Gathering Blue Essay

Kira was born into a world ruled by the Council of Guardians, which spared her life when she was but an infant and her mother and her mother’s father—who was the chief guardian—pleaded with them to spare her life instead. Now that her mother has died, her father eaten by beasts before she was born, and her possessions taken to an aggressive woman named Vandara, Kira wonders about her future and her life now, being alone. However, because of her special, magical talent in artwork and needlecraft, Jamison of the Council of Guardians looks at her with favor, offering her a special place and task of keeping and designing the Singer’s robe. On the other hand, her young friend, Thomas, whose parents have also departed, and who has a special talent in woodwork, would take care of keeping the Singer’s staff. An old woman, Annabella, helps and teaches Kira in the art of dyeing. However, Annabella dies right after Kira hears beasts in the forest, and Kira and Matt suspect that maybe their parents died under the direction of the Council of Guardians, especially after Matt hears a frightened girl named Jo crying from the Edifice of the Guardians. By the time of the Gathering, Thomas follows Kira to her room where the former has prepared a special gift to her—her father whom she thought was already deceased; yet her father narrates that he was blinded right after Jamison, his political rival, struck him from behind and then left him for dead. Kira leaves the village to start a new life with her father. Theme: At first it appears that people who are born with a defect or an illness can never help the society, but the opposite appears to be true: children of imperfection can also possess special talents that make them unique and valuable to the society. Personal Response: Writer Lois Lowry is a magnificent writer I understood perfectly how it is to be despised in a community where defects and imperfection are enough reasons to be neglected and left to die. I enjoyed reading the vivid scenes, but the part I enjoyed most is when Kira meets her father, who appeared to be a blind man struck by Jamison, whom I did not suspect would be anything but good. Lois Lowry has a talent in bringing suspense to the fullest, making the reader jump in anticipation to another scene that would be anything except boring. It made me think that culture and traditions have a way of ruling people especially children. Instead of helping people out, certain old traditions are taking their life out. Extension Ideas: What do you think are the talents that you possess? Express it with the use of art. Do you have certain talents that, you believe, should be honored and harnessed? Make a list of them and then classify them if they are under the weak, medium, or strong categories. Kira tried her best to fight for her life and her rights. What do you think would you have done if you were put on Kira’s shoes? At the end of the story, Jamison is left in his world, while Kira and her father leaves and searches for a new and better world. What would you do to Jamison if you were one of the members of the Council of Guardians? Explain in the form of a narrati