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| http://it.fotopedia.com/wiki/Gusla#!/items/flickr-259646141 |
Notice the foreshadowing in the first section of Chapter 7 (pg. 191 in my version).
What is a gusla? What is significant about this item that makes it a great symbol for the story?
We seem to get a lot of extraneous information in this story, especially about Luka. Assuming that it is not extraneous -- that the author does, indeed, have a purpose for this information -- what would that purpose be? Why do we need to know that Luka is a homosexual? Why do we need to know about his goals and aspirations? Find a piece of information that you thought was pointless and try to figure out why that information might actually have purpose and meaning.
Why does Vera allow the narrator's grandfather to carry on a relationship with the tiger's wife?
Do you think Luka was killed by his wife? By the tiger? Or do you think he finally just left?
Why do you think the tiger's wife gave him the hair?
65 comments:
I don’t see a connection between the deathless man and the tiger so if there is supposed to be one can someone please clarify? A gusla is a Bulgarian bowed, stringed musical instrument of the Balkans, with a round wooden back, a skin belly, and one horsehair string secured at the neck by a rear tuning peg. The significance of this instrument is that Luka used it to tell sad stories in a way and he ended up having a sad life so his music foreshadowed what his life was going to be like. The purpose of giving the reader so much information about Luka was to make us understand him more because he was a new character that we didn’t know anything about. I think we needed to know that Luka was a homosexual because it meant he would never truly love his wife or any other woman for that matter. We needed to know Luka’s goals because not being able to fulfill his dreams/ goals is what made him such a bitter man. I thought the information about Luka being a homosexual was pointless because even if he was straight he would still beat his wife and never love her because he blamed her and her sister for his lost dreams. The information might have been useful though like I said because it might clarify to certain people why he was distant with his wife. Vera allows the grandfather to have a relationship with the tiger’s wife because Vera was once a midwife and the tiger’s wife is pregnant and Vera wants to make sure that she is getting the proper care. I think that the tiger saw Luka beating the deaf mute one night and he attacked Luka and killed him. Luka had it coming so I’m glad he’s dead because he possibly could have killed the baby that the deaf mute was pregnant with and the girl wouldn’t have to live her life in fear.
A gusla is a single stringed instrument which is traditionally used in the Balkans (southeast) region of Europe. It is usually accompanied by singing, and the songs are usually epic poetry or about significant historical events. The musical instrument itself is not a symbol of the book, in my opinion. Rather, it is the epic poetry traditionally sung with a gusla that symbolizes the novel. Obreht’s entire novel is a very intricate myth told through the many aspects of Natalia’s and her grandfather’s existence. Although the story doesn’t fit the characteristics of an “ideal” epic poem, it does have certain attributes that point the reader in this direction. Myth (the deathless man and the tiger’s wife) and “real life” coexist and are both presented as factual. Although the setting isn’t vast, it does cover many nations as Natalia’s homeland began to break apart into smaller, ethnicity-based countries. This, too, invokes epic poetry, because it recalls a significant historical event that involved a great deal of fighting and the encroachment of enemies. It has heroes (the tiger’s wife) and villains (the bear). Furthermore, the entire story was, presumably, passed down orally from Grandfather to Natalia. So while the gusla as an instrument may not provide much symbolism to the story, the connection it brings between its own epic poetry and the novel incontrovertible.
I think that we needed to know that Luka was a homosexual because it allows us to better understand his character. The author wanted us to be able to see Luka entirely and understand what was going on so we are able to know what exactly is going on. We need to know about his goals and aspirations so that we understand why he is like the way his is. He is grumpy and depressed and he beats his wife, all because he was cheated out of his dreams.
I do not believe that Luka was killed by his wife. If Luka was in fact dead, I think it was the Tiger. The last we had heard of him was that he was angry with his wife and left her out in the smokehouse, hoping the Tiger came and killed her. Maybe he went out to check the next day and the Tiger was there and killed him.
Because traditional songs of the gusla are usually about history or poetry is why I think that it is important to this story. Luka was always much more interested in history, literature, and music than becoming a butcher like his brothers, which angered his father. Knowing more about Luka helps the reader understand his actions. Like Alex said, he did not get to fulfill his dreams, and because of that, he was bitter. He was angry that he could not make it to the city, his father never cared for him, and the love of his life dissappeard, while he was left with a disabled child as a bride. His life wasn't turning out the way he expected it to. I personally think the tiger killed Luka, but I'm sure his wife didn't try to stop the tiger. She was just glad she wasn't going to get beat up any more.
A gulsa is a single-stringed instrument that is more commonly used or played in the Balkans. As Ben said, it is accompainied by vocals (singing). To me, Luka playing the gulsa is what brought him close to Amana; with his gulsa and her singing, they started a bond of friendship with each other, but as we know, it becomes more than that. His passion for music alone has made mostly good impacts on his life. Without it, he wouldn't have realized that he would think of being with a woman after all.
Like Chelsea, I'm not seeing a connection between the story of the deathless man to the tiger. Hopefully it'll all click in while finishing up the book. Much like the story of the deathless man, the story of the tiger's wife really kept me in the novel itself. The twists and turns of the story were astounding and almost brought tears to my eyes; the story was well-told (and of course well-written). In my opinion, this is the best chapter in the entire novel!
Seeing that Natalia's grandfather understood and believed that the tiger's wife meant no harm, Mother Vera let him go and see her when he could. Many of the people in Galina were keeping their distance from the tiger's wife, fearing that she had killed his husband and fed him to the tiger that came into their village at night. They say negative things about her, like how her husband is the tiger, who they consider to be the devil that haunts their village night after night. In stories like these, I feel that the people/villagers are the worst characters because they don't know the true story and don't have the nerve to find out for themselves about a person who's the big gossip of their town or city.
