The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Isabella Babin https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy Made with magic en-us 2018-10-14 22:24:05 UTC 2019-03-26 16:43:12 UTC hello@padlet.com "One poor soldier was caught stealing a potato. He was chased by his own people and climbed up a tree to hide. But they found him and shot him down out of the tree. Still, that did not stop them from stealing food. I am not pointing a finger at those practices, because some of us were doing the same. I figure hunger makes you desperate when you wake to it every morning'' (Barrows and Shaffer 65). isabella_babin https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345040267 The theme of war along with the hardships shapes the plot of the letters through Juliet Ashton's desire to make light of the positives of the war. Ashton strives to provide some comfort through her witty literature. She wants to be taken seriously as a writer and desires to tell a meaningful story. She is curious as to how The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society came to be. She realizes that even in times of war, humanity exists. Depending on the people's experiences of the war, however, some people were made less human through their suffering. Juliet is intrigued by how the society helped people come together in such a difficult time. It's ironic that a roast pig was involved in the beginning of the formation of the society because hunger was so prevalent. 

]]> 2019-03-25 22:50:19 UTC https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345040267 “I don't want to be married just to be married. I can’t think of anything lonelier than spending the rest of my life with someone I can’t talk to, or worse, someone I can’t be silent with'' (Barrows and Shaffer 8). isabella_babin https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345040966 I really admire Juliet's stance on marriage. She believes in having an equal partnership while also pursuing her career and other interests. She's not tied down to this conventional idea of marriage that once you are married, you have to sacrifice what you love for a family. She's so independent and passionate about her writing. I relate to her stance on marriage because no matter if I end up in the business or the medical field, I want to remain independent. The idea of not being able to be both independent while also reliant on someone else in a marriage is terrifying. I don't know if I can do it all, and I know marriage requires sacrifice, but I hope to never have to choose between love and my career. Furthermore, Juliet differs from Sophie in this way because Sophie follows the more traditional route with marriage. Juliet, however, never criticizes Sophie's way of life. ]]> 2019-03-25 22:54:48 UTC https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345040966 "I honestly thought everyone would be so weary of the war that no one would want a remembrance of it---and especially not in a book" (Barrows and Shaffer 15). isabella_babin https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345041042 Juliet had doubts about writing a book concerning such heavy experiences. However, through the stories of the members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, she is able to share their experiences appropriately while still finding moments of light in their stories. For example, many people wrote to Juliet describing their "light" during the war whether that be in their everyday lives or in prison camps. Elizabeth's character often exemplified hope and positivity in the prison camps. She took care other inmates and always looked out for them. The legacy she leaves behind is one of such selflessness and hope.  ]]> 2019-03-25 22:55:19 UTC https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345041042 "You already have a core--you just don’t know it yet. I am talking about Elizabeth Mckenna. Didn’t you ever notice how everyone you interviewed sooner or later talked about Elizabeth?" (Barrows and Shaffer 200-201). isabella_babin https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345041243 The legacy that Elizabeth leaves behind is so strong and evident in so many people's lives. Juliet receives a letter from a camp inmate, Remy, that tells the story of her journey of having Elizabeth as a friend. Remy writes in her letter that she wouldn't have been able to sleep at night if it weren't for Elizabeth. She also tells stories of how Elizabeth took the fault for another inmate who stole a potato. Juliet didn't even realize that the story she was looking for was right in front of her eyes. In this quote, Sidney points out how often Elizabeth is mentioned by the members of the society. There had to have been a reason. Throughout the novel, I see how Elizabeth impacted everyone she met and how she was such a comfort during the war. She was loved by so many and left behind a daughter, Kit. Juliet wants Kit to have something to hold onto her mother's legacy. ]]> 2019-03-25 22:56:38 UTC https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345041243 "Is it unseemly to get married so quickly? I don’t want to wait--I want to begin at once. All my life I thought that the story was over when the hero and heroine were safely engaged--after all, what’s good enough for Jane Austen ought to be good enough for anyone. But it’s a lie. The story is about to begin, and every day will be a new piece of the plot" (Barrows and Shaffer 274). isabella_babin https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345041606 After being engaged three times, Juliet finally finds happiness and love with Dawsey. She realizes that marriage is a positive thing. This quote implies that Juliet's story isn't over. Her story is only beginning with her new life with Dawsey and Kit. She has always tended to turn away from the conventional route of marriage. I think that it's important to maintain your identity and dreams within a marriage, but you can also discover dreams you didn't even know you had. Just as Juliet strived to keep her literature serious, the stories she received accomplished a different purpose. The letters helped her provide comic relief during a time when so many people were struggling just to stay alive. ]]> 2019-03-25 22:58:49 UTC https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345041606 "This obsession with dignity can ruin your life if you let it'' (Barrows and Shaffer 274). isabella_babin https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345041783 Juliet comes to this realization after finding love with Dawsey. Throughout the novel, Juliet stands her ground on being an independent woman while also maintaining a successful career. However, her character develops significantly as she allows herself to fall in love with Dawsey. Of course, it is important to be independent and stay true to who you are and your desires, but it is extremely important to allow that image in your mind of what your life is supposed to look like to change. Sometimes we need to step back and look at the life we imagined in order to be thankful for the life we've been given. This was an important lesson for Juliet to learn because although she was persistent in her passions, she was withholding herself to be with Dawsey. Love isn't everything, but love helps you grow as a person and expand your mindset. ]]> 2019-03-25 22:59:53 UTC https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345041783 "I don't care about living in London---I love Guernsey and want to stay here, even after finishing Elizabeth's book. I can't imagine Kit livining in London, having to wear shoes all the time, having to walk instaed of run, having no pgs to visit. No fishing with Eben and Eli, no visits with Amelia, no potion-mixing with Isola, and most of all, no walks, no days, no visits, with Dawsey'' (Barrows and Shaffer 259). isabella_babin https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345087069 2019-03-26 03:22:35 UTC https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345087069 "The old adage---humor is the best way to make the unbearable bearable---may be true'' (Barrows and Shaffer 33) isabella_babin https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345281753 It isn't uncommon to rely on humor to help cope with hard times. Although, when I think about war, I don't know how to find humor in the traumatic experiences. This novel exemplifies this quote as a whole because I have never read a book that was so light-hearted and witty while also maintaining the seriousness of the topic of war. For example, the quote, "The Germans said it lay in their big guns' line of fire and interfered with their gun practice. So they blew it up.'(Barrows and Shaffer 145) provided so much humor while talking about a house being blown up. I mean I shouldn't have laughed, but I did. Although Juliet wants to be taken seriously and wants to pursue more serious literature, the letters from the residents during the Occupation provide her with humor and wit even throughout their horrible experiences. ]]> 2019-03-26 14:31:34 UTC https://padlet.com/isabella_babin/e82r2aeaz6hy/wish/345281753