In a well-developed paragraph, explain to your reader what argument you are planning to develop for Silas House's A Parchment of Leaves. What is your tentative thesis?
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Mikkaela Bailey
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ENGL 3353
21 September 2015
Tentative Thesis: A Parchment of Leaves
In Silas House’s A Parchment of Leaves, he uses a redbud tree to symbolize the various elements and stages of life. From love, personal growth, and wisdom to betrayal and pain, Vine seems to grow as the tree grows. The tree means may things to many people; yet Vine has a special connection to the tree that aids in explaining how she relates to the situations she encounters. “It [the redbud] was little, but it still held its juice. I talked to it everyday, willing it to live” (39). Vine puts her faith in the tree in the hope that it will help her to continue to live on the mountain and thrive in every stage of life.
Callie Brothers
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ENGL 3353
21 September 2015
Tentative Thesis:
As we have read and discussed this particular book, the idea of marriage struck me. What is marriage? What makes a marriage work? Is marriage a supposed arrangement or is it the love of two people that help it grow? As Vine had planned to marry this man, her family did not approve, especially her mother. He wasn't Cherokee she exclaimed, he wasn't like them. Vine also realized that he would always chose his family over her, no matter what the case may be. What shall a wife do when her husband is not dependable upon her and what shall she do to convince him of what marriage truly means between two people?
Kelsey Wheatle
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ENGL 3353
21 September 2015
Tentative Thesis: A Parchment of Leaves
Upon finishing the novel "A Parchment of Leaves" by Silas House, an idea that came to mind is in regards to Vine's killing of Aaron. If Aaron had not leaned over into Birdie's sleeping face after he had raped Vine, I wonder if Vine would have committed the murder. It is unclear whether Vine killed him only because she was upset that he had raped her, and found his distraction of Birdie the perfect moment to take action, or if Vine had committed the murder because she was afraid that Aaron would have tried to harm Birdie in the same way that Aaron had harmed her. Vine could have killed Aaron because she could not have been able to face him after knowing that he had raped her. If this is the case, I wonder how the relationship between Vine and Aaron would have shifted if Vine had not killed him. Would Vine have been able to tell Esme and Saul about the rape, with the intent of executing justice on Aaron? Or would she have been compelled to let the rape slide and sacrifice herself and her hurt because she knew that Saul would always choose his family over Vine?
Sadie Wyant
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ENGL 3353
21 September 2015
Tentative Thesis: A Parchment of Leaves
In Silas House’s A Parchment of Leaves, faith comes into play. God is mentioned almost constantly in the novel, whether it is in the description of God’s Creek and God’s Mountain or in conversations people have about their faith. Vine connects to God through nature and creation in general. She marvels over her newborn baby, exclaiming that she has seen God. She also has learned from her mother to experience God in nature, though this has both a positive and a negative influence on her.
In Silas House's A Parchment of Leaves, there is an underlying emphasis placed on the notion of time and how things can change like the changing of seasons. Esme's clock is a small focus point and yet it is representative of the whole novel. Through this passage of time, the characters grow and change with the seasons, only pausing once when the clock is stopped at Esme's death. However, the passage of time is only able to change their personalities, and not what happened to them. Forgiveness still remains the only instrument able to change everything.
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