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This is a college-wide blog for the students and faculty at Anoka Ramsey Community College who are reading and discussing The Weight of All Things by Sandra Benitez.
ARCC Welcomes Sandra Benitez
Sandra Benitez will be visiting campus and sharing The Weight of All Things with students on
Tuesday, October 13
10am -- 2pm Legacy Room
Anoka Ramsey Community College -- Coon Rapids
Tuesday, October 13
10am -- 2pm Legacy Room
Anoka Ramsey Community College -- Coon Rapids
About the Author
Salvadoran Civil War
Reviews & Summaries
Faculty
Kate Kysar
Elizabeth Nist
Patrick Shal
Tracy Yongblom
Jennifer Willcutt
Jeff Ludwig
Paige Riehl
Elizabeth Nist
Patrick Shal
Tracy Yongblom
Jennifer Willcutt
Jeff Ludwig
Paige Riehl
I think Sandra Benitez chose the title "The Weight of All Things" for her book because it fits the situation for the main character very well. He has experienced not just the loss of his mother, but also the loss of his community and his sense of safety. It would be hard enough to have to deal with the loss of your mother; I cannot imagine how much harder it would be to also have to deal with having your village bombed during the same time period. Not to mention that all of this happened to him when he was at an age that most American children aren't even allowed to go their neighborhood's park alone. I think using the phrase "the weight of all things" pretty much sums up what he is going through at the time - he's under incredibly heavy stress.
ReplyDeleteThe boy, Nicolas, at the age of nine was experiencing things that many people never have or will have to. Everything comes down upon him, metephorically and realistically, his mother's death and the bombing of his village. I like how Sandra used the broken-armed Virgencita as Nicolas' way of taking the weight of everything and assuring him.
ReplyDeleteSara-Kysar's 10:00am class
ReplyDeleteI think that "The Weight Of All Things" was chosen as Sandra Benitez's title becasue the story really encompasses the idea of being on your own and taking on the world, as Nicolas did. He had to overcome so much when he was nine years old. Nicolas had a "weight" to carry with him at all times. He realized the weight of war that was carried, and also the weight of life itself, of having to take care of himself, and not haveing family member to comfort him all the time. I believe that the title to this book is very well fitted to the story.
I believe that the reason why Sandra Benitez chose the title, "The Weight of All Things" is because there is not one stable aspect of the main character's life. I think the title fits the theme of the book.
ReplyDeleteI think the reason why it is called the weight of all things is because, Nicolas is just a nine year old boy that has experienced a lot of things. For instance he was being protected by his mother when she was shot, the town that was by his house was bombed, and the guerrilla's took over his farm for a temporary base. Those are a lot of things for a nine year old to go through. How may of us who are older have had experiences like those? Not very many that I know of.
ReplyDeleteI believe she chose the title, " The Weight of All Things" because it is a story about a boy who has the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. He has to go through enormous pain and sorrow, to an almost unbearable point. The title, "The Weight of All Things" lets me know before I even opened the book that there is going to be a lot going on in someone's life. As I keep reading the story I keep realizing why the title is so great. This boy had the weight of the world on his shoulders, the wight of all things.
ReplyDeleteThe title, "The Weight of All things" summarizes the whole book, cover to cover. The boy faces the encumbering thought of his mother, is she alive or dead? (Dead of course)He remembers how the Army shot up his school, killing his friend. At the same time his house is hijacked, then he is forced into the military, while not knowing what is happening to his sick grandfather. Just a child, seeing death everywhere he goes, the is no escape, only the weight of all things.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is titled, "The weight of all things" because of the basis of the story. Nicolas is just a boy and he is carrying all these issues and struggles on his shoulders. First trying to find his mom, the war that had torn his village and country apart and then realizing his mother was gone and was never coming back. That is alot for anyone to carry and push through. It is a great title for this book. He had to carry the weight of everything in his life, by himself.
ReplyDeleteI think Sandra Benitez chose the title "The Weight of All Things" because the situation that the young boy is put through is the weight of everything. He goes through experiences that most grown adults don't even go through. His home was bombed and his mother was killed. Also, the fact that he's a child and has to bear all of this misfortune could be looked at as "The Weight of All Things".
ReplyDeleteI think Sandra Benitez entitled her book, "The Weight of All Things" because for Nicolas, realizing his mother is dead feels like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. He must learn to take care and provide for himself in the absence of his mother. The grief of her loss is also something that will make a person feel like they have lost all hope.
ReplyDeleteI believe that The Weight of All Things is a very appropriate title for Benitez's book. If you read the title differently, you can hear The weight-of all things. Of all things, the weight of tragedy is the hardest to grasp, carry, and bear. The main character is experiencing that weight at a young age. He has just experienced a paradigm shift of the his world. It's the weight that makes that change so powerful and emotional.
ReplyDeleteI think she chose this title because her main character Nicolas is going through a coming of age experience. Not many people his age have to go through what he does and seeing his mom die before his eyes can certainly cause a coming of age experience. With his mom's death, he now has the weight to carry in getting himself home and then returning to find her. Throughout his journey he will experience many things that will add pressure for him and will create more weight for him to carry.
