So now that I'm lucid (as lucid as one can be after a couple hours in their own head and a few glasses of wine), I realize that my reaction to the kid's distaste for conclusions was not really appropriate.
It doesn't bother me at all to edit out a lot of Twain's narrative exposition. It doesn't bother me to rewrite snatches of Peter Pan as I read it aloud, but their distaste for conclusions bugs the crap out of me.
Last night, Peter killed Hook, and the little jerks said, "Oh, the book is over." The book was not over at all so I yelled at them a bit and tried to plow through the ending. This is not a new problem: Crusoe gets rescued, eff the rest of it. You can make up your own examples, but as far as they're concerned, it's climax and shut the book (maybe it's a male thing). Anyway, when the shouting (mine) subsided, I just pouted and read the beautiful conclusion to myself. Then, I told them about it tonight while they ate a bedtime snack.
But it doesn't seem right to scream at them just because they don't dig endings so maybe I have to accept that shortcoming in their personalities and move on.
That's it. Happy Thanksgiving.
Lots of parents don't even read aloud to their kids anymore, so the fact that you do means you care about them. I will, however, mention that they are exactly the same as you, even if they don't use their traits in the same manner as you. So, they like the story up until they are relieved with the climax, which is nearly the end anyway, it could always be worse; they could simply not pay any attention at all, which might drive you more mad. They actually know who Robinson Crusoe is, which is more than most kids their age. Besides, you really do love them all so immensely that, if you aren't careful, they will be forever whittled into your heart, you won't know what to do with yourself, then you will really cry about it.
ReplyDeletePS- Keep your chin up, they won't be so small and darling forever...then you will be a grandma! Ha ha!
Do you think I only like a story (in whatever sense you want to take that) until I am "relieved with the climax"?
ReplyDeleteYou always have the best observations of me.