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Trudy thinks that there is nothing serious going on with Edgar, that she'd know if there was, because she knows him better than anyone. Explain how this is foolish on her part and how she can be so wrong.
Why do you think the author chose to give us Trudy's point of view throughout this chapter? What does that point of view do for us when it comes to understanding the story we are reading?
68 comments:
Through the pocket watch story, we learn that Edgar is quite an introvert. He doesn't intend on hiding anything from his mother but doesn't feel the need to talk about anything unless asked. His thought process is very complex, and even when Trudy believes she knows the motives for his behavior, he really has something completely different going on within his mind. He observes and mulls things over without anything appearing to happen on the surface. This is why it is foolish of Trudy to believe Edgar's 'phase' is nothing serious because she knows him so well. She contradicts herself, because she knows that it is hard to tell what Edgar is thinking but then naively assumes she knows he's alright. In part I think Edgar learned this from her, because he always describes how she can act so calm with the dogs but be boiling mad inside. For someone who possesses this trait, Trudy should know that Edgar is, in fact, not okay.
Through the pocket-watch story, we come to find out that Edgar is quite secretive. Perhaps he does not communicate very well because he does not want people to put a damper on his plans. Along with that, I think that Edgar hopes to believe that magic does exist because he is tired of living his humdrum life on the farm.
I think that Trudy is foolish to believe that she perfectly knows her son because he constantly throws curve-balls at her, concluding that she does not know him as well as she thinks. I don’t think that Edgar wants his private thoughts uncovered, so he tries extra hard to keep them protected. To me, Edgar is very mysterious, even the aspect that he is mute brings about that result. Trudy will never really know Edgar’s intentions because she does not know lies from reality.
Through the pocket watch story we learn that Edgar is, “opaque as a rock” (472). Edgar is very unpredictable and he thinks outside the box. This makes parenting difficult for Trudy because, unless she asks, Edgar does not tell her everything. This lack of communication leads Trudy to believe that nothing is wrong with Edgar, and if something was wrong she would know.
Wroblewski chooses to put this chapter in Trudy’s point of view because the reader already knows what Edgar is feeling and experiencing but Trudy does not. The use of dramatic irony between Trudy and the reader allows the reader to get a better understanding of the situation. Trudy may think she knows everything that goes through Edgar’s mind, but the reader knows the most about him. I think Edgar is keeping certain details from Trudy in order to protect Trudy, the kennel, and himself.
From the pocket watch story, we learn that Edgar is more of an inward thinker than previously thought. He doesn't share his ideas even with Trudy, who is considered one of his best friends. Trudy can be so wrong because she isn't with Edgar all day long. Moreover, Trudy made no concentrated effort to really know if there is anything serious with Edgar. The author gave us Trudy's point of view to clarify how Edgar seemed mysterious to others. The author also wanted us to understand what Trudy thought about Claude. I found the flashback to when Gar and Trudy talked about their death very interesting.
Trudy should never just assume things about her son. Edgar doesn't always speak exactly what he's thinking and keeps a lot of thoughts locked inside of himself. The pocket watch story shows us how much he keeps to himself, so really the readers know him better than Trudy does. Trudy is extremely foolish to think that there is nothing wrong with Edgar. Parents should know that their children don't always tell them everything that's going on in their mind.
Through the pocket watch story we learn that Edgar thinks more “out of the box.” His parents thought the pocket watch was for its original purpose to keep time, but really it was for him to try to hypnotize people and animals. Trudy thinking that she knows Edgar better than anybody is foolish because he hides things, just like he hid the real reason that he wanted the pocket watch. Edgar also doesn’t tell his mom everything unless asked, so I think she’ll never know if something is wrong unless she makes him tell her the problem. I think the author chose to give us Trudy’s point of view because then we know what she’s thinking instead of Edgar’s thoughts for the majority of the story.
The pocket watch story teaches us that Edgar keeps to himself and knows more than his parents think. He is good at hiding his feelings, and Trudy thinks she would know if something was wrong with Edgar. She made a foolish mistake by thinking this. She should try to get Edgar to open up to her a bit before she goes around think she knows Edgar the best, but the only person who knows Edgar the best is Edgar. This chapter is told through the point of view of Trudy. I think the author did that to help the reader understand what is going on in other character's heads. It also puts a new perspective on the story.
In this chapter, the reader learns that Edgar likes to have control of things. He wants a watch so he can hypnotize and control other people and animals. Also, we learn that he likes to keep to himself; he does not tell anyone what he intends to use the watch for. Trudy thinks that there is nothing wrong with Edgar and that she would be the one to know if something goes wrong. However, she does not know everything about Edgar because he only tells her things if she asks. Later in the book, we realize that something is defiantly wrong with Edgar after he murders someone on purpose and does not feel bad. The author chooses Trudy’s point of view for this chapter to explain why Trudy does not think Edgar needs help and why she does not take him to a counselor. Without hearing Trudy’s point of view the reader might think that the story is unrealistic, in a sense that Trudy does not help her son when he is in need.
