Tuesday, July 1, 2014
A Feeling of Safety Through Everyday Objects
After Enrique crosses the river with El Tiríndaro and the two other Mexicans, they run through an open stretch before climbing into a car that belongs in the smugglers network. The narrator says that "He climbs onto pillows in the back. They are like puffs of clouds, and he feels immense relief" (Nazario 185). In the car, Enrique feels safe and relaxed. The pillows are compared to clouds because they represent the heavenly feeling he is experiencing, and how he is finally in a better place.e After they get out and run past the check point, Enrique gets back in the car and on the pillows. An overwhelming feeling of happiness comes over him when he realizes he has made it past the last big hurdle.
Sometimes objects can help me feel a sense of peace and happiness. For example, even though I dislike the taste of coffee, the smell of it makes me feel calmer and happier. My parents do not drink coffee, so the smell reminds me of our trips to Wisconsin to visit my Grandma. The pillows in the car Enrique was riding in aided in his feeling of peacefulness, and represented his accomplishment, much like the smell of coffee does for me. Is there an object in your life that makes you feel peaceful?
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This is a great observation. Certain objects in my life give me a peaceful feeling, too, such as books and vinyl records. I love to read and listen to records, because they make me feel happy, safe, and they give me a kind of relief if I am lonely. This is why I love to go to bookstores and music stores; even if I don't buy anything, the feeling of being surrounded by books and records gives me a sense of peace.
ReplyDeleteOdd as it may sound, the smell of sunscreen gives me peace. Smelling sunscreen immediately reminds me of the beach, my favorite place to be. All of my memories of the beach are happy, such as staring out at the ocean or being with my family. If it is not summertime, the smell can also remind me of the release from stress that summer brings.
ReplyDeleteMy great-granduncle built a small house in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina. Because the house is in the middle of the forest, I often go walking in the woods when I am there. The smell of the woods after it rains is unbelievable. Somehow it is strong yet not overpowering. The smell is like a mixture of damp, old wood and flowers. Somehow the two compliment each other extremely well! If I could bottle this aroma, I would. Only a few breaths of a forest after a light rain is enough to calm me for hours.
ReplyDeleteAn item in my life that makes me feel peaceful is my bed. Like Enrique, I feel so relieved when I settle down in my bed at night or for a short cat nap. It is especially nice after being out of town for a while and sleeping in hotels or sleeping bags. When coming home, I can always look forward to decompressing and having a good night sleep in my own bed.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though there are many everyday objects that make me feel at peace, without these objects comforting me, I feel that my life would be extremely hectic. Like the pillows that relax Enrique in the truck, the everyday object that makes me feel the most at peace is my pillow. My pillow always tags along with me on my long volleyball trips and sleepovers, so, whenever I am exhausted and in an unfamiliar place and bed, I can always have something familiar with me. Whenever I miss my home and my bed, I can always lie down and have a part of it with me. My pillow is a reliable object that I can always count on to be there for me when other things cannot.
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