Welcome to week 4 of our conversation about Jeff Zentner's book, Goodbye Days. if you are just joining us this week, I hope you'll take the time to read the previous weeks' comments. It is clear that we have each been angered, saddened, inspired, confused and moved in many ways. Folks have made very personal connections to the characters or situations. Folks have also alluded to other books. This is what a good story is supposed to do, right?
First question, right off the bat...would law enforcement call a minor to request a meeting to question him?? Seems he would have gone through the parents. When I first met Mr. Krantz, the attorney hired to handle Carver's legal affairs, I did not like him. I know lawyers have to be honest with their clients, but because I knew how fragile Carver and his parents were, his approach felt too harsh! Now we meet him once again, and his snappy comments at the outset of the meeting with the detectives, and all the 5th amendment pleading scared me for Carver. It seemed that the asst. DA and the cops were familiar with Krantz and did not like him, which contributed my angst. Then, running off to the golf course? Ugh. Dr. Mendez "tell me a story" therapy is interesting and perhaps is helping in getting Carver to talk, although he isn't letting go of needing to own his actions. I noted his comments on pg. 250 about being both scared of going to jail and of NOT going to jail. He has such a strong moral compass. I was hopeful when the topic of opening up to his parents was broached, but apparently is considered a separate issue to be dealt with. At least it's coming up! Chapter 31 made me wonder about the notion of "false memories." I wonder if anyone picked up on a small detail in Chapter 32, when Carver had finished recalling how he met Eli. On pg. 262, "And that was that. The next day Eli at lunch with Blake and me instead of Adair. And every day after that." Is it possible that Adair may have resented Carver, starting then, for "stealing" her brother? And then we enter Eli's Goodbye Days. The tug-of-war going on in Carver's head and heart having Jesmyn there was painful. But on pg. 267, Eli's dad recalling sitting on the porch with his new baby boy. I was slayed by that! The whole day was so painful to read. His parents interactions with each other, their conflicts over how the other was handling it. Couples can grow closer together or fall apart when experiencing such trauma. I look forward to hearing from you about Eil's Goodbye Day, the cops confiscating all his electronics and his acknowledgement of his feelings for Jesmyn. AND "Some malevolent voice is telling me to burn my life down." I could not begin to figure out what would make Carver say the things he did on the date with Jesmyn. The pace of the book picks up to a fevered pitch. Just one more quote that struck me on pg. 329...after learning that there would be no indictment, alone in his room, he describes feeling as if he was about to be burned at the stake. Although the torch is left burning on the ground, he is still tied to the stake. Never to be free.
7 Comments
Chris Danielewicz
12/9/2018 08:25:12 pm
Anne, you've shared so many helpful insights about the book. I hadn't thought about the possibility that Adair could have been jealous of the Sauce Crew all along, but that's a pretty reasonable explanation for some of her animosity toward Carver.
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Heather Chung
12/10/2018 08:23:34 am
I just sense this overwhelming and growing conflict in Carter between feeling guilty and wanting to save himself. Sometimes I feel like he is in such emotional pain that he wants a physical pain to take its place, like jail, and that might be easier to deal with. After the charges were dropped he says: "I guess I'm relieved, but an odd disappointment tempers any relief."
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anne k hartzfeld
12/10/2018 08:19:26 pm
Sorry, everyone. I put the wrong chapter numbers. We are talking about chapters 29 through 39.
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Renee Tobias
12/17/2018 08:52:44 am
I am late with reading these chapters. After reading the other comments, I also could not believe that the police called Carver instead of his parents. At least his mom was there when they went through his room. I also was surprised that Eli's mom called about a goodbye day without first discussing it with Carver's parents and now at the end of Chapter 38 Judge Edwards calls Carver. I don't get how these adults feel that they can just come out and confront Carver. I guess hurting people hurt others but come on, Carver is still a young person and should not have to deal with these adults. I also thought about the teachers in Carver's school. What Adair did to Carver's locker was just mean. Did any teachers see what happened? At the end of Chapter 39 I thought that Carver needs to change schools.
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Chris Danielewicz
12/23/2018 06:34:44 pm
Renee, I think you are right on. It is understandable that people who are hurting may have lapses in courtesy and may lash out, but these characters seem to push way too far. Hurt people tend to hurt people, but that does not make it okay. My grief does not give me the right to compound the grief of others. It does not give me the right to physically or psychologically abuse another. Those types of reactions need to be addressed. I've seen something like this posted in schools: Every emotion is okay, but every reaction is not okay.
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Lisa Foran
12/23/2018 04:29:03 am
These chapters were such a whirlwind for me! Although I knew it was “wrong” that Carver developed romantic feelings for Jesmyn, I still wanted him to be happy. Unfortunately, being a high school boy, he didn’t really go about telling Jesmyn his feelings in the right way. I was sad to keep reading until chapter 39 that they are still not talking.
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Gretchen Vogle
12/23/2018 03:31:44 pm
A lot happened over these chapters! While there was a sense of relief when Carver learned he would not be charged, he realized it did not just make everything better. He still has to live with what happened and his involvement. People at school still tormenting him doesn’t help.
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