The Theme In Hold Still

The book I'm currently reading is "Hold Still," by Nina LaCour. The current theme in the book seems to be connected with the five stages of grief and loss [or the Kubler-Ross model]: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

In the beginning, the main character, Caitlin, is going through the stage of denial. Her best friend, Ingrid, committed suicide. Caitlin's true feelings are obvious, but she denies them, and says that she feels fine. Going deeper into the book, a friend comes over, and talks to her about Ingrid, then says, "It was harsh, though, the way you told me. I learned the stages of grief once. I think you might be in the anger stage." [page 75.]

That is the first time the stages of grief are ever named in the book. Not only is she going through a stage of anger, but she's still in the stage of denial, depression, and going a little into the stage of acceptance. She accepts the fact that Ingrid is dead, but feels angry at her, and herself. She also denies her emotions to the rest of the world, and denies it to herself to calm herself down.

Caitlin shows the stages of grief through actions, not only by words. In the book, she finds Ingrid's journal, and struggles in deciding whether to read it or not, which shows the stage of depression and denial. After reading the first two pages, she shows the stage of anger by throwing the book into her closet.


The five stages of grief can be expressed in different ways, depending on the person's character. But the stages are impossible to evade. The way a person goes through the stages reflect how great and hurtful the loss was to them.

Reading Some Responses

•  http://whatireadsofar.blogspot.com/ {Xiao Qing's Reading Response}

Title: Marley and Me

Author: John Grogan

Xiao Qing's reading response was one of the two reading responses I found interesting.  What's interesting is that John, the protagonist, has bonded strongly with Marley, so strong, he "disobeys" his wife into giving the dog away... What about his two other children? What seems practically impossible in the book is that John can actually train a full grown labrador dog. Xiao's reading response has mace me want to read the book.

• http://nellyslibrary.blogspot.com/ {Shanely's Reading Response}

Book Title:  The Future of Us

 Shanely's reading response is the second reading response I found interesting. VERY interesting. Her reading response is mostly a summary though. It's interesting how Facebook wasn't invented yet. REALLY? What year were Josh and Emma in? The fact that a future is already set for them seems impossible. The likely reason for their future being set for them on Facebook is that their parents are behind it. Since they are  the only ones who have access to their information. If that happened to me, I'd freak out and hit my computer a thousand times with a mallet, perhaps another five thousand. Then forget about it. FOREVER.


rest of the blogs I read:

• http://justreadthisbook.blogspot.com/
• http://natforela.blogspot.com/
• http://heavenreadsandwrites.blogspot.com/

Reading Response

Reading Response


Lately, I've been re-reading, "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days," by Jeff Kinney, mainly because I forgot about the whole book. The main character in this book is Gregory. This book is about the struggles Greg is having throughout his summer. It mainly focuses on his mother forcing him to "enjoy" summer, while she has no idea she's messing it up. Completely.

I can relate Greg, mainly because my mom messed up my summer, and is currently still being nosy in my business. Greg, like me, got caught up with the paradise that video games offered him. and spent a few days playing video games all day, and all night. Until sadly mom takes note of his, and sees it as a bad thing for his brain. My mom sees it as the devil's work...

Greg doesn't talk much about the video game paradise, but just counts it as a background detail. As if something with more value will be coming up next.

His mom wants him to spend the summer reading books, and going to the town pool, which is EXTREMELY DIRTY, very crowded, while entering the male locker room, there is a load of nude men showering, and the people there have no respect at all. The only thing Greg likes is the life guard and girls. Just like when my mom sent me to Ecuador. Ecuador is like the town pool. Besides dirty, I don't like it, I can't. I cannot like the food, mainly meat; I'm a vegetarian. I cannot like their ridiculous accents; I find it very annoying. I cannot like their games; I find them simple, and not very challenging. Most of all, I cannot like the fact that they cannot respect my privacy. I'm a girl. I NEED privacy. The only thing I like is swimming the hot springs. Me and Greg are on the same page.

Just that, I've already entered school, and writing this.