The deathless man and Luka are connected through Amana. In chapter 6, the reader learns that the deathless man was punished with immortality because he abused the gift given to him by his uncle. Instead of leaving a dying patient's coffee cup intact, he allowed her to break it and go on living, multiple times. Of the young woman, the reader is told she is the daughter of a wealthy silk merchant, about to be married, and loved by the deathless man, with whom she eventually runs away with. In chapter 7, we find out that Luka befriended the daughter of a wealthy silk merchant named Amana. Because of his homosexuality and her wishes to remain a virgin all her life, Luka proposed they marry, and she agreed. Before this could happen, though, Amana suddenly fell very ill, and a “miracle worker” was called in to save her. Amana fell in love with this miracle worker and ran away with him just before she and Luka were to be married. Judging by the similarities between the two stories, it can be inferred that the “miracle worker” Amana ran away with was the deathless man. The reader also learns that Luka was tricked into marrying Amana’s deaf and mute younger sister, later to be known as the tiger’s wife. With this knowledge, it is clear that Natalia’s grandfather and the deathless man were connected far before they actually met- in a way, the deathless man instigated the entire incident with Galina and the tiger’s wife.
At first I didn't quite see the connection between the deathless man and the story of the tiger, but after reading Sami's comment and then going back to the book, that makes so much sense! I like the way things are fitting together in the book, yet there are still gaps that keep our minds wondering.
A Gusla is a Bulgarian bowed, stringed instrument that was used in the Balkans. It has a round wooden back with a skin belly and a horehair string (on rare occasions it has two strings). It is played in the vertical position and it creates noise by strumming it with a curved bow. The instrument contains no fingerboard. While I was researching this instrument,I came across a definition that said the word Gusla is Polish for "witchcraft" which is certainly ironic. I find it ironic that the story about the deathless man and the tiger are connected by Armana, and in the story of the deathless man, the coffee cup could be considered an act of witchcraft, along with the "cursing" of becoming deathless. Also I feel as if the herbalist or "miracle worker" that healed Armana's daughter could be considered active in the art of witchcraft. I guess I'm not 100% sure yet, but it seems sort of ironic to me.
Vera allows the narrator's grandfather to carry on a relationship with the tigers wife because she shows concern for the woman's pregnancy. She doesn't want to see the woman suffer, and she also does not agree with what people are saying in the village. The priest says "if the devil-child come into this town, we're all done for", but Vera and the narrator's grandfather would both agree that the devil is already present and the woman means absolutely no harm to anyone. She is a woman with child, and nothing but precious.
I think that Luka left. I don't think the tiger was there to harm him, and I most definitely do not think his wife killed him. I think he got fed up with his surroundings to the point in which he could not stand it any longer. I think he left on his own terms and just did not tell anyone where he was going in order to escape the chaos going on within his mind.
Besides the fact that the story of the deathless man and the story of the tiger's wife are directly related to Natalia's grandfather, I believe that we might find out later that the two are linked in another way.
A gusla is a single-stringed instrument with no fingerboard, giving the instrument a unique sound. The reason why a gusla makes such a good symbol for this novel is because a single string can tell so many stories but are still all linked because they came from the same string. This relates to the novel because the same man links so many stories and people together.
I think the reason we get so much extraneous information is because we will need to know these things later in the book. I believe we need to know that Luka is homosexual because that lets us have a little bit of insight to why he treats his wife the way he does. I think we need to know his goals because you understand then how he feels about the town and people in it.
Vera allows Natalia's grandfather to continue a relationship with the tiger's wife because it is her way of checking up on her and making sure she is doing okay. She feels the responsibility to watch out for everyone in town, so this is her way of fulfilling her responsibility.
I believe that Luka finally just left because he knew that the town would blame his wife for his disappearance, but this way he still had the opportunity to try to fulfill his dreams.
I think the tiger's wife gave him the hair because it is her way of creating a bond between them. It lets him know that he can trust her and that she trusts him, while creating a stronger friendship.
A gusla is a musical instrument that somewhat resembles a banjo in looks, but is played in a position that resembles the cello. There is only one string a gusla, therefore there is only one tuning peg at the top of the neck. I feel that the gusla symbols Luka himself, because neither of them really fit into society the way they wanted to. Luka was not the masculine butcher that he was supposed to be, he was a more sensitive type of person. The traditional gusla was also out of place, as everyone had outgrown it and moved on to other types of music and entertainment.
Obreht seemed to give us a lot of useless extra information. I’m not sure why we needed to know that Luka was homosexual, maybe to prove that he really had no interest in Amana other than friendship and business. Knowing about Luka’s aspirations and goals let us understand how unhappy his life as a butcher was.
Mother Vera helped the pregnant women in her village, so I think that helped her have some sympathy for the tiger’s wife. Vera seemed to be more level- headed than most of the people in village, besides the apothecary, so she may not have believed all of the ridiculous rumors said about the tiger’s wife. Mother Vera knew that Natalia’s grandfather cared for the tiger’s wife, so she let him help the girl.
I think the tiger killed Luka, but I think the tiger’s wife let the tiger in to do so. There’s a possibility of anything happening to Luka, though. I wished Obreht would have told us what happened to Luka!
The tiger’s wife gave Natalia’s grandfather a chunk of the tiger’s hair because she knew that he was fascinated by the tiger and cared for it as much as she did.
The deeper I get into this novel, the more stories it reveals that appear to have no connection whatsoever. But that would make for a terrible book. There must be connections Im simply not seeing or they haven't revealed themselves yet.
The foreshadowing hints at what the next story will be about. It tells that something happens to Luka, something bad that he may have deserved because he beats his wife.but then it goes on to say that there may be an excuse, or at least a reason to the beatings.
I think the author went so far in depth with Luka and his past because it added so much more to his character and it helped explain a few things. In telling his story, it revealed the connection between the deathless man and the Tiger's Wife. It helped explain his anger and frustration with being homosexual and being forced to wed a girl he knew nothing about. However, I do believe that a good chunk of all the extra details and what not are there just for th sake of entertainment; they don't make a significant impact on the story. They're just interesting and enjoyable to read.
A gusla is a stringed musical instrument that is usually accompanied by singing. The gusla is often associated with folklore and epic poems, which makes it a great symbol for this novel, its biggest attraction being the unique and intricate storytelling.
Mother Vera, having been a midwife, allowed her son to associate with the tiger's wife because she was with child. Mother Vera wasn't going to let a village's petty superstitions keep her from a young, deaf pregnant widow who obviously needed assistance.
I don't believe Luka was killed by anyone. I think he just had enough and left.
