Responding to Question 1 as Vanessa. "I think I would have been just as interested in Nessie even if my mum hadn't died. I think this because of the way my mum raised me. Her famous line was no life's worth living without an adventure. She helped me develop a very creative imagination and even helped to push me in the direction of crypted files. I would have much more preferred if my mum was alive and we could have searched and researched Nessie together, but I love the fact that I carried on her research right where she left off. It helps me feel connected to her that we researched and were interested in the same topic. I think the love of Nessie and other crypted files is something my mum and I will share now and in the future even though she is no longer alive."
Responding to question 2 as Vanessa: "After sharing the experience of finding Nessie, Lee and I have more in common then I thought. I still don't ever want her to take the place of my mother in the father's, brother's or my heart, but maybe now I will try not to give her such a hard time. In fact even now, her and I can be alone in the same room and there is less tension in the air. But I sometimes wonder to myself, if I hadn't found Nessie, talked about it with Lee and helped her realize it wasn't a dream, would her and I still be at odds with each other? I hate to say it, but I feel like I wouldn't have wanted a relationship with Lee. I think it was necessary for her and I to find a common ground to start our relationship and let it go from there. In the future, I hope her and I continue to develop our relationship more, but I want her to always be aware that she will never replace my mother."
For this week discuss the questions from the point of view of the reader rather than from the characthers. Please make sure it is a discussion and respond to each other's thinking. Please- more than one person posting.
1. Would you have been as interested in Nessie, if your mother had not died? Like jmarino, I feel that if Vanessa’s mother hadn’t died, she would have still been very much interested in Nessie. It is clear that Vanessa greatly admired the work that her mother did and shared the same drive for seeking the truth and knowledge in everything. I feel that if Vanessa’s mother hadn’t passed away, they would be exploring the world of “weird and wonderfuls” together. After all, her mother had a doctorate from Oxford, and did not believe that chasing imaginary monsters was “childish nonsense,” as her headmistress so callously described. I believe it was more difficult for Vanessa since her mother passed, and it took Vanessa even more time and strength to have the will to carry on her legacy. Discovering her mom’s research in the attic that day seemed to open fresh wounds, but it really demonstrated Vanessa’s drive to carry on her mother’s life work.
2. How do you think your relationship with Lee will change in the future? I think that Vanessa would have still had difficulties connecting with Lee, even though Vanessa, her mother and Lee had very much in common. I think the pain that Vanessa felt from the loss of her mother was too great to transcend a connection very early on in their relationship. Vanessa was hurting, and I don’t think it mattered who the person was that her dad was with… she had her mind set on not letting her in. I believe the pain was so great that no one, absolutely no one, was going to replace her mother. I think that her dad and Lee giving her space and allowing her to discover their connection on her own gave Vanessa some freedom, time, and space to allow Lee into her life. I don’t think things will be perfect in the future, but knowing that Lee and Vanessa are similar in so many ways, will certainly help her connect and form a lasting friendship. I know that the loss of a parent is something that children grapple with their whole lives. Just knowing that Lee is a caring individual who is willing to listen, and who has shared the same experiences will help Vanessa get through her loss and form healthy relationships in the future.
3. How did finding Nessie shape how you will seek knowledge in the future? I believe that finding Nessie only validated Vanessa’s drive to seek the truth and explore the realm of the unknown. Vanessa may also understand that there are many other people out there (like Lee) that share common interests and it is important to connect with them. Furthermore, her discovery of Nessie may help her believe in the observations of others, (eyewitness accounts) which will always keep her mind open to things that the general public, and even other scientist dismiss.
4. Do you think that you will share your experience with anyone else in the future? I believe Vanessa will share her experiences with others in the future. I believe the mark of a true seeker of knowledge and science is to share your observations and discoveries with others. Vanessa may certainly share her discovery with others in the future, but I think that she just needs time to process what had just happened to her. When you yourself are overwhelmed with the things that have happened to you, like Vanessa’s experience, the last thing you want to do is share with a skeptic. Like the true scientist that she may well become, she needs to time to reflect and analyze her experiences and research. She will probably collect more data, form a theory, and still yet continue her search for the truth.
Responding to question 3. I agree with Christina finding Nessie only added more full to the fire when Vanessa is on a quest for knowledge. And I think even helped push her even farther to search for "the Truth" of everything. I mean look at what she found this time when seeking the truth. Also, I think Vanessa's truth seeking will lead her to a career in research or a scientist of some kind. On the other hand, not all questions have answers...so finding Nessie was a a big find, but not everything will be so black and white in the furture and I think Vanessa has to remember that. She was very lucky this time and hopefully she will always find answers to her questions.
Responding to question 4, I do think Vanessa will share her experience with others like Christina said. But I think it will only be with people close to her, like her family. I get the sense Vanessa is a private person and doesn't like to share her thoughts or feelings with people that she isn't close to. So in the future I think she will share her findings with her dad and brothers, especially because on the plane and car ride to Maggie's home, they were all so interested in the Lochness file. And I also think Vanessa will share Nessie with her family because it may help remind them of their mother. Vanessa doesn't want her family to ever forget her, and she was interested in seeking truth like Vanessa so Vanessa may share her Nessie expereince in the hope that it will remind her family of their mother.
