Today in class we reviewed the end of the novel. We all had a common goal of tying up loose ends. Fortunately we all focused on different aspects. I focused on the title, Kristen discussed the meaning behind the birds etc. I brought up how the title, In Country, may be in reference to the different countries and places that have had an effect on the characters. We discussed how, once in Washington, Sam truly understood why America is referred to as "America the Beautiful". Kristen brought up when Sam finds her name on the wall of veterans and says that the names decorated the wall. I thought that the fact the Sam referred to the names as decoration makes them seem more like patterns than people. This idea reflects how the veterans feel after they return home from war. They fell that they themselves are more like pawns in a game than they are people. Also, Emmett's pimples clear up in the sun at the memorial. This is symbolic for how Emmett has come to terms with the war and thus has more peace of mind.

Today in our literary groups I was the scribe. Dan was absent however Kristin, Shiori and I brought up some very important points. I brought up the way the way the Irene treats Sam opposed to the way Irene treats her new baby. Kristin said that Irene has moved on and the baby is a representation of her new family. Shiori said that although their relationship isn't conventional, Sam appreciated Irene for who she is. We also discussed the symbolism behind the birds. Kristin noted the part in the text that refers to how hunters hunt birds. Birds don't expect it just as the young men didn't expect to be thrown into the war. Perhaps Emmett's infatuation with birds is because he feels like a bird that is being hunted. I also brought up a part of the text where the baby's hand is referred to as a "naked little bird." I thought perhaps the birds represented innocence and the freedom and carelessness that babies have. Shiori brought up the meaning behind the title and we discussed why it is In Country opposed to In My Country or In That Country. Perhaps it is because the country is foreign to her or she doesn't know exactly what country she is talking about. The whole book includes secrets and confusion so the confusion in the title suits the novel. 

Today in class my group and I discussed In Country from pages 106 to 163. I was mainly concerned with the relationships between characters and my group and I discussed that thoroughly. Shiori and I discussed the idea of the characters having a feeling of lost identity or confusion. Emmett seems to be keeping a secret about the origin of his pimples. Sam is keeping a secret from her boyfriend Lonnie. (Sam has feelings for Tom, Emmett's friend). Sam's mother and Sam has a strange relationship in that sometimes Irene acts as Sam's mother and sometimes she is too selfish and only cares about her new baby and treats Sam like a stranger. I commented mostly on character-character dynamics and through further reading I think the true personalities of the characters will become more clear.

#2

Today in class my group discussed the novel from pages 51 to 106. I brought up a different topic in discussion than I did in my personal reflection. I brought up the numerous discussions that the characters have about Emmett's pimples, and their cause. Is it because of Agent Orange or Cancer Why are his pimples so important? Maybe it is because his pimples are a visible memory of his time in the war. Having pimples is negative just as Emmett's experience in the war was a negative one. I am still a little confused on the relationships between characters, and how these relationships affect the characters. I discussed with my group the relationship between Sam and Lonnie. In my opinion, Lonnie really likes Sam but Sam is indifferent about the relationship. I hope to learn more about the character-character dynamics and the importance of Emmett's pimples. 

Today in our literary circles we reviewed the main events that happened up until page 51 and possible symbols that we found. I brought up the reoccurrence of birds in relation to Emmett. He says that the birds are his only good memory from the war and seems to have an infatuation with them. On page 35 the narrator describes him watching the birds. The narrator also informs us that Emmett keeps a book of all the birds he sees and has hopes of finding this one specific bird. I think that the bird is symbolic of perhaps some character trait of memory of Emmett's that we do not yet know. I also noticed the reoccurrence of money references. The narrator talks about the cost of the hotel, the car, Sam's credit card from Irene, etc. I still don't know the significance of these symbols but hopefully as the story progresses they will become more clear. I had some questions about the relationships between characters. Sam and Irene, Sam and Emmett, etc. I think once we learn more about the characters these relationships will become more clear.

in our first literary circle we read the first few pages of the nove, In Country. So far we could tell that the tone of the book is very casual and told from a third person limited perspective. So far we know that the main character is driving with a father figure, who she addresses by his first name, and her grandmothers. We were not able to delve far into the plot due to the fact that we had not yet recieved the books, however, we were able to identify what we believe to be the main characters and get a general idea of the tone and perspective.