I also noticed the connection between story of the deathless man and the story of the tiger. In chapter 6, Natalia’s grandfather tells Natalia about another one of his encounters with the deathless man. During this encounter at the Church of the Virgin of the Waters, Natalia’s grandfather is watching over the dying in the cellar of the crypt when he hears a voice asking for water coming from the little cell where the drunks are kept. He discovers that the voice belongs to the deathless man. Natalia’s grandfather inquires more about the deathless man’s circumstances. The deathless man tells Natalia’s grandfather about the daughter of a wealthy silk merchant, about to be married. She has fallen ill and is expected to die. The deathless man goes to see the young woman, and he falls in love with the young woman very quickly. He tells her to break her cup so she can avoid death, and they eventually run away together. In chapter 7, Luka forms a strong friendship with the daughter of a wealthy silk merchant named Amana. Because Luka is a homosexual and Amana wishes to live a life of virginal solitude, they agree to marry. Amana becomes deathly ill, and a so-called miracle worker is called in to assess Amana’s desperate condition. Amana begins to recover, and shortly thereafter runs off with the physician who saved her. I noticed the apparent similarities between these two stories, and I came to the realization that the two stories were actually a single story. The miracle worker that Amana ran off with was the deathless man. After Amana runs off with the deathless man, Luka is tricked into marrying Amana’s deaf-mute sister. Luka’s deaf-mute wife later becomes known as the tiger’s wife.
I think Vera allows Natalia’s grandfather to carry on a relationship with the tiger’s wife because she is concerned about the health of the baby. She is a naturally caring, maternal, and kindhearted woman who is empathetic to other’s feelings. I do not think that Mother Vera entirely believes the rumors about the tiger’s wife circulated by the townspeople.
I think the tiger’s wife gave Natalia’s grandfather the tiger hair because he had earned her trust. The tiger’s wife realized that Natalia’s grandfather also shared a fondness for the tiger and had no intention of harming the tiger. Natalia’s grandfather was the only one in the village who showed compassion for the tiger’s wife. He brought her the food that Mother Vera had packed for him to take, and he spent many of his evenings drawing images out of the Jungle Book for the tiger’s wife.
I didn't see much of a connection between the story of the tiger and the deathless man until I read Sami's comment. It now makes much more sense. I didn't piece it together like Sami did though after it was brought to my attention, I see it.
The extraneous information about Luka I see being important later. I'm one of those people who is okay with a bunch of random little facts that all tie up and finally make sense in the last ten pages of the book. Therefore, I think there is a purpose, but we have a while until we find out the true purpose. Knowing Luka's goals and aspirations, as others said, explains his temper, personality, and ways of life.
I think Vera allows the narrator's grandfather to carry on a relationship with the tiger's wife because in the long run it will benefit both parties. It helps the tiger's wife because it allows Vera to keep an eye on her while she is with child, and it also allows the grandfather to grow. He learns responsibility by having to take things to the tiger's wife and learns life lessons in general.
As others have said, I don't think Luka was killed at all. I think it would've been discussed much more if he was killed off. I think he went off into the forest to start a whole new life without anyone knowing his past or having any expectations for him. Luka had enough so he wanted out.
The story of the deathless man and the tiger seem to be different sides of the same story. Both speak of a daughter of a silk merchant and Amana was saved by a "miracle worker" presumably the deathless man.
A gusla is a single-stringed instruments with roots in the Balkans. It is generally accompanied with epic poems. Luka states that the gusla's single string knows a thousand stories. All the stories share the common background of coming from the same string. This is similar to how all the stories present in the novel appear separate at first but in reality have common links.
I think the information about Luka was to push the reader towards an emotional connection with him. The story of how he lost his dream due to unknowingly marrying Amana's sister really shows why Luka acts the way he does. Without the extra information, not much would be known about Luka.
Vera allows Natalia's grandfather to continue a relationship with the tiger's wife out of spite. Many of the other villager's see the tiger's wife as a threat and a direct connection to the devil. But Vera doesn't believe this and instead lets Natalia's grandfather help the tiger's wife in full view of the village.
I think the tiger's wife gives Natalia's grandfather the hair as sign that she understands him. He shows a lot of kindness to her including narrating the Jungle Book to her. She in returns gives him the tiger's fur. It also shows that Natalia's grandfather and the tiger's wife have a connection through the tiger.
I don’t see a connection between the two, but I really would love for there to be one. Explain? I did notice the foreshadowing though. This author is really beginning to interest me with this chapter.
A gulsa is a single stringed instrument traditionally used in the Balkans. It makes it an interesting symbol for the story because it plays a role as a piece of history in the novel, as well as its use of storytelling, which is very prominent.
I believe all of the information we were suddenly given about Luka is to allow the reader to get involved in another character whom we don’t know much about. We need to know Luka is a homosexual as a reason he does not want to have children, or touch Amana. Since Amana claimed to remain a virgin forever, she was a proper “target” for Luka. I found it strange that on page 199 they refer to Amana as “the woman who would destroy his life.” I don’t really agree with that statement, because he would have done the same things to her. I couldn’t understand why Luka found himself targeting the deaf-mute girl when his song played on the radio, because none of it was her fault. I feel like he should’ve been against her father who tricked him, rather than hurt her. I guess I just found it pointless to include all of the gossip that went around the town about Luka, and he did nothing about it. He originally seemed like someone who would defend his wife, but he just kept to himself, just as she did.
I think the tiger’s wife gave grandfather the hair because she knew his interest in the tiger. He told her stories of Sheer Khan though a series of pictures but never told the real ending. I think she realized he was trying to protect her.
I did not find the connection, a gusla is a guitar type instrament that people used to play to create songs, like luka many people tried to make this a profession. Luka in my opinion had a nice sence of direction with not wanting to sleep with his wife and protecting his wife from his father. him beating his wife must have been a release from the villagers and his own demons. Spousal abuse happens yes it is wrong but it happens maybe not to the scaary point it was getting eith Luka and his wife but it happens and it would not bother me if she murdered
Luka. Luka turned himself into a cold monster the wholebeating his wife, coldness to his father, and to the villagers was unnessary. I believe that Vara wanted Luka's widow not to be alone in this pregnancy, its very sad to be alone is a supposed "cheerful" time. Luka's widow may even miss her husband and be lonely, mother Vera may understand this paint and want to appease it. Luka's widow must have given him the hair as to show the grandfather that he was included in the little tiger loving circle, or to thank him for his kindness for reading her stories, bringing he water, bread, soup, and blankets but most of all his company!
