Going Rogue: An American Life
Chapter 1, Pages 7-14: I braided Harriet Tubman's hair.
Section 2 of chapter one starts out with Sarah explaining a little bit about the history of Alaska at the time she moved up to the state at around 3 months old. I found this a little annoying until I realized that this is in fact a nationally distributed book and that I shouldn't feel offended because I'm a self-centered Alaskan. Bad on me. Still, the descriptions are still in that pseudo-epic style that paints a picture of some magical land of grand adventure and danger. Not that it isn't, but the language is used to showcase how brave and adventurous her and her family is rather than any fidelity to the land itself.
A description of Skagway and Sarah's earliest memories make up the rest of the sub-section to the chapter section. The memory recounted is an interesting choice and the way that it's described is again to show how carefree, bold and adventurous Sarah is. Here's the quote, presaged by a description of the wooden plank sidewalks that were common in Skagway at the time:
"I kept to the wooden planks that paralleled the town's main dirt road, and as the warm boards echoed under my feet, I got to thinking: I had seen eagles and dragonflies and ptarmigan fly, but I had never seen a person fly. That didn't make any sense to me. Hadn't anyone ever tried it before? Why couldn't someone just propel herself up into the air and get it done?" (lol, git r dun)
Sarah then jumps off the sidewalk and skins her knee from the tremendous 6-8 inch fall. Probably a big deal to a kid who's probably not much more than 24 inches tall themselves. Maybe she hit her head on the way down? Nah, too mean. Anyways, this kind of description typifies a sort of grandiose self-image that isn't at all concerned with what the world sees of her. Granted, little kids aren't exactly too concerned about what others think, but the story is a silly and cute little memory of a kid who tried something goofy without any recognition at all that this childhood flight of fancy was anything but. I believe that Sarah still has that childlike view of the world where people can fly. It's sweet, but not very practical for someone who would bear tremendous responsibility.
The next couple of pages are mostly descriptions of her various family members: brother, father, mother, sisters, Bill Seward, Harriet Tubman, Wyatt Earp. Wait, there are some extras in there. Oh, that's because Sarah decided it noteworthy to include those people in the section of the book where she introduces her family. So let's talk about her family. The descriptions are not very tied together and it's a little tricky to get a good idea of what each person is like since it's a bit spread out. She'll talk a bit about her dad, relate that to her mother, mention her brother and end up back on her father. It's disjointed, but it's okay she's telling a story. Mostly the descriptions are of how independent, rugged, athletic, overcoming of adversity, outgoing and brave her family members are. All traits that she supposedly shares with them. After all, the saying is that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree so Sarah spends a good deal of paperage describing how awesome her tree is.
A brief description of the family members, in order of mention.
Brother Chuck Jr.: rambunctious, rebellious, a little bit of a pyro, fights with his sisters. "All boy."
Sisters: Barely mentioned, and skipping ahead several pages doesn't bring them out. Where are they? Why don't they deserve specific mention like her brother, mother & father? Anyone care to wager a guess?
Father Chuck: Painful & lonely childhood, overcame great diversity to become a grand father. Hard working, "excelling in every sport", fearless and stern.
Mother Sally Ann: Tireless volunteer, selfless giver, intelligent, well-read, devoted wife, as brave and delicate as a mountain flower. A paragon of wifeyness.
Grandparents: Mostly described in general terms as hard-working, uncompromising upstanding members of society. No black sheep. Grandfather compared to Reagan.
Uncle Seward: Bold statesman, visionary, willing to invest in the future. Unconcerned with what other's thought of him and his actions. Later to be replaced by Uncle Ted.
Wyatt Earp: Upholder of the law, straight shooter, tough on crime.
Harriet Tubman: Took the right path over the easy one.
Okay, those last three aren't related to Sarah Palin, but they are included in the same section of the book where the rest of her family is introduced and they are described with the same adjectives and saccharine nostalgic recollections as her biological relations. The segues between Sarah talking about her family and talking about William H. Seward, the bold statesman who brought Alaska to the United States are as smooth and subtle as a velvet wrapped brick. For example:
"Dad loved teaching and coaching all kinds of sports, but he had grown up reading Jack London novels, and he craved adventure. London himself had arrived in Skagway from California in the fall of 1897 and set out to hike the Chilkoot Trail. The following spring, the author traveled down the Yukon River en route to California, inspired to write White Fang and The Call of the Wild, novels that called Dad north.
It was just thirty years before London's arrival, in 1867, that Secretary of State William H. Seward bought Alaska from the Russians. "
Smooth Sarah, smooth as silk. I can imagine sitting down to dinner as she talks about her father. "Oh, dad was wonderful. He loved books about the outdoors, especially Alaska. By the way, did you know that Seward paid two cents an acre for Alaska? That's where I'm from don't'cha know."
Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton get mention as well in what is an achingly obvious attempt at name-dropping. Yes, these are great people. No, you're not related to them even though it sounds like you wish you were if for no other reason than to have the prestige of getting your picture taken with them at the family reunion. She's that cousin at the reunion who hasn't done that much with their life, but hearing about how great Uncle Chum's doing practically glues themselves to that person in hopes that their association with success will make people think more highly of them. What, me and Uncle C.? Yeah, we totally hang all the time.
Okay, that's all I got for now. Sorry for such a long time between updates. The first one was so busy that I almost burned out. The pages after were much easier to digest. I should be able to go faster, though still in the smallish page increments. It's just so interesting that way! Onward friends!
