Black Flies Post #2

In the book Black Flies, so far all the reader knows is that Ollie is a new paramedic struggling to deal with the gruesome and disgusting scenes he encounters in his job of being an EMT. At the beginning we don't know much about his life before his job of being an EMT but later on we get some more insight. Ollie went to college and didn't get in to medical school right away, so he decided to take a year off and become a medic and apply the nest year. Ollie is not only struggling with the horrific events, he is struggling with how his co workers deal with the situations. His partner Rutkovsky, isn't fazed with any of the tragedies he sees, and even has bars under his badge to prove it. Ollie asks Rutkovsky, "... he only displayed a single black bar over his badge...From when I was in the war. It's a kill bar. For a confirmed kill"(16 Burke). Ollie has a difficult time wrapping his brain around the idea that Rutkovsky had killed anyone, and isn't even fazed by it. Ollie continues to be ridiculed about him being new, but one day he gets his chance to prove his skills to his co workers. Burke writes, "I lines up behind the head, set the laryngoscope up, and went in with the scope, trying to find the vocal cords. I couldn't see them" and later Ollie received help from Rutkovsky "Now! Rutkobsky hissed. I stabbed inward with the tube... As the air went in the guys skin flushed and his heart rate went up into the sixties..."(12, 13 Burke). At first Ollie is scared and doesn't believe he can accomplish the job, so he receives some help from Rutkovsky and ends up completing the task and saving the man's life. Although Ollie saves this man's life all his coworkers still make fun of him because he wasn't confident and almost killed the man.

The gruesome details are still there but the story is getting much more interesting. The story is beginning to get some plot behind the basic idea and is really becoming interesting. I'm curious to see how Ollie deals with all the pressure that is put upon him, if he will crack or rise to the occasion. I also enjoy how Burke writes about how Ollie is trying to cope with this new job, but leaves out how others cope with all the blood and gore. I'm really interested to if the views of the other workers and even Ollie change later on.

Burke, Shannon. Black Flies. New York: Soft Skull P, 2008.*Black Flies should be underlined

Black Flies Post #1

I'm reading the novel Black Flies by Shannon Burke. This book follows the story a man Ollie who is new to his profession, being an EMT. Ollie is a new guy so he is not accustom to all the gore and death that is experienced in the job, because of this he is made fun of by the veteran EMT's. This book has a huge amount of detail making the scene's very easy to visualize, even though they might be gory and terrible to think about. A crime scene is described, "A half dissected cadaver lay on a steel table, the interior cavity of the body exposed, the organs visible. the grayish formaldehyde poled in the folds of the plastic wrapping, and all around us high shelves held jars with floating hearts, brains, kidneys, fetuses, and encephalopathy babies"(8). This line was an amazing description of a tiny room with jars all around the walls. While reading this I had a vivid picture of the scene in my head. Although this isn't the best picture to have in your head, it enhancs your reading and understanding of the book. In this scene Ollie is unable take it all in, the gore and death is too much for him to handle. Due to his incapablility to handle all the graphic deaths his coworkers taunt him and ridicule him, they even go so far as putting a dead decaying pig in his car.

At the beginning this book seems as thought the plot is thin, but as you read on the story becomes more and more interesting. Not only does the graphic deatailing enhance the story but it gives the book "style" and makes important details and parts to the story stand out even more. Burke has done an excelent job putting this extremely difficult and gory job into terms that the reader can begin to understand. Although I'm only at the beginning this book is very intriguing and is very well written. So far I'm enjoying the book Black Flies.