Response to Question 1: I think that Vanessa would respond that if her mother hadn't passed away she absolutely would still have been interested in not only Nessie, but many other cryptids as well. Vanessa and her mother shared this passion for these types of creatures, and had her mother lived they would have continued to pursue their mutual interest. Vanessa went to the attic for the files because she wanted to continue a legacy, true, but that was not all of it. There was genuine curiosity in Vanessa that transcended the normal childhood interest for Nessie that her brothers had. She had a definite passion and scientific interest in the subject that was deeper than something she was carrying out in her mother's memory.
I think that by the end of the book Vanessa has come to see Lee as a real person, rather than 'the woman her father is with'. Besides the obvious (that they share the secret of Nessie), there was a turning point at dinner where Vanessa realized that she had no idea what Lee did and I think that this woke her up a bit as to how her view of Lee was narrow.
Given this new view of Lee, I believe that Vanessa will have a much more positive relationship with her. It is naive to think it will be a perfect, or that Lee will quickly become a mother finger, but there is a bond between them now that no one else shares. I think Vanessa will be more open minded where Lee is concerned, and try to hold back on passing judgement on her as she did in the beginning of their relationship. (I admit, I DO picture some tense moments and fights occurring if Lee continues to date Vanessa's father)
I think that knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that Nessie is real will serve to harden Vanessa's determination to find more cryptids in the future. In the book, there were boxes and boxes of work from Vanessa's mother in the attic on the subject of various cryptids. Though Nessie may have been a bit of a favorite, it was brought to the forefront mostly by the fact they were going on vacation. I believe that Vanessa will follow in her mother's footsteps, now not only because of the respect she had for her mother, but because she knows that these amazing creatures exist. Vanessa is a very determined and hard working character. She showed intelligence and a keen mind for scientific thinking (her evidence that Nessie was real, and her hypotheses on the subject). Bottom line: now that she knows they're out there, she will find a way to gain the knowledge and resources to locate them.
I have to admit, I am not quite sure whether or not Vanessa would share this experience with anyone other than Lee. It was so intensely personal for her; both in the connection she had with Nessie and the revelations the encounter led to about herself and her own feelings about her mother. Vanessa seems to me to be the kind of a girl that would want to keep that experience to herself; something she can treasure.
However, Vanessa also possesses the mind of a budding scientists and I believe that she will someday become a professional in the field of scientific study of cryptids such as Nessie. Thinking about it this way, she would be almost obligated to share her experiences with the scientific community, and broaden people's understanding of this new species. Perhaps this is something that she would do much further along in her life, and only if that new species of 'Loch Ness Monster' is found and cataloged.
Response to question 1: I question if Vanessa would have had the same passion for Nessie if her mother didn't die. I think her drive became peaked once her mother wasn't around because she wanted to carry on her mother's legacy. I feel that was the only reason why she continued the search for Nessie because she knew this search would allow her to stay close to her mother. Vanessa couldn't deal with the loss of her mother and needed something to grab onto.
Response to question 2: I think Vanessa's relationship will change in the future. They'll be able to make a connection to each other because they experienced the samething with Nessie. The bond they now share with each other, no one else can share this. Plus, no one else would be able to understand their experiences and feelings about their time in the water.
Vanessa and Lee will not share the mother/daughter experience because her bond with own mother was so strong. I don’t think things will be perfect ever in the future, but Lee and Vanessa are similar, it will certainly help her connect and form a lasting friendship. The loss of a parent is something that children struggle with their whole lives. Lee is a caring individual who will be there for Vanessa if she needs to talk to someone, and who has shared the same experiences will help Vanessa to form healthy relationships in the future.
Response to question 3: I believe finding Nessie only validated Vanessa's belief to find the truth. This will make her want to go out and search for more cryptids or supernatural experiences. Other people will not stop her, on her given quest for knowledge and the truth. I agree with Teresa about Vanessa finding her mother's boxes of work in the attic on the subject of various cryptids, will allow Vanessa to follow in her mother's footsteps. Especially now, she knows that these amazing creatures exist. These facts and findings will drive her to get a degree in some area of science.
Response to question 4: I think in the future Vanessa will begin to share her experiences with others. The love she has for her mother will allow her to come forth with what she learned and confronted in the waters of the lake. She would want her mother's dreams and reality to be known throughout the world. If she didn't let people know what happen to her then her mother's legacy would not live on. Plus, if she went into the scientific field of some kind, she would have to let the truth come out because she would need her own experiences to prove the existence of Nessie. That is if she only wanted to become a reputable scientist.
1. Would you have been as interested in Nessie, if your mother had not died? I think that Vanessa would have been interested in Nessie even if her mother had not died, but I don't feel she would have gone to such dangerous lengths and broken the rules to find her. Vanessa clearly had a true passion for Nessie even when her mother was alive. Researching and discussing the cryptids was something that Vanessa and her mother shared together. The quest for Nessie would have still happened if her mother were still alive, but the quest transformed for Vanessa when her mother passed away. She was not only looking for the cryptid for herself, but also her mother, and this caused her to make poor choices and go out on the boat herself (which was something her father did not expect of her). I felt Vanessa was acting out of character when going to such lengths. I believe if her mother were there with her, they would have been more careful.
