Post by Carrie E. Abelabudite on May 3, 2019 13:21:50 GMT -5
Chapter Eight
Finally, the Baudelaires have a proper meal! Unless they were given lunch at the hospital (which I sincerely hope they were), they haven't had anything to eat except muffins, cut-up fruit, and corn (which they couldn't even eat properly) since they last ate dinner at Hector's six days ago.
This chapter is where we really see that the Baudelaires are better people than Olivia. She is willing to leave the carnival without a second thought to what will happen to the freaks, whom she has essentially enslaved, while Violet, Klaus and Sunny are concerned about what will happen to them and are trying to help them have a better life.
'"Of course, I'm not really a freak," [Esme] said. "I'm a normal person, but I wanted to show you all how much I admire you."' (p176) Through this, we see not only Olaf's method of recruiting henchpeople, but also how Esme is barely making a token effort to help them - she's willing to dress up like a freak, but only if no one will think she is one.
'Kevin exclaimed [...] "It's always been my heart's desire to perform on a stage!"
"And I've always wanted to wear a costume!" Hugo said.
"But you do perform on a stage," Violet said, "and you wear an ill-fitting costume every day at the House of Freaks."' (p180) It's not exactly the same thing. Hugo, Colette and Kevin work at the House of Freaks because they apparently have no other choice, whereas performing on stage in a situation where they wanted to do that and people weren't laughing at them is different. Since Violet isn't a real freak, she doesn't truly understand this.
'"People don't always get what they deserve in this world."' (p188) An echo of what Lemony said earlier. Interesting that it's coming from Esme's mouth.
'"But if you don't join us, where can you possibly go?"' (p189) This reinforces the ways in which Olaf gets people who visibly seem to have something 'wrong' with them to join his troupe, but also, I think, is a question that's echoed throughout the second half of the series. '"If you don't choose the wicked thing, what in the world will you do?"' (p190) is more of the same, though possibly in a way that's more personal to Esme - maybe this attitude is how she got sucked into a life of villainy in the first place.
Chapter Ninne
Oh no, another sleepless night?
'Just last night, I was troubled by a decision involving an eyedropper, a greedy night watchman, and a tray of individual custards,' (p192) Was Lemony somehow stuck in a custard factory, needing to plot a complex plan to escape?
'Sunny worried that they might not find enough to eat in the hinterlands.' (p193) Not surprising, given how little they've eaten over the past few days.
'although in my case the dessert chef managed to find my hotel room and knock on my window just before dawn,' (p194) Okay, so clearly this wasn't an escape plan. Maybe he had to steal something, and distracted the night watchman with the custards?
I love the vineyard story, because it works so well on multiple levels. Actually, that's true of the series as a whole, but this book in particular - that's one of my favourite things about it. If you haven't read TUA - which I hadn't the first time I read this - it's just a fun Baudelaire family anecdote. But if you have read it, it suddenly takes on a whole new significance when you understand that the Baudelaire parents must have been in touch with the Vineyard of Fragrant Drapes/Grapes. There's also 'the vineyard's famous donkeys', which isn't TUA-specific but is another thing I didn't catch at first. It all felt so mind-blowing when I finally picked up on it.
The Snicket Sleuth theorises that the 'busy station' (p203) is none other than Stain'd-by-the-Sea. If that is true, the town has certainly taken an upswing since Lemony's youth.
'I have looked at the carts, all melted together and covered in ash,' (p204-5) This, unlike Lemony's earlier Caligari-Carnival-is-no-longer-standing warning, makes it very clear that the place has been burnt down. From here, it's easy to guess what will happen, though maybe not the Baudelaires' involvement.
That so many people can apparently come to the carnival for the day casts into doubt how remote it is.
Finally, the Baudelaires have a proper meal! Unless they were given lunch at the hospital (which I sincerely hope they were), they haven't had anything to eat except muffins, cut-up fruit, and corn (which they couldn't even eat properly) since they last ate dinner at Hector's six days ago.
This chapter is where we really see that the Baudelaires are better people than Olivia. She is willing to leave the carnival without a second thought to what will happen to the freaks, whom she has essentially enslaved, while Violet, Klaus and Sunny are concerned about what will happen to them and are trying to help them have a better life.
'"Of course, I'm not really a freak," [Esme] said. "I'm a normal person, but I wanted to show you all how much I admire you."' (p176) Through this, we see not only Olaf's method of recruiting henchpeople, but also how Esme is barely making a token effort to help them - she's willing to dress up like a freak, but only if no one will think she is one.
'Kevin exclaimed [...] "It's always been my heart's desire to perform on a stage!"
"And I've always wanted to wear a costume!" Hugo said.
"But you do perform on a stage," Violet said, "and you wear an ill-fitting costume every day at the House of Freaks."' (p180) It's not exactly the same thing. Hugo, Colette and Kevin work at the House of Freaks because they apparently have no other choice, whereas performing on stage in a situation where they wanted to do that and people weren't laughing at them is different. Since Violet isn't a real freak, she doesn't truly understand this.
'"People don't always get what they deserve in this world."' (p188) An echo of what Lemony said earlier. Interesting that it's coming from Esme's mouth.
'"But if you don't join us, where can you possibly go?"' (p189) This reinforces the ways in which Olaf gets people who visibly seem to have something 'wrong' with them to join his troupe, but also, I think, is a question that's echoed throughout the second half of the series. '"If you don't choose the wicked thing, what in the world will you do?"' (p190) is more of the same, though possibly in a way that's more personal to Esme - maybe this attitude is how she got sucked into a life of villainy in the first place.
Chapter Ninne
Oh no, another sleepless night?
'Just last night, I was troubled by a decision involving an eyedropper, a greedy night watchman, and a tray of individual custards,' (p192) Was Lemony somehow stuck in a custard factory, needing to plot a complex plan to escape?
'Sunny worried that they might not find enough to eat in the hinterlands.' (p193) Not surprising, given how little they've eaten over the past few days.
'although in my case the dessert chef managed to find my hotel room and knock on my window just before dawn,' (p194) Okay, so clearly this wasn't an escape plan. Maybe he had to steal something, and distracted the night watchman with the custards?
I love the vineyard story, because it works so well on multiple levels. Actually, that's true of the series as a whole, but this book in particular - that's one of my favourite things about it. If you haven't read TUA - which I hadn't the first time I read this - it's just a fun Baudelaire family anecdote. But if you have read it, it suddenly takes on a whole new significance when you understand that the Baudelaire parents must have been in touch with the Vineyard of Fragrant Drapes/Grapes. There's also 'the vineyard's famous donkeys', which isn't TUA-specific but is another thing I didn't catch at first. It all felt so mind-blowing when I finally picked up on it.
The Snicket Sleuth theorises that the 'busy station' (p203) is none other than Stain'd-by-the-Sea. If that is true, the town has certainly taken an upswing since Lemony's youth.
'I have looked at the carts, all melted together and covered in ash,' (p204-5) This, unlike Lemony's earlier Caligari-Carnival-is-no-longer-standing warning, makes it very clear that the place has been burnt down. From here, it's easy to guess what will happen, though maybe not the Baudelaires' involvement.
That so many people can apparently come to the carnival for the day casts into doubt how remote it is.