Trudy is foolish on thinking that nothing is wrong with Edgar and that she would know. She didn't know that Edgar had ever wanted a pocket watch or that he was into hypnosis, let alone how he was feeling. She wants to believe that she knows her kid inside and out but she truly doesn't. She doesn't understand what Claude has done and doesn't even try to understand. Trudy just assumes things with Edgar and doesn't even bother to ask. She just assumed he was acting out of rage of his father's death. She never asked him what in particular he didn't like about Claude or anything of that sort. She never communicated well with Edgar, so because of that, she's foolish in thinking that she knows everything about him when she doesn't.
Through this pocket watch story we learn that Edgar thinks quite differently than others. Trudy believed he wanted the watch simply to tell time. But later she learns Edgar doesn't really even use it as a watch but he wants to hypnotize the dogs and people. He keeps his thoughts to himself most of the time and doesn't really share his feelings with anyone not even his mother.
When she says that there is nothing seriously wrong with Edgar she is blissfully speaking. She doesn't really understand what is going on in Edgars mind. He is constantly thinking of murdering Claude and obsessing over his father. She doesn't see any of it because she is trying to believe that they can be happy and go on normally without Gar. I think she pushes away the fact that Edgar is drifting away, and that's how she is so wrong about how he feels.
Trudy should not be under the assumption that she know everything there is to know about Edgar. She thinks that he shares everything with her, and the truth is he keeps a lot of things to himself. Trudy is living in a fools paradise. She thinks that Edgar just wanted the pocket watch so that he could tell time, while Edgar is actually more interested in trying to hypnotize people and animals. She might think that Edgar is starting to like Claude and that he (Edgar) is starting to recover from the death of his father. Edgar is obsessed with his father and is thinking of ways on how he could murder Claude. Parents should never assume that their child is telling them everything that there is on their (children's) mind.
I feel like every kid growing up does something like the pocket watch and the are you getting sleepy thing. Children at that age are obesssed with magic and what it can do. Edgar's mom assumes he wants it to tell the time. This goes to show that parents really dont know what their kids want unless they tell them. I dont think Trudy realizes how secretive Edgar really is.
Through the pocket watch story the reader learns the unpredictability and private nature of Edgar Sawtelle.He is a creative thinker and does not let others in on his ideas unless need be. This makes for tougher parenting. Thus, it is wrong for Trudy to assume nothing serious is going on with Edward, although her intentions are understandable. Of course, her speil is the common alibi of a parent put on the spot in concern to the state of its offspring. No parent wants to look as if they are out of touch with their child. Thus, Trudy's words must be taken witb some amount of thought. She does not mean to sound all-knowing, she means to sound in touch with her child. The phrase is her defense mechanism when put on the spot. This quote makes the reader put more thought into the subject of Trudy and Edgar's relationship. The relationship is sugar-coated a lot before these later chapters. Although the two, no doubt, love eachother they are not psychologically that close- seeing as Edgar keeps his thoughts to himself. Thus, this chapter shines a light upon the fact that Edgar Sawtelle is, in fact, an introvert.
Edgar's theory is don't ask don't tell. If his mother doesn't ask him anything he isn't going to tell her anything. Also, he can be more secretive and even lie if he wants to because he is a mute. It is harder for him to communicate so he can keep secrets much easier than someone who can talk. She is foolish to think nothing is wrong with Edgar because he can so easily hide his feelings from her. Little does she know Edgar is constantly thinking about the murder, constantly hating Claude, and secretly plotting revenge. So if she doesn't ask him how he feels how could she know?
The pocket watch story teaches us that Edgar is very different from what many readers made him out to be. You learn that just because he considers his mother one of his best friends, it doesn’t mean that he tells her everything. Because Edgar is unable to speak, I think that it is easier for him to keep his secrets to himself. Trudy believes that Edgar tells her everything, but in reality, he only tells her what he wants her to know. When Edgar asks for the watch, Trudy thinks he is using it to keep time, but Edgar wants it to hypnotize people and animals. I also believe that Edgar is still extremely upset because of his father’s passing. He imagines doing very violent things like murdering Claude and often reminisces about his father.
Trudy is foolish for thinking that she would know Edgar best because she knows nothing about Edgar and what he thinks. I think it is ironic how she recalls the story of the pocket watch and how she did not realize the true reason why he wanted it but she says that she knows him better than anyone else. At this point in the story Edgar and his mother are not communicating so how would Trudy know what Edgar is thinking or feeling. She thinks that he is pulling away only because his father died and she does not consider other possibilities of Edgar withdrawing from his family.