2. How do you think your relationship with Lee will change in the future? I think that Vanessa has just began her relationship with Lee. I think the whole expirience of her trip to Loch Ness has fulfilled a need for her and she is ready to move on from her anger about her mother's death. Her mother's memory will of course live on and there will still be the pain of loss, but I think after getting to know Lee she has realized that she is not trying to replace her mother. She has realized that Lee is trying to get to know her and even support her. Vanessa has also realized how much Lee and her have in common. Although she found Nessie, there is still a huge interest in cryptids and animals alike, and that interest will now continue with Lee. It will not replace her bond with her mother, but will be a new friendship.
3. How did finding Nessie shape how you will seek knowledge in the future? I believe that finding Nessie will be a catalyst for more adventure. I think that her mother's desire for cryptids lives on in Vanessa and she will want to continue her quest for her and her mother. I think she will continue to explore her mother's files and continue her research on extraordinary creatures. I also think her new connection with Lee will spark her desire to seek knowledge as well. Although it will take a while, I think there bond will grow and they may even take some adventures together. I believe that Lee will be in life for a while, and as their relationship grows, they may even go on some adventures together.
4. Do you think that you will share your experience with anyone else in the future? I don't think Vanessa will share this expirience in the future with anyone. I think she takes this as a special memory of just her and Nessie, and ultimately a special memory that revolves around a passion between her and her mother. Vanessa appears to be a very private person, and I think she took this expirience seriously. Although she has a scientist mind set at times, I think she may divulge her new knowledge of Nessie without revealing how she got the information. Although she believes in something that is considered fantasy on many levels, she can also be a realist (after expiriencing the very real death of her mother and the events that followed) and she understands that others don't believe in Nessie the way she does. It would break her heart if anyone laughed at or challenged her expirience. I think is was a great sign of respect that she did actually share her adventure with Lee. I think on some deep level that she may not realize yet, Vanessa sees Lee as a motherly figure (although not her mother) and has accepted her as the closest "replacement" she has. She trusted her enough to share this with her because of this. She also knew that she wouldn't laugh or call her silly because Lee shares the same views on Nessie as she does.
Ashley, I like what you said about Vanessa acting 'out of character'. I hadn't thought of the question in that light - how would the specific search for Nessie have gone wither her mother around. I was thinking in the 'bigger picture' sense. It's interesting to imagine how an mother-daughter expedition would have gone.
I think AnnMarie brought up a good point too..even though she disagreed with me ;) Would Vanessa have been as interested, or was it more of a quest BECAUSE her mother passed away. I still think she would have an interest in the subject matter without her mother's death - but I can't help but wonder: would being a teenager whose mom was a 'crazy scientist' have dampened this. We all love our mothers, but who hasn't been embarrassed by them at some point? Would she have taken her mother for granted, or begun to resent what she did? She's a girl with a very strong character, but no one is immune to peer pressure. Perhaps not likely for Vanessa, but something I though about while reading AM's post....
Wow Theresa, good question about Vanessa being a teenager and would she really have continued to research Nessie or not if her mom hadn't died. As I said above I thought Vanessa would have done the research whether her mom had died or not, but I never thought about her as a teenager or older continuing the research. I can see Ashley's point about Vanessa acting out of character, but I still feel Vanessa's strong personality would have pushed her to find Nessie. She just seems like such a strong and determined person who stands up for what she believes in, this strong detemination and personality really helps fuel her quest for knowledge. Maybe she wouldn't be as interested in other crypitd files, but definitely Nessie.
I agree with Teresa about the pressures a teenager faces with their friends. You don't want to admit your parents do something cool because then you look strange amongst your own friends. Even a strong willed person doesn't want to be ridiculed by anyone so they hide their true feelings about things that interest them.
Ashley you make a good point as well. If Vanessa's mother was still alive maybe they would have done the research together. Then, Vanessa wouldn't have put herself in danger by going to the extreme of finding Nessie for her mother's sake. Her mother would have taught her the correct way of searching cryptids.
Good afternoon everyone! Finally here are my postings. I have not had any internet access all week at home and I cannot log onto BB Vista at school. So, I saved all of my responses onto a word document and here they are! I appologize for the delay!
-Katie
Question #1: Would you have been as interested in Nessie, if your mother had not died?
Vanessa had always been interested in cryptids, but once she found her mother’s box of files up in the attic, it kind of almost took over her interest entirely. The search for Nessie was something that just overpowered her. Her quest for this creature seemed paired with her longing to still have her mother in her life. On one side, I feel as if she is searching for a connection with her mother and through this common interest she has found one. If her mother was present, I along with Ashley do not think that Vanessa would have been so risky in her adventures. She would have followed her mother’s lead as her mother was teaching her. Vanessa is a very adventurous young teenager who needs guidance. While she had had to grow up more than others her age due to her mother’s death, she is still a child who needs direction and someone to model things for her. If I was in Vanessa’s shoes, I’m not sure whether or not I would have been as interested in Nessie after my mother’s death. While carrying out her work would have been noble, there would be a part of me that would maybe not want to because of the pain that it would cause. Being a teenager is tough enough and pairing that with the death of a parent is even more difficult. If Vanessa wasn’t as strong as she is, I’m not sure if she would have been interested and continued her search for Nessie.
Question 2: How do you think your relationship with Lee will change in the future?
