The+Five+People+you+Meet+in+Heaven


 * Week 4 Discussion Question: LandryS-Do you think the five people Eddie met in heaven were good choices? If not, who do you think would have been a good choice for one of the five people? Who did you like the most out of the five people and why?

MercierA- I think they were good choices because they //did// explain his life and if anyone else was chosen or one of his five were different, it might not have made sense!? But if there was a change in people, I would have changed Ruby with his father, because who could explain why he died better than himself and not someone Eddie had never met before. Also, when he met Margurite, it made absolutly no sense to me because I don't understand how she helped Eddie understand his life more. I frew a complete blank at that part. My favourite person was either the little girl or the Captain. I liked the captain because he had a really interesting story and I liked the little girl because she completely surprised me and I was not expecting that.

LandryS-I agree with you about how it would be really interesting if Eddie's father was one of the five people he met in heaven. He seemed to be always upset about his relationship with his father, and he always wanted to talk to him and ask him about why he treated him the way he did. Even after Ruby explained how his father died, I think Eddie was still upset about his father. He wanted to tell him he was sorry and wanted to forgive him, and also wanted to ask him about why he neglected him,barely talked to him, and expressed his feelings towards him with violence. I think it would have been really interesting if his father was one of the five people. Beside's Eddie's father, I think the author chose good choices for the five people Eddie met in heaven. Another person who could have been one of the five people, would be his brother, Joe. They were always really competitive with each other, even as adults. What do you guys think about this?

linihanj- I think that the five people he met were the best five because they taught him five great lessons and some were unpradictable. I think what sally said about his brother i dont really agree with because i think when he mentioned competition they were talking about like sibling compition not regular competition so he wouldn't have a good lesson to teach Eddie. I find that I had two favorites, Marguerite and the little girl. I was happy to find out that Marguerite was his fourth person because he loved her so much and really badly wanted to see her. I really really like the little girl because she WAS in the hut and Eddie wasn't going crazy, and i also like how she got him to wash of the burned skin almost as a symbol for forgivness and helping others this really impacted the book.

LandryS- Now that I think about it John, maybe Eddie's brother would'nt have been a good choice for one of the five people. I don't no whether if his brother would have a lesson to teach him or not. I think my favourite person Eddie met in heaven was either Marguerite, or Tala( the little girl). I thought the lessons they taught Eddie were the most important. I think Eddie really appreciated Marguerite and Tala, as when he was in the war, he wanted to check in the hut for a child, and he was always thinking about Marguerite. I liked Marguerite's part of the book because we never really know until her part what Eddie's and Marguerite's relationship was like. I also liked Tala's part because Eddie finds out he saved the little girl, and Tala teaches him an important lesson- that he was important and appreciated in his life on earth.

MercierA- As far as Eddies brother Joe is concerned, I agree with you John. I think the whole Eddie washing the little girl's burned skin was actually really grosss, but what you said John was true, it was symbolic. I also found that really random. At the end of the novel, when he meets Tala, there was all these little kids in the water washing eachother with stones! I found that really weird. And wouldn't stones hurt? Do you think there was a point to this because in Eddie and Talas case there was but the others was kind of interesting.

linihanj-I think that the stones were symbolic in a way that they were healing each other and it was soft smooth stones not rough ones. I also believe that the river was a symbol of peace and recovery like when they got burned in the war they got together in heaven and helped each other. Today in class alicia mentioned that she imagined the kids under the water but i imagined them water side, in a nice flowery grassy field rolling around and playing finally free from war and living the life that they have always wanted. In other words they finally were able to live their child hood and be the children they were meant to be.

LandryS- I kind of imagine heaven as really peaceful, and doing things you didn't get a chance to do. I think it would be interesting to have your life explained to you like what happened to Eddie as well. I also imagine heaven as a place where you can do whatever you want, because it's a place where you find peace with yourself. Often when people die, I hear people say,"they are happier now".

Week 3 Discussion Question:linihanj- Throughout this book the author keeps telling the readers about past birthdays, why do you think the author is doing this?

