7/21/11

Day 9: AtU Read Along Ch. 49-54



CH 49: Amy
Amy is questioning why the crazy people are normal and the normal people are crazy. Harley admits to Amy that he was in love once. Amy can feel his pain. Amy’s room used to be Kayleigh’s room. Amy asked what happened and Harley said “she died”. She pictures Kayleigh and what she was like in the room. Harley said that Kayleigh was not meant for this ship. She was meant for a real world. Kayleigh could not wait that long. Harley knows that she killed herself but they did not tell him that.

1.       How do you think kayleigh killed herself?

CH 50: Elder
Elder goes to Amy’s room. He is feeling jealous of Harley being in her room. Amy is freaking out because she feels that they should all be down in the Cryo level protecting them. Elder states that there is a killer. He gives her a floppy to track who is where in the ship. Harley keeps giving Amy water and when Elder notices, he tells her to take it easy on the water. Elder battles in his mind if Harley could be responsible for the murders. He does not want to suspect him. He wonders if Harley has missed a week of his exra meds.  The Wi coms both beep at the same time. In Harley and Elder’s ears, they hear “ATTN ALL RESIDENTS OF GODSPEED”…

1.       What do you think the announcement will be about?

CH 51: Amy
Amy wants to know what Harley and Edler are hearing in their Wi coms. Amy remembers the last all call caused everyone in the colony to turn on her. Amy watches Harley & Elder. From the looks on their faces, Amy freaks out. She gulps two glasses of water very quickly. She thinks that there is some sense in Harley’s remedy to drinking the water as it does seem to calm her. Once the call is over, Elder explains to Amy that everyone is being called to the Feeder level. Harley is excited as he has never been there and Elder is worried and say that this can’t be good. Elder carries Amy up the grav tube. Elder is so shy to hold her. Harley helps them get positioned to go up the grav tube. Amy is frightened by the grav tube. She describes the sensations of the grav tube in great detail. Finally they reach the Feeder level. Edler states to Amy “this is where I live”.

1.       What would be your biggest fear of being in the grav tube? Mine would be running into someone else (I am very claustrophobic so this could be only a minor issue compared to even getting me in there at all).

CH 52: Elder
Elders fingers are numb from Amy holding onto them so hard. Amy is smiling and breathing hard. Elder wishes he could kiss her but he hears voices already arriving. Amy has a glazed look over her face. She smiles at Elder. They are still holding hands and this surprises him. Elder finds Harley and winks at Elder seeing that they are still  holding hands. Elder observes several woman holding their bellies as he looks around. He observes a couple admiring the “stars” and many other’s then notice them. Elder knows that Harley is not fooled by the fake stars as once you have seen the real stars, how could the fake ones even compare?

Eldest comes out and welcome all the feeders to the level. He announces that everyone should look at the stars and see the trails they leave showing how fast the ship is going.  Eldest then announces that they will not be the generation to land on the new Earth. The engines are not keeping up well enough. Eldest announces that it will be 75 years before they land on Century Earth, 25 years more than excpected. Everyone is upset as they realize they will not be alive when the ship lands. Harley is very verbally upset. He says that it will be too late for them to see land but their children will see land. All the feeder woman are then whispering to their unborn children about landing on the new earth. Eldest whispers something to Harley and he runs from the room. Elder is waiting to see the reaction from Amy once she realizes that by the time her parents are unfrozen, she will most likely be dead.

Elder asks Amy how she feels about all this. She replies that she is sad but there is nothing they can do. Then she speaks of how pretty the stars are. Elder realizes that something is seriously wrong with Amy as she is emotionless.

1.       What do you think the reason is for the fake stars to even be there? Why mislead everyone that way?


CH 53: Amy

Amy feels really weird. Her brain is saying RUN but why? The cheers of crowd washes over her and she joins in. Elder gives her a strange look. She asks Elder why he does not cheer. Elder states he has nothing to cheer about. Amy feels everyone leaving. For just a moment, she remembers real Earth. Elder takes Amy towards Eldest. Amy is really confused and feels her body trying to rebel going towards Eldest. She does not understand why she is upset with her Eldest. Elder starts yelling at Eldest. Amy is so confused as she remembers her Earth and then realizes that the stars above are very pretty. She keeps losing their conversation.  Eldest tells Elder that if you give people what they want, they do what he wants.

