Still Can't See Nothin' Comin' By Daniel Grey Marshall Pages 1- 65

Summary:

The book begins in Medias revs with Daniel meeting Leslie at the bus station. He immediately recognized her and was astounded by her beauty. To Daniel, Leslie has always been beautiful but over the amount of time he was gone, it seemed as if she had grown even more beautiful. She had long sandy blond hair, with a bang that reached her nose and a pair of beautiful pale blue eyes. Daniel then followed Leslie to the car in which his little twelve year old brother, Jimmy was sitting. Immediately Daniel greets him and a simile appears on both of their faces. Soon after, Jimmy asked Daniel how long he would be in jail if he got caught. This question mad Jimmy feel uncomfortable and he began to swear and raise his voice, but soon after he realized that Jimmy was just a kid and it really wasn’t his fault. An awkward silence appeared and everyone was quiet. Breaking the silent, Leslie asked Daniel what he wanted to do and his response was to go to the lake. Once they arrived at the lake, they were immediately hit with feeling of sorrow because the lake reminded them of Mandy. Mandy was Daniel and Jimmy’s older sister and Leslie’s best friend. The Lake was her favorite place to go.

In a dream, Jimmy reminisces on the time that him and Mandy sledded down Suicide Hill. Suicide Hill was the most dangerous hill in the whole town because it was very steep, as if it was a vertical hill. Jimmy explains how the steepness of the hill made him feel as if he was flying. He would remember that moment for the rest of his life because that was the only moment in his life was he felt free. After the sled ride he and Mandy went to Leslie house because she wanted to meet Daniel. Once Daniel laid eyes upon Leslie he knew she would be the one he would fall in love with.

They were supposed to arrive home for dinner but Leslie and Daniel stayed at Mandy’s house until three in the morning. Figuring their parents were asleep, the two of them snuck into the house through the back in which they were greeted by their mother. Then their father came into the living room, drunk as always, and began beating on Daniel. Used to the pain and beating he received from his father, Daniel spit in his face because he felt as if there was nothing else that man could do to him. There was no type of reaction from the father except shock. Mandy then picked Daniel up and semi- carried him to his room. This was a ruin between the two, whoever was in better condition would carry the other into their room. As Mandy tucked him in and kissed him good night, Daniel realized how much he truly loved his sister. Soon after Mandy tucked him in, Daniel heard Mandy doors open and close and he then heard it open and close about an hour later.

Quotation:

" Me and you, Jim," she deckaed magnificently. "Me and you."

Reflection:

In this quote, Mandy is explaining in her own way that no matter how bad times might get she would always be there for him. Mandy was Daniel older sister and played that part well. Favoritism was shown towards their little brother and most of the time; Daniel and Mandy had to comfort each other. Their mother was not mentally strong and could not really help her children. All she could tell her husband was that the kids had enough.

I can relate to Mandy when it comes to being protective of you younger siblings because I am the same way with my two younger siblings. I have a great amount of respect for Mandy because she was physically abused and still had the ability to laugh and take care of her brothers. The relationship between her and Daniel brought tears to my eyes because I remembered that she had died. I could not imagine my life without either one of my siblings and I felt sympathetic towards Daniel because he had lost the only person whom he loved unconditionally.

When I thought about the scene in which Daniel heard Mandy door open and close twice, I assumed that her father was sexually abusing her. Daniel was also begging to explain the emotional changes that Mandy was going through and I think that she is being sexually harassed by her father. The night of Daniel’s beating, the father was more concerned about who Mandy was with instead of why she came home so late.