Through the pocket watch story, we learn that Edgar is quiet and secretive. He thinks a lot and tends to keep things from Trudy(yet she claims to know him best). I would say that Edgar is very unique; he doesn’t go with the flow and thinks out of the box. It is unintelligent for Trudy to assume there is nothing going on. It is never good to assume regardless, but especially in her case with Edgar. The scary thing is that she has no idea about the pocket watch and the murder. If only she would sit down with him and talk, maybe then she would fully know and understand Edgar. Rule of thumb: NEVER just assume things, ALWAYS ask.
The pocket watch story shows that Edgar keep things to himself. He isn't the kind of guy who just comes out and tells someone how he is feeling. This is confirmed through Trudy's observations of Edgar, like how he wouldn't talk about his day at school unless repeatedly questioned. She continued to refer to him as opaque to her, but she feels that there is nothing going on... How can she tell if he's a total mystery to her? He just lost his father. Most children would care if they found their father dying. The way it happened also puts a lot of strain on him. He couldn't get help for his dad, he was helpless, and blames himself for this. He may not be showing it on the outside, but Edgar is a wreck on the inside.
The pocket watch story that Trudy tells the reader provides a lot of new information about Edgar. He is very hard to read and can be misunderstood easily. His teachers even described him as stoic. To me it seems that Edgar can pull off a great poker face. Edgar doesn’t share all of his ideas with his mom either. She saw that he wanted a pocket watch for Christmas, but Edgar wanted to use it for hypnotism (not for telling time). The story can teach everyone some lessons- people have different intentions for things and you shouldn’t always assume things. Trudy is foolish for thinking that Edgar is fine and believing that she would know if something was wrong. She already noticed him acting weird, so I believe she isn’t smart for not being concerned. She should know by now that Edgar has a harder time communicating his feelings with others.
The pocket watch story shows us that Edgar is a very secretive person in a sense. He won't hide anything from Trudy but he won't tell her anything unless it is directly asked. This shows that he is hiding much of his life from her. Trudy believes that nothing is wrong with Edgar because she "knows him so well." However, it is difficult to know the entire story of someone who can't express their feelings and emotions in a quick, easily communicable manner. Edgar can keep major events to himself and even begins thinking about murder.
Edgar keeps a lot of feelings to himself; he is not up front with his mom, although he doesn't lie when asked a direct question. Edgar keeps things inside and the fact that Trudy doesn't realize the change is not good. She has never truly known everything that is going on inside of him, but thinks she does since they have been together their whole lives.
The story of the pocket watch showed me that Edgar is much more secretive than I thought. He has a different mindset. For example, as ‘normal’ people would use the pocket watch to tell time, Edgar tries to hypnotize his mother and the dogs. He keeps his thoughts to himself and doesn’t even share them with his mother, showing me that he’s an introvert.
Most parents think that they know their children best, but in reality know the least. Parents can read their children’s body language more easily than friends, but children will always confide most in a friend. Trudy is foolish for thinking she knows Edgar best. Because Edgar doesn’t have a friend to confide in, I’m afraid everything that has happened to him is bottling up inside him and causing him to act strange. I think Trudy wants to believe that her and her only son can live normal lives without Gar.
The pocket watch tells us that Edgar is a normal young boy. Kids don't tell their parents everything. Trudy shouldn't think she knows everything about her son. Yes they probably are very close but not as close as she believes. Why should Edgar have to tell every little detail that goes on in his mind? I feel like when Trudy learned that she really had no clue what Edgar wanted or was thinking it made her feel useless, odd. I don't know how to explain it. To me I feel like she's comparing her trainer skills to her mothering skills. As a trainer she always knew when to correct a dog before they could do wrong. She knew what they were thinking and knew what they wanted. How could she know dogs so well and not her own son? Her miracle child, who she was supposed to know so well. I don't think she should think like that. I feel like she should understand that everyone is their own unique person who has little secrets about themselves that don't necessarily need to be known by everyone.
I think that Trudy knows that she isn’t as close to her son as she would like to be, and she says that if something was wrong with Edgar-she would know about it. By saying this she is trying to convince herself that she is very close with her son. When in reality, they are growing farther apart since Gar died. She has been sneaking around with Claude without telling or mentioning anything to Edgar about it. Because she is doing this I think that she knows that she is doing something wrong, but keeps finding excuses on why it is okay to keep things from him. On the other hand, Edgar is good at hiding his true feelings. As readers, we get to understand how he is thinking and feeling-but Trudy doesn’t.
