I read 24 pages.
"Some people are like that, mi vida. First they get older and older, and then they stop and get younger and younger. El Patron believes he's about thirty-five years old now, so he thinks you're his son, Felipe. He can't possibly know who you really are." (page 201)
I think Celia is trying to explain to Matt how when some people get older, they begin forgetting things and going a bit out of their normal state of mind. I'm not sure if Matt gets her drift, but it seems as if she may be trying to tell Matt that El Patron won't be around for as long as he may think.
Chapter 18 Summary: Matt gets woken up by Celia, and they rush to the hospital. He thinks that Celia has brought him to the hospital because she thinks he's sick. She tells him that El Patron has had a heart attack, and he vomits from shock. He gets put on a hospital bed because, "His heartbeat's all over the place!" (Page 180) Tam Lin goes in to see him, and Matt asks about El Patron. Tam Lin tells him that they had to do a piggyback transplant on him. After the transplant, El Patron didn't act as lively as he once was previously. It was obvious that he was slowly beginning to get to the point where he wouldn't be around much longer.
Chapter 19 Summary: One day when Matt was singing a Spanish ballad for El Patron, his voice cracked, then dropped an octave. Matt was a bit confused at this, as he didn't exactly know what was going on. He thought he was just losing his voice, and El Patron just laughed at him and told him to ask Celia or Tam Lin. Later when Matt asked Celia about it, she burst into tears, as she knew he was getting older. It made me laugh at how emotional she was being. Celia and Tam Lin throw him a little coming-of-age celebration out in the courtyard. After Matt goes to bed, Matt wonders if he'll end up like the other clones, being used to transplant organs whenever El Patron needed them. He insists that he's different, and wasn't created to provide spare parts to El Patron.
Chapter 20 Summary: Matt wakes up feeling as if a boulder was resting on his chest, and the only way he could roll it off would be to learn that his fears weren't real. He decides to go to the oasis. Ignoring Tam Lin's warnings about how he doesn't need to go into the water because "the bottom was murky with unexpected depths," he goes for a swim anyways. He thinks about running away but decides not to yet. Matt decides to continue reading The History of Opium. He reads about how El Patron came up with eejits, and how they are used for fertilizer for the poppy fields when they die. I thought that was a bit strange, but understandable since it's El Patron we're talking about here. Matt stops reading, and looks through the book for a photo of Esperanza. He thinks that she looks a lot like Maria, and upon reading the description, finds that she is the ex-wife of Senator Mendoza. Matt now feels anger and hate towards Esperanza, because she left Maria to think that she was dead. He decides that he'll show Maria the photo in the book the next time she visits. El Patron begins calling Matt Felipe, which confuses Matt. Celia tells him that Felipe is El Patron's son, who died eighty years ago. Matt asks her what he should do, and she tells him to be Felipe for El Patron. Matt has a bigger desire to run away from Opium, and Tam Lin had already provided him with supplies. He knew he couldn't leave before Steven and Emilia's wedding though, because he couldn't go without seeing with Maria, which I thought was sweet.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Chapter 17
I read 11 pages.
"You do that," Matt repeated, "and I'll tell the doctor how you treated El Patron's clone."
"Say what?" said Hugh, lifting his boot from Matt's chest.
"I'm El Patron's clone. I was visiting the water purification plant and got lost. Better yet, you can take me to the Big House and I'll send a message to him." (page 173)
Matt knows if he tells anyone he's El Patron's clone, he can get out of almost anything, since no one wants to upset El Patron. It's very smart for Matt to do this, and I bet it is helpful in situations like the one he was in during that paragraph."
