I believe May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because he would automatically accept whatever her prediction is as the truth - taking away his ability to constantly speculate (which has become the defining activity of his life.)
May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because Marcher, being the character that he is, would make generalizations and look at what she says to be something it's not, rather than ending the discussion, May wants to hear the invalid speculations that Marcher continues to come up with. -Chris
I believe May is somehow angry that Marcher hasn't figured out what's to happen so she has her way of getting back at him by keeping what she knows a secret.
I also think May is disappointed with Marcher for not being able to see what is right in front of him and wants to give him one last chance to figure it out for himself, which is why she doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks. -Bianca
I am not entirely sure whether or not this "something new" is the idea that May believes "would be the worst", but if this is not the case, I think she could be withholding it from him because she believes it has something to do with their relationship; she may think that if he does not realize this on his own, he must not see her as potentially tied with his fate. -Amanda F.
May plays the role of silent witness while Marcher wastes his life like an idiot and doesn't pursue the relationship right in front of him. Why she does that is somewhat is mysterious. Maybe she wants him to realize for himself and turn his own life around. It's not a very productive tactic, because Marcher is too muddled and egotistic to assess his own failings.
I think that May isn't telling Marcher what she thinks because her relationship with Marcher is all about him asking questions that he wants May to answer. By May not telling him what she "knows" or thinks, it allows their relationship to deepen even more because of his desire to know. - Becca Robinson
I think May does not tell Marcher because she doesn't want to alter their relationship--she needs that constant in her life while she is sick. She likes to tease Marcher and drive him crazy, and this is the craziest she's driven him, so I believe she's content. -Lindsey Pearlstein
I think that May refrains from telling Marcher his fate/the "big event" because she doesn't want him to stop searching. He has spent nearly his entire life feeling like he was destined for something great and so the purpose of life has been to get there. If she were to tell him and it were something bad, or even something in which luck needed to play the lead role, his knowledge would interfere with said event and possibly cause a negative (if the outcome were to be positive) outcome. -Kate Rhodes
May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because, she wants him to figure out what the answer is. She tests him to see if he knows what she thinks deep inside. Following that May could see if he truly cares about their friendship. -Shira Hartman
May's and Marcher's relationship is only about Marcher. He doesn't know much about May and doesn't really care even though he tells himself that he does. I think that by May teasing him she believes his desire to know will make him want to change the state of their relationship and maybe he'll stop believing in his idiotic catastrophe.
There are two possibilities I see for why May doesn't tell Marcher what she knows. One, that its too horrible and she doesn't want to hurt him, or their friendship and say something that will cause Marcher to stop coming to see her before she dies. The other, for the romantics in the group is that May really has feelings for Marcher, and like a teenager with a crush, she doesn't want to be the first to admit it, she wants Marcher to realize his feelings for her without her prompting him to do so. The second idea is less well developed but as a romantic at heart I kind of want it to happen.
I think that Marcher is blind to the possibility of a relationship transpiring between them. That is, it's not his fault, it's hers. Clearly, she is the more cognizant partner in this relationship, so it should be her responsibility to take charge. Essentially, Marcher will never be able awaken from what has become habbit -- waiting for life to come to him rather than the other way around. However, as the more "able" character, May should take the helm.
However, I think the reason she doesn't take charge is because even though she is the more "able" character, perhaps she doesn't want to ruin what they already have... So it's a balancing act between what could, and what currently "is".
I think May doesn't tell him because she enjoys the power it gives her over him, it allows her to control him. Because if she told him he might not have any reason to stay, so by holding onto that information she's holding onto him. -Sam P
I think that the reason May holds out on revealing to Marcher what she knows is that she is scared of dying, just as he is scared of knowing exactly what it is he has been saved for. She is worried that she will have to spend the small time she has left alone, if she tells him, and is afraid he will leave. So this is her last attempt to be in command in their relationship, before she is gone.
