Rose thought that because he was in vocational education that he was not as intelligant as other people in the upper placements. When Ken said that he wanted to be the “average” guy that struck a button in Rose’s mind. If he was just this so-so student, and will only have a get by paying job then why care about school. Rose then later explains how only two of his uncles graduated high school, and no one in his family went to college. The school putting him at this education level gave him a reason just slack off and do the minimal to get by (Bridge Anyone?)
When he learned that the school made a mistake and his education did a 360 from him being able to do the minimal work to actually having to try opened his eyes. Rose and the reader saw that the quality of education being taught can change how you study or perform in school. The easier everything is the less you do and are focused, and this is vise versa. Rose getting accepted in to a private school, with the help of Mr. MacFarland, and knowing he had to work his ass off to stay there to get a higher education really helped Rose and pushed him. This allowed him to be the best he could be.
Rose did not really touch a lot on the term cue, but what really stuck with me was the comment about how you have to twist the knife in your own grey matter. I think it is like when you are with certain people, or in a certain situation you have to alter who you are as a person.
When a person is buzzed at a party, but all of his friends are black out drunk, he takes it as a cue to alter how he acts to fit in with what they are doing. Also like Rose says “act stoned when your not, or act more stoned than what you really are.” This social “cues” affect everyone, and how they act.
When he learned that the school made a mistake and his education did a 360 from him being able to do the minimal work to actually having to try opened his eyes. Rose and the reader saw that the quality of education being taught can change how you study or perform in school. The easier everything is the less you do and are focused, and this is vise versa. Rose getting accepted in to a private school, with the help of Mr. MacFarland, and knowing he had to work his ass off to stay there to get a higher education really helped Rose and pushed him. This allowed him to be the best he could be.
Rose did not really touch a lot on the term cue, but what really stuck with me was the comment about how you have to twist the knife in your own grey matter. I think it is like when you are with certain people, or in a certain situation you have to alter who you are as a person.
When a person is buzzed at a party, but all of his friends are black out drunk, he takes it as a cue to alter how he acts to fit in with what they are doing. Also like Rose says “act stoned when your not, or act more stoned than what you really are.” This social “cues” affect everyone, and how they act.
Hey, Keeton.
ReplyDeleteInteresting commentary! Indeed, the aspects of Rose's situation are comparable to those endurred by a lot of Bridgers. Nice connection! And yes, social cues do affect and *inform* how we behave in certain situations.
Nice work.