Chapter 17 Summary: Matt continues trying to speak with Rosa, but she replied with the same thing every time, "Do you wish another horse, Master?" He goes to the oasis and begins reading one of the books Tam Lin had left him in the chest of supplies. While reading, he sees El Patron's name, and the book tells how he was a drug dealer and that drugs were illegal. Matt does not continue reading the book, because of the negative things it says about El Patron. As he goes back, he stops by the water purification plant. He can smell the dead fish and chemicals, and he sees the wastelands, where all of the chemicals and dead fish and such go. Matt notices that they lead to a bunch of buildings, and he wonders if that is where the eejits live. The smell gets to him, and just as he was about to pass out, two people yank him out of the yellow sludge. They think he's an eejit, and after he says he's not, they think he must be an illegal and begin to take him to the hospital to probably turn him into an eejit. Matt says if they do that, he'll just tell the doctor how they treated El Patron's clone. The two men, Hugh and Ralf, begin talking to Matt about where they come from. Matt realizes that they are murderers on the run, and that is why they are no longer where they come from anymore. Matt asks if Tam Lin had killed anyone, and they call him a "bloody terrorist." They tell him how Tam Lin placed a bomb outside the Prime Minister's house in London trying to kill him. "It's a shame a school bus pulled up at the wrong moment," said Hugh. "The blast killed twenty kiddies." (page 177)
I found this chapter quite interesting. I learned more about Tam Lin, and how he's not as innocent as I thought he may have been.
"You do that," Matt repeated, "and I'll tell the doctor how you treated El Patron's clone."
"Say what?" said Hugh, lifting his boot from Matt's chest.
"I'm El Patron's clone. I was visiting the water purification plant and got lost. Better yet, you can take me to the Big House and I'll send a message to him." (page 173)
Matt knows if he tells anyone he's El Patron's clone, he can get out of almost anything, since no one wants to upset El Patron. It's very smart for Matt to do this, and I bet it is helpful in situations like the one he was in during that paragraph."
Chapter 17 Summary: Matt continues trying to speak with Rosa, but she replied with the same thing every time, "Do you wish another horse, Master?" He goes to the oasis and begins reading one of the books Tam Lin had left him in the chest of supplies. While reading, he sees El Patron's name, and the book tells how he was a drug dealer and that drugs were illegal. Matt does not continue reading the book, because of the negative things it says about El Patron. As he goes back, he stops by the water purification plant. He can smell the dead fish and chemicals, and he sees the wastelands, where all of the chemicals and dead fish and such go. Matt notices that they lead to a bunch of buildings, and he wonders if that is where the eejits live. The smell gets to him, and just as he was about to pass out, two people yank him out of the yellow sludge. They think he's an eejit, and after he says he's not, they think he must be an illegal and begin to take him to the hospital to probably turn him into an eejit. Matt says if they do that, he'll just tell the doctor how they treated El Patron's clone. The two men, Hugh and Ralf, begin talking to Matt about where they come from. Matt realizes that they are murderers on the run, and that is why they are no longer where they come from anymore. Matt asks if Tam Lin had killed anyone, and they call him a "bloody terrorist." They tell him how Tam Lin placed a bomb outside the Prime Minister's house in London trying to kill him. "It's a shame a school bus pulled up at the wrong moment," said Hugh. "The blast killed twenty kiddies." (page 177)
I found this chapter quite interesting. I learned more about Tam Lin, and how he's not as innocent as I thought he may have been.
Chapters 15-16
I read 19 pages.
"This does not belong here!" the priest thundered. "This unbaptized limb of Satan has no right to make a mockery of this rite! Would you bring a dog to church?" (Pages 153-154)
Just like everyone else, the priest sees Matt as an animal instead of person just because he's a clone. The only people who see him as a human being are Celia, Tam Lin, El Patron, and Maria. I like how Maria replied with, "Saint Francis would take a dog to church." She is trying to see Matt for who he actually is, not just as another clone.
Chapter 15 Summary: When Matt requests a safe horse to go to the oasis Tam Lin usually takes him to, he notices the eejit bringing him the horse is Rosa. He tries to make conversation with her, but she won't listen since she's now an eejit. At the oasis, Matt finds a trunk full of supplies that Tam Lin has left him. He stays there for a little while, then finds everyone in a frenzy when he returns. Matt asks Celia why everyone is panicking, and she tells him that El Viejo has died. At the funeral, Matt is not happy when he finds Tom and Maria holding hands. When Matt was at El Veijo's casket, the priest is furious that he is there. Celia explains that El Patron wanted him there, and Maria comes over to defend Matt. Maria takes Matt to the music room, and they go hide in the secret passage where they kiss.