Burke, Shannon. Black Flies. New York: Soft Skull P, 2008.*Black Flies should be underlined

Outside Reading- Post #6

After Christmas Frank's father finally gets a job, but then looses it his first day. Then rather than returning home to his excited family, he spends all the dole money at the pub and comes home drunk singing Irish songs. Frank, Malachy, and Angela are extremely disappointed with Mr. McCourt and don't accept the penny he tries to give to them as an apology gift. Frank's school gets a new head master who hates answering questions, and there just so happens to be a boy in Frank’s class who loves to ask questions, so he's always in trouble. Franks amazing conscience helps him to send a message to his class mates. One day at school he finds a raisin in his lunch and every one begs him for it, but rather than giving it to the normal kids he gives it to the other poor kid in his class, Paddy. In a few weeks it's time for Frank’s first communion. He's extremely excited for this because he will get money to spend on the movies and sweets, but unfortunately he throws up his communion wafer and misses the money collecting part. They get to the heater and Mickey pretends to throw a fit and Frank is able to sneak into the movie. Much later Frank is forced with the decision of going to the university and getting an education or getting a job to support his family. He chooses the job so that his family can finally have an income that they can depend on. Throughout this book Frank has grown immensely as a person. He has an extremely difficult life and it would be much easier to stoop down to terrible and low levels; but him his mom and his brother are very good people and it shows through their actions. Frank selflessly gives his sweet raisin to the other poor and hungry boy in the class, doesn't retaliate to the teasing that he experiences, and chooses his family over himself. Frank has an amazing sense of what is "right" and is strong enough and courageous enough to follow through with his beliefs. I feel that Frank McCourt is an amazing role model for everyone. He had a terrible life, but grew up to be a successful, smart, and courageous man. This book was an amazing story and I would recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a great book!

McCourt, Frank. Angela's Ashes. New York: touchstone, 1996.

Outside Reading-#5

Some time passes as the McCourt family is accommodating to their new home, but with the dole money decrease things are still as hard as ever.  Two weeks before Christmas the boys return from school to find that their house had been flooded.  So they are forced to move in to the top floors apartment which they call Italy, because its hot and dry. The next day Angela goes to the butcher to get meat for the family to eat on christmas, but all she could afford was the meat on the head of the pig.  Unfortunately for Frank he had to carry the pig head home and on the way he saw some of his friends who made fun of him for his poverty.  On Christmas day the boys go out to fetch some coal scraps so that Angela can cook the pig, but they convince a landlord to give them real coal for free.  They then have to drag the coal home in the rain and are once again made fun of because of their poverty. The boys go home and celebrate a great, and happy christmas with their family. 

I find it amazing that these boys are able to stay true to themselves and stay out of trouble with all the teasing they are experiencing.  Unfortunately people judge others on their appearance and the amount of money they have, so consequently the McCourt boys are ridiculed endlessly.  The school is really making a difference in the boys lives, although they haven't made friends they are staying out of trouble and learning an education.  The McCourt boys are very strong and I believe smart as well.  They haven't had any good examples of how to act or what to do in their lives and yet they are two respectable boys.  I also find it amazing that this extremely poor family is still able to have a great and joyful christmas.  Usually people judge their christmases on the amount and quality of the gifts they receive, but that's not what christmas is about.  If a family like the McCourts can find the true meaning in christmas, and make it a splendid and enjoyable day, anyone can.  I'm really anxious to read about what happens next!

McCourt, Frank.  Angela's Ashes. New York: touchstone, 1996.

Outside reading- #4

Shortly after returning home Franks one-year-old brother, Oliver, dies in the hospital. The day of the funeral Franks father spends all his dole money on alcohol.  The McCourts move to a new home, and Frank and Malachy finally begin school. The school that they are attending is difficult and challenges your spirit.  After starting school the McCourts face, yet again, another challenge, Eugene dies of pneumonia.  Yet again Franks father drinks the whole day of Eugene's funeral, so Frank has to pull him from the pub so that he can pay his last respects to his son. After the funeral Frank and Malachy eat fish and chips.  While eating Frank can't help but think about how Eugene has been taken by angels to go see Margaret and Oliver.  After Eugenes funeral Mrs. McCourt decides that the family should once again move, so they do. Unfortunately Mr. McCourts pay is reduced to 16 shillings a week, and they have to share a bathroom with 11 other families in their new home. 

