Babylon Reader
  • Babylon Reader Blog

Con-Fused

7/8/2013

 
Picture

"'Children!" the third raven exclaimed, exasperated now. "You are con-fused. Totally, utterly con-fused. As long as you are, you will never find out what you seek."
           -- In A Glass Grimmly, Adam Gidwitz

Did you notice the hyphenated con-fused? As I read In a Glass Grimmly, I stopped at this point. I liked that hyphen. I liked how the word enhanced the ravens' message: the need to accept yourself. This is a common theme in children's books.

By inserting that punctuation mark, the con- is forced to act like the prefix "with" and underscores the fused meaning of "together". (This is not the dictionary's origin of the word). I know I am now in geeky territory here. 

You get con-fused when you follow the crowd, try to fit in, or let others define who you are. A total focus on being part of a we or "with", blurs the lines of what you want and believe in. 

The word confused features several definitions. According to Merriam-Webster, it means to be "perplexed, bewildered" or "to lack clarity". The ravens are right, then. Validation and identity must come from within. If they do not, the consequence is remaining "mixed up" and lost.

The ravens hope to help out the main characters and offer their wise advice. But sometimes you are not ready.

"Jill said, "Do you know that they're talking about?"

'No idea," Jack replied.


Comments are closed.

    About

    An Elementary Literacy Specialist, Reader, Quiet Follower of Teacher/ Education Blogs.

    Picture

    2018 Reading Challenge

    2018 Reading Challenge
    Nora has read 90 books toward her goal of 156 books.
    hide
    90 of 156 (57%)
    view books

    2017 Reading Challenge

    2017 Reading Challenge
    Nora has read 75 books toward her goal of 150 books.
    hide
    75 of 150 (50%)
    view books

    2016 Reading Challenge

    2016 Reading Challenge
    Nora has read 20 books toward her goal of 150 books.
    hide
    20 of 150 (13%)
    view books

    2014 Reading Challenge

    2014 Reading Challenge
    Nora has read 4 books toward her goal of 175 books.
    hide
    4 of 175 (2%)
    view books
    Picture
    Member of the Nerdy Book Club

    Nora’s quotes


    Goodreads Quotes

    Archives

    July 2017
    June 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    July 2014
    April 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    November 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.