I made the same connection that Sami did. That the "miracle worker" in one story was the deathless man in the other.
A gusla is a one-stringed musical instrument. The string is secured at the top by a single tuning peg and played with a curved bow. The gusla is used by the Balkans to accompany epic singers.
I think there is some purpose to the extraneous information. Knowing things about who Luka is helps the reader better understand his actions and his attitude.
A gusla is a single-stringed instrument. Luka even said "Fifty strings sing one song, but this single string knows a thousand stories" (pg 200)
I was wondering at one point why we are reading SO much about Luka. Then after reading this it makes you realize that Luka is a character with so much to him that his past makes the story (chapter) Without explaing the things he has done and been through, you wouldn't have this chapter or the connections make to figure out the rest of the book.
I'm not gonna lie, i thought a lot of the information was pointless until the end, then it hit me that none of it was pointless, everything has a meaning.
I think Vera allowed the narrator's grandfather to carry on a relationship with the tigers wife because it is beneficial in the long run. Between the baby and the grandfather there is a lot of growing for them to do.
I think the hair was a symbol of trust and understanding.
So far, I do not see the connection between the deathless man and the tiger's wife but as the story goes on I think both the stories may come together in some way.
A gusla is a single-stringed instrument used traditionally in the Balkans. This item plays a symbol in the story because Luka says that the one string tells many different stories that are all connected. This is similar to the novel because the novel contains quite a few different stories that all tie together in some way.
Vera allows Natalia's grandfather to carry on a relationship with the tiger's wife because she doesn't believe what the other villagers are saying. She knows what the tiger's wife has gone through and she just wants to help her. She is not trying to defy her village, she just wants to be able to care for the young girl and make sure she is okay. She has Natalia's grandfather take all of the goods over to the tiger's wife, which creates a certain bond between the tiger's wife and Natalia's grandfather.
The tiger's wife gave Natalia's grandfather the piece of hair to show she trusted him. Over time, they had started a relationship and the hair showed him that she understood what he was doing for her and that she appreciated it.
At first I thought the story of the deathless man and the tigers wife was connected through Amana. I thought she was the girl the deathless man had loved. I soon realized though that the times did not add up, the deathless man was to have become deathless long before then so the girl he loved would have been before that too. Also she died in a different way.
I think there is so much information about Luka to show who he really is as a character, to explain why he is a batterer. It is helpful to know that Luka is a homosexual to know that the probability of him raping his wife was reduced. That is important because the last few pages f the chapter talk of his wife being pregnant.
I didn't really see a connection between the tiger and the deathless man until after I read some of the comments on here. I get it now.
A gusla is a traditional Balkan instrument with a single string. It is played with a curved bow and is held similar to a cello. It is used to accompany epic singers. It is a great symbol for the story because it ties into storytelling. The stories told all have a similar history, while the songs of a gusla all come from a single string.
I think the purpose for all the information about Luka is so that we can get a better understanding of him and see where he is coming from. It also has a connection between the deathless man and the tiger's wife. We need to know that Luka is homosexual because helps us see why Luka beats his wife, and why he is so negative.
I think that Luka just got fed up and left. He wanted to go live his dream that he was originally unable to live.
I do not see any connection between the tiger and the death less man.
A Gulsa is a Bulgarian bowed, stringed instrument with a round wooden back, a skin belly ,and one horsehair string attached at the neck. I think the reason we were told about the instrument was to foreshadow his sad life through his sad music.I think that we were told that Luka was homosexual so that some people can understand that he can never love his wife or any women.He is depressed, and beats his wife because he didn't get his dreams. I think Luka might have just left because that last we heard of him he was angry with his wife and put her out in the smokehouse, hoping that the Tiger would come and kill her.
Vera allows the narrator's grandfather to carry on a relationship wife the Tigers wife because she is concerned about the pregnancy.
I did not see any connection between the story of the deathless man and the story of the tiger's wife, though the connection will probably become more clear later on in the novel.
A gusla is a Bowed, one-stringed musical instrument that is usually used by the Balkans to accompany singers.
The author's purpose in giving us so much "extra" information about Luka is so we can better understand him and why he does the things he does. Knowing of his depression and homosexuality helps us to understand why he is so pessimistic and why he beats his wife and shows that he isn't just an abusive husband.
I do not believe that Luka was killed at all. I believe that he simply left so that he could get away from his old life and start a new one where he is much happier.
A gusla is a single string musical instrument used as an accompliament for vocals. The instrument is a symbol for the novel because it ties in with storytelling. A gulsa usually plays along to an epic poem or a historical event.
All of the information on Luka is to help the reader understand his character and explains things further in the novel. His homosexuality explains the relationship he has with his wife.
Vera allow's Natalia's grandfather to carry on the relationship with the tiger's wife because she believes the relationship is good for the both of them. Natalia's grandfather can help the village's view of the tiger's wife.
I think Luka just got up and left. I believe he became so overwhelmed with the frustrations of the life he was living and couldn't stand being there anymore.
While reading the novel I was constantly looking for connections. The fact that the author, Tea Obreht, immediatly jumped from the story of the deathless man to the tiger makes you think she is trying to hint a clue of a possible connection. The only idea I would consider is that the tiger was possibly death itself. Leading to the fact that the tiger than would have been the deathless man's uncle.
Luka was introduced in to the story to show how the Tiger's wife came to be. Without Luka and the emotional stress he was going through you would never feel pity for the Tiger's wife.
The realtionship between Natalia's grandfather and the Tiger's wife was a form of rebellion against a strict and conforming society. Mother Vera uses Natalia's grandfather as an example to the village to respect to thy neighbor.
In hope that there was not evidence of murder, I lead myself to believe that Luka finally just left in hope to gain his past life.
Many extraneous stories are thrown into the plot such as the story of Luka, Darsia the bear hunter, and Dure. I believe the author reveals so much about Luka and his past to show us why he acts the way he does toward his wife. Luka was clearly unhappy and not living the life he had always dreamed of and the thought of that angered him. Consequently, he took this anger out on his deaf mute wife. I think the part about Luka being homosexual helps explain why he shows such little affection toward his wife.