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because his whole life has been devoted to this one task of finding out this "big thing", and by just telling him would change the whole dynamic their relationship and what it was based off of. -Chloe Fishman
I agree with Ella in saying that May actually has feelings for Marcher but doesn't want to mention them. Her dedicated interest in Marcher's problems seems a little too intense, which leads me to believe she has motives to support him other than his courageous, brave, and manly ways (to be read with sarcasm). when her eyes get the "full clearness", they regain their beauty and animate her face. May's face had a tenancy to speak for her clear emotions, so a lustful, loving face indicates feelings for Marcher. At least to me.
What determined the stifling that stopped her in the course of their(Bartram and Marcher) encounter barely appears, being probably but some words spoken by Bartram quite without clarity - spoken as the hints of her hiding love or something horrible, lingered and slowly moved together after a renewal of their acquaintance. -Henry James & Colby (scribe)
Seeing as May stuck with Marcher and his stereotypical male personality, which is very insecure and self centered, she clearly has some feelings for him. I'm not sure Marcher would accept the possibility that the "catastrophe" is really just his hesitation in nurturing a true relationship with May, had he not thought of it himself. May doesn't want to push Marcher away as it would seem that she has basically nobody else in her life, just as he has nobody in his. -Sir Wichael Meinstein
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because it might give the advantage in the relationship to Marcher. It could possibly be that May loves Marcher and if she explains this thought to John the control in the relationship will switch. Finally, I would like to conclude that throughout the story so far May has been in control of the relationship, while Marcher has been doubting himself and trying to please her by remembering what happened in Sorrento correctly. May doesn't want to lose this power by telling John possibly that she likes him.
May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because she wants to hold the feeling of superiority over him and she enjoys the fact that he gets flustered when they are talking to each other. She wants to keep the power under her control
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher because she doesn't want to further complicate anything: she knows she won't be alive for too much longer and wants to remain close to Marcher for the duration of that time, even if it means refraining from telling him something.
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher because he tends to accept her opinions and ideas as fact, and therefor telling him would ruin the sense of curiosity that has been central to his life
I think May doesn't tell Marcher what she knows because pretty much since the beginning of the story, May has always held the upper hand in their relationship by knowing something that Marcher does not but wishes he did and she does not want to change this.
I think that May likes the power that her knowledge gives her. Marcher seems usually to be the superior figure in the relationship and what May knows, and what Marcher doesn't, gives May a new found sense of power and control over their conversations and possibly over their lives. -Jordan Bayer
At the very beginning of the story, I believed that it was Marcher who held the power in the relationship, but a few pages into I realized that it was May who pulled the strings. I think she wants to keep this power, and she does so by not telling Marcher what she thinks
I think that may holds what she knows because maybe he will stop dwelling on what will happen and instead maybe fall for her. Or that she wants him to figure it out or she herself is afraid she's wrong - marisa
May probably doesn't tell Marcher what she knows because it gives her a sense of power and control over him, and she wants to retain the upper hand in their relationship.
In the beginning, May kept the secret for rather mundane reasons. I believe her prediction was that the major event was their relationship and saying that outright would have not had a beneficial effect. Towards the end, however, she admits that her prediction has changed. It has become her imminent death. However, she cannot say that her death will be the biggest event in Marcher's life - egocentrism is his domain, not hers. Instead, she alludes to it. When her man fails to see what she means, her reasons not to tell him are further increased.
Their whole lives, May has been giving him clues to things he doesn't know, yet he is always unable to figure it out himself. I think that May doesn't tell Marcher what she knows because she thinks he needs to find out for himself.
I think that May keeps what she thinks to herself because either she doesn't trust Marcher enough or she wants their relationship to develop on its own without her pushing for his love.
