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| “Creation of Adam” (1511) by Michelangelo |
Consider what Mrs. Elm informs Nora regarding the lives she explores in the Midnight Library. How might this information inspire greater attention to life generally?
Mrs. Elm tells Nora: "It seems that you have spent all your life saying things that you aren't really thinking." Mrs. Elm isn't referring to lying, though. What is she describing? Have you ever noticed this phenomenon in your own life?
When Mrs. Elm tells Nora that she has a limited amount of time to flip through possible realities, Nora shows a moment of worry. I think that this information relates to how we live our lives. For a while, it seems like there is so much time to do everything you want, but when you sit down to think about it, you realize that you have much less time than you expected.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Elm is referring to being dishonest with yourself. Nora states that she does not think her current life is worth living, but Mrs. Elm senses that she just refuses to admit that she has changed her mind. I have done the same thing. Sometimes I make a false statement that seemed true to me at the time, but after a while, I realized that I was lying to myself.
-Denna Bussinger
You have a great point about Nora's worry when she thinks time is limited. People live with the illusion that their time is endless, but as soon as that illusion is dissipated people become very concerned about how they are using their time.
DeleteWhen people think they have an endless amount of time they are content to say things they don't truly believe. Because the things worth believing in and saying are typically difficult and unpopular, it is easier to say what you are not really thinking.
^Elijah Hoopes
DeleteThe information that Mrs. Elm gives to Nora inspires greater attention to life because it shows us that we won't be in this life forever. I like to think that I have all the time I need to do what I want in life, but the truth is that you never know when your life is going to end. I don't want it to end but I know that it's inevitable. -Abigayle Shropshire
ReplyDeleteMrs. Elm says that if you die in a life you can't come back. This reminds Nora that she is not invincible. This can relate to life generally by giving the 'Y.O.L.O.' mindset but could also cause people to be more careful and cautious.
ReplyDeleteI think Mrs. Elm is describing people pleasing. She is saying that Nora is saying or doing things that she thinks she is supposed to do but not things that she truly wants to do or say. This is a very relevant thing in my life.
Mine as well! It feels like half the battle of self-discovery is discovering what you actually want, huh?
DeleteWhen Mrs. Elm tells Nora about the time she has to explore all of those lives not lived, it made me reflect on how much time we all spend thinking about life, and not actually doing the things we want to do. Whenever Mrs. Elm tells Nora that she doesn’t say what she’s actually thinking, I knew what she meant immediately. I have spent a good amount of my life not saying what I am truly thinking, and looking back on it makes me feel as if I missed out on opportunities I could’ve had if I had just spoken my mind. I have tried not to do this as I have gotten older, but it still creeps in from time to time.
ReplyDelete-Carson Dill
By saying this, Mrs. Elm is implying that Nora has been vocalizing thoughts and emotions that don't align with her true convictions. By consistently expressing ideas that don't align with her true beliefs, Nora is taking on the burden of crafting a facade that causes internal turmoil. Mrs. Elm is pointing out the emotional toll this dissonance is causing for Nora. Nora has spent her whole life conforming to those around her; swimming for her dad, joining a band for her brother, and the continuous desire to meet the standards set by those around her. As she continually tried to mold herself into various roles, saying things she wasn’t really thinking, Nora lost her sense of self.
ReplyDelete-Bailey Howe
DeleteMrs. Elm brings to Nora's attention a realization we all have about our real lives outside of mystical between death libraries: that we can't do everything. This inspires most everyone to consider the value in their actions, and try to choose more wisely how they use their time, and for Nora this revelation is no different. She begins to work harder to find a life that will make her happy.
ReplyDeleteA big element of Nora's character is that she lives to the whims of other people, she doesn't really have much direction of her own. I think when people live under constant pressure to perform other peoples' aspirations, they become far less able to find what they want or make decisions for themselves. I've been in this place before myself, I was engaged but totally unwilling to step out and take a risk that hadn't already been preapproved by my family or teachers or peers. I think it's why I've enjoyed my time in college so much, there are so many opportunities, and now that I live on campus, I am physically removed from the pressure to do as told. I think a major take away from this story was that Nora needed to stop committing to others' dreams but also to others' lives, and to take agency in her own.