ReplyDeleteI believe that she chose the name "the weight of all things" for the book because of what the child has to go through. The book starts out with him seeing his mother die, that one thing there is something that no child that young should have to live with
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with everyone when it comes to the reasons for the title of the book. The story is called The Weight of All Things because Nicolas is forced to face life (which is the weight of all things) after his mothers death.
ReplyDeleteI think Sandra Benitez chose the title "The Weight of all Things" because Nicolas experiences what a lot of us don't experience at his age (his mother dying), therefore most things in the life after her death are more hard for him especially because he doesn't have a mother to be there with him through it, and never will have her physically there with him to help him through it. (Although he doesn't realize this because he is trying to find her).He has to go through physical and emotional struggles throughout his journey and these struggles just keep piling up. This weight will also be teaching him new things throughout life as he tries to find away to deal on his own. I believe the title suits the book well.
ReplyDeleteI believe the title signifies that Nicholas has at such a young age has to cope and deal with so many difficult life experiences, like his mother being killed in front of him, war, losing his home, his family at such a young age. It is as if the weight of all things are being placed on his shoulders. What a difficult burden to carry at such young age.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the title of the book does a great job reflecting what goes on in the book. Nicholas is only nine years old and over the course of a few weeks a series of events fall into place that change his life forever. I'm sure that it feels to Nicholas that the weight of the world is on his shoulders.
ReplyDeleteShe chose to title her book "The Weight of All Things" because Nicolas is going through really hard things with not knowing if his mother is alive or dead. He has to go through so much just to find out. At the beginning of the book it say "Nothing is heavier than the weight of all things." I think that he feels so stressed out and he is putting himself under so much pressure that he feels like everything is weighing him down.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteBenjamin Ree- Kysar's 2:15 Class
ReplyDeleteI think Sandra chose that for the title of her book, due to the fact that he felt the weight of his mother on his back. I don't think I could imagine the weight of my mother dead on my back. That in itself is heavier than life. And that would be like having the weight of the world on your shoulders not having a mother in your life.
Chris Bassett - Kysar's 2:15 class
ReplyDeleteI think that Sandra decided to pick this title because it is about a boy, Nicolas, and his experiences during the war. He has to accept the fact that his mother is dead and that is a very heavy burden to carry for the rest of his life.
i believe she picked the title becasue the boy in the story has to weight many things during the course of the book, and certain things he has to go through are just plain weightless, like his mom in the begining protecting him, after her death he needs to take the weigh of all things without his mothers help.
ReplyDeleteI think that Sandra Benitez chose The Weight of All Things because it is a title that gets right to the point about what the book deals with. Not only does Nicolas become weighed down by his life events, but so does the rest of his country. The stress of such horrific events takes a tole on the books society as a whole, and even the reader with every turn of the page.
ReplyDeleteI like the title of Sandra Benitez's book "The Weight Of All Things" because it is a play on words. The "weight of all things" would be what he is going through. It is a good description as to what Nicholas went through, how he came of age, and where he is now. I can almost feel the pressure that young boy had on his shoulders. It represents how strong he had to be to carry the burden of all of the horrific events he suffered through in his life.
ReplyDeleteI believe Sandra chose this title to describe the theme throughout the book. The boy has the unfortunate burden on his shoulders of his mothers passing early in his childhood. Most people couldn't even imagine what it's like to lose someone so significant in their life, at such a young inexperienced age. That's why I think that "The Weight of All Things" is an appropriate title for this book.
ReplyDeleteI think She chose to title the book "The Weight of All Things" because it is about the boy's life experiences and how that has affected his life and who he is as a person. He has a lot of bad experiences as a child with losing his mother and his home and everything.
ReplyDeleteI think that Sandra chose the title because it relates to the book on more than one level. The boys experiences in the book are tramatic. He loses his mother and sees horrible violence. I think that the "weight" isnt something physical, but Sandra trying to show us that this boy is carrying alot of emotional bagage and the he is taking the world on his shoulders at a young age.
ReplyDeletei think Sandra Benitez chose "the wight of all things" as her title because it is a interesting title, and got the readers attention.also because the story in the book was about how a young kid having to do things that make a person into what he is to day. but the main reason why i think she picked this title is because of the affect that all your choices make in your life dictate your future most of the time
ReplyDeleteI think sandra Benitez chose this title becuase the main character is carrying the weight of all the experiences that he is going through at such a young age. The title is suggestive that there is a lot going on, which is true. The main character has to deal with many hardships with the loss of family and friends to drastic changes around home.
ReplyDeleteI think that Sandra Benitez used the title 'The weight of all things' because his mother died when he was young and all the weight of life he had to deal with himself.
ReplyDeleteKatie Smith- Kysar's 2:15
ReplyDeleteI think that she named the book the Weight of All Things becasue all of what the boy has to go through. Even having to deal with the memories of his Mom dieing on him, and walking through a strange town must have been hard. The weight of the burden he has to deal with for the rest of his life I think she made into the title because it will affect him throught the whole book and life.
