I vividly remember a band trip to Carowinds when I was in high school. I was terrified, but succumbed to peer pressure to ride "Thunder Road", a huge old wooden rollercoaster. My teeth rattled as we traversed the curves, and my stomach dropped as we plummeted down the hills. I relived this experience as I read Aurora's memory about Mr. Quintana on pp. 30-31. I chose this cartoon to illustrate the passage because I could tell that Mr. Quintana has a great sense of humor, especially with the comment about his bolas! Death-defying is also what the participants of this rollercoaster ride were, since the two kids were in remission from cancer and Mr. Quintana did not let pancreatic cancer stop him from fully experiencing life.
This passage from Marcelo in the Real World is important because Aurora knows that her son is terrified about working in the law firm, just as Mr. Quintana and I were about rollercoasters. She shares that after Mr. Quintana's funeral, she realized what her life's work would be, and that even though it scared her, it would make her happy. The message is that we all have to face our fears to truly discover who we are to become, and Marcelo has to do this as well to live in the "real world".
Marcelo 11-18 Wordle:
http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/2449702/MRW
Marcelo Cartoon Chapter 20:
I Am Poem:
I am Marcelo.
I wonder which note sounds right.
I hear a beautiful melody when I am kissed by Jasmine.
I see Ixtel, the girl in the picture that I am destined to discover.
I am the son of Arturo, the Minority Hire, and Aurora, the nurse angel.
I pretend to understand why people use the words they do.
I feel frustrated by choices.
I touch Namu when I need reassurance.
I worry about the transition to Oak Ridge High.
I focus on religion.
I dream of life in Vermont, with ponies, nursing, and of course, Jasmine.
I understand that everyone has ugly parts.
I am Marcelo.
I will survive the real world.
Reflection:
Reading Marcelo in the Real World has been such a learning experience for me. Living in Marcelo's world helped me to better understand the limitations of someone with Asperger's Syndrome, but also to appreciate the humor and hope of this wonderful literary character. Our discussion of what normal means was eye-opening as well. Marcelo states, "If it keeps you from functioning in society the way people think a normal person should, then our society calls that an illness." Of course, Jasmine responds with, "Well, society is not always right, is it?" The drama in the law office was emotionally draining for Marcelo, yet this is the way we function every day, and we never question it.
Marcelo's interpretation of behavior made me stop and think about all that I take for granted in communication with others. I loved the way he dissected words, phrases, and actions of the people he encountered. His desire for Wendell's friendship was heartbreaking; however, I cheered when he stood his ground and refused to give in to Wendell's selfishness. It took such tremendous courage for Marcelo to find his answers, especially when discovering the truth about his father. As readers, we desperately hope that Marcelo will "find the right note" in his future in the real world.