MercierA- I've actually thought about this a lot and it seems a lot of important events happen in Eddies' life around his birthdays. Another thing I think is instead of the author just randomly bringing up past events, out of the blue, she reveals some of the important details of his life on his birthdays. That's what I think but on the other end, I think it's just completely random of the author to tell us his birthdays, because I don't think knowing what happened on his birthdays will have anything to do with the end of the novel.

LandryS- I think maybe the author tells the reader about Eddie's birthdays because a lot of important things happen on his birthday's. The author could also tell the reader about his birthday's because maybe on his birthday he is at his happiest. The one day he doesn't have to work at Ruby Pier. On a recent page in the book during one of Eddie's birthday's, a friend of his named Noel said, "Are you always this fun on your birthday". This could imply that maybe Eddie was happier and more outgoing on his birthday, because it was his day and he didn't have to please anyone else. His birthday could also be the one day he could have an excuse for not working( as his father said "what, this job isn't good enough for you", if he complained or didn't work). I remermber one of Eddie's birthday's he seemed a little lonely, so this might not be the case. What do you guys think about this?

MercierA- I think this is true for some of his birthdays. I found he was happier before the war. I think when Noel said, 'Are you always this much fun on your birthday," he was being sarcastic and not serious. Also, he did have to work on some of his birthdays. I have recently read a few pages which reveal why he took over his fathers job. He didn't have to, he just felt like it was his responsability. I don't think his job will have ever been good enough for him.

LandryS- I agree with you about how he worked at the Pier because that was his fathers job and he felt it was his responsibility. I find Eddie blamed a lot of things on his father, for example Eddie blamed him never leaving his job at Ruby Pier and never living anywhere else on his father. But I do think his father had high expectations for Eddie( even though the expectation was to work at the Pier). His father worked at the Pier, so maybe he expected Eddie to work their to carry on the tradition. Maybe Eddie's father thought if the job was good enough for him, it should be good enough for his son. I don't think Eddie should of blamed his father for never becoming an engineer because it was his choice, even though his father pressured him a lot. I think Eddie cared a lot about what his father thought about him, so maybe that is why he continued to work at the amusement park. Now that I think about it, Noel could have been being sarcastic.

linihanj- I think that this is a good question because there is so many reasons as to why the author does this it could be because eddie died on his b-day, or because like you guys said big things happened on his b-day, or because its like suspense adding up to his death and it just added up to the day of his death.

MercierA- Actually, all the reasons you\ve just named are what I think they are for. But I've just thought of something, all his birthdays had something to do with the person he meets in heaven!? For example, when he met the Blue Man, his birthdays were about the pier. Eddie's birthdays about war were mentioned when he met the Captain. The birthdays when he met Ruby were about his Father and when he met Margurite they all had something to do with her.

LandryS- I noticed that too Alicia. I think that is really interesting that the author does that. In the passages about Eddie's birthday's it describes an experience he had with the person he met in heaven. I think maybe the author does that because it gives the reader background information on the person he met in heaven, or Eddie's relation to the person he met in heaven. It makes the story more interesting. Most of the people Eddie has met in heaven so far have been people he had never met directly(Ruby, The Blue Man), or people he had only heard of. I think the author might have thought he needed to give some information and or background on the people, even though some of the people he met in heaven he did know(his captain, Marguerite).

liinihanj- i cant agree more with you guys that all his birthday passages have something to do with the person he meets but you will find that once he meets his fifth person this theory kinda falls apart. I think tho that if i were to tell what happens to me in heaven i would probably add my birthdays almost as a recap of my life, kinda like review so people would understand more.

