Margaret Mahy: Memory reflection

 25/5/21

Book: Memory

Author: Margaret Mahy

Ideas:

25/05 - believing stories = growth mindset/ resilience - grief [Dr. Lucy Hone]

 Early in the novel, Mahy writes of Jonny, 'For Jonny, imaginary things, once properly imagined, could grow as powerful and lucid as if they were true. He had always been the victim of stories, not only other people's but his own as well (Chapter 1). What are some of these stories that Jonny is a victim of?

Jonny’s family and friends are always saying that he will be a failure or that he will end up living back at home. Jonny began drinking to get out of the fact that he believes the same as them and he is a shadow of his sister. His dad said that he will be back once Jonny left him and moved out because he didn't believe in Jonny. Although he hasn't become that great he still has shown resilience as he's proved them wrong and continues to fight the thoughts he has.

27/05/21

Memory:

Task- explain how MM is poetic with 2 [new] examples from the text.

Margaret Mahy is not only a writer but a poet, and her prose in this novel is one of its most outstanding qualities. Her descriptions are always succinct. For example, she describes the drunk Jonny searching the telephone book for Bonny's name:

Margaret Mahy uses poetic terms and writing heaps in her book here is 2 examples of her using these poetic words and writing in the text:

"Janine's as pale as thistle-down, Bonny's the yellowish-brown of certain honey-suckle flowers"

"The sea constantly fretting and complaining on the rocks far below"

08/06/21

Memory:

Ethics: Johnny is helping out an elderly lady by cleaning up for her around her house. In doing so he finds around 500 dollars just lying around and this money is starting to rot. He now has to choose if he wants to take the money and steal it or leave the money even though the lady may to even remember it's there.

If I was johnny I would have left the lady but told her about the money so she doesn't forget it.

What are ethics: Ethics is what you believe is the right thing to do. These are your values.

The bible is another book that teaches values and ethics.