Death Thoughts

Hello Everyone,

Today I’d like to talk about the short story “Beccah” in particular. I thought that this was a very interesting read. The characters all seem to have multiple layers to unravel. However, one thing I would have liked would be to hear more about the Father in the story. A flashback or perhaps some background story on he himself as a character as well as the relationship between the Father and the Mother. Towards the end of the short story, Mother states that she wished every day for the Father to die. But, why? Why did she wish death upon him? There must be something more to his character and their relationship that truly intrigues me as a reader. It doesn’t seem as though the speaker and her Father had a particularly bad relationship, and she even still to this day places offerings to the dead as a result of her Father’s death (as well as to protect her mother) “Please, God- please, spirits, and Induk- please, Daddy, whoever is listening: leave my mother alone” (p. 194).  What do you think the relationship was between the Mother and the Father?

The speaker of the story intrigues me the most perhaps, out of all the character. She seems to care deeply about her Mother, even refusing to call the police during her Mother’s episodes “Whenever the spirits called my mother to them, Auntie Reno insisted I dial her beeper, punching in 911 to let her know my mother had entered a trance” (p. 199). Instead of calling the police, the speaker called her Aunt in order to protect her Mother for fear of people thinking that she was crazy. So, the speaker seems to deeply care about her Mother, as well as how others view her Mother, so why then, on the last page of the short story does she state that all along she had been wishing for her Mother to die “And I think: It has taken me nearly thirty years, almost all of my life but finally the wishes I flung out in childhood have come true. My mother is dead” (p. 202). The only time that this is mentioned (the speaker’s ill intentions towards her Mother), is at the end of the short story. These characters are complicated. What do you guys think about the last paragraph of the short story? Did it confuse you? Any insight on it?

Also, what do you think about the Mother? Do you think she was really possessed by spirits, or in fact just crazy? Do you think she actually did kill the Father during one of her trances?

On one last note, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this quote “I’m teaching you something very important about life. Listen: Sickness, bad luck, death, these things are not accidents. This kind of stuff, people swish on you. Believe me, I know. And if you cannot bloc these wishes, all the death thoughts people send you collect, become arrows in your back. This is what causes wrinkles and make your shoulders fold inward” (p. 202). I thought that this quote was the most intriguing line in the short story.  So, if you have any thoughts, and reactions, or insight, let me know!

Hello Everyone,

Today I’d like to talk about the short story “Beccah” in particular. I thought that this was a very interesting read. The characters all seem to have multiple layers to unravel. However, one thing I would have liked would be to hear more about the Father in the story. A flashback or perhaps some background story on he himself as a character as well as the relationship between the Father and the Mother. Towards the end of the short story, Mother states that she wished every day for the Father to die. But, why? Why did she wish death upon him? There must be something more to his character and their relationship that truly intrigues me as a reader. It doesn’t seem as though the speaker and her Father had a particularly bad relationship, and she even still to this day places offerings to the dead as a result of her Father’s death (as well as to protect her mother) “Please, God- please, spirits, and Induk- please, Daddy, whoever is listening: leave my mother alone” (p. 194). What do you think the relationship was between the Mother and the Father?

The speaker of the story intrigues me the most perhaps, out of all the character. She seems to care deeply about her Mother, even refusing to call the police during her Mother’s episodes “Whenever the spirits called my mother to them, Auntie Reno insisted I dial her beeper, punching in 911 to let her know my mother had entered a trance” (p. 199). Instead of calling the police, the speaker called her Aunt in order to protect her Mother for fear of people thinking that she was crazy. So, the speaker seems to deeply care about her Mother, as well as how others view her Mother, so why then, on the last page of the short story does she state that all along she had been wishing for her Mother to die “And I think: It has taken me nearly thirty years, almost all of my life but finally the wishes I flung out in childhood have come true. My mother is dead” (p. 202). The only time that this is mentioned (the speaker’s ill intentions towards her Mother), is at the end of the short story. These characters are complicated. What do you guys think about the last paragraph of the short story? Did it confuse you? Any insight on it?

Also, what do you think about the Mother? Do you think she was really possessed by spirits, or in fact just crazy? Do you think she actually did kill the Father during one of her trances?

On one last note, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this quote “I’m teaching you something very important about life. Listen: Sickness, bad luck, death, these things are not accidents. This kind of stuff, people swish on you. Believe me, I know. And if you cannot bloc these wishes, all the death thoughts people send you collect, become arrows in your back. This is what causes wrinkles and make your shoulders fold inward” (p. 202). I thought that this quote was the most intriguing line in the short story. So, if you have any thoughts, and reactions, or insight, let me know!