Emmy Scarboro's Bookshelf by Emmy S

Summary

ets0108 — 2023-09-11 16:08:36 UTC

In these two chapters, Doctor Thorne learns that his niece's other uncle, Roger Scatcherd, has made him the executor of his estate. Inside of his will he has stipulated that if something should happen to his son, his only heir, then the bulk of his estate, which includes $200K, will go to his sister's first born child, which just so happens to be Doctor Thorne's niece Mary. Doctor Thorne spends the bulk of the remaining chapters going back and forth debating on whether he should tell Roger about this development.

My Reactions

ets0108 — 2023-09-11 16:08:36 UTC

The way Trollope continues to add dimension to the story through multiple plot lines always impresses me, but this one in particular I was surprised by. I knew that Mary would need to inherit in some way so that she could be with her obvious future man, Frank Gresham the younger, but I truly did not know how it was going to happen. I am curious to know if Roger Scatcherd, her unknown uncle, will come to be known to her or if he will die before she or Doctor Thorne can make him aware of the situation.

Impact Statement

ets0108 — 2023-09-11 16:08:36 UTC

Doctor Thorne's internal struggle in regard to the future well-being of his niece and the seemingly underhanded way it might occur contributes to his upstanding character.

chapters 1 and 2

ets0108 — 2023-09-22 16:19:13 UTC

SUMMARY-
In these 2 chapters, the author just introduces the main character and his friends. We get to know about his depression. He is at a party and he isn't feeling happy. He goes to the bathroom and splashes his face with water to come back to reality.
MY REACTIONS-
I think these chapters are very upsetting.
IMPACT STATEMENT-
The main character is weighing thoughts of suicide. He has sources of support called anchors.

chapters 3, 4, and 5

ets0108 — 2023-10-07 14:19:39 UTC

SUMMARY-
Craig talks about his past life from when he was 4 years old. He lived in a beat-up apartment in Manhattan. He would try to challenge his friends to touch the hot pipes that would stick out of the wall.
He went to Dr. Minerva's office and told her that he wanted to be a map maker when he grew up. She asked him what his plans were for the day when he left her office and he began talking to a voice in his head.
On the walk back to his house, Craig passes all of the restaurants and explains how eating is a battle for him. He doesn't understand what makes it so hard for him to eat but he says it must just be "chemistry".
MY REACTIONS-
These chapters tugged at my heart because I got to see what Craig's childhood life was like. I got to understand his emotions when eating food.
IMPACT STATEMENT-
Eating can be either a battle where you struggle to hardly eat anything, or it can be a slaughter where you eat everything and never want to stop.

chapters 6, 7, 8, and 9

ets0108 — 2023-10-31 23:16:21 UTC

SUMMARY-

Craig gives an explanation of how he got into Executive Pre-Professional High School. He talks about how he studied every night for 3 hours, for a whole year. He lost most of his friends during this year because people thought he was a freak for carrying around study flashcards everywhere he went. He had this one best friend named Aaron who was also studying to pass the test to get into this school. When they both got their acceptance letters they threw a party with their grade and this is the first time Craig smoked pot. Aaron invites a girl over that he likes and Craig is jealous because he thinks she is the most beautiful girl he has ever laid his eyes on. He ends up getting a little too drunk and turns down a random girl who leaned in to kiss him, and eventually passes out in Aarons dads office.

MY REACTIONS-

I think that this is going to be the downfall of Craig's life. He has started to get involved with drugs and alcohol. I think that it's good that he finally has feelings for a girl though. I don't think that Aaron and his friendship is going to last though because they both like the same girl.

IMPACT STATEMENT-

Be careful what you get into with your friends because doing something once can cause an addiction and ruin your life.

chapters 10, 11, and 12

ets0108 — 2023-10-31 23:56:27 UTC

SUMMARY-

The morning after the party, Craig and Aaron take a walk to the Manhattan bridge where Craig ventures out to the top of it over 3 lanes of traffic. He says that it is calming for him and screams over the body of water below him. He starts school a few weeks later and is struggling because he didn't read the summer reading assignments. Over summer all he did was smoke pot with Aaron. He makes a 70 for the first time ever and is very disappointed in himself. He starts to make 93s on everything and complains that that isn't good enough and he is an average student while everyone else around him is smarter. He goes to dinner with his parents and when they start asking about school, he goes to the bathroom and throws all of his food up. This is the first time he has heard the army voice inside of his head. He tells his parents he is depressed and they send him to Dr. Barney. He tells him that he feels suicidal almost every day and he has thought about jumping off of the Manhattan bridge. This doctor puts him on Zoloft and refers him to multiple shrinks. Craig doesn't like any of them.

MY REACTIONS-

I knew that Craig would become addicted to pot and that Aaron would become a bad influence on him. I think that it is good that he realizes something is wrong with him and wants to get help for himself.

IMPACT STATEMENT-

be careful who you surround yourself with because you are bound to become just like them and even begin to have their same habits.