I do think that Vanessa’s relationship with Lee will change in the future; it changed before the book even ended. I believe that Vanessa will be more open to discuss things with Lee and that they will spend more time together. No one will ever replace her mother and Vanessa knows that. I also believe that Lee is not trying to replace her mother in any way. From the outside looking in, Lee has formed a relationship with Vanessa’s father and his children were part of that deal. At times in the book, it seemed as if Lee was just as uncomfortable as Vanessa was. After a child looses a parent, the usual first set of feelings to emerge is jealousy and anger when their other parent starts to see someone else. I do not feel that Lee wants to take the place of Vanessa’s mother and that she respects Vanessa’s feelings while expecting respect at the same time. In the future, maybe Vanessa and Lee will seek out other cryptids together and even travel to do so. Lee does know a lot about that particular area and the local land. Due to their similar experiences, they may even share some close thoughts and experiences with one another. All we can do is speculate how her relationship will change based on our own personal experiences and the clues that we get from the book. I think that it would be very positive to have a person like Lee in Vanessa’s life. She may be able to help Vanessa understand what truly happened to her and form the type of relationship that Vanessa will need as she continues to grow up during her teenage years. The teenage years are hard enough, and Vanessa is going to have to go through them without her mother and knowing that an extraordinary experience happened to her. Hopefully, Lee will continue to be a part of her life and someone that Vanessa can go to when she has questions or needs advice.
Question 3: How did finding Nessie shape how you will seek knowledge in the future?
Finding Nessie seems to have taught Vanessa that if something interests you than you should do what you can to seek out the truth. I have a feeling that she may even try get her family (her brothers and her father) to help her in her searches. In life there will be many people who are pessimistic about a variety of things. There will be many people who say not to bother or do not waste your time. There may be times when Vanessa is disappointed because she does not find out what she hoped to find. This is a life lesson that everyone has to learn at one time or another. Maybe finding Nessie will really push Vanessa to take more trips with her family, Lee or with a science group from her school. This experience seems to have really excited her quest for knowledge and has shown her that if you don’t put yourself out there and look that you may never find what you are looking for. Vanessa is a young girl and sometimes lets her level of excitement cloud her judgment. This brings up the valid point of safety. She needs to keep in mind that if she is going to be doing research on other cryptids then she must make sure that she is always with someone else. Her experience in the loch caused her to almost loose her life. Next time there may just not be a Nessie to save her. This experience for her was authentic and one that she may hope will be replicated. She needs to remember that not all questions are answered so easily or answered at all. She was very lucky to have met Nessie and to have “solved” the mystery of the loch. With other searches, she may just be gathering data and listening to testimonials. She may never get the change to get this close to a cryptid again. No matter where her searches take her, physically or mentally, I hope that she always remembers her purpose—why she started searching in the first place.
Question 4: Do you think that you will share your experience with anyone else in the future?
I have conflicting feelings on this question. There are sometimes when I feel that Vanessa will share her experiences with others in the future. Her father may want her to talk to someone when they get back home. She may open up to her family about what happened to her in great detail. I imagine being Vanessa and telling someone the story of what happened to me. Would they believe me? Would they think that I was lying to them? How would they react? It is not the type of experience that anyone just has when they go on vacation. However, there are other times when I feel that she will keep them to herself. A part of me sees Vanessa as a very private person who would rather put her feelings, experiences, etc… in writing like in a journal. I always try to relate personal experiences of characters in books to some kind of experience that I have had in my own life. This brings up the difference between sympathy and empathy. I remember having a teacher in high school who really helped my classmates and I understand the difference. You can think that you know what is going on with someone or know how they are feeling, however, unless you have been in a circumstance like that yourself before you do not really know how that person feels or what they are going though. Lee and Vanessa are connected by their experiences in the loch with Nessie. If they choose to really talk about what happened to each of them with one another then it may help both of them. If she did open up to that extent, I think that Lee would be the person who she would talk to about her experience.
I like the way kek826 thought Vanessa and Lee might go looking for cryptids together. I didn't think of that. Maybe as they become friends, they will be able to find something more in common, such as the search for other cryptids. This could bring them closer allowing Vanessa to have someone else to talk to especially as she gets older because a teenage girl needs that connection with a female. She is going to need someone besides her father.
I also thought that what kek826 said about Vanessa and Lee looking for cryptids together was a great idea. This certainly will bring them closer, and maybe Vanessa may look up to Lee someday in a similar way that she looked up to her mother. Vanessa is a very private person and I know that she will pick and choose the things she talks about. I think that as Lee and Vanessa become closer, they may share many more experiences together and therefore be more comfortable. Vanessa tends to only share with people who have the same interests.
Before her adventure I believe that Vanessa would have shared her knowledge about Nessie with the rest of the world, for the sake of science and in order to prove her mother right, but having experienced the truth herself she can't bear the thought of Nessie being hounded and instead helps her home to the sea so that she remains a mystery but will be forever safe. Her experience makes her rise above her own sorrows to help Nessie. She will never discuss it with any one else, even Lee and herself will not need to discuss it further, instead it leads them to a new understanding of each other which will help them in future adventures.
Our top 4 questions...
ReplyDelete1. Would you have been as interested in Nessie, if your mother had not died?
2. How do you think your relationship with Lee will change in the future?
3. How did finding Nessie shape how you will seek knowledge in the future?
4. Do you think that you will share your experience with anyone else in the future?
Responding to Question 1 as Vanessa. "I think I would have been just as interested in Nessie even if my mum hadn't died. I think this because of the way my mum raised me. Her famous line was no life's worth living without an adventure. She helped me develop a very creative imagination and even helped to push me in the direction of crypted files.