Vera allows Natalia's grandfather to continue his relationship with the tiger's wife because she doesn't believe any of the rumors the towns people are spreading. She believes that her grandfather needs to find things out for himself and make his own decisions in what is right and wrong and not always follow what the crowd is doing.
Personally, I think that Luka just got sick of his unhappy life and finally decided to leave in hope of finding something better.
A gusla is a single-stringed instrument used more in the Balkans. The singing that generally accompanies it's music is generally similar to epic poetry.
I don't really see the connection between telling about the tiger right after the deathless man.I'm hoping it comes together later and makes more sense.
We do get quite a bit of information about Luka, but I don't think that it's for nothing. I think Obreht puts it in there because it shows us why Luka is the way he is. He's hiding his sexuality, he was wronged and forced into a marriage with someone he resented, and he also never got to live his dream of being successful in music.
I think Mother Vera allows Natalia's grandfather to continue his relationship with the Tiger's wife because she doesn't believe the bad things said about her around the town.
I don't think Luka was killed by his wife or the tiger; I think he got tired and frustrated with taking his resentments out on his wife, who he knew deep down had no fault in his unachieved dreams, and finally left.
I think that the two stories correlate to each other.
A Gusla is a traditionial single stringed Balkan instrument.
I think that Obreht went into depth about Lukas passed to show why Luka does what he does and that he wasnt always this terrible abusive character.
I think that Luka finally left his wife.
I think that the tigers wife gave him the hair as confirmation
The only connection I see between the story of the tiger's wife and the story of the deathless man is that they are both very keen in their ability to avoid death. The deathless man, like his name states, is unable to die. The tiger does a very good job at avoiding death as well. He has never been in the wild before and he is able to survive. Also, we find out later in the story that he does a very good job at avoiding the master hunter, Darisa.
Page 191 foreshadows Luka's death when the narrator writes, “Luka was a batterer and he deserved what was coming to him.”
The gusla is a very ordinary instrument. It has only one string and it doesn't seem like it would be very interesting to listen to. It's a weird, uninteresting instrument and Luka is a weird, uninteresting person.
The purpose of the story about Luka is to give a deep background to his character. Him being a homosexual answers why he doesn't care for his wife. The way he was duped into marrying her, opposed to her sister that he enjoyed, explains why he is so abusive and mean to her. The reason he is so sullen and upset all the time is because his dreams of being a musician were crushed. The background information gives us an insight into why Luka does what he does.
Mother Vera is trying to instill the idea that you should give everybody a chance. You shouldn't let other people sway your opinion, especially when it's about a person.
I think the most realistic answer is that Luka got sick of everything and finally left.
I think the information about Luka will eventually tie in with the storyline in some way or another. I like it when authors drop small details that show up later in the book.
Luka seems to be the kind of person who would pick up and leave for a better life, so I believe that he is still alive, searching for a way to get a better life.
Vera allowed Natalia's grandfather to continue to help the Tiger's Wife because she needs to be looked after. I do not think that Vera got sucked into all of the superstitions about the Tiger's Wife and knows that she needs all the help she can get.
As others have said, a gusla is a musical instrument containing one string that is played in an upright position. The gusla is often times played along with singing, and is native to the Balkans.
Until I read Sami’s comment, the connection between the Tigers story and the deathless man was a mystery to me. After her interpretation, and me rereading the section, the connection did become clearer, and did make sense.
I think Vera allows the narrator’s grandfather to continue his relationship with the Tiger’s wife because she does not believe the malicious rumors being spread around town. In my opinion, Luka is still alive, and simply left because he was fed up. The frustration and resentment Luka was experiencing toward his wife finally reached a point where he could not handle it anymore, and he felt as though his only option was to leave.
Referring to Luka's story, the narrator says that the "why" of something is more important than the "what." It seems fitting then that the narrator not only focuses on the events near the end of a man's life, but also on the events that led him to lead the life the way he did.
A gusla is a one-stringed bowed instrument, and is a sort of staple to the area's fold music. I think the easiest way one can identify the gusla as a symbol for the story is how it is interpreted by everyone else. It's not usually seen as a refined instrument to most of the people in the story, but has the ability to be so much more than it's made out to be, just like Luka.
As said before, "it's a lot more important to be able to say, 'Luka is a batterer, and here is why.'" Every aspect of a person's life leads them down a different path. So all of these seemingly pointless details about Luka are included to give the reader a look into his frustrations. They aren't there to make one feel sympathy for him, or even to feel sorry for him, but they're there so that one does not ignorantly assume that he was always a cruel beast. Every person everywhere has a reason to their cruelty.
Vera allows the grandfather to carry on with his friendship as an act of defiance to the village, and as a shot at the chance that perhaps the villagers will realize that Luka's wife is harmless.
When I was first reading the chapter I did not see the connection between the two stories of the tiger and the deathless man. However, as I continued to read the novel it all started to come together and make more sense. Especially after readings Sami's comment, and knowing someone else saw what I saw too.
I think Vera allows the narrator's grandfather to continue having a relationship with the tiger's wife because of a couple reasons. For one, she probably doesn't see real danger in having him go over there and help take care of her, and two, Vera probably feels sorry for the young girl who is pregnant, with no help from anyone else.
I think Luka finally just left to start a new life somewhere else, where no one knew his past. I think he really knew what everyone in the town was saying about him and the tiger's wife and couldn't handle it anymore.
I did not see the connection between the story of the tiger and the deathless man before I read Sami Blosser's comment. When I read her comment everything suddenly clicked. Amana left Luka for the "miracle worker" who ended up being the deathless man.
A gusla is a stringed musical instrument used by the Balkans. I do not think that all the information is extraneous some of the information is not needed, but we find out later in the book every little bit of information is needed. We need to know that Luka is homosexual because that is why him and Amana do not get married because she aspires to be a virgin forever.
Vera allows the narrator's grandfather to have a relationship with the tiger's wife because she realizes that she is lonely. This deaf mute girl has no friends and lives a very lonely life. Vera know's that the tiger's wife is very innocent and means no harm throughout the town, so the she allows her son to be happy and make the tiger's wife happy.
I do not think that Luka was killed by his wife or the tiger. I think he was an unhappy person and did not like how he treated his wife but he felt obliged to. I think he gave up and left so that the deaf mute girl could live happier and he could too.