1.       What do you think has happened to Amy? What is Eldest up to?

CH 54: Elder
Elder wants to get Amy to Doc. He does not trust Eldest at all. Elder sees a man speaking to a nurse of the older woman. He states that the woman is confused. The older lady is upset and states she is not confused. She remembers the stars. The nurse says that it is not his fault, and they have room on the 4th level for her. The fourth floor is for all the elderly that can no longer care for themselves. Elder wonders why the doors to the 4th floor are locked if they are only old people resting.

Elder notices the bruises on Amy’s wrist. He asks her about it. She states that a man pinned her down but it was ok. She is still bored sounding and no emotion. Elder gets upset and starts shaking Amy. He is so upset that she is showing no emotion at all. Elder takes Amy back to her room and tells her to stay there. He goes to find Harley.

He asks Harley what Eldest said to her. Harley would not answer. Elder says that something is wrong with Amy. Harley gets upset. Elder states Amy is acting like the feeders. Harley thinks maybe this is best for her. Elder then thinks of the “crazies” being the only ones that are affected by the news. Elder is upset that Amy was like them before and now she is like a feeder. Elder then starts to wonder if it would be better to be oblivious to everything. Elder wonders if he would be better. Then he knows that Amy would never choose to live this way. He has to find a way to get her back.

1.       How would you feel if you were Elder? Would you rather be like the “crazies” or would you rather be a feeder and totally oblivious to everything going on around you?



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9 comments:

Melissa/welachild said...

I didn't try and guess how Kayleigh kills herself and I'd rather not. That whole discussion made me so sad.
When Elder and Harley got the ear message, I thought it would be "Kill the freak" or something like that.
I would be afraid the grav tube would lose power when I was only half way up!
Amy's behavior while looking at the fake stars was really creepy. It reminded me of the pregnant women at the hospital.
I couldn't believe when Harley seemed okay with Amy acting like a feeder. I was shocked and then immediately afraid for Harley. Elder keeps bringing up the last time Harley lost it. I would want to be a "crazy" instead of a feeder. Ignorance is not bliss!!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Chapter 49
Mabye Kayleigh took an overdose of pills. Poor harley.. mabye she didnt kill herself or went for help to do so thrugh the doc and eldest ?

Chapter 50

Hmm mabye Eldest is warning them of Amy again? or to keep an eye for anyone suspiscious

Chapter 51

Yes me to Mindy Im claustrophic cant be in confined spaces, the sensation and all of being sucked up.. I cant even ride the ferris wheel at the show, Id be worried about passing out or vomiting ! lol..

Chapter 52

To give them direction and hope. If they can see where they are headed visually its a step in the right direction even if its just for the next generation. Mislead them, tis better to have hope then to have none,, without hope their is nothing, especially on a place like the Godspeed where everything is fabricated or genetically changed.

Chapter 53

Hmm slightly confusing, maybe its the lights ? Or all the water that Harley gave her in her room, maybe he has drugged the water . i think he is trying to make Amy numb keep her away or her feelings away from Elder and treat her like the rest of the feeders, unfazed and agreeing to everything. ??

Chapter 54

Id like to be like the crazies, have an opion speak my mind, I dont think Id like to be in a constant haze of not caring, everything is fine ** fairy land ** I understand the idea behind it everyone is so unfazed, but Id rather know what was happening around me ! If i was Elder Id be furious he liked this part about Amy that she was diffent ! now she is not !! Id be angry and upset,, t

Well, I cant wait to read more !! Im now curoius as what eldest whispered in Harleys ear ! I have a suspiscion.. hmmm

kat
kittee_cat@bigpond.com

Megan said...

I love the scene where Elder and Amy ride the grav tube. SO cute!! I love that Harley pushes them together and forces Elder to hold her like this and so on. Love it. So sweet... right before all hell breaks loose.

Michele said...

Ch50: I know about Kayleigh...its so sad because Harley really loved her

CH51: I think being chaustrophobic is right on target...and not having experienced it before and knowing what to expect.