We learn that Edgar doesn't lie, but he is very good at keeping things to himself unless asked about it. He doesn't openly share unless approached.
Trudy may think she knows Edgar but she hasn't asked him flat out what's going on in his mind. She hasn't made him speak to her. Like with the pocket watch, she had no idea why he wanted one or even that he wanted one in the first place. How can she not know something so trivial but still know everything about Edgar and everything he's thinking and feeling? He's been closed off and refuses to communicate with her, which is out of character. Instead of approaching him and talking to him the way she should she just dismisses it and carries on with every day life.
Trudy is very naive to think that she knows Edgar the most just because she is closest to him. She may only know as much as anyone else because of Edgar's introverted ways. He will only tell personal stories and feelings if he is asked and doesn't really feel the need to tell anyone otherwise. No one can really know Edgar for who he really is because of his nature. He is like the average young boy though, always keeping things to himself so he looks tough and strong on the outisde. In these ways, it shows that he's not much different than any other boy his age going through as many difficulties as he is.
Along without being able to communicate, being mute gives Edgar many other “disadvantages” so to speak. He can perfectly converse what he wants or needs through signing but the lack of a voice creates a void where vocal tones or even more complex thoughts could have been plain to interpret. Edgar is a book with blank pages to Trudy; she explains that she can read him perfectly where she can fill in whatever she wants, but is unable to read “in-between the lines” due to there being a lack of words. Edgar, therefore, is a very mysterious person. That is why Trudy is foolish, because even though she can ask all the questions she wants to, she’ll never fully understand what he is really thinking.
With the fact that Edgar can't talk, there is no specific tone in his voice. He can hide things much more easily than a person who can talk. Trudy may know him more than most people, but even she can't know Edgar's thoughts. She had mentioned in this chapter that Edgar had been hard to read, even as a child. If something is bothering Edgar, he doesn't show it. Just because she is his mother, doesn't mean she knows absolutely everything about him. She may believe that, but it isn't true. Trudy is foolish for thinking that.
From the pocket watch story, we learn that Edgar is difficult to read. He has many hidden motives and he rarely expresses his thoughts even when he is questioned. Trudy seems like she just wants everything to be back to normal, so she keeps telling herself that there is nothing wrong with Edgar and that it is just his way of mourning. But it is much more than that. Edgar is protesting her involvement with Claude and is very much against Claude trying to be his father. I think the author chose to tell this chapter from Trudy's point of view because it helps give the reader an insight to how each character is reacting to the same series of events.
We learn that Edgar has a different way of thinking about things than most people and he doesn't tell anyone about his ideas. Trudy is foolish to think that she could tell if anything was wrong because the pocketwatch story proves that she can't.
We learn that Edgar is a very self preserved person. He observes things, and keeps them on the inside, not acknowledging publicly unless he is asked. Trudy acts like she knows what's going on with Edgar, she thinks he is fine, but deep down inside, what she really knows is that something is wrong. She is just too focused on what he is saying, rather than reading between the lines and actually understand what he is really saying.
The story of the pocket watch tells the reader that Edgar likes control of everything. That is why he wanted to hypnotize dogs and people. It also tells us that he is very hard to read and keeps to himself. If you ask him a question he will answer, but he doesn't share much more. Edgar's mother is hard to read herself, never showing emotion when training the dogs, so you might think she would understand that Edgar is just holding in his emotions. Rather than ask him how he is feeling, though, she just assumes he is doing okay because he hasn't come to her with any problems. Telling the story from Trudy's point of view shows the reader that she really does care about Edgar, she just doesn't realize anything is wrong.
Edgar learns things in mysterious ways, as if he was already born with the knowledge of everything. Every thought he conjures up, ends up festering and harboring in his mind, all without letting another soul know what it is he thinks about unless being asked. He’s a closed book until someone opens him. He’s more of an observer and a keeper of thoughts, like a safe. And he’s never grown out of it. If anything, it’s grown with him.
It’s incredibly foolish to think nothing is happening with Edgar, that nothing is seriously wrong. He can’t tell her what’s wrong, verbally anyway, and even if he could speak, I doubt he would just volunteer his emotions and thoughts. I can’t give her much criticism as to not knowing there’s something wrong with Edgar because she has noticed a significant change in him since the death of his father. She knows there are things that won’t be the same and people change and things happen. But she is overlooking something and she should probably be more worried about her son than she is.
We learn from the pocket-watch story, that Edgar is quite secretive. He does not communicate well because he does not want people to try and change his plans. Along with that, Edgar wants to believe that magic does exist because he is tired of living a boring, average life. So when Trudy thinks she knows everything about her son she really doesn’t and, Trudy should never just assume things about her son. Edgar doesn't always speak what he's thinking and keeps a lot of thoughts locked away inside.