Perhaps May thinks the event will be somewhat less eventful if she spoils it for Marcher. This big event is also supposed to be a part of Marcher's destiny, and if she tells him he could change what happens which would be changing his fate. ~Lily
May is upset that Marcher can't tell what's going on, however she doesn't want to just tell him, she wants him to figure it out on his own, so she keeps want she knows to herself. -Jack Corcoran
Perhaps may doesnt inform marcher of what she thinks because she is unsure herself that what she thinks is true. I believe tha reason she asks so many questions is because she is very curious about marcher's behavior and is somewhat observing him. She may also be keeping her mouth shut for fear that telling himbth truth may offend him. For instance telling him he is crazy to his face would basically be destroying his belief and destroy the moment he has been anticipating his whole life.
i think that May doesn't tell Marcher because she likes to be in control, and she, in a way, teases Marcher and keeps him interested in her. Also, i think she's infatuated with him, however she's afraid of actually doing something about it because she doesn't know how a relationship with someone so self-centered could turn out, so she's trying to put off the confrontation by not telling him
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher to sustain the dynamic between them where May holds the power and Marcher becomes flustered every time he answers her questions. This is apparent every time Marcher asks her a questions and she deflects it by answering the question with another question. -Jake Bamberger
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher because she likes to having him toyed by herself. I feel like she loves to have influence over him so much. But, I feel like May is afraid Marcher knowing the true and having his fear come true though.
She likes the idea of being in control. She is always cool and collected throughout her conversations with Marcher. I think that losing that appearance would cause her to think she was weak. -JD Nurme
I believe May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because he would automatically accept whatever her prediction is as the truth - taking away his ability to constantly speculate (which has become the defining activity of his life.)
ReplyDeleteMay doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because Marcher, being the character that he is, would make generalizations and look at what she says to be something it's not, rather than ending the discussion, May wants to hear the invalid speculations that Marcher continues to come up with.
ReplyDelete-Chris
I believe May is somehow angry that Marcher hasn't figured out what's to happen so she has her way of getting back at him by keeping what she knows a secret.
ReplyDeleteI also think May is disappointed with Marcher for not being able to see what is right in front of him and wants to give him one last chance to figure it out for himself, which is why she doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks.
ReplyDelete-Bianca
I like how these first three comment show three totally different ways of seeing things.
DeleteI am not entirely sure whether or not this "something new" is the idea that May believes "would be the worst", but if this is not the case, I think she could be withholding it from him because she believes it has something to do with their relationship; she may think that if he does not realize this on his own, he must not see her as potentially tied with his fate.
ReplyDelete-Amanda F.
May plays the role of silent witness while Marcher wastes his life like an idiot and doesn't pursue the relationship right in front of him. Why she does that is somewhat is mysterious. Maybe she wants him to realize for himself and turn his own life around. It's not a very productive tactic, because Marcher is too muddled and egotistic to assess his own failings.
ReplyDeleteI think that May isn't telling Marcher what she thinks because her relationship with Marcher is all about him asking questions that he wants May to answer. By May not telling him what she "knows" or thinks, it allows their relationship to deepen even more because of his desire to know.
ReplyDelete- Becca Robinson
I think May does not tell Marcher because she doesn't want to alter their relationship--she needs that constant in her life while she is sick. She likes to tease Marcher and drive him crazy, and this is the craziest she's driven him, so I believe she's content.
ReplyDelete-Lindsey Pearlstein
I think that May refrains from telling Marcher his fate/the "big event" because she doesn't want him to stop searching. He has spent nearly his entire life feeling like he was destined for something great and so the purpose of life has been to get there. If she were to tell him and it were something bad, or even something in which luck needed to play the lead role, his knowledge would interfere with said event and possibly cause a negative (if the outcome were to be positive) outcome.
ReplyDelete-Kate Rhodes
May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because, she wants him to figure out what the answer is. She tests him to see if he knows what she thinks deep inside. Following that May could see if he truly cares about their friendship.
ReplyDelete-Shira Hartman
May's and Marcher's relationship is only about Marcher. He doesn't know much about May and doesn't really care even though he tells himself that he does. I think that by May teasing him she believes his desire to know will make him want to change the state of their relationship and maybe he'll stop believing in his idiotic catastrophe.
