tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post3064196253980917119..comments2024-03-28T10:10:43.453+00:00Comments on ImageNations: 137. SHORT STORY MONDAY: The Kid by Salvatore ScibonaImageNationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-43644760003230419552012-03-19T08:35:05.960+00:002012-03-19T08:35:05.960+00:00Thanks Rodriguez, I enjoy reading comments and sha...Thanks Rodriguez, I enjoy reading comments and sharing opinions. It helps add onto your understanding of the story and keeps it longer in your head. I will be looking forward to your other comments.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-33392891598251033522012-03-18T19:17:11.398+00:002012-03-18T19:17:11.398+00:00Thanks for replying so quickly! I totally agree. ...Thanks for replying so quickly! I totally agree. I also think that is a great question about Elroy's stepfather. I would say that he wouldn't have done much better given that he is also military trained, and the way Elroy treated Janis in the bathroom stall is the way I'd expect his Elroy's stepfather to act. The whole "stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about" bit is what I mean. They all seem unfit to parent, but it's incredibly sad for Janis to grow up into such a world. His mother and father are unfit, and so he sort of disappears as a result--growing up in a foreign country.<br /><br />Thanks again for the reply, Nana. And I'll be sure to comment on your other reviews as I continue reading through New Yorker's 20 under 40 book.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-1132807061800475982012-03-17T19:19:47.310+00:002012-03-17T19:19:47.310+00:00Thanks Rodriguez for your response. I share your o...Thanks Rodriguez for your response. I share your opinion. It is Heflin's immaturity and his unwillingness to sacrifice. All perhaps it was his poor financial status or the effects of not having any proper family to call his own.<br /><br />Again, the immaturity is on both sides: mother and father. How could Evija consider Janis less important than the Spain she is travelling to? And what do they expect? that life will wait for them to mature? Now after coming home from Spain she wants all three of them to be together. And after he had dropped Janis off at the airport in Germany, I believe he would also want to get him back, especially as Evija wanted them to be back.<br /><br />Another important thing is: don't you think Elroy's stepfather would have done a better job raising Janis? And why didn't Elroy think of that? Or perhaps he doesn't want to increase the father's burden?<br /><br />Again, thanks for sharing your thoughts with me.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-22704370428557285832012-03-17T17:54:43.503+00:002012-03-17T17:54:43.503+00:00Yeah, I read this story yesterday. I really had to...Yeah, I read this story yesterday. I really had to re-read some parts as well. Scibona is definitely not trying to give us too much to work with. I think it definitely had to do with all of the things you mentioned, Nana. It was a mixture of things-- 1.) Not ready to be a father 2.) His mother left him. But also I get this feeling it also had to do with his wish at having a complete family. <br /><br />He came to Latvia hoping to get Evija back. It said he would say whatever he was feeling, but he didn't want to make a scene "on stage." I think the stage signifies movies or television maybe, like the ideal way things should happen. But when Evija didn't show up Elroy knew it wasn't going to be the right way, the way he was never able to experience (not having his real father, and his real mother leaving). I think he was trying to salvage the relationship with his son and make it work, but when the pressure for him to get everything right became overwhelming, he couldn't deal with it. Then those horrors from the past come to the front and he just decided to leave Janis.<br /><br />Besides, towards the end of the story he's laying on the couch of his step-fathers house and he doesn't have money. He relies on his step-father to get him food, and lend him money as well, which shows his immaturity and shows he is not ready to be an adult yet.<br /><br />This makes the ending make sense to me. When he gets that letter from Evija it shows him that he could've had what he wanted. I would imagine he felt terrible after reading the letter, knowing he left poor Janis in Germany, and that they would/could never be a real family.<br /><br />I could be wrong about this. I would love to hear your thoughts on my take on things. I loved your review! Thanks, Nana!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-64174195933280502462012-02-22T12:16:15.057+00:002012-02-22T12:16:15.057+00:00Selfishness is the word. But the Elroy was also su...Selfishness is the word. But the Elroy was also super. To leave your five-year old boy at an airport? that requires a different kind of heart.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-49591995207661242552012-02-22T11:34:31.240+00:002012-02-22T11:34:31.240+00:00Good review, Nana. However, I can't seem to un...Good review, Nana. However, I can't seem to understand both Elroy and Evija. Both are selfish if you ask me, with Evija taking the medal. What sort of woman would abandon her son and then try to wiggle her way back to the man and son whom she thinks is now grown and probably doing well. So opportunistic. Poor Janis.Reading Pleasure (Celestine)http://www.cestone40.blog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-87365156116883008132012-02-21T07:45:34.443+00:002012-02-21T07:45:34.443+00:00Thanks Stu. I hope I get to read his full novel.Thanks Stu. I hope I get to read his full novel.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-7519246038359508902012-02-20T21:08:02.183+00:002012-02-20T21:08:02.183+00:00I like Scibona I read his first novel last year a ...I like Scibona I read his first novel last year a wonderful mix ,all the best stustujallenhttp://winstonsdad.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com