My sister, Amanda, is an elementary school teacher and recommended the young adult novel, The Giver, so I read it earlier this week. Wonderful book. I don't care how old you are, you need to read this if you haven't. What led me to the blog though is the ending. I'm not going to give it away, but I will say that you could interpret it as a happy or sad ending. The author is very ambiguous. This reminded me of another ambiguous ending--Tim McGraw's song, Don't Take the Girl. If you've known Will and I long enough, you probably know that we have a ten year disagreement regarding this song. And now I want your opinion. Since I want you to be a well-informed jury, you'll find the lyrics below.Don't Take The Girl
Johnny's daddy was taking him fishin', when he was eight years old. A little girl came through the front gate holdin' a fishing pole. His dad looked down and smiled, said we can't leave her behind. Son, I know you don't want her to go, but someday you'll change your mind. And Johnny said, take Jimmy Johnson, take Tommy Thompson, take my best friend Bo. Take anybody that you want as long as she don't go. Take any boy in the world. Daddy, please don't take the girl.
Same old boy, same sweet girl, ten years down the road. He held her tight and kissed her lips in front of the picture show. Stranger came and pulled a gun, grabbed her by the arm, said if you do what I tell you to, there won't be any harm. And Johnny said, take my money, take my wallet, take my credit cards. Here's the watch that my grandpa gave me. Here's the key to my car. Mister, give it a whirl. But please don't take the girl.
Same old boy, same sweet girl, five years down the road. There's going to be a little one, and she says it's time to go. Doctor says the baby's fine, but you'll have to leave. 'Cause his momma's fading fast, and Johnny hit his knees, and there he prayed, Take the very breath you gave me. Take the heart from my chest. I'll gladly take her place if you'll let me make this my last request. Take me out of this world. God, please don't take the girl.
Johnny's daddy was taking him fishin', when he was eight years old.
I'm not going to tell you who's on which side, no bias allowed. Does the girl die? No pressure, just know that one of us is going to be mad at you.
19 comments:
i don't know
please don't be mad at me...
Sorry, but she dies. Look at the structure of the song.
First stanza, there's the boy and the girl.
Second stanza, "Same old boy, same sweet girl."
Third stanza, "Same old boy, same sweet girl."
Fourth stanza, just Johnny and Johnny jr.
Besides, it's a country song, so he's got to lose something. He didn't lose his dog, or his house, or his truck, so the only thing left is his girl.
i think it just depends...it's one of those endings that you decide on your own. personally, i don't think she dies. either way, i'm sure i'm right ;).
It's about the journey of man's maturing love for woman. He doesn't want her -> he's willing to give up his worldly goods for her -> he's willing to die for her. Who cares if she dies or not? It's not the point.
Okay, new question. . . WHY are you listening to country music?!?
What's wrong with country music?? I'm a lover of all types, no discrimination here. Though I must admit, my country music these days is limited to the Dixie Chicks. Which, by the way, I've had stuck in my head all day because it comes on with my alarm clock.
well, since I'm from TX I have to say, way to go for listening to country music (sorry Christianne) :) even if I'm not the biggest fan myself, hee hee :) there are some pretty good songs out there. This one made me cry the first time I heard it. I have to say, I thought she died too, and think Joel has a really good argument for that, but looking at the structure of the verses, one (being me) could also argue that she lives because hey, she survived the first two verses! :) I have to say though that yeah, I think she's gone (that's just what instinct said upon hearing the song, not what I want to believe) :) Good luck
ps. now do we get to hear who we agreed with?
I hate that alarm clock.
agreed about the country music...
as for Christianne's analysis..ignore her.
As for the song analysis...I'm ambivalent. (I think because I'm not quite sure what ambivalent means).
we're all commenting simultaneously...look at the time stamps...what are the chances that we all have no life.
And who says he didn't lose his truck, Joey? He offered his keys to the thief. If we're going to assume that the girl died (Mr. Negative), shouldn't we assume also that the vehicle is stolen?
its country. he has to lose everything...if that makes you sad just play it in reverse and he'll get everything back.
It's not really that he's willing to die for her. He just doesn't want to be left alone with the bratty kid. Little Johnny is quite the hooligan, even in his infancy, and the kids are growing up so fast these days. Pretty soon he's going to be running a meth lab out of his tree house. Would you want to be the parent that other parents talk about cause your kid sucks..."That's Johnny's daddy. You know, the one who's kid is selling ice on the corner." (Shaking me head)Kids these days.
No Dave, if you play it in reverse, there is some satanic message. I've got the CD. It haunts me.
are the chicks singing, "i'm not ready to make nice" as an homage to your feelings about will's opinions of johnny's mama?
you guys are hilarious!! I miss you all! yeah, I think we all must have been taking a break around 7:41 (or is that 8:40 easter?) :) See ya soon! :)
either your time stamp or my computer is messed up because I was not up at 4 in the morning leaving comments :)
This is one of those things where I really want to believe that she lives, but deep down a part of me makes me think that he really meant that she dies when he wrote it. :(
4 dead, 1 alive, 2 in betweens. Looks like she's a goner. After typing that word, it strikes me as funny. Pronounced gawh-nur, not go-nur. Sucks for Johnny's daddy either way.
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