ReplyDelete-Keinan Poradosu
There are two possibilities I see for why May doesn't tell Marcher what she knows. One, that its too horrible and she doesn't want to hurt him, or their friendship and say something that will cause Marcher to stop coming to see her before she dies. The other, for the romantics in the group is that May really has feelings for Marcher, and like a teenager with a crush, she doesn't want to be the first to admit it, she wants Marcher to realize his feelings for her without her prompting him to do so. The second idea is less well developed but as a romantic at heart I kind of want it to happen.
ReplyDelete-Ella MacVeagh
I think that Marcher is blind to the possibility of a relationship transpiring between them. That is, it's not his fault, it's hers. Clearly, she is the more cognizant partner in this relationship, so it should be her responsibility to take charge. Essentially, Marcher will never be able awaken from what has become habbit -- waiting for life to come to him rather than the other way around. However, as the more "able" character, May should take the helm.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think the reason she doesn't take charge is because even though she is the more "able" character, perhaps she doesn't want to ruin what they already have... So it's a balancing act between what could, and what currently "is".
ReplyDeleteI think May doesn't tell him because she enjoys the power it gives her over him, it allows her to control him. Because if she told him he might not have any reason to stay, so by holding onto that information she's holding onto him.
ReplyDelete-Sam P
I think that the reason May holds out on revealing to Marcher what she knows is that she is scared of dying, just as he is scared of knowing exactly what it is he has been saved for. She is worried that she will have to spend the small time she has left alone, if she tells him, and is afraid he will leave. So this is her last attempt to be in command in their relationship, before she is gone.
ReplyDelete-- Gabby St Pierre
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because his whole life has been devoted to this one task of finding out this "big thing", and by just telling him would change the whole dynamic their relationship and what it was based off of.
ReplyDelete-Chloe Fishman
I believe that May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because it makes their relationship more complicated and adds more mystery to the story.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ella in saying that May actually has feelings for Marcher but doesn't want to mention them. Her dedicated interest in Marcher's problems seems a little too intense, which leads me to believe she has motives to support him other than his courageous, brave, and manly ways (to be read with sarcasm).
ReplyDeletewhen her eyes get the "full clearness", they regain their beauty and animate her face. May's face had a tenancy to speak for her clear emotions, so a lustful, loving face indicates feelings for Marcher. At least to me.
-Danielle Balanov
What determined the stifling that stopped her in the course of their(Bartram and Marcher) encounter barely appears, being probably but some words spoken by Bartram quite without clarity - spoken as the hints of her hiding love or something horrible, lingered and slowly moved together after a renewal of their acquaintance.
ReplyDelete-Henry James & Colby (scribe)
Seeing as May stuck with Marcher and his stereotypical male personality, which is very insecure and self centered, she clearly has some feelings for him. I'm not sure Marcher would accept the possibility that the "catastrophe" is really just his hesitation in nurturing a true relationship with May, had he not thought of it himself. May doesn't want to push Marcher away as it would seem that she has basically nobody else in her life, just as he has nobody in his.
ReplyDelete-Sir Wichael Meinstein
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because it might give the advantage in the relationship to Marcher. It could possibly be that May loves Marcher and if she explains this thought to John the control in the relationship will switch. Finally, I would like to conclude that throughout the story so far May has been in control of the relationship, while Marcher has been doubting himself and trying to please her by remembering what happened in Sorrento correctly. May doesn't want to lose this power by telling John possibly that she likes him.
ReplyDelete-Ayan
May doesn't tell Marcher what she thinks because she wants to hold the feeling of superiority over him and she enjoys the fact that he gets flustered when they are talking to each other. She wants to keep the power under her control
ReplyDelete-Julianna Goldring
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher because she doesn't want to further complicate anything: she knows she won't be alive for too much longer and wants to remain close to Marcher for the duration of that time, even if it means refraining from telling him something.
