In the story "Coming Home Again," the mom has stomach cancer and is fed through a tube. She can't hold any food down and one of the main ideas of the entire story is about food. But I chose to focus on the fact that the mom, if anything, regretted sending her son to boarding school. I think she mostly regretted it because when he was gone they didn't have time to be together as a family. And the time they would always get together would be dinner, or when it was time to eat. And when he came back from boarding school, his mom felt more nervous and distant and she obviously didn't enjoy feeling that way. But she was content with the idea that he was gone for a good purpose, he was getting an education which I would assume any parent would want for their child, and would in some cases do anything by any means to get their child the best education they had access too.
I'm not sure if he regretted being away, but I would think he would maybe just a little bit because his mom developed cancer, and I would assume if a parent had cancer, the child would want to be with them as much as possible before they go. But he did get to spend a lot of time with her before she died, like I said as a family when it was time to eat. Their conversations were usually about food or food would bring up a conversation. He doesn't regret going to college, however the part about boarding school, while he was gone he grew more precious to her as her illness progessed. I think that he was glad to have gotten the education and at the same time, would be a little upset that he wasn't home to be with his mom the entire time she had cancer. I could imagine it would be hard, having to choose between going to school somewhere far away while your parent or a family member had cancer, but in his case I don't think he chose, she developed it while he was gone was my understanding while reading the story.
Hi Hailey,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you mentioned the opening of the story. Lee breaks the rules in terms of his introduction. Introductions are supposed to provide background information and to prepare the audience for the paragraphs that will follow. In this essay, Lee throws us into the narrative on purpose. The opening line is shocking and he wants us to be shocked, just like he was probably shocked to find out about his mother's illness and like he was probably in shock the entire time.
I agree with you that he probably felt some regret being away at Exeter. I think it surprised him to learn that him mother regretted the decision.
Thanks for giving me more to think about.
Take care,
Lauren
Hi Hailey,
ReplyDeleteIt seems there were many mixed feelings from both Lee, and his mom. They both had to make decisions that they didn't want to make. Maybe his mother grew up in a culture where the education was more important, but realized once her son was gone, maybe having family around is just as important. I'm curious if Lee would do the same thing for his children?
Thanks,
Carrie Mac
Hi Hailey,
ReplyDeleteI would have to say that this is one of most sad story that I haver ever read. I really liked how he opened up his story because he hit you hard with a very tough situation. He succeded by catching my interest for reading more and getting to the end. I would have to say that his mom felt that guilt of sending him off to boarding school but not knowing at the time of what she was going to go through in the future health wise, she was in a position where she felt that she should have spent more time with her son and cherished every moment. She fealt by sending him to that school that he grew more distant from her and probably thought that the opposite would have occured would have he just stayed home. I feel that his mom just wanted more time but she could not do anything to change what had already happened and she could only cherish the rest of the time she had left with her family.