BtDS 5

Were the characters in Band the Drum Slowly realistic and believable? Why or why not?

I think that the characters (at least the two main characters) in BtDS were very believable. This is mostly because both Bruce Pearson and Henry Wiggen have little kinks and things that make them unique. The author spends a little time telling us about the characters and describes them, creating a depth in their character so that we can understand them a little bit better.
The author, Mark Harris, makes Bruce pretty quiet and not very bright. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Bruce doesn't say much and takes long pauses between ideas. The author gives the characters faults, which make them seem more like real people. An example of a fault that Henry has is that he considers cheating on his wife and therefore doesn't seem very loyal to her. I think this also shows a little bit of arrogance on Henry's part, as he assumed the woman he was considering cheating with would be willing, herself. Seeing as Henry was the star pitcher on his baseball team, this arrogance might very well be authentic and common among players of his stature.

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What is good and bad about the writing style of BtDS?

I think that the writing style is very fun to read because it is in the first person of the pitcher, Henry Wiggen. There are certain things that, as readers, we get to hear or see because they are things that Wiggen is thinking about. These things can be small observations that enhance the plot and make the book more enjoyable to read. The fact that the book is written in the first person is good because the plot moves as Wiggen's life does, and the reader only knows as much as Henry does. Also, the readers get Henry's opinions and thoughts on everything, rather than the book being a straight narration of what is happening.

I also think that the fact that Wiggen sometimes made mistakes with his grammar made the book and the characters seem much more realistic. He would abbreviate words or use slang terms that weren't real words, and this made it seem as if it was actually Henry Wiggen telling us the story. What is really interesting about this writing style is that the book was actually written by someone else and that Henry Wiggen's character is completely fictional. The downside of this style is merely that the improper grammar can get a little annoying, although it does greatly enhance the story.

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Why does Bruce not want to tell the team about his condition/why does he only tell Henry?

I think that Bruce doesn't want to burden the team with his condition. I bet that he feels he would be treated differently by the players and that they would be awkward around him, knowing that he doesn't have much time left. Bruce might want everyone to treat him normally, not be pampered, and live the rest of his life like he lived the rest of it. Perhaps, if everyone knew about it and it was always on their minds, it would make Bruce think about it more than he wanted and it would freak him (or anyone) out to be constantly be thinking about the end of life. If anything, being treated normally could help keep his mind off of it.
At the same time, he probably felt that he needed to tell someone. To have a secret that important buried deep inside would eat away at almost anyone, and Bruce probably felt he could confide in Henry. In a similar situation, I would more than definitely want at least one person that I could talk to, and Bruce found this person in Henry.

BtDS 2

Question: Why does Bruce only say one sentence at a time, over a long period of time?
Bruce Pearson, in BtDS, rarely says more than one sentence at a time before continuing his thought a while afterwards.
I think that Bruce isn't a very bright guy and it takes him a while to formulate ideas and things he wants to get across. Bruce is the one that calls Henry "Author" Wiggen "Arthur," not realizing that he's not calling him by the correct name. So Bruce might not be a very smart guy and it might be hard for him to hold a conversation.
At the same time, Bruce might only say one sentence at a time because he is very distant and in a daze. He recently was diagnosed with the fatal Hodgkin's disease, and it might be hard for him to deal with the knowledge that he doesn't have much time left. It is very likely that Bruce became spacey and a little depressed after his diagnosis, and that could be a cause of him not easily holding conversations. I know that if I were in a similar situation I would have a lot of trouble coming to terms with my fate.

Bang The Drum Slowly

I am not sure why Henry Wiggen, the main character in Bang The Drum Slowly, was thinking so hard about cheating on his wife with a flight attendant. If you haven't read the book, Wiggen hears from his friend Bruce that he needs to go out to Minnesota and see him. The two of them play for a baseball team but Bruce informs Wiggen that he is terminally ill. Bruce tells him this after Wiggen flies to Minnesota to see him. The book is written in the first person of Wiggen, who, upon being recognized as the baseball player on his flight by the attendant, considers sleeping with her.
Wiggen acknowledges that, had he done so, he would've regretted it later, but it is puzzling as to why he would be so reckless. Perhaps it is a way of showing that he isn't loyal to his wife. Henry only knows that something is wrong with Bruce but he doesn't know what. Maybe he is stressed and not necessarily thinking straight when having these thoughts. Also, Wiggen's language in the writing (he's not the author, just telling the story in the 1st person) is a little choppy, and his grammar isn't great, so there's a chance the author is trying to show us that he's not really smart or thoughtful.

Why would Wiggen consider cheating on his wife on the plane ride to Minnesota?

Adventure.

Chuck Norris stepped onto the bus and looked around. The man was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, Chuck glimpsed him. He was in a car driving parallel right next to the bus. The man noticed Chuck and smiled menacingly, making sure to make visible the briefcase that contained the bomb's detonator. Chuck Norris looked at his watch: 6:57. Only three minutes remained until the bomb detonated automatically. He knew that he had to stop that car. He yelled at all the passengers of the bus to get out of the way. They obliged, and Chuck opened all of the windows on the side of the bus next to the car. Without thinking twice, he leapt out of the bus' window and onto the roof of the car with the briefcase. His watch read 6:58. The drivers' seat window opened and Chuck felt a hand trying to pull him off the the side of the car. Norris then freed his hand from the other man's grasp and punched wildly at where he thought the driver would be. One of his punches connected and, with Chuck's supernatural strength, knocked out the driver.  He then hopped off the top of the car to the ground. He was unarmed. The man holding the briefcase slowly got out of the car and raised a pistol. Chuck acted as if to surrender, lowering himself toward the ground with his hands in the air. Suddenly, though he sprang up and delivered the man a roundhouse kick to the face, knocking him unconscious. His watch read 6:59:38, and he still had to disarm the bomb's detonator. He ran to the car and found the bomb in the front seat. There was a four-digit pass code required and, naturally, he guessed correctly on his first try. The bomb was disarmed, and Chuck Norris had saved the day once again.

PS
Wrote this 1/3/11, just forgot to post it.

Meeting the Band. (revised)

One year, for John's birthday, his dad got him a great gift: tickets and backstage passes to John's favorite band. He could not have been more excited. John bought a T-shirt from the band and listened to all of their music repeatedly in the few weeks leading up to the show. Finally, the day came. He and his dad went early to the venue. Because of their backstage passes, they could get in early and hang around and watch the concert come to be. John was awestruck. At one point, he saw the band members and could not conceal his excitement

"Dad! There they are!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know, just wait until they play," his father replied.

And play they did. They played a long set and John could not have been having more fun. After the show, they went backstage, and they saw the band again. John's dad wanted to go up and meet them, but John was frozen with fear and awe. Finally, he managed to walk forward and strike up conversation with the band members. They told him that, with a little practice, he could become as famous as they were. Obviously, they were just trying be nice, but John took those words to heart. At the time, he played the guitar a little, but didn't like it that much.

Through the years, John practiced. He formed a band with a couple of friends. Gradually, they became more and more well known. All of a sudden, their record was on the iTunes Top 20 albums chart. In an interview with a magazine, John was asked about where his musical inspiration came from. Immediately, he thought of the show his dad took him to for his birthday. He told the whole story of that concert the impact it had on him. He ended the story by telling the reporter that, on a wall in his house, he has framed the backstage pass from the concert all those years ago.