of luxury.
DeleteQuestion 7-
ReplyDeleteBeing an only child I have only listened to my parents stories. One that was funny and sticks out is my dad and my uncle. My uncle would always say something to his little brother(my dad) and make my dad so frustrated and would always scream at my uncle, "oh yeah? Well me and did that before you was even born." My dad was only 3 at the time but to him it was the best come back he had. My dad was always so confident he was older then my uncle, when he finally got the concept he felt crazy but he still says it to this day.
Cluster 7:
ReplyDeleteI have a 13 year old brother and a 2 year old sister. Me and my brother do not get along. He constantly tries to push my buttons. He will do things just to get under my skin. Being the oldest, I usually get in trouble when we fight.
Once I was watching tv and my brother came up and took the remote out of my hands and changed the channel. So I got up and took it back, well he wouldn't let go. We kept pulling it back and forth, and finally I just let go. The remote came back and hit him in the face, he started crying, and told my mom that i punched him. So i got grounded from my phone. Even though he started it, I got blamed.
Cluster 7
ReplyDeleteMy brother, Zach, and I never got along when we were younger. We would never sit on the same couch together, we'd argue constantly, and we could never see eye to eye. I still remember one day when Zach and I were with my Grammy and we had just gotten back into her car after we had grocery shopped. "You know, years from now, you two will get along really well." I, sitting on the opposite end of the back seat of my brother, replied, "There's no way that's gonna happen." I also remember that soon after that, we would slowly but surely get along. Now my brother and I are very close, staying up for hours just talking sometimes. I would'nt trade my brother for anything, and it makes me sort of sad to think that Pete and Donald are still not out of the not-getting-along stage.
My sister and I are really no closer than we ever were. I'm not quite sure why.
Delete7.) I don't really have any specific stories of sibling rivalry. The fact is that my sister and I generally just don't get along. Most of the time she thinks that our parents give me preferential treatment and vice-versa. A common argument was that of who does much work. She used to push my buttons and bring up that she had straight A's and I didn't (when the former was true) and I would defend it with, "well, I'm in decathlon, which is a lot more work than you could possibly do," which she would counter with something about choir. Generally I just avoid being around her when I'm in a bad mood so as to avoid arguments. That's about it. What an uplifting story, right?
ReplyDeleteYou will probably be great friends someday . . .
DeleteCluster 7: Though I'm an only child, I consider a few cousins to be siblings (I was pretty much grew up side by side with them). So my story is a story of... eh, sweet revenge. So, my revenge begins after a rather embarassing trick (of which I shall not describe, but it was very emotionally scarring), I set out for my revenge. Step 1: Delete every single save file on their games and pretend to be innocent, and pin it on the other sibling (they had a big rivalry), then ask to play some fighting game and perform the ultimate tactic: buttin mash and continually press pause until they quit.
ReplyDeleteStep 2: Mercilessly beat them at my favorite game of the time (as a six year old, I was the champion of Super Smash Bros.)
Step 3: Do what any six year old would do, make every one else's life a living heck.
Thus, my plan of revenge was completed. Nowadays, my "siblings" and I are very close, despite our friendly competitions.
Cluster 7:
ReplyDeleteThroughout my childhood, my brother and I had and still have quite a bit of sibling rivalry. We are so close by age (17 months apart) that we always wanted what the other one had. I remember one time, about 12 years ago, my brother Alex (who is younger) was wearing his cowboy outfit and he had the good capgun around his waist. I reached for it because I wanted to use it and then a little fight started. The fight ended up with Alex being pushed down the stairs on accident but he still got to keep the capgun.
Cluster 2: While Pete is sleeping, Webster obviously conned Donald in a matter of minutes, taking his $100 and giving him the notion that he now owns a share in Peru. If I were in Pete's shoes I wouldn't have gotten as mad. I would definitely have been angered to begin with, but I always keep the mindset that money can just be made over, and shouldn't tip the scales of a family relationship. As much as I want to say I was onto Webster from the beginning, I wasn't. It wasn't until Webster began talking about the gold mine that he struck me as a con-man. Though I believe in doing good deeds as much as I can, I will never give a ride to a hitch-hiker because of the obvious risks. In the story Pete claims that there is no way that Webster will kill him, but in real life nobody knows that. Though Donald makes bad decicions, I don't think that he is necessarily foolish. But I do think that seeing Donald screw up makes Pete feel better about himself, even though deep down Pete cares about his younger brother.
ReplyDeleteGood comments, Erik. I'm glad you mentioned not being "onto" Webster from the start.