ReplyDeleteI would have much more preferred if my mum was alive and we could have searched and researched Nessie together, but I love the fact that I carried on her research right where she left off. It helps me feel connected to her that we researched and were interested in the same topic. I think the love of Nessie and other crypted files is something my mum and I will share now and in the future even though she is no longer alive."
Responding to question 2 as Vanessa: "After sharing the experience of finding Nessie, Lee and I have more in common then I thought. I still don't ever want her to take the place of my mother in the father's, brother's or my heart, but maybe now I will try not to give her such a hard time. In fact even now, her and I can be alone in the same room and there is less tension in the air. But I sometimes wonder to myself, if I hadn't found Nessie, talked about it with Lee and helped her realize it wasn't a dream, would her and I still be at odds with each other? I hate to say it, but I feel like I wouldn't have wanted a relationship with Lee. I think it was necessary for her and I to find a common ground to start our relationship and let it go from there. In the future, I hope her and I continue to develop our relationship more, but I want her to always be aware that she will never replace my mother."
ReplyDeleteWhere are the other responses?
ReplyDeleteFor this week discuss the questions from the point of view of the reader rather than from the characthers. Please make sure it is a discussion and respond to each other's thinking. Please- more than one person posting.
ReplyDelete1. Would you have been as interested in Nessie, if your mother had not died?
ReplyDeleteLike jmarino, I feel that if Vanessa’s mother hadn’t died, she would have still been very much interested in Nessie. It is clear that Vanessa greatly admired the work that her mother did and shared the same drive for seeking the truth and knowledge in everything. I feel that if Vanessa’s mother hadn’t passed away, they would be exploring the world of “weird and wonderfuls” together. After all, her mother had a doctorate from Oxford, and did not believe that chasing imaginary monsters was “childish nonsense,” as her headmistress so callously described. I believe it was more difficult for Vanessa since her mother passed, and it took Vanessa even more time and strength to have the will to carry on her legacy. Discovering her mom’s research in the attic that day seemed to open fresh wounds, but it really demonstrated Vanessa’s drive to carry on her mother’s life work.
2. How do you think your relationship with Lee will change in the future?
ReplyDeleteI think that Vanessa would have still had difficulties connecting with Lee, even though Vanessa, her mother and Lee had very much in common. I think the pain that Vanessa felt from the loss of her mother was too great to transcend a connection very early on in their relationship. Vanessa was hurting, and I don’t think it mattered who the person was that her dad was with… she had her mind set on not letting her in. I believe the pain was so great that no one, absolutely no one, was going to replace her mother. I think that her dad and Lee giving her space and allowing her to discover their connection on her own gave Vanessa some freedom, time, and space to allow Lee into her life. I don’t think things will be perfect in the future, but knowing that Lee and Vanessa are similar in so many ways, will certainly help her connect and form a lasting friendship. I know that the loss of a parent is something that children grapple with their whole lives. Just knowing that Lee is a caring individual who is willing to listen, and who has shared the same experiences will help Vanessa get through her loss and form healthy relationships in the future.
3. How did finding Nessie shape how you will seek knowledge in the future?
ReplyDeleteI believe that finding Nessie only validated Vanessa’s drive to seek the truth and explore the realm of the unknown. Vanessa may also understand that there are many other people out there (like Lee) that share common interests and it is important to connect with them. Furthermore, her discovery of Nessie may help her believe in the observations of others, (eyewitness accounts) which will always keep her mind open to things that the general public, and even other scientist dismiss.
4. Do you think that you will share your experience with anyone else in the future?
ReplyDeleteI believe Vanessa will share her experiences with others in the future. I believe the mark of a true seeker of knowledge and science is to share your observations and discoveries with others. Vanessa may certainly share her discovery with others in the future, but I think that she just needs time to process what had just happened to her. When you yourself are overwhelmed with the things that have happened to you, like Vanessa’s experience, the last thing you want to do is share with a skeptic. Like the true scientist that she may well become, she needs to time to reflect and analyze her experiences and research. She will probably collect more data, form a theory, and still yet continue her search for the truth.
Responding to question 3. I agree with Christina finding Nessie only added more full to the fire when Vanessa is on a quest for knowledge. And I think even helped push her even farther to search for "the Truth" of everything. I mean look at what she found this time when seeking the truth. Also, I think Vanessa's truth seeking will lead her to a career in research or a scientist of some kind. On the other hand, not all questions have answers...so finding Nessie was a a big find, but not everything will be so black and white in the furture and I think Vanessa has to remember that. She was very lucky this time and hopefully she will always find answers to her questions.
ReplyDeleteResponding to question 4, I do think Vanessa will share her experience with others like Christina said. But I think it will only be with people close to her, like her family. I get the sense Vanessa is a private person and doesn't like to share her thoughts or feelings with people that she isn't close to. So in the future I think she will share her findings with her dad and brothers, especially because on the plane and car ride to Maggie's home, they were all so interested in the Lochness file. And I also think Vanessa will share Nessie with her family because it may help remind them of their mother. Vanessa doesn't want her family to ever forget her, and she was interested in seeking truth like Vanessa so Vanessa may share her Nessie expereince in the hope that it will remind her family of their mother.