The pocket watch story that Trudy tells the reader provides a lot of new information about Edgar. He is often misunderstood because of how hard it is to read him. People see him as an emotional brick wall. To me it seems that Edgar can pull off a great poker face. Edgar doesn’t share all of his ideas with his mom either like how he wanted to use the pocket watch for hypnotism, not for telling time. The story can teach everyone some lessons- people have different intentions for things and you shouldn’t always assume things. Trudy is foolish for thinking that Edgar is fine and believing that she would know if something was wrong.Since she noticed Edgar acting weird, she should have been concerned, but was not. She should know by now that Edgar has a harder time communicating his feelings with others.
The pocket watch story shoes us two different levels of thinking. Trudy believes the watch is for keeping time, while Edgar really wants the watch to attempt to hypnotize people and animals. The directly shows us that they think different. Edgar does not speak up and tell his mother his true thoughts. He will not speak up unless asked directly. Therefore, if something was wrong with him, he would not say anything to Trudy unless she talks to him about it first.
This also leads into the second question dilemma: Trudy assumes things about her son's behavior. This is foolish because he obviously is not telling her everything. Communication is key right now. She thought something was a little strange but didn't ask Edgar because she was being naive.
Trudy makes the assumption that there is nothing seriously wrong with Edgar, that he is just going through some kind of phase. No mother (parent) wants to believe that they are unaware of what's going on with their child (children), and I thin that's why she made the statement she did. However, it is foolish for her to assume what she did because (as through the story of the pocket watch) the reader learns that Edgar keeps to himself. Not to say that Trudy was "out-of-touch" with Edgar, but she just possibly didn't delve deep enough into the situation and if she really knew Edgar as she claimed to, she would know to pry for more information rather than be satisfied with a simple explanation when she noticed his strange behavior.
The pocket watch story shows that there is more to Edgar than it seems. While his parents thought Edgar wanted the watch to know the time, he actually wanted to use it for hypnosis. It also shows that Edgar keeps things to himself, rather than expressing his thoughts. While Trudy thinks she has her son figured out, she soon realizes that she doesn't know Edgar as well as she thought she did. Trudy was foolish for thinking that she’d know if something was wrong, because Edgar doesn’t express all his thoughts and emotions. There is more to Edgar than Trudy knows, therefore, if there was a problem Edgar might be hiding it from her.
We learn through the pocket watch story that Edgar had a normal childhood. That he too had wishes and wants, and sometimes he got what he wanted. We also see another side to Edgar that he hides things from people and that he's not always so obvious, even though his mom assumes he is. Truthfully Edgar knows himself better than anyone, and after him is Almondine. Because of Trudy's absence in that last few months due to pneumonia and grieving, she has lost her touch with Edgar. So really she knows her son just as well as anyone else. She shouldn't assume that he wouldn't have changed in five months.
The author gave us Trudy's point of view because for the first time in the book she really has to play a major role in the family. She can no longer sit on the couch and muddle her way through life, she actually has to provide for Edgar and the dogs. Trudy's point of view shows us the gentle side of the family. It shows us what maybe made Gar settle down and not be as rowdy as Claude made him out to be. It shows the reader the voice of reason.
I always say you should never assume anything. That is the mistake that Trudy makes with Edgar. She assumes that nothing is wrong with Edgar when in reality there are many things wrong with him, all of which he is dealing with by himself. For one, he is still not completely over his father's death and for another he does not approve the relationship between his mother and uncle. Edgar has a lot of pent up anger inside and keeps adding to it as his mother becomes more involved with Claude.
Through the pocket watch story, we learn that Edgar isn't very open with anyone. His mother had assumed that he wanted it to tell time but instead he wanted to hypnotize people and dogs. However, he did learn a lesson with hypnosis with Alex Franklin.
This is foolish on her part because she says that she knows him so well however, she says she can't read him. So, which is it? I think that she wants to be able to read him but can't. She can be so wrong because she was wrong with the pocket watch. I think that Trudy thinks Edgar is so closed because of Gar dying and now she's with Claude. However, I think Edgar is closed because he thinks Claude killed Gar and now here Trudy is, fooling around with the guy that killed her husband.
In this chapter, Trudy reveals Edgar’s complex and highly internalized nature. Edgar rarely shares his thoughts with others, often making it difficult to understand his current emotional state. When Edgar decides to act on his thoughts, these actions are often considered unpredictable by others. The pocket watch story gives an example of Edgar’s undecipherable thought process; what Trudy thought was in interest in timekeeping turned out to be an experiment with hypnosis.
