Christy Read-Along Discussion Six

  Seasons of Humility

Christy Sixth Discussion (Chapters 33-39)  

Discussion Format: Your favorite Quotes General Impressions, and three questions to answer for each week’s reading.

Quotes*

“Deserve! Child, none of us deserves anything. We couldn’t, no matter how had we tired.”

“She grew up to be a tall beautiful woman with large expressive blue eye-like yours Christy. And expect that your hair is darker, you look enough like my daughter to be her twin.”

“Then gradually there came the realization that while Asheville had not changed much, I had.”

“It was the difference between a plaster-of-paris saint and flesh-and-blood woman who had been through the fires and had emerged, not unscathed, but a stronger woman with a deeper compassion.” 

“In light of Miss Alice’s story, I understood that the reason we have to accept other people is simply because God receives us just the way we are. Yes, all of us to the last person- even Bird’s-Eye Taylor and to Lundy. It was ironic that someone like Opal McHone had understood that better than I.”

“God is.”

General Impressions

     I have to Say that this section got emotional.  Miss Alice’s story was heartbreaking. But after hearing that her daughter who was married to MacNeil kind of looked like Christy makes me wonder was MacNeil attracted to Christy for herself or because she reminded him of his deceased wife. I vaguely remember watching the TV show with my mom as a child, but I don’t remember enough of it, to actually remember MacNeil’s wife in it. So learning the truth about his wife was a bit of a shock to me.  I did love reading my mom’s notes in the margins of the book and for some reason despite the age difference she made a comment that she preferred MacNeil to David. I found that interesting as I am still on the fence about both of them.  

 I also thank that David again jumped the gun proposing to Christy, because one minute he’s treating her like the woman he wants to marry and the next he’s treating her like a child. 

     I did feel sorry for Christy when she had to watch her friend Fairlight pass away, and then being there as the only adult in the cabin with Fairlight’s children.  I was never more thankful for Doc MacNeil showing up than I was at that point in the book.  I could even understand Christy’s doubts after Fairlight’s death and wanting answers because I even had doubts after my mom passed away for short period. But a wise woman my Miss Alice if you will was there to remind me of Who’s I am.  So this section was a bit emotional for me. I’m sad that next week is the last readings but I’m also excited to find out how the books going to end.

Questions

1.  What do you think of the Folk School idea that Mrs. Browning shared with Christy? Do you like it would be beneficial to the people of the Cove?  I think the Folk School idea that Mrs. Browning is indeed a good idea. A school designed for adults that missed out on traditional schooling is something worth looking into. It reminds me of the Moonlight schools in Eastern Kentucky, called so because they met on nights the moon was full enough to give light for the adults who wanted to learn to read and basic schooling.  Since they met at night in a rural area they needed to light of the moon.  I do think it would be beneficial to the people of the cove because if done right it would help them learn to read and possibly other skills that would help them, and I can’t believe David pretty much told Christy it wouldn’t work.

2.  2 Do you find nighttime and darkness bothersome or appealing? Have your feelings changed since childhood?  As an adult I don’t find nighttime nor darkness neither bothersome or appealing However, that being said I do find it a time of reflection and quiet. I tend to do most of my in-depth Bible reading in the evenings before bed. Since I have a 45-minute commute to work in the mornings I don’t have time to do more that my morning devotion in the morning a short reading and one Bible verse.  My feelings have changed since childhood we I was terrified of the dark.

3.  What are some of the things you hope will happen or be resolved in the last chapters? (Or, if you’ve already read the book, has anything stood out differently so far while reading the book this time around?) What I hope will happen or be resolved in the last chapters is Christy choosing to do what’s right for her and listen to God’s plan rather than do what’s expected of her by her parents though I hope she listens to their concerns and what David wants.  If he can’t listen to her dreams and plans and questions without calling her a child or childish I don’t see them having much of a future.  I would also like for MacNeil to find Faith.

Join us next Friday for our Seventh and Final discussion! (Chapters 40-46)

*Catherine Marshall. Christy. (New York: Avon, 1968, 408,416, 417, 417, 418, 479