Week 2 Discussion Question: MercierA - From what I have read so far in the novel, it seems each person he meets in Heaven won't tell him whether or not he saved the little girl. Do you think he did? Why or why not? And also, why do you think they don't tell him if he does or not? **


 * LandryS- I think that by the end of the novel he will find out whether he saved the girl or not, as I think it is a really important question that the story is continuing to develop and ask throughout the book. In the book, Eddie said that he really didn't want to die, and one of the people he meets in heaven said he had to find peace with himself before he found and understood the answers to his questions about his life. I predict that the fourth or fifth person he meets in heaven will mention and or explain what happened to the girl. Eddie risked his life for the little girl and I think he would be more happy with himself knowing he had saved a life.

linihanj-i think that this is a great question and because i read ahead i know weather he finds out or not but the whole time before i found out i was hopping that he does find out, I thought this would make a great ending cause it would leave you happy and done with the book. Also i think the first person is giving it away because he says with every life gone another one is saved a younger less fulfilled life so i believe that this is when a deep reader would clue in that maybe he did saver her by giving up his life but i guess the reading will have to continue and then we will finally come to peace weather or not he did saver her.

LandryS- I am really hoping that Eddie finds out whether he saved the girl or not as that is the main thing that is worrying about while he is in heaven. While he was in heaven he had also found peace with the fact that his captain shot his leg in order to save him. Eddie was really angry at his captain at first because of all the surgery's that had to be done on his leg, the scars, the pain, and the overall sadness he had when he got the bullet in his leg. But he realized his captain had good intentions, and did it so Eddie wouldn't die. Due to Eddie's leg, Eddie couldn't fulfill a few of his dreams. I think if he found out whether he saved the girl or not he would be more happy with himself, and the accomplishments and achievements he had in his life. He might think that saving the girl would be one of his biggest accomplishments at working at Ruby Pier.

MercierA- I agree with you Sally. I find that once he comes to understand his life more and more, he'll understand more as to why or why not he saved the little girl. If he finds out right way he might not understand completely. The Blue Man teaches him about life and death, and the Captain teaches him about sacrifice. Eddie sacrificed his life to save the little girls', just like the Captain did for Eddie. If The Blue Man had told him from the beginning if he saved her or not he might not of understood as much if he had not met the Captain in Heaven. I think that the happy ending to the story would be that he saved the little girl, but I think to end on a cliff hanger, the little girl will have died somehow. But then Eddie would have risked his life for nothing. My theory is that the little girl dies and meets Eddie in Heaven.

LandryS- I remember when Eddie first went to heaven, he couldn't talk. The Blue Man said his voice would come after he listened to what the he had to say and after he understood some of the things that happened to him in his life. I think this is similar to the little girl, and why nobody in the story has told him what happened to her yet. I am quessing that by the end of the story we will find out what happened to her as it is one of the main questions Eddie has about his life. I think that nobody is telling Eddie about whether he saved her or not as maybe she is going to be one of the people he meets in heaven-well, that would have to mean she would have died. I quess we'll just have to wait and see!

MercierA- Yeah. Thats what I love about this book, it's not that perdictable. The Blue Man part is true but then why does he have it back for all the others? Shouldn't he be listening to what all of them have to say? Well i'm only on the third person so far but he seems to have his voice then. I can't wait to see how this will end, I want to know if he saves her or not. It'd be a big twist if he did meet her in Heaven, and I hope he does but shes young and just arrived herself so what would she really say to him to help him understan his life more?

linihanjt- i have finished the book and i have to say that alicia is right this book is very unpredictable, i mean the next person he meets could be anyone hes ever come in contact with. Doing this the author forces you to question which really makes a book better and more interesting. It can also be bad because it can be to unpredictable and people wont know what to expect and will have new things flying at them all the time which can be confusing.

LandryS- I agree with you guys about how this book is very unpredictable. I think it would be really interesting if one of the people he meets in heaven was someone he knew really well like his father, brother, or his wife. I think it would be interesting to see his reaction to seeing one of his family members and asking the person some questions that he had never got to ask them. If he met a family member in heaven he would definitely understand his life more and maybe be more happy with some of the things that happened in his life. Eddie would probably be grateful to see one of his family members one last time.

Week 1 Discussion** ** Question: LandryS- Throughout the pages I have read, I was wondering about one question. Why did Eddie feel unfulfilled before he died? Do any of you guys have any thoughts on this?

linihanj- I think it might be because he didn't get the girl he loved, or it could be that all he did with his life was work at the fair. Most people want to do something big with their life and make an impact in the world and working on a peer didn't impact anyone but i do think that if he found out that he saved the girl he might feel more fulfilled.

