Week One – Hidden Meanings
Discussing Hidden Meanings
Frequently in this book, characters say things with hidden meanings. One such thing was spoken by Sybil:
- “It’s not my death I fear,” said Sybil, “but my life. . .”(Ch 3:9)
Avi’s central theme is clearly stated in the proverb at the beginning: “A life unlived is like a book without words.”
- Post an answer to this question: What does Sybil mean by what she says in the above statement? Describe how Sybil’s attitude toward life changes throughout the book.
- Pick another quote from the book that you believe has a hidden meaning. Give us the quote, and explain what you believe is truly meant by it.
When Sybil says “it is not my death I fear, it’s my life”, she means, she is not afraid to die, everyone does it is a natural process of life, but she is afraid of loosing her life or not using this privilage of living. She is scared of her life being useless and not living it up. As the book goes on, I think she begins to gain more desire to live because she might be free if Master Thorston dies and know she sort of has friends to be around. She also starts to notice she deserves to have this life and deserves to use it.
Another quote from the book “Live long enough and we all become orphans” means that yes a orphan child lost it’s parents very young, but eventually we all will be in the same boat. Eventually everybody’s parents or guardians do die and then you become an orphan as well. So I think all together it means evryone will lose their parents and become orphans.
It’s not my death I fear, it’s my life-
I think she meant she no longer is afraid to die but will come for her tomorrow.
Another Quote with a hiden meanig is “A fool is the first to think himself wise and the last to know it isn’t so,” odo cp2:1.
This means that your idea are your own, you are the first to think them, and asume your right. while others who are observing see you as a fool, you see yourself wise. even if some one tells you, you see yourself wise. Only when the damage is already done do you see your mistake. You are the last to see it becase you see it when it is to late.you are the first to see it because it comes from your thought.
When Sybil says “It’s not my death I fear, but my life.” She means that she doesn’t fear death because she knows it will happen, but she doesn’t know what is going to happr her life.
Another hidden meaning is “Death is part of life.” said by Odo(the bird). It basically means there is nothing people can do about death they just need to except it and move on with their lives.
By saying “It’s not my death i fear,” but my life. Sybil belives she has nothing to live for, even if she were to stay alive. It would have been easier for her to die then than to stay alive.She then faced becoming just another begger. If she had died she belived noone would realise.she was notihng ,had nothing. this changed when she realised how many people now needed her, master, alfric damine, odo,and father alfred. she began to see a reason to value her life, and fear death. Her prospective of life changed.
1) i THiNK THE QUOTE, “iT’S NOT MY DEATH i FEAR, BUT MY LiFE…” MEANS THAT SYBiL iS NOT AFRAiD OF DYiNG BUT THAT HER LiFE MATTERSTO HER. MEANiNG SHE WANTED TO LiVE A FULL LiFE, AND MAKE iT AS HAPPY AS POSSiBLE.
2) i THiNK THE QUOTE, “DEATH iS A PART OF LiFE” MEANS THAT iTS A KNOWN FACT OF LiFE THAT EVERYONE WiLL DiE AT SOME POiNT, SO PEOPLE SHOULDN’T TAKE LiFE FOR GRANTED. THEY SHOULD LiVE LiFE AS iT COMES- ENJOY iT!!
Sybil:
“It’s not my death I fear, but my life”
What I think Sybil means by that is she’s more afraid of how life will treat her now. You eventually die. So if you’re positive and have an outcome on life it will get you farther than if you’re always negative and think life as nothing. But if you actually live your life than there’s no worries.
Odo:
“Death is a part of life”
What I believe is truly meant by this is no matter what everyone has their time to die. So just live your life to the fullest and don’t take life for granted.
1. “It’s not my death I fear,” said Sybil, “but my life. . .”(Ch 3:9)
I believe that she is meaning to say that life will come to an end and she can accept that but, life is scary and challenging and always filled with mysteries undiscovered and things anew. She does know that death you cant escape and knows that it will come. Life, on the other hand is like a surprise waiting and never knowing when it will happen!!! Her attitude toward life the first few chapters were as to say life was the least of her problems but as she moves on she discovers that life should be treasured and kept out of harms way like any sort of treasure. She soon realizes this as she finds that the only that master Thorston can live is for her to die.
2. Pick another quote from the book that you believe has a hidden meaning. Give us the quote, and explain what you believe is truly meant by it.
I choose the quote: “A fool is the first to think himself wise and the last to know it isn’t so.” -Odo (Ch 2:1)
I believe this quote means that only a person that thinks of himself to be the best doesn’t reach his full potential or that he thinks he knows everything and is actually a “FOOL”!!! Well if you think you were the best you would tend to slack off and not reach your total limit of potential and when everyone sees that he does not do work and isn’t learning anything they think of him to be a fool to pass up the greatest power in the world…Knowledge!!! While they do there work and gain a sense of knowledge while he prefers to be lazy and a fool!!!!!!!!