Last time Sir Joveth made us to make a reading log where you read a short story or novel and respond personally to and reflect to the story. I also made two activities which are related to the story. The first one is I made an explanation about my favorite quote then the second one is a drawing about my favorite part in the story. Below is my reading log that I made.
Julianne Mari G. Canda 11-Callisto
Book Title: The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern February 25, 2020
Part 1:
The feeling of George Pratt, contemplating suicide makes me felt sad. I mean his life is not that bad, he got a nice job at the bank, his wife Mary and the kids, and he’s healthy and young. What more could he ask for something. All he can say that he is ‘sick of everything’. I don’t think that will be a good reason to take his own life. But suddenly a stranger talked to him and somehow, he manages to help and find himself to the paths.
Sometimes I imagine death. When I was five my father died from aneurysm. I don’t know what happen at that time. No tears coming out from my eye and I don’t have the feeling of sadness at all. But now I realized something is empty in my heart as well as my life. I think this is the after effects last twelve years ago. But I wonder whilst I am washing the dishes, what if my dad didn’t die? We should’ve been to Mississippi already, I should’ve not here typing this reading log, I would’ve not met my friends and families and the good memories we have. Everything is so different if he’s alive. His death probably has a purpose and we manage to survive it. Turns out our lives right now is fine and full of happiness. Just like George in the story, he wished that he was never been born. The stranger grants his wish. George find himself in a world where everybody doesn’t know him and love him. His brother died from drowning because he wasn’t there to save him and Mary have her own miserable family and children from a different husband. George is devastated and he begs the stranger to bring his life back the stranger agrees. George returns home and finds everything restored to normal. He hugged his brother and kissed his wife and his children.
Why would George wanted to take his own life? I couldn’t understand why a nonsense reason would be the cause of his suicide. Is he dead when he has flashbacks of his life if he wasn’t born? Or he is just controlled by his own conscience? Is the blue brush given by George is real? Why does the stranger consider George’s wish a solution? How does George’s experience demonstrate the ways that keys importance to his friends and family?
I think George will now realize how important life is. I think he will cherish the simple moments of his life with his friends, families, and co-workers at the bank. And I think he maybe now have a positive view of his life as he goes along to the way he’s living in.
The Write Path 