Ch52: TO keep control over them.

Ch53: I think Amy has been drugged and Eldest is trying to once again manipulate the people and give them false hope.

CH54: I think Elder is starting to figure out what is going on and he definatley wouldn't like to be like the feeders!!

Unknown said...

excellent thoughts everyone! this was a tough 5 chapters to get through for me. it really was. so many turns. Sometimes I think it might be easier to the "normal" and be oblivious to everything around me. But I don't think I could handle being robbed of my emotions. Especially as a mom!! Happy Reading!

Sophie said...

49. Kayleigh's death was so sad...can't say because I've read the book. It's especially upsetting because you can tell Harley beats himself up about it.

50. I thought it would be another warning about Amy.

51. Claustrophobia, definitely. And also scared of what it would be like. This is sort-of random (but related): in Harry Potter, apparating is like being sucked through a straw. I wonder if it would be like that or more like being pushed gently upward like an elevator? Oh, and definitely scared of it not working and falling!

52. Eldest knows that with the fake stars, he can mislead the people into believing that they are making as much progress as he says. If he showed them the real stars, they might do several things to contradict Eldest's rule. They might question why he had been lying before, suspect that there hasn't been as much progress as Eldest says...in other words, begin to understand Eldest keeps a lot from the people on the ship.

53. Amy's been drugged in some way. Eldest is giving the people false hope and is 100% lying to them to keep them under his thumb.

54. I think I'd rather feel and understand things than be absolutely oblivious and zombie-like.

Litza said...

Ch 49 - It was so sad about Kayleigh. And poor Harley too. I think Amy is really observant to notice that those in the ward are more normal than those out of it. So strange.

Ch 50 - I already know... I'm really glad Elder finally gave Amy access, though.

Ch 51 - You have so little space and control over yourself in the grav tube... and I agree, I'd be afraid to run into someone else. Haha!

Ch 52 - I think the "stars" were there for just that reason, to mislead people.

Ch 53 - Obviously, she's been drinking too much of that water. lol. Eldest probably slipped something into the water to make the people more... trusting.

Ch 54 - I would be upset, that's how I would feel. I'd much rather be like those in the ward than completely oblivious. What a dreadful existence it would be to be so numb to everything. Elder is very honorable to seek help for Amy.

IdentitySeeker said...

C49: I’m not sure. It is possible that she may have asked Doc to kill her or she could’ve hanged herself or even found a way to access the hatch and may have surrendered herself to the stars and empty space.

C50: 1. At this point in my reading, I could not tell what exactly the announcement would be about but I thought that it would have something to do with the problem in the engine room since that has been occupying a lot of Eldest’s time. If not that, then it would probably be another announcement regarding Amy.

C51: My greatest fear would be that I’d tilt too far to one side while being pulled up in the gusting winds and hit against the side of the tube and injure myself, or maybe even that the wind would stop blowing and, midway up, I’d start falling to the ground.

C52: The fake stars are used as a way of giving hope to the people by providing them with something to look forward to for their children. By witnessing the beauty of the stars while being given bad news, it serves to soften the blow. Also, calling attention to the trails left by the stars to show how fast the ship is progressing on its journey, serves to allay any fears regarding the functioning of the ship.
I think he felt it necessary to mislead them in order to avoid chaos and rebellion.

C53: I think Amy’s unnatural calm and fuzziness is coming from all that water she drank. There must really be something in that water.
Eldest is clearly trying to avoid tension and discord on the ship by only telling the people part of the truth. I’m sure, at this point, that there’s a whole lot more important information that he’s left out.

C54: If I were Elder, I imagine I’d feel just as conflicted because by keeping Amy in that state he knows he’d be able to save her a lot of pain and misery and he’s not sure if she’d prefer to be that way but then of course, knowing that Amy is a rebellious person characterised by lots of natural spark and energy, he is able to see that she would not be herself if she were to remain in that state.
Honestly, sometimes being like a “feeder” seems like an appealing option simply because it would cause me to not think too hard or over-think matters to the point of distraction. However, I imagine that I would lose out on a lot of the meaning and experience of life if I could not think for myself and question things, so I guess I would choose to be a “crazy”.