Week 1, Post B

Dear Elizabeth,

Your story is so enthralling thus far; I am enjoying it immensely. What with the struggles you faced in your marriage and the divorce process that followed, along with your rebound love affair with David--your life has been VERY chaotic lately! Your trip seemed to be the perfect way for you to clear your head and strive to find spiritual meaning in your life.

The months you spent in Italy seemed to be a time of healing for you, and a good way for you to take a step back and really anaylze your life and the conflicts you have faced. I can't imagine facing all that you did and being able to write about it so vividly for all the world to read. I think you are very brave for sharing your story, and I am certainly glad you chose to do so. Your book is funny and thought-provoking and I can't wait to read more--especially when you get to India and Indonesia!

My favorite part of the story thus far was when you made the decision to email David and end your on-again/off-again yo-yo of a relationship. It must have been really hard and it was definitely the right move, in my opinion. You were very strong and I think the rest of your trip will be much more enjoyable without that extra worry nagging at you.

I can't wait to read more!

A-Rod

Week 1, Post A

"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert

VOCAB:

fallow (66)- characterized by inactivity.

equanimity (32)- mental or emotional stability or composure, especially under tension or strain; calmness; equilibrium.

APPEALS:

1. "...because something was about to occur on that bathroom floor that would forever change the progression of my life..." (12). This is an emotional appeal because the reader wants to know what is about to happen. It definitely sounds important, and the life-changing event will likely shape the rest of the story.

2. "On September 9, 2001, I met with my husband face-to-face for the last time, not realizing that every future meeting would neccesitate lawyers between us, to mediate" (19). This piece of information is clearly factual, classifying it as a logical appeal. However, since the event Elizabeth is referring to involves her destroyed relationship with her ex-husband, it also contains emotional appeal.

3. "Two days later I woke up after a troubled night's sleep to find that hijacked airplanes were crashing into the two tallest buildings of my city, as everything invincible that stood together now became a smoldering avalanche of ruin" (19). This is an emotional appeal because the reader feels the sense of destruction and tragedy. I think Elizabeth uses these strong, loaded words to attempt to communicate to the reader the extreme devastation of the 9/11 tragedy.

QUOTE:

"I look at the Augusteum, and I think that perhaps my life has not actually been so chaotic, after all. It is merely this world that is chaotic, bringing changes to us all that nobody could have anticipated...one must always be prepared for riotous and endless waves of transformation (75)." I think this quote is extremely significant because it represents Elizabeth's transformation as a woman and the beginning of her evolution. She is realizing that even through all of the craziness that has been her life for the past few months, she can, and will, adapt to the changes and maybe even become a better person for it.

THEME:

So far the book seems to focus on the different ways people strive to find meaning in their lives, and the journey of self-analysis one must take to find it.