ReplyDeleteResponse to Question 1:
ReplyDeleteI think that Vanessa would respond that if her mother hadn't passed away she absolutely would still have been interested in not only Nessie, but many other cryptids as well. Vanessa and her mother shared this passion for these types of creatures, and had her mother lived they would have continued to pursue their mutual interest. Vanessa went to the attic for the files because she wanted to continue a legacy, true, but that was not all of it. There was genuine curiosity in Vanessa that transcended the normal childhood interest for Nessie that her brothers had. She had a definite passion and scientific interest in the subject that was deeper than something she was carrying out in her mother's memory.
Response to Question 2:
ReplyDeleteI think that by the end of the book Vanessa has come to see Lee as a real person, rather than 'the woman her father is with'. Besides the obvious (that they share the secret of Nessie), there was a turning point at dinner where Vanessa realized that she had no idea what Lee did and I think that this woke her up a bit as to how her view of Lee was narrow.
Given this new view of Lee, I believe that Vanessa will have a much more positive relationship with her. It is naive to think it will be a perfect, or that Lee will quickly become a mother finger, but there is a bond between them now that no one else shares. I think Vanessa will be more open minded where Lee is concerned, and try to hold back on passing judgement on her as she did in the beginning of their relationship. (I admit, I DO picture some tense moments and fights occurring if Lee continues to date Vanessa's father)
Response to Question 3:
ReplyDeleteI think that knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that Nessie is real will serve to harden Vanessa's determination to find more cryptids in the future. In the book, there were boxes and boxes of work from Vanessa's mother in the attic on the subject of various cryptids. Though Nessie may have been a bit of a favorite, it was brought to the forefront mostly by the fact they were going on vacation. I believe that Vanessa will follow in her mother's footsteps, now not only because of the respect she had for her mother, but because she knows that these amazing creatures exist. Vanessa is a very determined and hard working character. She showed intelligence and a keen mind for scientific thinking (her evidence that Nessie was real, and her hypotheses on the subject). Bottom line: now that she knows they're out there, she will find a way to gain the knowledge and resources to locate them.
Response to Question 4:
ReplyDeleteI have to admit, I am not quite sure whether or not Vanessa would share this experience with anyone other than Lee. It was so intensely personal for her; both in the connection she had with Nessie and the revelations the encounter led to about herself and her own feelings about her mother. Vanessa seems to me to be the kind of a girl that would want to keep that experience to herself; something she can treasure.
However, Vanessa also possesses the mind of a budding scientists and I believe that she will someday become a professional in the field of scientific study of cryptids such as Nessie. Thinking about it this way, she would be almost obligated to share her experiences with the scientific community, and broaden people's understanding of this new species. Perhaps this is something that she would do much further along in her life, and only if that new species of 'Loch Ness Monster' is found and cataloged.
Response to question 1:
ReplyDeleteI question if Vanessa would have had the same passion for Nessie if her mother didn't die. I think her drive became peaked once her mother wasn't around because she wanted to carry on her mother's legacy. I feel that was the only reason why she continued the search for Nessie because she knew this search would allow her to stay close to her mother. Vanessa couldn't deal with the loss of her mother and needed something to grab onto.
Response to question 2:
ReplyDeleteI think Vanessa's relationship will change in the future. They'll be able to make a connection to each other because they experienced the samething with Nessie. The bond they now share with each other, no one else can share this. Plus, no one else would be able to understand their experiences and feelings about their time in the water.
Vanessa and Lee will not share the mother/daughter experience because her bond with own mother was so strong. I don’t think things will be perfect ever in the future, but Lee and Vanessa are similar, it will certainly help her connect and form a lasting friendship. The loss of a parent is something that children struggle with their whole lives. Lee is a caring individual who will be there for Vanessa if she needs to talk to someone, and who has shared the same experiences will help Vanessa to form healthy relationships in the future.
Response to question 3:
ReplyDeleteI believe finding Nessie only validated Vanessa's belief to find the truth. This will make her want to go out and search for more cryptids or supernatural experiences. Other people will not stop her, on her given quest for knowledge and the truth.
I agree with Teresa about Vanessa finding her mother's boxes of work in the attic on the subject of various cryptids, will allow Vanessa to follow in her mother's footsteps. Especially now, she knows that these amazing creatures exist. These facts and findings will drive her to get a degree in some area of science.
Response to question 4:
ReplyDeleteI think in the future Vanessa will begin to share her experiences with others. The love she has for her mother will allow her to come forth with what she learned and confronted in the waters of the lake. She would want her mother's dreams and reality to be known throughout the world. If she didn't let people know what happen to her then her mother's legacy would not live on. Plus, if she went into the scientific field of some kind, she would have to let the truth come out because she would need her own experiences to prove the existence of Nessie. That is if she only wanted to become a reputable scientist.
1. Would you have been as interested in Nessie, if your mother had not died?
ReplyDeleteI think that Vanessa would have been interested in Nessie even if her mother had not died, but I don't feel she would have gone to such dangerous lengths and broken the rules to find her. Vanessa clearly had a true passion for Nessie even when her mother was alive. Researching and discussing the cryptids was something that Vanessa and her mother shared together. The quest for Nessie would have still happened if her mother were still alive, but the quest transformed for Vanessa when her mother passed away. She was not only looking for the cryptid for herself, but also her mother, and this caused her to make poor choices and go out on the boat herself (which was something her father did not expect of her). I felt Vanessa was acting out of character when going to such lengths. I believe if her mother were there with her, they would have been more careful.