DeleteCluster 7:
ReplyDeleteI am the oldest of three kids. I have a younger brother, and a baby sister. Me and my brother do not get along. And being the oldest I always get blamed. One time, I was watching television, and my brother decides he wants to watch something sifferent. So he comes up and takes the remote out of my hands and changes the channel. I get up and go try to take the remote back, but he won't let go. So we keep pulling back and forth. Until, finally, I just let go. Well the remote ended up hitting him in the face, and he started crying. He went and told my mother that i unched him in the face, and took the remote from him. Of course, my mother believed him, and i got my phone taken away.
Cluster seven: I have two half brothers who are much older than I am. Ryan, the one closest to my age, is 33 and has a wife and two sons. I had not had contact with him for nearly three years until last week when he contacted me via Facebook. He invited me to go to dinner with his family. I have always looked up to him; he is a successful business man, he received a full ride football scholarship to UIndy, and he graduated in the top ten percent of his class in high school.Having the chance to go to dinner with him will be one of my favorite memories. I was able to start to build a relationship with his family, and we made a promise to see each other more often than every three years.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading this, Claire. I hope your dinner out with your brother's family is a great event.
DeleteLast year, my brother and I were on different club ultimate teams. He was on the Mixed team Interrobang, and I was on the Open tean INfamous. We played against each other for the first time in an indoor tournament before Christmas break. I scored on him, but his team won the game. The next time we played was a couple weeks later in another indoor tournament. This time, he scored on me, and his team won. The final time we met was in a showcase game at Decatur Central High School, on their turf at midnight. In this match up he scored on me, and his team won for the third straight time. Even though a 3-0 record isn't much of a rivalry, and my brother is clearly better and more experienced than I am, we still see it as a rivalry ever time we play against each other. Eventually I will surpass him and beat him.
ReplyDeleteCluster 3: I have always been a skeptic of things that seem too good to be true. Sometimes though, people need to believe in an outrageous promise just to get them through the day
ReplyDeleteCluster 4: Remembering The Past
ReplyDeleteI believe Donald is slightly exaggerating the story about Pete hitting his stiches. When kids are little, they have huge imaginations and big stories. I honestly doubt that anyone, especially a small child, would be able to keep calm and not say a word while being punched in the stomach. Therefore, I believe Donald has some kind of agenda behind his actions. In the story, Pete tells Donald that their mother was "in a state everytime you (Donald) burped." This leads me to believe that Donald was doing this as a cry for attention. I don't think Pete was intentionally trying to get rid of his little brother. Perhaps what Donald interpretted as Pete trying to kill him, was actually his older brother playing around with him. Donald doesn't seem very old, so maybe the details of this ordeal have become blurred over the years.
I am the youngest of three children. I have an older brother, and an older sister that is only a year older than me. When we were little my sister was always the one to pick fights. Sometimes we would fight over who got to play teacher, sometimes we would fight about who mom loved more, but nevertheless we were always fighting. One day Katie decided to play beauty shop. My sister had taken a pair of scissors from the junk drawer and grabbed an aray of "hair products." Within an hour my hair had been washed with baby lotion, and sprayed with baby powder. Katie felt her work was not done, she felt I needed a new do as well. As she began to cut my hair she promised me that our mom was going to be so happy that I looked so pretty. My mom failed to have such a great reaction, when she saw me she began to cry. Katie had cut my long locks, and scalped the majority of my head. Although she was crying as she washed out the lotion, powder, and remaining chucks of hair she did not punish Katie because she was small. However, a year later Katie decided to cut all my hair once more. Now I can look back and laugh about the situation. I may not have decent baby pictures, but that is the beauty of sibling rivalry. When my sister and I fought I thought it was the end of the world, but the next day we would wake up and we still had each other.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 6: (cont'd) He felt both guilty potentially, because of past physical abuse he inflicted by punching his brother in the gut in attempt to kill him, thereby inducing trauma, and love because he had grown up with his brother who would always be family and felt a responsibility as his brother's keeper. He would keep going because he is tired of his brother always screwing up and being a leech of sorts and being dimwitted and gullible. If I were in that case I would have not helped him in the first place through those means. Instead, I would teach him how to live and coexist in the world with others without relying heavily on anyone but himself and not be so happy-go-lucky and discern more between fable and truth. I would do this because I cannot alway take care of someone. There are times that I would be doing other things and would not be able to care for people of this nature, so instead of giving him a fish, I would teach him how to fish, metaphorically speaking.
ReplyDeleteCluster 2:
ReplyDeleteYes, I would have been mad if Donald had given my money away. Pete gave it to him to help him get back on his feet. He needed it to survive, adn instead he just hands it away.I also would have never let the man in the car. What if he was some kind of murderer. How would I know? I would never give a ride to a stranger. I do believe that Donald is gulllable. There were so many flaws in Websters story, it was clearly a con and rehearsed. I dont think that pete wanted Donald to look foolish, that was never the plan. However, Donald made himself look foolish by Giving Webster the money.
