I didn’t like reading this chapter very much because it was upsetting to have Brende become so depressed. He usually seemed very optimistic and this change in his behavior was a surprise. It seemed like everything he tried to do seem to turn out wrong... He was having a problem selling the molasses. He was reluctant to help Sylvan with the work. He started to feel like he wasn’t part of this community. He seemed to be letting everyone down including his wife Mary. It was like he was not focused on what was going on around him. It seems like when a person starts off having a bad day, everything that happens that day just keeps getting worse, which probably is the result of a negative attitude.
He actually was in depression, which he partially blamed on the change of weather. It was not only the long winter evenings by kerosene lamplight but also it was the short gray days with very little sunlight. Believe me I know what that feels like because when we go to visit relatives in Ohio and Pennsylvania the weather is usually dark and gloomy.
My Mother said when she first moved to Florida she didn’t realize that the sky was actually blue because where she was raised in Pennsylvania the skies were usually grey, even in the summer time.
The chapter ended on a more pleasant note due to the fact that Brende worked together with Caleb. They spent time working and chatting and before long Brende was enjoying himself and forgot about his depression.
2 comments:
Even though I have lived my entire life in Florida, I still know what those ugly mornings are like. I really dislike those in between days, when it's gloomy but doesn't rain. When it is gloomy, I want it to rain!
Comparing Eric's feeling of loneliness and feeling like an outsider at time is also something that I think moves in cycles, much like the weather does. It is something you feel and work through, and then you feel better. I think everyone has this program every once in a while.
I also thought his depression was something temporary... Must have been pretty disappointing to see that despite the successful crop, sales weren’t going so well
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