Joining the outside world had to be surreal for Jack. He had to be wondering if it was all real. And then learning that sometimes what's on TV is real, but pretend at the same time (like acting). It was overwhelming to the nth degree, but he had no reason to really think negatively of it. It was sort of a blank slate - he seemed to be a generally happy person and that carried through to Outside. Ma had highs that she expected in the Outside, but was caught off guard by some of the lows that she encountered too - like the changes in family; the inability to shelter Jack from all things bad; and the negative perspective of outsiders looking in on the situation. She never had any reason to think things would change and never had anyone questioning how she raised Jack or question why she made which choices. She was only prepared for the freedom and she got a dose of that with some of the REAL world too.
Agreed! I think she went back into the real world thinking things would be exactly the same, she just had Jack now. But so much changes in 7 years! And to cope with Jack's anxieties were something she had not expected. She wanted him to be just as excited. In the end, their bond was strong enough to get them through it. But for a while it was touch and go. Anyone working with Jack had to have extra patience to teach him about the "real" world.
I agree. It would be very difficult to go into a world that you never knew existed or thought was make believe. I have seen it to some extent with exchange students who have come to live in the U.S. Culture shock is a very hard thing to cope with and I think that that is what she was dealing with most of the time.
Joining the outside world had to be surreal for Jack. He had to be wondering if it was all real. And then learning that sometimes what's on TV is real, but pretend at the same time (like acting). It was overwhelming to the nth degree, but he had no reason to really think negatively of it. It was sort of a blank slate - he seemed to be a generally happy person and that carried through to Outside.
ReplyDeleteMa had highs that she expected in the Outside, but was caught off guard by some of the lows that she encountered too - like the changes in family; the inability to shelter Jack from all things bad; and the negative perspective of outsiders looking in on the situation. She never had any reason to think things would change and never had anyone questioning how she raised Jack or question why she made which choices. She was only prepared for the freedom and she got a dose of that with some of the REAL world too.
Amen sister!
ReplyDeleteAgreed! I think she went back into the real world thinking things would be exactly the same, she just had Jack now. But so much changes in 7 years! And to cope with Jack's anxieties were something she had not expected. She wanted him to be just as excited. In the end, their bond was strong enough to get them through it. But for a while it was touch and go. Anyone working with Jack had to have extra patience to teach him about the "real" world.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It would be very difficult to go into a world that you never knew existed or thought was make believe. I have seen it to some extent with exchange students who have come to live in the U.S. Culture shock is a very hard thing to cope with and I think that that is what she was dealing with most of the time.
ReplyDelete