A gusla is a one-stringed instrument that is usually played with a bow. It is from the Balkan area and is used to tell stories in the music. The fact that the gusla is used for stories is significant because the book revolves around the story of the deathless man and the story of the tiger's wife.
I find that there is so much information and description about Luka because it helps us see the big picture. It helps us understand his motives and why he did what he did. We needed to know about his goals in order to see that they were ruined when Amana fell sick.
Vera allows the grandfather to continue to see the tiger's wife because she doesn't see any harm in him helping a pregnant widow. Also, later in the book I kind of get the vibe that Vera is almost omniscient in that she knew that the grandfather was still visiting the tiger's wife.
I don't think that Luka decided to leave. I think that if he had just left, more would be said about his music career-maybe on the radio, or something. I think that his wife killed him.
The tiger's wife gave the narrator's grandfather the hair because it was a symbol of that night in the smokehouse. It showed the grandfather that she knew he was there.
The only reason i can think of to put the stories of the deathless man and the tigers wife next to each other is foreshadowing. Maybe later in the story the two are connected in a major way that we dont see or have enough information to know. I feel like the information that is given to us about Luka will be important in some way i just dont know how yet. Vera allowed Natalia's grandfather to have a relationship with the tigers wife because she needs someone with her and he is willing to be there for her.
The story of the tiger and the deathless man are connected because Amana, the girl who Luka was supposed to marry was probably the same girl who the deathless man was speaking of. When the deathless man tells Natalia’s grandfather why he is unable to die, he mentions a girl he fell in love with, the daughter of a wealthy silk merchant, who he lets break the cup even though she is supposed to die, and then he leaves town with her. In the story of the tiger, Luka is on the other end of the story. He falls in love with Amana, the daughter of a wealthy silk merchant, and plans to marry her, until she leaves town with her “miracle worker” aka the deathless man.
The information about Luka is important because it gives an explanation as to why he is so unhappy and continually beats the deaf-mute girl. Natalia notes in the beginning of chapter 7, “because I am trying to understand now what my grandfather did not know then, it’s a lot more important to say, ‘Luka was a batterer, and here is why,’” which shows that Luka wasn’t born a brute and forceful man, but he became that way. Through years of trying to make a living in what he loves (the gusla), after getting betrayed by the woman he was supposed to spend his life with, and being tricked into marrying Amana’s sister, Luka has become an angry man and takes his anger out on his wife. Without all the information that seems unimportant, we would have looked at Luka as a heartless wife-beater, which isn’t the whole story, and there would have been no apparent connection between the tiger’s story and the deathless man.
I believe that the story of the tiger follows the story of the deathless man because they are different parts of the same story if the "miracle-worker" Amana left Luka for is the deathless man.
A gusla is a single stringed instrument which is traditionally used in the Balkans and accompanied by singing, the reason the instrument is a good symbol of this story because while it appears dull and dreary with it's sad songs but it is much more extraordinary than it appears to be much like many of the characters in this story.
I feel we get so much information about Luka because it helps the reader understand Luka's position and try and express why he is so upset and angry all the time. The only reason I could think we need to know that Luka is a homosexual is to further express why he is so unhappy with his life, furthermore we need to know his dreams and goals were deferred for the same reason, to show why Luka is so bitter.
Vera allows Natalia's grandfather to carry on a relationship with the tiger's wife because she realizes the tiger's wife is lonely and he is one of the few people to show genuine compassion towards her.
I believe that Luca got what was coming to him and he got killed by the tiger
The tiger's wife gave Natalia's grandfather the hair as a sign of trust and gratitude for all that he was doing.
I'm not really sure why the story of the tiger follows the story of the deathless man. Maybe it is foreshadowing through comparing their similarities. The deathless man and the tiger both seem to have a hidden purpose that they are pushing towards.
A gusla is a string instrument mainly used in the balkans.The music that usually is played with these and the other instruments in the music is similar to the poems and poem excerpts in the book.
I'm not sure why the story of the tiger immediately followed the story of the deathless man. Although, I do believe there is a connection between the two stories. It seems as though in both stories, a character has been cheated out of something. The deathless man has been cheated out of death, and Luka had been cheated out of a prosperous lifestyle. Death might sound better than living forever. Living while knowing that everyone you love is eventually going to age and die off around you doesn't sound like a life anyone would want. Also, being cheated out of an already planned out perfect life sounds terrible. Luka had planned a music filled, prosperous life that would allow a good amount of income, and a legacy behind his name. Receiving a deaf-mute girl as a child wife completely ruined any chance of his dream happening.
A gusla is a Bulgarian bowed, stringed instrument of the Balkans. It has a round wooden back, skinned belly, and a single horsehair string secured at the top of the neck by a rear tuning peg. It is played in a vertical position, with a deeply curved bow. The significance of the gusla is that it's an unique instrument being played among many musicians and their instruments. Because of its quality of being so unknown, it had allowed the author to use it as an ice breaker for Lukas almost Fiance.
I believe that the purpose of Lukas lifestory is to explain his relationship with his wife. Also, to explain why he had been so mean towards "the tigers wife" when he had found the narrators grandfather in the smokehouse. The importance of Luka being homosexual is to show how perfect his bond with the forever virgin Amana would have been. To explain why he was so terrified on his wedding night, and why he was never too eager for having offspring with his wife. His goals and aspirations from before explain his attitude while he was in Galina. I think that all the information had purpose and meaning.
Vera most likely allows the narrator's grandfather to carry on a relationship with the tiger's wife because she sees how alone she is. How she has no one now that Luka is forever gone. Also, as said in the book by a woman in the store where the narrators grandfather had bought herbs, since Vera used to be a midwife she's probably doesn't want the tiger's wife to go through pregnancy alone.
I think that Luka was killed by the tiger.. But only by the request of the tiger's wife.
I think that the tiger's wife had given him the hair as a bonding move towards their friendship. Maybe, as a reminder that she infact has been in contact with the tiger enough for her to be able to gain fur at some point during their encounters.
A gusla is a stringed instrument from the Balkins. It is always used to tell stories, and most of the time they are epic poems. So maybe that's the connection between the gusla and the story. Which things up the idea of maybe why the tiger and the deathless man are back to back because they are both epic poems.
I think Vera allows the grandfather to see the tigers wife becaus edge is not threatened. She knows the tigers wife is just lonely and needs company, so shes not affected by it.
