Chapter 8 Journal Entry

1. This chapter is all about John's childhood and what it was like growing up in a society that was the complete opposite of the one that his mom grew up in. Night after night John would be awoken by big native american men wanting to go to bed with his mother. He would be yanked out of him bed and thrown out of the room so they could get busy. He also remembered Pope bringing his mother what to him looked like water but burned like fire when you drank it. When Linda would drink it, she was pass out and John wouldn't be able to wake her. He also hated all of the men that would come to spend the night with Linda, but Pope the most. One afternoon John was playing with hid friends when he herd a disturbance coming from the pueblo. When we went inside he saw three women holding down his mother and beating her with a whip. When he tried to help her, the women whipped John. When they all left, John asked Linda why they wanted to hurt her. She felt she didn't do anything wrong but she has slept with all of their husbands which was normal in her society but obviously frowned in the reservation. John also had to deal with his mother beating him and other kids throwing rocks at him because he is white. One night John got so fed up with Pope, that he grabbed a knife and tried to kill him. After John was done telling Bernard about his childhood, Bernard felt connected with John because he too had been an outsider. Then he offered to take John and Linda back with him so that he would have leverage with the director. 
2. This chapter is important because it gave us a lot of information about John, because he is going to become a central character. It shows us how strong he can be and how protective he is of him mother even though she doesn't return those same feelings.
3. Characters
1. This whole chapter is mainly about John. It shows how he had a rough childhood mainly because he was white and his mom was a slut. But all he really wants it to prove himself worthy. For example, whenever we would try and play with the kids, they would throw rocks at him. He also, despite his mothers resentment that she really is a mother, is very protective of her and love her unconditionally. For example when she was being beaten by the other mothers, John went and tired to help her, but he just got himself whipped. And after they left and John was checking on her, she started hitting him and saying she wasn't his mother. Even she did things like this to John, he was still there for her to comfort her and make sure she was ok. 
2. This chapter hardly features Bernard, but when it does we find out the he is quit devious. Because there was word of the director sending Bernard to Iceland, he is going to use John as leverage and try to get he director out of his job. 
4. Literary Elements 
1. Foreshadow
1. "I wonder if you'd like to come back to London with us?"
2. Irony
1. John asked Bernard if he was married. Married or even feelings are frowned upon and he is a love child. 
3. Simile
1. "...like a black snake trying to strangle her
4. Allison
1. "When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage. Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed." Hamlet. 
5. New words
1. Lecherous Adj. having or showing excessive or offensive sexual desire