"This does not belong here!" the priest thundered. "This unbaptized limb of Satan has no right to make a mockery of this rite! Would you bring a dog to church?" (Pages 153-154)
Just like everyone else, the priest sees Matt as an animal instead of person just because he's a clone. The only people who see him as a human being are Celia, Tam Lin, El Patron, and Maria. I like how Maria replied with, "Saint Francis would take a dog to church." She is trying to see Matt for who he actually is, not just as another clone.
Chapter 15 Summary: When Matt requests a safe horse to go to the oasis Tam Lin usually takes him to, he notices the eejit bringing him the horse is Rosa. He tries to make conversation with her, but she won't listen since she's now an eejit. At the oasis, Matt finds a trunk full of supplies that Tam Lin has left him. He stays there for a little while, then finds everyone in a frenzy when he returns. Matt asks Celia why everyone is panicking, and she tells him that El Viejo has died. At the funeral, Matt is not happy when he finds Tom and Maria holding hands. When Matt was at El Veijo's casket, the priest is furious that he is there. Celia explains that El Patron wanted him there, and Maria comes over to defend Matt. Maria takes Matt to the music room, and they go hide in the secret passage where they kiss.
Chapter 14
I read 7 pages.
"Once El Patron decides something belongs to him, he never lets it go."
"Never?" said Matt.
"Never." (Page 139)
This explains so much about El Patron! I thought he seemed like the type of person that doesn't let anything go. After this, Celia continues to explain that El Patron doesn't only keep material things, but people too. It's the reason why Felicia is basically held prisoner in the house and why everyone is under his control, because he doesn't like to let things go.
Chapter 14 Summary: Celia tells Matt how became a servant for the Alacrans, and how she met El Patron. I think this was a bit of a filler chapter, although we found out a little about El Patron.
"Once El Patron decides something belongs to him, he never lets it go."
"Never?" said Matt.
"Never." (Page 139)
This explains so much about El Patron! I thought he seemed like the type of person that doesn't let anything go. After this, Celia continues to explain that El Patron doesn't only keep material things, but people too. It's the reason why Felicia is basically held prisoner in the house and why everyone is under his control, because he doesn't like to let things go.
Chapter 14 Summary: Celia tells Matt how became a servant for the Alacrans, and how she met El Patron. I think this was a bit of a filler chapter, although we found out a little about El Patron.
Chapters 11-13
I read 33 pages.
"Marriage doesn't mean much to this crowd. Felicia ran off with MacGregor, oh, years ago. I guess she got bored hanging out here. Only it didn't work out. El Patron had brought her back---he doesn't like people taking his possessions---and MacGregor let him do it. Felicia was beginning to bore him.
"Mr. Alacran was very, very angry because he didn't want her back, but El Patron didn't care. Mr. Alacran doesn't talk to her anymore. He won't even look at her. She's a prisoner in the house, and the servants supply her with all the booze she can handle. Which is a lot, let me tell you." (page 124)
Celia was telling Matt how Tom was MacGregor's son, and not Mr. Alacran's. I was not expecting that at all, but I can see how the situation makes sense. It really explains why the novel makes her seem rather distant from everything and always drinking.
Chapter 11 Summary: In this chapter, the last half of the birthday party takes place. Right before the meal, Matt secretly switches Maria's name card so she is sitting next to him, and he places Tom's name card at the little kid's table. Maria is definitely not happy with Matt doing that, and tries to take away his present from her when El Patron and Matt open gifts. He demands her to give the present back, along with a birthday kiss. In this little scene, you can really tell the relation between El Patron and Matt.
Chapter 12 Summary: Tom is being mischievous again, and I believe Felicia was in on his plan, too. Felicia comes to visit Matt and tells him that Maria wants to see him. She says to go to Maria, as her father wouldn't let her go to Matt. When he arrives at the hospital, Maria says, "I don't see why I should talk to you at all." He replies with, "It was your idea." In the next paragraph, she says, "You're the one who invited me. Why couldn't you find somewhere nice? This place is creepy." Matt tells her he didn't invite her, but he does want to see her. Tom told Maria the same thing that Felicia told Matt to get them both to go to the hospital, seeing as Tom most likely asked Felicia to help. Tom makes it seem like there is a cat in danger, because he knows Maria will want to help it. Of course it wasn't actually a cat, but a clone. The clone was having a fit, shrieking and screaming, which scared Maria. Matt points out it looks like Tom, which Tom immediately denies Matt's observation.