The connection I see between the story of the deathless man and the story of the tiger’s wife is Amana. The deathless man fell in love with a silk merchant’s daughter. Amana is said to be the daughter of a silk merchant and runs away with a miracle worker whom I believe to be the deathless man.
I believe that we are told that Luka is a homosexual to show how he cannot love his wife as a heterosexual male can. Telling us about his goals and dreams and how he was unable to reach them explains how he is more inclined to beat his wife.
I believe Vera allowed Natalia’s grandfather to have a relationship with the tiger’s wife because she wanted him to be an example for the rest of the village. She wanted to show the village that there is nothing dangerous about the tiger’s wife, and emphasize it by letting Natalia’s grandfather continue his relationship with her.
I honestly am not really sure why the story of the tiger was started right after the story of the deathless man.
A gulsa, which can also be spelled gusle, is a singled-stringed instrument used in the Balkans and Dinarides region.
I do not see any connection so far between the deathless man and the story of the tiger. I am guessing there should be one but I dont see it. A gulsa is a one stringed intrument used by Balkans.
I think we needed to know that Luka was a homosexual and about his goals because these are the reasons why he never wanted to marry. The reason he wanted to marry Armana is because he would be able to keep her a virgin like she wanted and at the same time become possibly a famous musician with the help of Armana.
I think Vera allows the grandfather because she feels bad for the tigers wife because she has been beat by Luka for so long and now since he is gone she is truely alone, especially because everyone is the town thinks she is the devils wife.
I think Luka was killed by the tiger because the tigers wife told the tiger to kill him in some way.
The connection between the deathless man and the tiger is not yet clear to me. A gusla is a single-stringed instrument used in the balkans. It is a good symbol because it is used to tell storys, and there are many different stories in this book.I think we get alot of information about luka because it helps the reader better understand why he is the way he is. I think that luka left. He was not killed by the tiger or the tiger's wife.I think the tiger's wife gave him the hair to show trust.
A gusla is a musical instrument that has one string. It is played in an upright position. Guslas are usually played along with singing and they are native to the Balkans.
I think that there is so much information about Luka to show Luka’s position in the story. The information helps us build his character and lets us see things from his side. It also helps us to see why he is so upset all the time. Knowing his goals in life gives us more understanding for his attitude.
I think Vera simply doesn’t believe all the rumors that were said, so she allows Natalia’s grandfather to continue his relationship with the Tiger’s wife.
I don’t think Luka was killed either. I think he was just so frustrated with his life that he finally left.
I did not see a connection between the tiger and the deathless man.
I agree with Meredith that Vera allowed the narrator's grandfather to have a relationship with the tiger's wife because of her natural maternal instincts. And I agree with Megan that Luka probably just left. I'm still unsure of why there is so much extra information in the story, because it is a lot.
A gulsa is an instrument of the Balkans with only one horsehair string that is played with a curved bow. It makes a great symbol for the story because it is used for storytelling, and The Tiger's Wife revolves around the story of the deathless man and the tiger.
After I found out that Luka was a homosexual, I was instantly more understanding of his abusive tendencies towards his wife. Even though he treated her poorly, he was a miserable man, and i think he was mentally sick due to so many years of unhappiness. However, I don't believe that his wife deserved anything that he did to her. She had a good reason to Luka, but i don't think that she would have the heart to do so. I am guessing that either the tiger killed him, or that Luka simply left to start a new life.
Honestly, I didn’t quite see a connection between the story of the tiger and the story of the deathless man. I’ve read through some of the previous blog posts to attempt to grasp a better understanding of what this connection could be, and Sami Blosser’s post struck my interest. At first, Sami’s post didn’t seem like a valid connection, but toward the end I put the pieces together, and couldn’t believe I overlooked the connection (Thanks Sami for helping me realize this important bit of information!). In beginning of Sami’s post it is stated that, “Luka befriended the daughter of a wealthy silk merchant named Amana”, but I don’t see it that way at all. Luka didn’t want Amana to give up her wishes to remain a virgin. In fact, on page 204 (In my version at least) Luka tells Amana, “I promise not to touch you, and to love you as I love you now until the day I die. No other man who comes into this room asking for you will ever make that promise knowing with certainty that it will be kept.” With my understanding, this meant that Luka respected Amana’s wishes to remain a virgin, even during marriage. They both would continue to live the way they do now respecting each other’s morals. In the story of the deathless man, the deathless man DID befriend his Uncle, Death, but in the story of the tiger, Luka DIDN’T befriend Amana. I personally felt sympathetic toward Luka. He didn’t deserve the misfortune he was dealt with, however it is definitely no excuse for abusing his deaf wife. Anyhow, the true connection is that the deathless man’s story and Luka’s story is the same story just told in separate point of views. The deathless man and Luka both loved the same girl; Amana. Amana was supposed to die as the deathless man had said but he saved her by befriending his Uncle. The deathless man was always involved in Natalia’s grandfather’s life.
Im not sure of why the story of the tiger followed the deathless man other than the fact that they might be linked later on in the novel. The two are related in some way possibly. A gusla is a stringed, musical instrument of the Balkans. It is used to accompany a performance and it is good symbol for the book because of all the different stories that are being told throughout the book. So I think it is like a performance in some way.
A gusla is a single stringed instrument commonly used in the Balkans. Gusla's are usually accompanied by singing of some sort.
All the extra information on Luka is just to show us why he acts the way he does. By knowing he is a homosexual, we realize that he does not and most likely will never love his wife. Finding out about his goals gives reason to believe he is depressed for never completing them.
I believe Luka finally just left rather than was killed by his wife or the tiger.
The two stories are connected because of the two sisters. Luka had planned to marry Amana and create a future together with music, but her illness brought the deathless man and she fell for him. While the deathless man was cursed by attempting to save Amana from death later on, Luka was left with a deaf-mute who he couldn't even begin to understand, and that drove him mad.
I don't think that Luka was killed by either the tiger or his wife. My idea is that, fed up with the gossip and his wife's constant silence, he finally decided to go and pursue his dreams with the gusla. He must've left behind his money, since his wife was buying expensive clothing for herself, so I think he went back to the bridge in Sorabor and played with the others, like he did in his youth.
A gusla is a single-stringed instrument commonly used in the Balkans. People often sing while a gusla is being played (like a guitar).