2. How do you think your relationship with Lee will change in the future? I think that Vanessa has just began her relationship with Lee. I think the whole expirience of her trip to Loch Ness has fulfilled a need for her and she is ready to move on from her anger about her mother's death. Her mother's memory will of course live on and there will still be the pain of loss, but I think after getting to know Lee she has realized that she is not trying to replace her mother. She has realized that Lee is trying to get to know her and even support her. Vanessa has also realized how much Lee and her have in common. Although she found Nessie, there is still a huge interest in cryptids and animals alike, and that interest will now continue with Lee. It will not replace her bond with her mother, but will be a new friendship.
ReplyDelete3. How did finding Nessie shape how you will seek knowledge in the future?
ReplyDeleteI believe that finding Nessie will be a catalyst for more adventure. I think that her mother's desire for cryptids lives on in Vanessa and she will want to continue her quest for her and her mother. I think she will continue to explore her mother's files and continue her research on extraordinary creatures.
I also think her new connection with Lee will spark her desire to seek knowledge as well. Although it will take a while, I think there bond will grow and they may even take some adventures together. I believe that Lee will be in life for a while, and as their relationship grows, they may even go on some adventures together.
4. Do you think that you will share your experience with anyone else in the future?
ReplyDeleteI don't think Vanessa will share this expirience in the future with anyone. I think she takes this as a special memory of just her and Nessie, and ultimately a special memory that revolves around a passion between her and her mother. Vanessa appears to be a very private person, and I think she took this expirience seriously. Although she has a scientist mind set at times, I think she may divulge her new knowledge of Nessie without revealing how she got the information. Although she believes in something that is considered fantasy on many levels, she can also be a realist (after expiriencing the very real death of her mother and the events that followed) and she understands that others don't believe in Nessie the way she does. It would break her heart if anyone laughed at or challenged her expirience.
I think is was a great sign of respect that she did actually share her adventure with Lee. I think on some deep level that she may not realize yet, Vanessa sees Lee as a motherly figure (although not her mother) and has accepted her as the closest "replacement" she has. She trusted her enough to share this with her because of this. She also knew that she wouldn't laugh or call her silly because Lee shares the same views on Nessie as she does.
Ashley, I like what you said about Vanessa acting 'out of character'. I hadn't thought of the question in that light - how would the specific search for Nessie have gone wither her mother around. I was thinking in the 'bigger picture' sense. It's interesting to imagine how an mother-daughter expedition would have gone.
ReplyDeleteI think AnnMarie brought up a good point too..even though she disagreed with me ;) Would Vanessa have been as interested, or was it more of a quest BECAUSE her mother passed away. I still think she would have an interest in the subject matter without her mother's death - but I can't help but wonder: would being a teenager whose mom was a 'crazy scientist' have dampened this. We all love our mothers, but who hasn't been embarrassed by them at some point? Would she have taken her mother for granted, or begun to resent what she did? She's a girl with a very strong character, but no one is immune to peer pressure. Perhaps not likely for Vanessa, but something I though about while reading AM's post....
Wow Theresa, good question about Vanessa being a teenager and would she really have continued to research Nessie or not if her mom hadn't died. As I said above I thought Vanessa would have done the research whether her mom had died or not, but I never thought about her as a teenager or older continuing the research. I can see Ashley's point about Vanessa acting out of character, but I still feel Vanessa's strong personality would have pushed her to find Nessie. She just seems like such a strong and determined person who stands up for what she believes in, this strong detemination and personality really helps fuel her quest for knowledge. Maybe she wouldn't be as interested in other crypitd files, but definitely Nessie.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Teresa about the pressures a teenager faces with their friends. You don't want to admit your parents do something cool because then you look strange amongst your own friends. Even a strong willed person doesn't want to be ridiculed by anyone so they hide their true feelings about things that interest them.
ReplyDeleteAshley you make a good point as well. If Vanessa's mother was still alive maybe they would have done the research together. Then, Vanessa wouldn't have put herself in danger by going to the extreme of finding Nessie for her mother's sake. Her mother would have taught her the correct way of searching cryptids.
Good afternoon everyone! Finally here are my postings. I have not had any internet access all week at home and I cannot log onto BB Vista at school. So, I saved all of my responses onto a word document and here they are! I appologize for the delay!
ReplyDelete-Katie
Question #1: Would you have been as interested in Nessie, if your mother had not died?
Vanessa had always been interested in cryptids, but once she found her mother’s box of files up in the attic, it kind of almost took over her interest entirely. The search for Nessie was something that just overpowered her. Her quest for this creature seemed paired with her longing to still have her mother in her life. On one side, I feel as if she is searching for a connection with her mother and through this common interest she has found one. If her mother was present, I along with Ashley do not think that Vanessa would have been so risky in her adventures. She would have followed her mother’s lead as her mother was teaching her. Vanessa is a very adventurous young teenager who needs guidance. While she had had to grow up more than others her age due to her mother’s death, she is still a child who needs direction and someone to model things for her. If I was in Vanessa’s shoes, I’m not sure whether or not I would have been as interested in Nessie after my mother’s death. While carrying out her work would have been noble, there would be a part of me that would maybe not want to because of the pain that it would cause. Being a teenager is tough enough and pairing that with the death of a parent is even more difficult. If Vanessa wasn’t as strong as she is, I’m not sure if she would have been interested and continued her search for Nessie.