I feel she chose this title because Nico had to go through so much at a young age. It was like the weight of all things were on him. A young boy having such major challenges to overcome and stand up to. He was thrown into adulthood without a choice in the situation.
ReplyDeleteThe title is taken directly from the book, when Nicolas first allows himself to acknowledge his mother's death on page 171. He had ben missing home, and the life he had always known, and counting the days since he had last seen her. "The weight of the truth; the weight of all things crushed him, and he sat up....." The title is both a reference to that specific experience as well as all the other overwhelming experiences he endures throughout the novel.
ReplyDeleteI think the title was chosen because of all the turmoil that Nicolas goes through. How he had to bear the burden of so much at such a young age of nine years, forcing him to go through his coming of age.
ReplyDeleteNicolas is experiencing so much (the weight) during such a little time period. Lets not forget that he is only nine years old at the time of all this too. However, Nicolas faces a lot of hard times that he has to deal with at all times. Things you dont just forget about the next day. He had the weight of his mothers death, fending for himself, and caring for others all in a short period of time which adds to the title of the book.
ReplyDeleteI believe Sandra chose this title because Nicholas was only nine years old and the things he saw and experienced happend so fast in such a short period of time that he couldn't understand all of it. He held a lot of burden from not admitting his mother was dead and on top of that, he had many responsibilites that overwhelmed him. He felt like all of the events were weighing him down. Once he finally admitted out loud his mother was dead, the burden he felt on his shoulders lifted away and he felt like he could float away.
ReplyDeleteNicolas is only nine years old. Everything he is put through in this book is something that could make even a grown man shudder.
ReplyDeleteHe is very much alone for large portions of the book, and has to rely on himself or a a higher power--that being "Holy Mary" or "Our Mother."
Also, because I like to read into things, I believe that Nicolas being a "mule" throughout the book may allude to this fact. He is constantly forced to carry much more than he can bear, but makes his way through in the end. This happened with his mental burdens too, like losing his mother and being captured by the army.
Although the title is taken straight out of the story on page 171, I think the author used it because throughout the book, Nicolas feels as if he's weighed down by many different things. At one point, the book says, "He threw is arms around himself, because the knowledge of this had been a weight. Now that he had told the truth to another, he thought he might float up off the dusty floor or the church and vanish..." (p. 207). I think that the title represents everything that Nicolas feels throughout most of the story. He feels weighed down because he goes through a series of life-changing events at such a young age, and is forced to carry the weight of all of those things for the rest of his life.
ReplyDeleteRichard, Kysar Wednesday nights
ReplyDeleteNicolas had a lot of major, life changings things he was forsed into dealing with. It would be hard enough for a adult to deal with let alone a nine year old. He had a lot of stess and burden upon him that he had to sort out and get through.
Alyssa-Kysar
ReplyDeleteThe title "The Weight of All Things" is taken from a passage of the book and summarize the main topic of the book. I like it because you know what to expect from the book.
I think the title has something to do with nicholas and all the things he has to go through at his age and during the war.
ReplyDeleteI think Sandra Benitez chose to title this book "The Weight of All Things" because the main character Nicolas has gone through so many events and tragedies at a very young age of 9. He was weighed down by things that he had no control over, yet he still managed to mature through everything that has happened and take care of himself.
ReplyDeleteI think Sandra Benitez chose the title "The Weight of All Things" as a metaphore to all of the stresses that Nicolas goes through. Throughout the novel, each event Nicolas endures is more weight put upon him.
ReplyDeleteAndy Morris
ReplyDeleteI think she choose the title the weight of all thing because it fits the main character life perfectly. A nine years old kid lost his home and his family,got shot,and had to travelled thru dangerous places by himself. Imagine going thru similar obstacles in life at the age. Basically everything in your life is taken away from you, your memories,family,safety and all the good things life has to offer. The weight of all things is the perfect title.
Taylor-Kysar
ReplyDeleteI think Sandra Benitez chose the title "The Weight of All Things" because it expresses in a short and sweet way what Nicolas had to deal with at such a young age. If it wasn't the weight of the war it was he weight of his mother dying or being separated from his grandfather. I felt this was an appropiate title.
I believe that Sandra Benitez named the title of the Novel The Weight of All Things were because of Nicholas' life. And threw all things that he was put threw, and had to watch. He was forced to work for two different armys, he saw the life of two completely different worlds. He had people that he knew personally die. His village was blown up. His mother even died. He thought to himself "He was strong, he was a lion" (p.132) and he continued to fight for his and his grandfather's freedom. So threw his whole life he had all these things weigh him down but he couldn't let it stop him.
ReplyDeleteJacqueline - Kysar
ReplyDeleteI think that Sandra Benitez chose the title The Weight of All Things because throughout the story Nicholas is forced to endure many hardships and invitably grow up. He is experiencing things that some people never experience in life. The weight of all the hardships leads to his coming of age.