ReplyDelete-Josh Slavin
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher because he tends to accept her opinions and ideas as fact, and therefor telling him would ruin the sense of curiosity that has been central to his life
ReplyDeleteI think May doesn't tell Marcher what she knows because pretty much since the beginning of the story, May has always held the upper hand in their relationship by knowing something that Marcher does not but wishes he did and she does not want to change this.
ReplyDeleteI think that May likes the power that her knowledge gives her. Marcher seems usually to be the superior figure in the relationship and what May knows, and what Marcher doesn't, gives May a new found sense of power and control over their conversations and possibly over their lives.
ReplyDelete-Jordan Bayer
At the very beginning of the story, I believed that it was Marcher who held the power in the relationship, but a few pages into I realized that it was May who pulled the strings. I think she wants to keep this power, and she does so by not telling Marcher what she thinks
ReplyDelete-Sam KW
I think that may holds what she knows because maybe he will stop dwelling on what will happen and instead maybe fall for her. Or that she wants him to figure it out or she herself is afraid she's wrong
ReplyDelete- marisa
May probably doesn't tell Marcher what she knows because it gives her a sense of power and control over him, and she wants to retain the upper hand in their relationship.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning, May kept the secret for rather mundane reasons. I believe her prediction was that the major event was their relationship and saying that outright would have not had a beneficial effect. Towards the end, however, she admits that her prediction has changed. It has become her imminent death. However, she cannot say that her death will be the biggest event in Marcher's life - egocentrism is his domain, not hers. Instead, she alludes to it. When her man fails to see what she means, her reasons not to tell him are further increased.
ReplyDeleteTheir whole lives, May has been giving him clues to things he doesn't know, yet he is always unable to figure it out himself. I think that May doesn't tell Marcher what she knows because she thinks he needs to find out for himself.
ReplyDeleteI think that May keeps what she thinks to herself because either she doesn't trust Marcher enough or she wants their relationship to develop on its own without her pushing for his love.
ReplyDelete- Josef
Perhaps May thinks the event will be somewhat less eventful if she spoils it for Marcher. This big event is also supposed to be a part of Marcher's destiny, and if she tells him he could change what happens which would be changing his fate.
ReplyDelete~Lily
May is upset that Marcher can't tell what's going on, however she doesn't want to just tell him, she wants him to figure it out on his own, so she keeps want she knows to herself.
ReplyDelete-Jack Corcoran
It could be that the "great meaning" of his life turns out to be something negative that hurts Marcher, and she doesnt want to disillusion him.
ReplyDelete-Lena
Perhaps may doesnt inform marcher of what she thinks because she is unsure herself that what she thinks is true. I believe tha reason she asks so many questions is because she is very curious about marcher's behavior and is somewhat observing him. She may also be keeping her mouth shut for fear that telling himbth truth may offend him. For instance telling him he is crazy to his face would basically be destroying his belief and destroy the moment he has been anticipating his whole life.
ReplyDeletei think that May doesn't tell Marcher because she likes to be in control, and she, in a way, teases Marcher and keeps him interested in her. Also, i think she's infatuated with him, however she's afraid of actually doing something about it because she doesn't know how a relationship with someone so self-centered could turn out, so she's trying to put off the confrontation by not telling him
ReplyDeleteI think that May doesn't tell Marcher to sustain the dynamic between them where May holds the power and Marcher becomes flustered every time he answers her questions. This is apparent every time Marcher asks her a questions and she deflects it by answering the question with another question.
ReplyDelete-Jake Bamberger
I think that May doesn't tell Marcher because she likes to having him toyed by herself. I feel like she loves to have influence over him so much. But, I feel like May is afraid Marcher knowing the true and having his fear come true though.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Oh
She likes the idea of being in control. She is always cool and collected throughout her conversations with Marcher. I think that losing that appearance would cause her to think she was weak.
ReplyDelete-JD Nurme