Trudy actually contradicts herself when she states that she “knows” Edgar is able to deal with his Father’s death. She describes Edgar as internalized and impossible to read, but then claims to be able to understand him perfectly. I feel that Trudy may be purposely lying to herself when she makes this statement; she wants to believe that Edgar is doing well, but probably has no proof to back up this belief. Edgar’s introverted personality makes him nearly impossible to understand completely.
It is extremely foolish of Trudy to assume she knows everything that is going on with Edgar and that he is doing just fine. Edgar is actually a very secretive person. Even Trudy has a face she puts on for others to mask her true feelings and yet she doesn't seem to consider that Edgar could be doing the same thing. She is very naive to think she knows all there is to know about her son because in any relationship between a parent and child there are always secrets that neither share.
Through the pocket watch story, we learn that Edgar is a shy, introverted person. The story also shows that Edgar has unique thoughts by using the watch for hypnosis instead of keeping time like his mother assumed.
Trudy is foolish for assuming that there is nothing wrong with Edgar because he doesn't tell people things unless he is asked about it. Edgar tends to keeps his thoughts and emotions locked away inside of him, so if Trudy really wants to make sure everthing is okay with her son, she must dig deeper inorder ot find out.
In the pocket watch story you realize that Edgar is very secretive. He keeps his thoughts to himself. He doesn't find a need to tell people what he is thinking unless he is asked. For example, the pocket watch was never really meant for telling time. He used it for hypnosis, but Trudy didn't know that until she saw him doing it.
Trudy is oblivious to how Edgar is feeling. She thinks if something is wrong with Edgar that he will come and tell her, but from his little kid experiences she should know he wouldn't do that. Trudy believes they are so close, which is true but only to a certain degree. Edgar really doesn't tell her everything like she thinks he does. There is something wrong with Edgar and Trudy should start to dig deeper with her relationship with him to help Edgar recover.
Through Edgar's pocket watch story, we learn that Edgar has been self-sufficient and introverted from a young age. As the story makes clear, he wasn't hiding his true intentions for the pocket watch, he just didn't see a reason to share them. This is key to Edgar's character- he deals with his problems by himself, and doesn't regularly look for help. It also shows how Edgar cares for his family. The story details how he would set the watch a few times, but Trudy suspected he only did it for their benefit. Edgar doesn't want them to feel bad about their gift, so he goes out of his way to use it, even if it doesn't help him.
Telling this chapter through the perspective of Trudy helps the reader establish a stance on how they should feel about her. Up until this point, the reader has never truly heard her thoughts on the death of Gar and the relationship with Claude. Until this chapter, the reader knows they could only be on Edgar's side, not necessarily Trudy's.
Through the pocket watch story we learn that Edgar is a little reserved and doesn't speak certain things unless he is asked to do so. Edgar also keeps information from Trudy, the only way Trudy learns about the things that Edgar hides is if she asks him. Edgar never fully comes out to tell Trudy anything on his own.
Although Trudy thinks that she knows Edgar better than anyone this isn't true. Edgar often keeps his feelings and emotions bottled up. Trudy may be trying to cover up the fact that Edgar is actually suffering, when she really wants to believe that he is doing just fine.
What we learn from the pocket watch story is that Edgar is very secretive. He doesn’t always let people know what's going through his mind. I think it is very naive of Trudy to say she knows Edgar better than anyone when she was just thinking of how much she didn’t know him. She says Edgar is just going through a rebellious stage, but she doesn’t know what’s going on in his mind. Trudy has no idea Edgar believes Claude killed Gar and that he knows Claude and her are together. Trudy believes that Edgar and her have an amazing and close relationship, which is true but only to a certain extent.
Through the pocket watch story we learn that Edgar is more of a deep thinker than we thought. He doesn't tell more than needs to be told. If he isn't asked, he won't tell you on his own. He uses the pocket watch for hypnotism, rather than to tell time like his mother thought. he didn't lie to his mother, he just didn't see the need to tell her. Judy is foolish for thinking that she knows everything that's going on with Edgar. He doesn't tell anybody what's going on with him, so how would she know? I think the author chose to give us Trudy's point of view throughout this chapter to show us what her role in the story is. We know what Edgar is thinking all the time, but this chapter shows that Judy really doesn't understand him.
In the pocket watch story we learn that when Edgar was five he wanted a watch that was the number one on his list. Neither his mom nor his dad knew why they thought back to the time a few weeks before how he always said the time so they assumed it was because he wanted to tell the time wherever he was. In the end it was because he wanted to hypnotize people or dogs. This shows Edgar thinks deeply about things. As shown an ordinary person would've been like "i want a watch so i know the time," but he wanted one to hypnotize, at only the age of five. No one could tell where he learned it from. It also shows how confined to himself he is. If someone doesn't bluntly ask he wont tell you what he's thinking. He's not really secretive he just only tells what needs to be said to answer your question or tell you something. Like when he told her what happened to his dad. He answered her question about what happened but left out little things here and there. He wasn't really lie just not telling the whole story.