The McCourts life just keeps getting worse and worse. Having to lose one child is something no parent should have to deal with, but three is just terrible.  Although this tragedy does strike I feel that the move and education that Malachy and Frank finally receive is exactly what they need. These kids need something they can escape to so that they have something other to do that just get in trouble.  Although the first move is good for the boys, the McCourts are once again just attempting to run away from their problems when moving isn't going to make them disappear. At the beginning I felt just a little bit of sorrow for the McCourt family but now I feel terrible.  No one should have to go through this type of a life, and I really hope that their situation gets better in the near future. 

McCourt, Frank. Angela's Ashes. New York: touchstone, 1996. 

Outside Reading Post-#3

When I last left off the McCourts new life in Ireland wasn't going to well, and I was hoping that their situation was going to get better, but unfortunately it hasn't.  Mr. McCourt has a job that pays 19 shillings which isn't enough to pay rent and feed his family.  So one morning when the family is eating breakfast Franks grandmother tells Mr. McCourt that if he wants he can go to the IRA so that he can ask for money to commend what he's done. Before they leave they go to church and even there the family is referred to as Yanks "... he hoped he'd see us all at Mass, especially the little Yankees..."(McCourt 48).  Once they are there Mr. McCourt asks for money but the man working the desk refuses him even the fare to get a bus ride home.  The whole McCourt family went along to try and get money, but they were sent home empty handed. 

The McCourts have a much worse life in Ireland than in America.  Mr McCourt has a terrible job, no money and his children are learning terrible habits.  I really don't understand why the the McCourts family wanted them to return to Ireland with them.  They too are living terrible lives, and for me if i loved someone I would want the best life for them.  This life can't be found in Ireland.  The kids are being given drugs, not being fed, and aren't receiving an education.  I think that if the McCourts stay in Ireland the kids will not be able to make better lives for themselves.  Although this book is sad, the writing style is very intriguing. Frank puts a funny flare to his writing and makes the rare funny parts of his life almost stick out just as much as the unfortunate events.      

McCourt, Frank. Angela's Aches. New York: touchstone, 1996.

Blog Question Response #3

In the movie On The Water Front all of the working people know that what the mob is doing is wrong, and they want to see the mob gone, yet they withhold the information they do know in fear that they will be thought of as a "stool pigeon" and end in their demise. All of the characters, apart from Doogan and the reverend, were to scared to stand up to the mob and become moral crusaders in fear that they would be "tattle tales". All the characters think that anyone who stands up to the mob is a brave person, but unfortunately they know that the mob will become angry and "get rid" of them. The truth is that these people who did stand up to the mob, and attempted to make a difference in every one's lives were moral crusaders, but they were thought of as tattle tales. Most of the characters in On the Water Front know what the right thing to do is, but they won't stand up to the mob because although they know what the crusader is doing is right and brave, they are to scared to take action in fear that the mob will think they are a tattle tale.

I believe that the smart people are those who stand up for what is right. Although they may stand alone they are strong and they have a cause that they believe in, and are willing to make sacrifices so that change will occur. In real life a tattle tale is someone who tells someone of a higher authority any little detail that can have some importance, but usually doesn't. A moral crusader is someone who shares information that will help and make a difference in theirs or others lives. Tattle tales are usually small minded, scared people who have no back bone and are only doing what they are doing so that they have safety provided to them. Where as a zealot is someone who is brave, and knows what the right thing to do is and takes action so that the situation will get better, rather than going along with everyone else.The cause that these brave citizens are fighting for is usually something of importance to them and others. Although we might think it's easy to stand up to others, in the situation that the characters in On the Water Front face is a very tough and scary decision. These citizens are forced to choose between a better tomorrow while possibly giving up their life, or just standing in the background and watching the same terrible things happen over and over again. The effects that the moral crusaders have to deal with are serious and real, but if they are willing to risk that so that them and others can have a better life, then we should all support them and help them so that their journey can be easier.