I too, after reading this story of "Tiger Mending" was left "with the oddest, most unsettled feeling". I understand that this story is about figuring out why things are the way that they are, but what I do not understand is why the sister leaves her sibling in the end? If this older sister was such an insipiration, such a lifeline, to the other sister then why did the younger sister leave her?
This story leaves me with an unsettled feeling, just like the narrator. When the entire story talks about how good this older sister is and how much the younger sister looks up to her and recieves so much help from her, I do not understand the motives behind her leaving. I think that what the older sister (the story does not give names or I would specify for clearly) is doing to help the tigers is amazing. I also envy her skill at keeping steady hands and holding still. I, like the younger sister, am unable to hold still for too long, like to fidget, and am actually kind of clumsy.
The story itself is very interesting to me, these women completely take care of themselves and are self sufficient, and the older of the two is obviously a giver. When the narrator talks of always getting into messes and her sister being good at everything, it almost gives a sense of jealousy until she says, “she’s so focused in this gentle way.”
I believe that the story was able to leave me with the sense of confusion because as I have stated, throughout the entire story the narrator does nothing but talk about how wonderful her sister is. In the end when the narrator does not let her sister hug her and leaves her by herself in Asia, when she knows that her sister needs her there to help her cope, it is very confusing. Why did she leave her there? Was it not a good thing that her sister was helping the tiger’s even though they were inadvertently hurting themselves?
I feel like the end of the story is very contradictory. It is hard for me to understand why throughout the story the narrator portrays such a vivid sense of need and admiration towards her sister but then leaves her for doing something good for something else. In my opinion, there is almost a sense of possessiveness of the narrator over her sister. To sum it all up, I think that the story was well written and a good story, until the end when the narrator walks out on her sister. In my mind, when you do something good people do not normally get upset with you or walk out on you. I wish that it was a longer story so that I would better be able to understand the motives behind the narrator’s actions. Since it is not however, I am left with a feeling of confusion, and also like the story is left incomplete.
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Tiger Mending
ReplyDeleteI love this story also, and just like you, I finished reading and incomplete story. I believe the narrator had many contradictions of her own life and that is why she decided to just walk away from her sister and leave her in order for her to learn how to cope and survive with no one’s help. Like you stated, these two sisters were women that completely took care of themselves and are self sufficient, and that the older of the two is obviously a giver. This might have something to do with the confusing ending. The younger one, looked up to her older sibling, but she could have been refusing to stick around any longer and to try to make her life like her sisters, by stepping out of the picture and working by herself to become the role model her sister was to her. Whatever the narrator was actually doing is still incomplete. I agree that this piece of literature could have been longer and the story could have made more sense. But it might have just been that the author was such a great author to keep us thinking and imagining and asking our self this type of questions about the story.
Tiger Mending
ReplyDeleteI like your honesty in interpreting the story. I'm glad you even identified yourself with one of characters because I think it helped you to understand her motives even though you don't completely understand her last gesture. For me, when I read this story I had to think about it and think about my own life in order to understand. I think in Tiger Mending the younger sister isn't possessive of her older sister, rather that she reveres her, admires her, adores her. The younger sister see's the elder as almost angelic like in her talent and skill, something she feels she herself could never accomplish. The elder is protective of her younger sibling, which is why she delicately, firmly, and cleverly insists on bringing her along. The elder focuses on the younger and draws her strength of character while the younger looks up to the elder and deeply appreciates her. The foundation of the story is the younger sister's longing to bring happiness to her elder sister which is why she is so committed to finding out what happens to the Tigers. She's not personally overwhelmed with curiosity but she does it to make her sister happy. In the end the very thing that soothes her sister is the same thing that unsettles her own confidence in being there. The elder is content, as shown by her professional talents and history, to do the same repetitive work everyday because she's personally comforted by the type of work and the cause. The younger sister, remember worked at Burger King and hated the routine, can't be content to support her sister in this futile effort, it makes no sense to never get ahead. I think it's a commentary on how the things that drive one person can discourage another. I hope possibly my interpretation is of use to you. Good job though.