When Trudy shares the pocket watch story we learn that Edgar does not offer information unless asked. He is more private, maybe because he cannot use his mouth to talk. Some people talk all the time and say what is on their mind at the moment, but with Edgar he has to use his hands to communicate,so he decides to keep secrets to himself and share when the time is right. Trudy thinks because Edgar is her son that she can read his signs and body language and know exactly what is wrong. Just because Edgar is her son does not mean she knows everything. Trudy has been kept in the dark when it comes to Edgar because he chooses to keep her there. Trudy is too naive to consider that maybe she does not know her son as well as she thinks.
In this chapter, we learn Edgar is very secretive. Since he is unable to talk, it is easier for him to hide his feelings. For most children, when they grow quiet their parent(s) know something is wrong. For Trudy, she never gets that indicator because Edgar never speaks. It is also easier for him to lie. Trudy, and Gar for the matter, never seem to ask Edgar deep or insightful questions. Sometimes, they seem to ignore Edgar's feelings, Trudy especially. It is quite obvious Edgar has changed dramatically since his father's death, not in a good way either. He skips class at school, and when he has the chance to talk to his mother he leaves or ignores her. He is being very defiant. And for Trudy to think there is nothing serious going on with Edgar and to think she knows him better than anyone is foolish and down-right stupid. The only person who really knows Edgar is Edgar himself. Since she hasn't tried to get Edgar to open up, he is retreating into himself and cutting himself off form the world. Edgar has slipped into a dark depression, and for his mother to not notice this is extremely concerning and sad.
Through the pocket watch story we learn that Edgar is very smart and secretive. At age five, he wants a pocket watch not to tell time, but to hynotize. Trudy assumes she knows her son like the back of her hand and says she can always tell is something is wrong with him. Edgar is good at keeping secrets and uses his sign to his advantage. You can tell when someone is upset or pretending to be fine by the sound of their voice, but Edgar uses his fingers for comminication, so you would never know if something was amiss. The story from Trudy's point of view shows us that she does not know her son or his secrets.
We learn that Edgar keeps his thoughts to himself. He isn't trying to hide anything, he just doesn't see the need to share. This is why Trudy is wrong in thinking she knows everything about Edgar, because she can't know what he doesn't say, or sign in his case.
Through the pocket watch story we learned that Edgar was always the type of kid to just keep more to himself. He wasn't purposefully keeping secrets, he had just never been asked. From the sound of it though, it sounds like he was a bit sneaky and secretive but he just never really found it necessary to share his thoughts and ideas like the reason behind wanting the pocket watch.
What I took from the pocket watch story is that Edgar picks up on a lot more than people realize. Trudy is foolish for thinking nothing is wrong with Edgar. His father died, and now his mom is with his uncle. He can't do what all the other kids are doing because he is busy working at the kennel. The author chose to give us Trudy's point of view because at the point in the story, its very unclear of how she feels about Claude. This chapter cleared it up for me. Her point of view helps us see the story as a whole, not just through Edgar's eyes.
I think from the pocket watch story is that we learn Edgar has a mysterious, yet wise mind. For the record, Edgar does not tell Trudy anything. He does not open up to her so therefore Trudy assumes that nothing is wrong. I think a reason that Edgar doesn't tell her anything is because he's never really asked about it. If he was asked I think there is a chance that he might open up to her. In my opinion though, I think Edgar is a secretive character and doesn't want to open about much regardless.
This chapter is told from Trudy's point of view. I think the author chose to do this to show how she has been taking things. So far we know she is moving on and giving claude a second chance but that's about it. Through this chapter we learn her thoughts on Edgar and what her plans are. Her point of view helps us to see Edgars charcter and personality from the outsidee. We see how complex he actually is. We see how deep and thoughtful he is through the story. We see how he is confined to himself and the dogs these the only ones who know is true thoughts without having to ask. These are also the reasons why it's foolish for Trudy to think nothing serious is going on. If what'[s on the outside isn't always what it seems with him as proven by the watch story then what she sees isn't the whole story. Think this is just a rebellious stage and not pushing him to see what is wrong can only hurt eveyone in the end.
The pocket watch story shows how unpredictable Edgar is. It shows that he is completely capable of playing up one intention while truly striving for another. This is why Trudy is foolish in saying she knows him better than anyone. Edgar only tells her what he wants her to hear. This is highlighted throughout the chapters where Trudy and Edgar are grieving about Gar's death. Trudy even mentions how exasperated she is when she can't "read" Edgar, so she really should have realized it then.