Question 2: How do you think your relationship with Lee will change in the future?
ReplyDeleteI do think that Vanessa’s relationship with Lee will change in the future; it changed before the book even ended. I believe that Vanessa will be more open to discuss things with Lee and that they will spend more time together. No one will ever replace her mother and Vanessa knows that. I also believe that Lee is not trying to replace her mother in any way. From the outside looking in, Lee has formed a relationship with Vanessa’s father and his children were part of that deal. At times in the book, it seemed as if Lee was just as uncomfortable as Vanessa was. After a child looses a parent, the usual first set of feelings to emerge is jealousy and anger when their other parent starts to see someone else. I do not feel that Lee wants to take the place of Vanessa’s mother and that she respects Vanessa’s feelings while expecting respect at the same time.
In the future, maybe Vanessa and Lee will seek out other cryptids together and even travel to do so. Lee does know a lot about that particular area and the local land. Due to their similar experiences, they may even share some close thoughts and experiences with one another. All we can do is speculate how her relationship will change based on our own personal experiences and the clues that we get from the book. I think that it would be very positive to have a person like Lee in Vanessa’s life. She may be able to help Vanessa understand what truly happened to her and form the type of relationship that Vanessa will need as she continues to grow up during her teenage years. The teenage years are hard enough, and Vanessa is going to have to go through them without her mother and knowing that an extraordinary experience happened to her. Hopefully, Lee will continue to be a part of her life and someone that Vanessa can go to when she has questions or needs advice.
Question 3: How did finding Nessie shape how you will seek knowledge in the future?
ReplyDeleteFinding Nessie seems to have taught Vanessa that if something interests you than you should do what you can to seek out the truth. I have a feeling that she may even try get her family (her brothers and her father) to help her in her searches. In life there will be many people who are pessimistic about a variety of things. There will be many people who say not to bother or do not waste your time. There may be times when Vanessa is disappointed because she does not find out what she hoped to find. This is a life lesson that everyone has to learn at one time or another.
Maybe finding Nessie will really push Vanessa to take more trips with her family, Lee or with a science group from her school. This experience seems to have really excited her quest for knowledge and has shown her that if you don’t put yourself out there and look that you may never find what you are looking for. Vanessa is a young girl and sometimes lets her level of excitement cloud her judgment. This brings up the valid point of safety. She needs to keep in mind that if she is going to be doing research on other cryptids then she must make sure that she is always with someone else. Her experience in the loch caused her to almost loose her life. Next time there may just not be a Nessie to save her. This experience for her was authentic and one that she may hope will be replicated. She needs to remember that not all questions are answered so easily or answered at all. She was very lucky to have met Nessie and to have “solved” the mystery of the loch. With other searches, she may just be gathering data and listening to testimonials. She may never get the change to get this close to a cryptid again. No matter where her searches take her, physically or mentally, I hope that she always remembers her purpose—why she started searching in the first place.
Question 4: Do you think that you will share your experience with anyone else in the future?
ReplyDeleteI have conflicting feelings on this question. There are sometimes when I feel that Vanessa will share her experiences with others in the future. Her father may want her to talk to someone when they get back home. She may open up to her family about what happened to her in great detail. I imagine being Vanessa and telling someone the story of what happened to me. Would they believe me? Would they think that I was lying to them? How would they react? It is not the type of experience that anyone just has when they go on vacation.
However, there are other times when I feel that she will keep them to herself. A part of me sees Vanessa as a very private person who would rather put her feelings, experiences, etc… in writing like in a journal. I always try to relate personal experiences of characters in books to some kind of experience that I have had in my own life. This brings up the difference between sympathy and empathy. I remember having a teacher in high school who really helped my classmates and I understand the difference. You can think that you know what is going on with someone or know how they are feeling, however, unless you have been in a circumstance like that yourself before you do not really know how that person feels or what they are going though. Lee and Vanessa are connected by their experiences in the loch with Nessie. If they choose to really talk about what happened to each of them with one another then it may help both of them. If she did open up to that extent, I think that Lee would be the person who she would talk to about her experience.
I like the way kek826 thought Vanessa and Lee might go looking for cryptids together. I didn't think of that. Maybe as they become friends, they will be able to find something more in common, such as the search for other cryptids. This could bring them closer allowing Vanessa to have someone else to talk to especially as she gets older because a teenage girl needs that connection with a female. She is going to need someone besides her father.
ReplyDeleteI also thought that what kek826 said about Vanessa and Lee looking for cryptids together was a great idea. This certainly will bring them closer, and maybe Vanessa may look up to Lee someday in a similar way that she looked up to her mother. Vanessa is a very private person and I know that she will pick and choose the things she talks about. I think that as Lee and Vanessa become closer, they may share many more experiences together and therefore be more comfortable. Vanessa tends to only share with people who have the same interests.
ReplyDeleteBefore her adventure I believe that Vanessa would have shared her knowledge about Nessie with the rest of the world, for the sake of science and in order to prove her mother right, but having experienced the truth herself she can't bear the thought of Nessie being hounded and instead helps her home to the sea so that she remains a mystery but will be forever safe. Her experience makes her rise above her own sorrows to help Nessie. She will never discuss it with any one else, even Lee and herself will not need to discuss it further, instead it leads them to a new understanding of each other which will help them in future adventures.
ReplyDelete