Chapter 13 Summary: This chapter was quite eventful. We learn that Tom is actually MacGregor's son, explaining why his clone looked so much like Tom. Matt is trying to thinks of plans to get Maria to forgive him and talk to him, but he couldn't find any time when she was alone to talk to her. He has an idea that if he takes Furball, she will talk to him. Matt feeds Furball meat so he will sleep and be quiet, then sends Maria a note to meet him so he can explain everything. His plan didn't have the exact outcome as expected. Furball is dead and Matt is to be blamed, since his fingerprints were found on the laudanum bottle, even though he didn't use it. Personally, I believe Tom killed Furball, since he already put the poor dog in the toilet once, and he was torturing frogs on the lawn. Senator Mendoza bans Matt from seeing Maria. When Matt tries to explain that he didn't kill Furball, no one will believe him.
"Marriage doesn't mean much to this crowd. Felicia ran off with MacGregor, oh, years ago. I guess she got bored hanging out here. Only it didn't work out. El Patron had brought her back---he doesn't like people taking his possessions---and MacGregor let him do it. Felicia was beginning to bore him.
"Mr. Alacran was very, very angry because he didn't want her back, but El Patron didn't care. Mr. Alacran doesn't talk to her anymore. He won't even look at her. She's a prisoner in the house, and the servants supply her with all the booze she can handle. Which is a lot, let me tell you." (page 124)
Celia was telling Matt how Tom was MacGregor's son, and not Mr. Alacran's. I was not expecting that at all, but I can see how the situation makes sense. It really explains why the novel makes her seem rather distant from everything and always drinking.
Chapter 11 Summary: In this chapter, the last half of the birthday party takes place. Right before the meal, Matt secretly switches Maria's name card so she is sitting next to him, and he places Tom's name card at the little kid's table. Maria is definitely not happy with Matt doing that, and tries to take away his present from her when El Patron and Matt open gifts. He demands her to give the present back, along with a birthday kiss. In this little scene, you can really tell the relation between El Patron and Matt.
Chapter 12 Summary: Tom is being mischievous again, and I believe Felicia was in on his plan, too. Felicia comes to visit Matt and tells him that Maria wants to see him. She says to go to Maria, as her father wouldn't let her go to Matt. When he arrives at the hospital, Maria says, "I don't see why I should talk to you at all." He replies with, "It was your idea." In the next paragraph, she says, "You're the one who invited me. Why couldn't you find somewhere nice? This place is creepy." Matt tells her he didn't invite her, but he does want to see her. Tom told Maria the same thing that Felicia told Matt to get them both to go to the hospital, seeing as Tom most likely asked Felicia to help. Tom makes it seem like there is a cat in danger, because he knows Maria will want to help it. Of course it wasn't actually a cat, but a clone. The clone was having a fit, shrieking and screaming, which scared Maria. Matt points out it looks like Tom, which Tom immediately denies Matt's observation.
Chapter 13 Summary: This chapter was quite eventful. We learn that Tom is actually MacGregor's son, explaining why his clone looked so much like Tom. Matt is trying to thinks of plans to get Maria to forgive him and talk to him, but he couldn't find any time when she was alone to talk to her. He has an idea that if he takes Furball, she will talk to him. Matt feeds Furball meat so he will sleep and be quiet, then sends Maria a note to meet him so he can explain everything. His plan didn't have the exact outcome as expected. Furball is dead and Matt is to be blamed, since his fingerprints were found on the laudanum bottle, even though he didn't use it. Personally, I believe Tom killed Furball, since he already put the poor dog in the toilet once, and he was torturing frogs on the lawn. Senator Mendoza bans Matt from seeing Maria. When Matt tries to explain that he didn't kill Furball, no one will believe him.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Chapters 8-10
I read 17 pages.