I think Trudy is in denial, she refuses to see that things aren't all good with Edgar and she still tries to go on with life the same without Gar. Trying to make life the same without Gar is fine, but in time, I don't think she gave herself or Edgar enough time to grieve. Therefore, she really doesn't see what's going on with Edgar and he certainly isn't going to tell her himself.
From the pocket watch story we learn that Edgar is different from most kids. He is also very mature for his age. He keeps to himself and doesn't really tell anyone anything unless he is asked. He thinks differently from others. From a young age, Trudy could tell that it was hard to read Edgar and that you couldn't really tell exactly what he was thinking. This is why I think it is foolish on her part to think that nothing serious is going on with Edgar and that she would know if there was. It completely contradicts the fact that she just said it was hard to understand his thought process sometimes.
I believe the author gave us Trudy's point of view in this chapter to see what was going on from her eyes. I think it is good to show what the other characters are thinking and their opinions.
Trudy's point of view was added to the story because we were never able to know her true thoughts unless she spoke of them. It's mentioned on multiple occasions that Trudy can aptly hide her emotions and does so often. We know only what Edgar sees and thinks about her, but, until now, not what Trudy thinks of Edgar.
Trudy thinks she knows everything about Edgar, and while it may be true that she's closest to his heart than anyone else (save for his late father), Edgar is just as unreadable as she is. The pocket watch story is a prime example of how Edgar sometimes baffles even her. The difference between Trudy and Edgar, though, is that Edgar will reveal himself to those who ask.
The pocket watch story shows that Edgar is much more intelligent and sophisticated than people know. From the story we learn that Edgar is very observant and keeps these thoughts ,and others, to himself. Edgar doesn't feel he needs to share his feelings and opinions and instead locks them inside his mind.
Every parent wants to say that they know their child or children better than anyone. And when you think about it, your parents are the ones who raised you and have always bee their throughout your life. Parents can see reactions and just know certain things, even when not told, just based on years of observation. However, almost everyone can admit that their parents are wrong constantly about what their children are feeling at least a few times. This is also true for Trudy. She thinks that Edgar has moved on just as she has with Gar's death, but really everything is all but fine as Edgar fantasizes about killing Claude and obsesses over Gar
Edgar is very introverted and has a 'speak when spoken to' outlook when it comes to communicating with others. It is clear that Edgar has changed in a negative way because of his father's death. It is foolish on Trudy's part to assume Edgar is okay because even she is good at masking what she is really thinking. Edgar learned that Trudy could be feeling angry toward the dogs, but act completely calm and collected on the outside. Trudy's point of view through this chapter gave an outsider's perspective on Edgar.
The pocket watch story shows that Edgar is sort of an introvert, and keeps a lot to himself; he doesn't share with his mother what he wants the packet watch for.
It is extremely foolish for Trudy to assume that Edgar is fine and that nothing serious is going on because she knows him better than anyone. Anybody can put on a facade and act as if nothing is wrong, and no one would suspect a thing. Just because someone appears to be okay doesn't mean that they are.
What we learn about Edgar is that, as expected from someone with a communication disability, he doesn't communicate well with others. True, he may be able to get across the necessary information to someone who may or may not understand sign language; however, just because he can communicate with people doesn't mean he wants to. He is still a child and there are plenty of children who prefer keeping things to themselves. Edgar does seem to show introverted tendencies, which should be expected; someone who communicates differently than the rest of the students at school isn't going to be the most popular kid there and have a ton of friends. The disability adds a sort-of exclusion from other people in his area. Edgar could find a group of people who speak sign language, unfortunately he doesn't even know real sign language he just knows a mash-up version of it his mother and him made. Trudy is naive, despite how well you may think you know a person they can always do something completely unexpected.
I believe the author gave us Trudy's point of view at this point of the story because it seems as if Edgar is not able to explain, from his point of view, what is going on with his mother. This chapter shows us what her thoughts are and why she has been acting the way she has. It also gives us a different look on the situation that is going on right now.
The point of view helps us understand the differences between Trudy and Edgar. It also shows how she perceives his thinking and what his actions mean in contrast to what Edgar is actually thinking and the actual reasons behind his actions. This chapter is a great example of how a mother doesn't always know her child.
Edgar definitely has a strange mind. How a child that young and so isolated would ever learn of hypnotism, I don't know. This story shows how curious Edgar is. It also shows how unpredictable he is. It's sad that Edgar has a lack of communication with his parents. Although they can communicate, Edgar doesn't want to say everything. If he was able to talk, I'm sure he would hardly say anything.
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