Section 2 of chapter one starts out with Sarah explaining a little bit about the history of Alaska at the time she moved up to the state at around 3 months old. I found this a little annoying until I realized that this is in fact a nationally distributed book and that I shouldn't feel offended because I'm a self-centered Alaskan. Bad on me. Still, the descriptions are still in that pseudo-epic style that paints a picture of some magical land of grand adventure and danger. Not that it isn't, but the language is used to showcase how brave and adventurous her and her family is rather than any fidelity to the land itself.
A description of Skagway and Sarah's earliest memories make up the rest of the sub-section to the chapter section. The memory recounted is an interesting choice and the way that it's described is again to show how carefree, bold and adventurous Sarah is. Here's the quote, presaged by a description of the wooden plank sidewalks that were common in Skagway at the time:
"I kept to the wooden planks that paralleled the town's main dirt road, and as the warm boards echoed under my feet, I got to thinking: I had seen eagles and dragonflies and ptarmigan fly, but I had never seen a person fly. That didn't make any sense to me. Hadn't anyone ever tried it before? Why couldn't someone just propel herself up into the air and get it done?" (lol, git r dun)
Sarah then jumps off the sidewalk and skins her knee from the tremendous 6-8 inch fall. Probably a big deal to a kid who's probably not much more than 24 inches tall themselves. Maybe she hit her head on the way down? Nah, too mean. Anyways, this kind of description typifies a sort of grandiose self-image that isn't at all concerned with what the world sees of her. Granted, little kids aren't exactly too concerned about what others think, but the story is a silly and cute little memory of a kid who tried something goofy without any recognition at all that this childhood flight of fancy was anything but. I believe that Sarah still has that childlike view of the world where people can fly. It's sweet, but not very practical for someone who would bear tremendous responsibility.
The next couple of pages are mostly descriptions of her various family members: brother, father, mother, sisters, Bill Seward, Harriet Tubman, Wyatt Earp. Wait, there are some extras in there. Oh, that's because Sarah decided it noteworthy to include those people in the section of the book where she introduces her family. So let's talk about her family. The descriptions are not very tied together and it's a little tricky to get a good idea of what each person is like since it's a bit spread out. She'll talk a bit about her dad, relate that to her mother, mention her brother and end up back on her father. It's disjointed, but it's okay she's telling a story. Mostly the descriptions are of how independent, rugged, athletic, overcoming of adversity, outgoing and brave her family members are. All traits that she supposedly shares with them. After all, the saying is that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree so Sarah spends a good deal of paperage describing how awesome her tree is.
A brief description of the family members, in order of mention.
Brother Chuck Jr.: rambunctious, rebellious, a little bit of a pyro, fights with his sisters. "All boy."
Sisters: Barely mentioned, and skipping ahead several pages doesn't bring them out. Where are they? Why don't they deserve specific mention like her brother, mother & father? Anyone care to wager a guess?
Father Chuck: Painful & lonely childhood, overcame great diversity to become a grand father. Hard working, "excelling in every sport", fearless and stern.
Mother Sally Ann: Tireless volunteer, selfless giver, intelligent, well-read, devoted wife, as brave and delicate as a mountain flower. A paragon of wifeyness.
Grandparents: Mostly described in general terms as hard-working, uncompromising upstanding members of society. No black sheep. Grandfather compared to Reagan.
Uncle Seward: Bold statesman, visionary, willing to invest in the future. Unconcerned with what other's thought of him and his actions. Later to be replaced by Uncle Ted.
Wyatt Earp: Upholder of the law, straight shooter, tough on crime.
Harriet Tubman: Took the right path over the easy one.
Okay, those last three aren't related to Sarah Palin, but they are included in the same section of the book where the rest of her family is introduced and they are described with the same adjectives and saccharine nostalgic recollections as her biological relations. The segues between Sarah talking about her family and talking about William H. Seward, the bold statesman who brought Alaska to the United States are as smooth and subtle as a velvet wrapped brick. For example:
"Dad loved teaching and coaching all kinds of sports, but he had grown up reading Jack London novels, and he craved adventure. London himself had arrived in Skagway from California in the fall of 1897 and set out to hike the Chilkoot Trail. The following spring, the author traveled down the Yukon River en route to California, inspired to write White Fang and The Call of the Wild, novels that called Dad north.
It was just thirty years before London's arrival, in 1867, that Secretary of State William H. Seward bought Alaska from the Russians. "
Smooth Sarah, smooth as silk. I can imagine sitting down to dinner as she talks about her father. "Oh, dad was wonderful. He loved books about the outdoors, especially Alaska. By the way, did you know that Seward paid two cents an acre for Alaska? That's where I'm from don't'cha know."
Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton get mention as well in what is an achingly obvious attempt at name-dropping. Yes, these are great people. No, you're not related to them even though it sounds like you wish you were if for no other reason than to have the prestige of getting your picture taken with them at the family reunion. She's that cousin at the reunion who hasn't done that much with their life, but hearing about how great Uncle Chum's doing practically glues themselves to that person in hopes that their association with success will make people think more highly of them. What, me and Uncle C.? Yeah, we totally hang all the time.
Okay, that's all I got for now. Sorry for such a long time between updates. The first one was so busy that I almost burned out. The pages after were much easier to digest. I should be able to go faster, though still in the smallish page increments. It's just so interesting that way! Onward friends!