English106-01-03 Introductory Composition

Great Blue Heron (266-270)

Williams sees the heron. How can she be like the heron? She realizes that she always seems to want to be a bird when she is human (266). Terry is adapting and trying to find a way to move on. She is still searching for her refuge, and is adapting to her life now without her mother (and soon to be without her grandmother).

Terry and Mimi take a trip to see Sun Tunnels. The way she describes them to Mimi make them sound like a miraculous sight to see, but I love Mimi's reaction of "This is it? You mean these four pieces of conduit pipe? This looks like a job site of the Tempest Company (269)!" I think that Mimi was expecting something a little more extravagant and was just taken back by what she saw. She made her comment on her first impression, before she had the opportunity to look around and actually enjoy what was done with the representation of the constellations.

Screech Owls (271-273)

Mimi passes away and Terry is remember recent conversations with her. Mimi had brought up her expectations to see an owl. She asks Terry if she has ever seen an owl in the area, and Terry answers no. Terry also asks Mimi to send her a sign that she is fine after she dies. I found this question strange from Terry. I would have thought this might have been something she would have asked from her mother, but not Mimi. Then again, it kind of makes sense that she is asking Mimi for this reassurance because she has a close bond with Mimi when it comes to nature. They understand each other in that sense.

It ends up that two owls appear as Terry is out on the porch. A coincidence? Terry hears Mimi saying "Dance. Dance. Dance. (272)." She stands below them, listens to them screech and makes eye contact with them. Mimi, even though she acted like this would not work, has let Terry know that everything is fine.

Terry makes the comment that with Mimi, she has buried her haven, and with her mother, her innocence (273). These times have helped Terry in her growing up process. She is learning to let go. The fact that the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge being able to breathe again sort of parallels what we have seen going on in Terry's life. So much has gone on and her life has been a tossed up mess until finally she can breathe, she has let go.

Avocets and Stilts (274-280)

Out on the lake, Terry begins to remember her trip to celebrate the Day of the Dead. I found this interesting that this is a holiday that she chose to help her let go, in a sense. I think it was a good way for her to experience something sort of calming and a way to connect still to her mother and grandmother yet at the same time let them go. I think she finally felt at ease after going through this celebration.

The Clan of One-Breasted Women (281-290)

Terry ties it all together. Ties the reason as to why the women in her family all have had cancer. It was a bombing that took place in Utah and caused contamination. To see Terry relate things back to where it all began was neat. The way of the Mormon culture is not to make a big deal out of things. Well, Terry is tired of watching things just pass on by. She wants change, and we see her initiate this change (289).