MercierA - I think that Eddie may have come off as unfulfilled but I think he was old and tired of his life, doing the same old rountine every day at his not so amusing, amusment park job. Maybe he felt unfulfilled because he was wounded in the army, and he felt unfulfilled because he thought he could have helped more. I also think it could be that he's alone in the world and he couldn't share his life with the woman he loved.

LandryS- I agree with you guys. He could also seem unfulfilled as he was never married and never had children. In the book it describes that many of his friends and family had passed away and that would probably make him quite lonely and or bitter. I agree with you John about the girl, how in the book it develops the idea that he wanted to know whether he saved the girl, or if she passed away. I was also wondering about his job, and whether if he was happy about his achievements and what he accomplished in his life. While I was reading, it seemed he was really bored with his job and how he used to enjoy his job. His job required mainly the same tasks to be accomplished each week i.e he had to ride all of the rides each week to ensure they were safe and functioning properly. I think I would be bored after awhile of completing the same tasks every day, every week, every year. What do you guys think about this?

linihanj-- I think that even thought it seems that ridding the same rides over and over again would get boring, I dont think it would for me because for example at crystal palace I could ride the roller coaster all day and I think I would love a job requiring me to ride rides. I think this job would be enjoyable because I love rides and you have to think the peer would get new rides all the time and he says he likes to sit with the kids so that would keep it different also, but thats me, maybe Eddie hated rides. Also there would be different things breaking so i think that this job would be fun and different, but more of a summer job for teenagers not so much old men.

MercierA - Thats true John, but he was 83 years old, and I think it might have been fun for him at first but as time goes on and technology advances, its harder for him to keep up and it could be really hard for him. But his same old, same old routine could just be one of his problems, I mean, waking up each morning, having almost no family, no wife, no kids, he's probably thinking, 'what do I have to live for?' But I think that's how I'd feel at 83 years old. Maybe he enjoys a challenge. Maybe he likes to learn and fix new rides. But you know how it is when you love a ride when your a kid, like the carousel, and you grow up and realise its kind of boring. I'm sure that happens to him when a new ride comes in and he has to test it out; it's fun at first but it gets boring, kind of like his life.

LandryS- I agree with you Alicia about how when you are younger you enjoy riding rides, and visiting amusement parks, but as you grow older they get less fun. There are many variables you have to consider like you mentioned ie. Eddie wasn't married and didn't have any children, and he was eighty three years old. It also mentioned near the beginning of the book about how he spent a lot of his childhood at Ruby Pier during his birthdays. He probably wanted to work at the amusement park because he could recall many childhood memories there. Since most of his friends and family had passed away, while working at Ruby Pier he could maybe remember some of those memories. I can understand how he would be somewhat grouchy with the children and teenagers at the amusement park, because he didn't have any family, and was probably quite lonely. Maybe he was still working at the amusement park at the age of eighty three because he had nothing else to do and no family or friends to spend time with. He would probably want to spend his time productively. He probably felt unfulfilled as he was unhappy with his job. Do you guys have any thoughts on this?

LandryS-I also think it is important to be passionate about your job, because if not work seems more like work, then something you enjoy doing. Maybe one of the reasons he worked at the amusement park is because he enjoyed the park as a child, and thought it would be a fun job to pursue as an adult. But after you work at the same job, doing the same tasks, for a long period of time, it might have got boring for Eddie. I could understand that. As he was eighty three, and his back was sore, and he had to get around by a cane, it was probably hard on Eddie physically to work at Ruby Pier.

linihanj- i think that weather or not a job is fun or boring has a big effect on how well you do, for example wanting a job that pays big money but doesn't make you happy is obviously not a good choice because you will turn into someone like eddie always complaining and just wants to leave. when on the other hand you have a job you have always wanted and it makes you happy you might even be excited to go to work in the mornings, this would make you fun to be around and a great person to be friends with but it will also help with enjoying your life and not becoming and eddie if you know what i mean (complaining, hates almost everything, depressed, etc)  **