The Cider House Rules: Chapter 7 – Before the War

Dear friend,

My goodness, Melony is such an angry character! As I read through this book, I am consistently thrown for a loop with her. Sometimes I empathize with her, and sometimes I hate her guts. But this morning I woke up feeling so angry and helpless with our political climate, that I wondered if maybe I too am feeling the surge of anger that Melony lives with every day of her life.

This is why I love books. Recognizing my own anger in Melony has forced me to look my feelings in the face and address them. Why do I feel this way? How can I help myself to not become like Melony? What should I research to give me answers?

Reading this chapter gave me such a sudden empathy for Melony, one that has been growing but seemed to burst at this very moment. I can’t forgive her for the bullying she commits, but I can empathize with her anger and her situation. Quite frankly, it sucks!

I enjoyed the scenes with Homer working at the Cider House and sitting on the roof with a character known as Mister. The people who live and work at the Cider House are people of color. Most nights they sit on the roof of the house and gaze out at the fair in the distance and a glowing Ferris wheel. When Homer tells them what it is, he is later told off by Mister which I found kind of strange. Mister says it wouldn’t do the men any good to know what a Ferris wheel is. An interesting perspective…

Meanwhile, back at St. Cloud’s, Dr. Larch is inventing histories about the orphans, specifically one named Fuzzy Stone. I haven’t mentioned that Larch keeps up this massive journal that has become the history of St. Cloud’s. Fuzzy Stone died in an earlier chapter by Larch never told the orphans, except Homer, because he did not want to lower moral. In turn, most believe he was adopted and still alive. So Larch is planning for the future of St. Cloud’s. How so? That I am interested to learn more about as the book goes on…

These scenes are interesting but I kind of find them to be silly and overall confusing to the plot. It is clear that Larch is writing out a history that he wishes Homer would have.

Other than that, not much more to say on this chapter.

Until next time, friend. Danielle.

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