There wasn't much dialogue throughout these two chapters, but I really liked one part in chapter 9. "Matt discovered he could re-create the songs Celia sang to him, using one finger. Felicia used all ten, but he hadn't figured out how to do that yet. Even so, the ability to create music filled him with a joy too large to contain. He forgot where he was. He forgot he was a clone. The music made up for everything--the silent contempt of the servants, Steven's and Emilia's snubs, Tom's hatred." (page 90) It is great that Matt has found something that he loves to do, and it makes him truly happy. The best thing is that while he's playing piano and being entranced by the music, he doesn't worry about being different from the others, and he completely forgets about anything mean they have to say about him. Music is his way to escape from the world for a little while.
Chapter 8 Summary: Tam Lin takes Matt to a secret oasis only he knows about, and they have a picnic. Matt finds out how he was created, and Tam Lin explains to him what an "eejit" actually is.
Chapter 9 Summary: Learning at home, Matt ends up progressing farther than the other kids his age. While wondering around the house one day, Matt discovers Felicia playing the piano. Entranced by it, he ends up hiding behind the potted plants everyday to listen to her music. She didn't get up until the afternoon the next day, but she was only up for an hour, so Matt decided to play the piano. He learns he can re-create some of the songs Celia would sing to him, and soon enough, he has a love and talent for music.
Chapter 10 Summary: El Patrón's 143th birthday is celebrated, but other than that, nothing else really happens. It was a rather short chapter.
There wasn't much dialogue throughout these two chapters, but I really liked one part in chapter 9. "Matt discovered he could re-create the songs Celia sang to him, using one finger. Felicia used all ten, but he hadn't figured out how to do that yet. Even so, the ability to create music filled him with a joy too large to contain. He forgot where he was. He forgot he was a clone. The music made up for everything--the silent contempt of the servants, Steven's and Emilia's snubs, Tom's hatred." (page 90) It is great that Matt has found something that he loves to do, and it makes him truly happy. The best thing is that while he's playing piano and being entranced by the music, he doesn't worry about being different from the others, and he completely forgets about anything mean they have to say about him. Music is his way to escape from the world for a little while.
Chapter 8 Summary: Tam Lin takes Matt to a secret oasis only he knows about, and they have a picnic. Matt finds out how he was created, and Tam Lin explains to him what an "eejit" actually is.
Chapter 9 Summary: Learning at home, Matt ends up progressing farther than the other kids his age. While wondering around the house one day, Matt discovers Felicia playing the piano. Entranced by it, he ends up hiding behind the potted plants everyday to listen to her music. She didn't get up until the afternoon the next day, but she was only up for an hour, so Matt decided to play the piano. He learns he can re-create some of the songs Celia would sing to him, and soon enough, he has a love and talent for music.
Chapter 10 Summary: El Patrón's 143th birthday is celebrated, but other than that, nothing else really happens. It was a rather short chapter.
Chapter 7
I read 10 pages.
"You're right," Tom said suddenly. I did tease Matt. I'm really sorry about it." (page 66) This kid is such a fake! He is always so mean, but the minute there's an adult, he acts like the sweetest child ever. Tom is like that one kid that everyone knows but actually can't stand them.
Chapter 7 Summary: Matt begins "school", but something ends up making Matt snap on day six for some reason, causing him to finally talk! "Who can tell many apples I have here?" warbled Teacher on day six. "I'll bet it's my good boy!" Matt suddenly snapped. "I'm not a good boy!" he screamed. "I'm a bad clone! And I hate counting and I hate you!" (page 73) Matt goes on a bit of a raging fit here, and ends up making the teacher cry. After calming the teacher down and getting her to leave, Tam Lin, the bodyguard, decides to take Matt on a picnic.
"You're right," Tom said suddenly. I did tease Matt. I'm really sorry about it." (page 66) This kid is such a fake! He is always so mean, but the minute there's an adult, he acts like the sweetest child ever. Tom is like that one kid that everyone knows but actually can't stand them.
Chapter 7 Summary: Matt begins "school", but something ends up making Matt snap on day six for some reason, causing him to finally talk! "Who can tell many apples I have here?" warbled Teacher on day six. "I'll bet it's my good boy!" Matt suddenly snapped. "I'm not a good boy!" he screamed. "I'm a bad clone! And I hate counting and I hate you!" (page 73) Matt goes on a bit of a raging fit here, and ends up making the teacher cry. After calming the teacher down and getting her to leave, Tam Lin, the bodyguard, decides to take Matt on a picnic.
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