Cluster 7-
ReplyDeleteI am blessed with a younger brother and sister. I was seven years old, going into the first grade, when we moved. We moved from Center Grove to Martinsville. My parents had dreams of building a house, so until the house was complete we were going to live in a double. The double had two little bed rooms that barely fit a double bed. There was one little bitty bathroom, a living room that connected to the kitchen, and a small closet. The kitchen could not fit a table, so we had a fold up one that sat up against the wall. We lived out of see-though plastic bins, and a storage house. We were the best of friends because we were so young and we did not know any different. We were naive about the world around us. Our usual past times were to play in the small baby pool in our back yard, complete with a slide and all. We could walk to the Central Elementary School and play on the play ground. We were always going down face first on the slide, much to my mother's dismay. However, out of all these fun things, before bed hid-n-go-seek was the ultimate. Garrett would go jump on his bed, and lay face down. He always hoped that his game of "you can't see me, I can't see you" would work. My sister was usually pretty sneaky, always turning into a ball hiding somewhere. During the most intense game of hid-n-go-seek my mother hid in the laundry basket. We didn't find her for hours. Who knew that there were so many places to hide in a double?
Cluster 4: Like any childhood memory, things get twisted and the truth gets stretched. I don't think Pete ever had true intentions of killing Donald. I think that Donald wanted to get some real emotion out of Pete, and so Donald stretched the truth to get Pete to feel sorry for him. Pete's reasoning for trying to kill his brother could have been centered around attention, material items, or the fact that Donald was a neusance to Pete.
ReplyDeleteI like the points you made about the truth being stretched and Donald just telling stories to get some real emotion from Pete. Those are things I did not think to mention in my blog about this cluster. I believe Donald is probably being a little dramatic just to see if his brother really cares about him.
DeleteCluster 7:
ReplyDeleteMy favorite sibling memory is when my sister and I were little we always matched whether is was on the first day of school or every christmas morning. My mom loved to see us matching. I remember my first day of kindergarden I was wearing a jean scort and a red shirt. I had white tennis shoes on and a blue backpack. My sister just so happened to be wearing the same exact thing as me. The scary thing is that we even had matching haircuts except the fact I had white hair and she has dark brown hair. Another instance is every christmas morning when my mom gives my sister and I our matching footie pajamas and insists we take a picture next to the tree with our puppies. This wasn't just a one time deal it happened for a good ten years or more. It is always embarrassing to look at the pictures of when we were little and be matching in over half of them.
Hmmmm... I think my favorite sibling story is when all of us, my two brothers, my sister, and I, would put me in things. Mostly, we would do this in order to send me down our hardwood stairs. I would be in a sleeping bag filled with pillows, or a laundry basket filled with pillows... all for my protection! My oldest brother would also carry me around in a pillow case. I would think that I was so sneeky and no one but Jake and I knew I was in there... but the trouble with that was that Iwould giggle all the time and give myself away. These are probavly my favorite memories because I was so cute that I brought my family lcoser together. My oldest brother couldn't stand my other brother, but when we dent me flying down the stairs, or when I felt like one of Santa's presents being carried in a sack on the back of my brother, he didn't hate him so much.
ReplyDeleteCluster 7: My sister and I are 18 years apart, so my stories of sibling rivalry don't really apply. My mom and my aunt however used to fight all the time. One time my mom was hit in the face by a hairbrush sent flying down a hallway because she was in the "wrong place at the wrong time."
ReplyDeleteCluster 7:
ReplyDeleteMy sister is seven years younger than I am. As a child, my sister loved to tell stories. They were ridiculous, but we just laughed and let her tell the next. When my sister was in kindergarden, she and her peers had to make a little picture book about their family. Each page described a member of your family. On my page, she drew a picture of a closet and underneath she wrote one of her completely absurd stories. My sister had said that one of my favorite things to do was to lock her in the shoe closet... Obviously that was a lie but the horrible part was, the kids had to share these books in front of the class and her teacher. So everyday after that when I walked to the school to pick her up, all of the little kids would laugh and yell, "HIDE! RUN! SHE'S GOING TO GET YOU!" It was pretty embarrassing.
Cluster 4:
ReplyDeleteI believe the reason for Pete hitting Donald's stitches is because in a sense Pete wants to get rid of Donald, maybe because he is so needy. Although, Pete could never actually follow through with getting rid of Donald, because they are brothers and deep down, Pete loves him. He may have been jealous of Donald because he may have recieved more attention than Pete. Donald seems to be the brother who is always asking for favors and always needs help with something, Pete may have been annoyed with it in the past, and currently in the story. In the end, Pete needs Donald, and he could never get rid of him no matter how bad he may want to at the moment.