Nothing jumped out at me regarding a connection between the deathless man and the tiger.
I believe that we are told about Luka's homosexuality to tell us that he can never and will never love his wife as a spouse should. Telling us about his unfinished goals and dreams explains why he would beat his wife.
I think that Luka just left, I don't think he was killed. I think that he was getting fed up and wanted to start new. He was already mad at his wife right before he left so I think that was his reasoning for leaving. Even though he was mad at her he didn't want the town to blame her.
A gulsa is a one stringed musical instrument used by the Balkans
Like many people above, I don't really see any connection between the story of the deathless man and the tiger's wife.
A gusla is a single-stringed instrument used commonly in the Balkans, and it is usually assisted by vocals.
I think we were told about Luka's homosexuality and dreams to understand him better. He was bitter because he was never able to achieve his dreams, and he could not properly love his wife, either, which explains why he beat her.
I do not think that Luka was killed by the tiger or his wife. I think he left because he was fed up about not being able to achieve his dreams. So I think he left to try to achieve them.
A gusla is an instument related to the fiddle that has a single string. Luka played mellow, melancholy songs and often encorporated stories into his lyrics. This is significant to the novel as a whole because the novel is basically a makeup of different stories itself.
Mother Vera allow's Natalia's grandfather to carry on a relationship with the tiger's wife because she feels bad for her. She is a midwife and feels compassion for the pregnant widow when no one else in the town does.
I do not think Luka was killed by his wife or the tiger. It makes much more sense that he decided to go live elsewhere.
I think the tiger's wife gave Natalia's grandfather the hair because she wanted him to have a solid piece of the tiger her could hold onto.
I don't understand where a connection can be made between the deathless man and the story of the tiger. Besides the fact that they both have something to do with grandfather.
A gulsa is a single'stringed instrument that is usually accompanied with vocals.It relates to the storytelling of the novel because the gulsa sometimes is associated with folklore.
The author gives us these facts about Luca that seems to be useless because they want us to know why he acts the way he does. We need to know his goals to understand why he feels the way he does about his wife and the other people he interacts with.
Vera allows granfather to have a relationshipp with the tiger's wife because everyone else in the village is superstitious about the tiger's wife, whereas Vera thinks it is just nonsense. It also seems that in a way she wants to help the tiger's wife
I think that Luca just left town. Most likely he left to pursue the dreams of a life he has always wanted to live.
I see no connection. But i hope it is explained later.
A gusla is a basic, primitive, string instrument. It has a single string and a arch bottom and a flat top. Like many string instruments it is bowed.
She allows it because she sees the good in people.
To be honest i think luka just got up and left.
The only connection I saw between the story of the Deathless man and Tiger story was Amana and it was a very brief connection in my eyes.
The gusla is a single stringed instrument that is played like a fiddle and used in many Balkan countries for story telling. It is also used in the telling of epics.
I think that Vera pushes for the grandfather to have a friendship with the Tiger's wife because she doesn't want him to feel bad about having compassion for her. With all the rumors going around about the Tiger's wife the grandfather could easily be swayed to believe the rude comments made about her. I think Vera just want him to make his own decision about her.
I think Luka finally left the village to continue his dreams as a guslar. He probably saw that there was truly nothing left for him in the village. He was stuck with a young bride that he didn't want and was constantly judged by the other villagers.
A gusla is a one string guitar, it probably has a limited range of pitch but i mean it looks like a cool instrument. The author indeed has a purpose with all this information, i mean why would it be included in the book if it didnt tie into the plot one way or the other. I think mother vera let the narrators grandfather carry on a relationship with the tigers wife because she had no one and it doesnt hurt to be nice to people. I think luka ran away. I think the tigers wife gave him the hair cause she knew that he was into tigers as well.
The Gusla is a stringed instrument with only one string. This couold resemble the book as a whole a bunch of stories compiled together to make an entire story, compared to all the notes that make up the one string of the guitar.
I believe the information about luka is necessary to know him as a character to understand the story better. How can you have a good story if you don't know the characteristics of a character?
I'm not really seeing a connection between deathless man and the tigers wife. I think the hair was meant to be a symbol of trust, almost like a sacrifice? But a Gulda is a Balkan instrument. It is single stringed and used to back up epic singers. Much like the one in the picture
The connection between the deathless man and the tiger was hard to see at first, but looking back, I can see it now. The Gusla is a stringed instrument used for story telling. The information given to us about Luka shows us how miserable his life is. Because of this he most likely just left.
I believe Vera allows the narrator's grandfather to develop a relationship with the tiger's wife inorder for the grandfather to learn that rumors shouldn't disway a friendship. I think Luka allowed his dispair to get to him and he just left. The tiger's wife gave the grandfather the tiger's hair as a gift since the grandfather was so fasinated by tigers.
The author gave the information about Luka to provoke emotions about the character and to understand him on a deeper level instead of just hating the character right off. With giving the readers the backgroung knowledge of Luka the author creates a sense of emotional attachment and causes the character to become more real and gives the reader a better unnderstanding of his motivations, frustrations, and why he reacts the way he does to other people.
A gusla is a single stringed instrument usually used for telling stories. It is significant because a gusla, the one string on a gusla can tell a thousand stories; just like one person can tell a thousand stories. There may be so much extraneous information about Luka because it may be important later on in the book. Vera allows Natalia’s grandfather to keep his relationship with the tiger’s wife because that is a way she can make sure she is okay. I think Luka was killed by the tiger. I think the tiger’s wife gave him the hair because it was a sign of trust and understanding.
Amala is a part of both stories, I think more than anything it shows how love is so powerful. Because Amala decided that she did not want the life she thought she did Luka went on to marry her sister, give up his dream (for a while, I’ll get to that), and torture his new wife, which is not like him at all. His lost love, love for a best friend anyway, completely destroyed his trust and life. The deathless man fell in love with Amala and his life is ruined because of that love, even after he was warned love still prevailed.
There was definitely a reason for all of the information on Luka. It gave his character depth. There is always a reason people are who they are, whether the way they were brought up, or a traumatic event. It made me a little sympathetic towards Luka. Not saying what he did was right at all, but it shows yet another way of how people deal with pain, a theme in this novel. I think Luka finally got up and just left because he finally got over what he was dealing with.
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