28 November 2006

Gamma Rays Post #2 - Marigolds and science experiments


This is the second homework blog posting... Did you already complete the post on good literature?

In The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, Tillie conducts an unusual science project. She subjects three different batches of marigolds to the potentially damaging effects of gamma rays - a topic we addressed in a previous blog post. But why did the play's author, Paul Zindel, choose marigolds as the flower to use in the science experiment? Check out some information on marigolds at wikipedia and then post your ideas about the use of marigolds in the story. What makes marigolds different from other flowers? How might the characteristics or qualities of this particular flower be a symbol that connects to important ideas in the play? Why might have Zindel used marigolds as the flower?

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

I believe that Tillie used marigolds to see the effects of gamma rays because of many reasons. One is that marigolds can heal many things such as burns or acne. Marigolds can also sooth irritated tissue. If the marigolds can cure your body from things maybe the gamma rays won’t affect them as much. So if you get struck by gamma rays, marigolds can help cure your tissue if they are not affected by gamma rays. Tillie is doing this experiment to see what happens to marigolds when they are exposed to gamma rays. Marigolds can help cure your body of many things, and maybe they can cure your body from gamma rays too. Gamma rays can injure your body in many ways. They can leave serious burns. Tillie did the experiment on marigolds because she wants to find out if marigolds can help cure your body. So if marigolds are affected by gamma rays the marigolds won’t help your body recover. If marigolds aren’t affected by gamma rays, then they will help you recover from gamma ray damage.

Anonymous said...

The author, Paul Zindel used Marigold flowers in “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds” for a few reasons. First, unlike other flowers, marigolds change color through the summer and spring seasons. The colors range from bright yellow, reds, orange etc. One reason why Zindel used marigolds in the play could’ve been because the bright colors of the flowers reminded Beatrice of the life she wanted to desperately have. Because the flowers represented something totally opposite than her own life, she did not want to be surrounded by them. Another reason could be that Zindel wanted to bring out something “brighter” than what was happening in their own house, maybe so the people (preferably Beatrice) living in the house could, as they say, “turn the other cheek”, and concentrate on what is important. The third reason why I think the author used the marigolds was because the name “marigold” refers to the Virgin Mary. These flowers could’ve been used as a symbol of security and “watching over”.

Period 1

Anonymous said...

The author of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds who is Paul Zindel used marigolds in Tillie’s science experiment for many reasons. One reason is that marigolds have bright colors and those bright colors like orange, yellow, and red are kind of like the happy days or good times of when Beatrice was in school and had a really great attitude and life. Those bright colors can also be a representation of the dreams that Beatrice had when she was in school. The dark and ugly colors of when a marigold dies can represent what actually ended up happening to her after she was done in school. She ended up having a husband who left her with two kids to take care of all by herself as they live in a small house. The marigolds are different from other flowers due to the fact that it has those three bright colors that last all the way from spring into summer, and then into fall. Another reason is that they grow and bloom quite fast and before you know it Beatrice was all grown-up and done with school. The third reason is that marigolds grow the best if they are in areas that have a lot of sunlight or that are very sunny. Beatrice was young before and had a great life and positive attitude with dreams that she planned on coming true which is like the sunny areas that are full of life. Then, he lost that positive attitude when she had kids and never accomplished her dreams to become what she actually wanted to become which is like the loss of sunlight.

Anonymous said...

I think that the Paul Zindel, the author of “The effect of gamma rays on man-in-the-moon Marigolds” because it is a very happy looking flower. I think she uses them because it reminds her of when she was happy and she didn’t have to worry about anything. Marigolds come in bright colors of orange, yellow, and red. It doesn’t take long for marigolds to turn into a beautiful flower, under two months. The aroma from the plant is very spicy. The common marigold refers either to the Virgin Mary or its old Saxon name “ymbglidegold”, which means “it turns with the sun”. I think that she is doing the experiment on this flower because it’s a great flower but she wants to see what happens to a beautiful flower when bad things happen to it. Kind of like her life.

Anonymous said...

The color of the Marigolds are related to the play by when the mother Beatrice is talking to some one eles on the phone she would act all polite like the coloer of the flower. She act friendly to the principal then she act strict to her kids. When she is acting friendly that like when the flowers are blossoming and she acting strict it like all of the flower just died. Marigolds are different from other flower because they grow towards the sun. they also are easy to grow because they can grow almost everywhere. Zindel used Marigolds as the flower because the girls need there mother for help just like the flower needs the sun.

Anthony G
period 4

Anonymous said...

I think that the author chose Marigolds because in the story Beatrice is always sad and angry and that is when the flowers arent in bloom, but when she used to be happy before she had kids she was like a Marigold, she was bright and happy like the colors the flowers are. i think she wants to go back to the life she used to have, because her life is really messed up now, and when Tillie used marigolds for her science project it might have reminded Beatrice what her life used to be like and that made her upset.

Anonymous said...

Marigolds differ from other flowers in many different ways. First of all Marigolds are very versatile, and they can be grown anywhere. Marigolds are also very appealing to most people. However, to a lot of people, they also have a very pungent smell. Paul Zindel could’ve chosen to use marigolds for a number of reasons. The Marigold flower symbolizes grief and despair, which could symbolize how Tillie is feeling. Tillie is being bullied at school, and having a very hard time from an abusive mother. The Marigolds could symbolize how Tillie is about her life. When Tillie’s mother tells her something, she just simply goes ok. Tillie is like a marigold in how she seems to look ok on the outside, but when to get closer to it there’s a pungent smell, which would also symbolize the deeper problems that Tillie might have with her family and herself. The Marigolds might also symbolize the other characters in the play such as Beatrice. Such as how Beatrice is very nice to Mr. Goodman on the phone, but she actually calls him a “Hebrew hermaphrodite”. Marigolds can portray Beatrice’s behavior as how they look good on the outside, but are actually very smelly on the inside.

Anonymous said...

When i read through the Marigold article in wikipidea, the article states ,"Marigolds are considered by many gardening experts as one of the most versatile flowers to grow in a garden, especially since it is hardy and easy to grow." When i read this, i felt a connection that was made by the author and the charcaters in the story. When i saw the word versatile, i thought of how different each member in the family is. Near the end of the article there are medical cures the ointment of the herb can perform. Things such as burns or acne. Since the herb of a marigold can do these things, I think that Tillie may have conducted the experiment and used marigolds because she wanted to find out what would happen to the traits it possed. This usage of the marigold can be related to humans beacuse Tillie may have wanted to find out what happened when humans are exposed to gamma rays. But since marigolds have certain traits to them, she decided to use them instead.

-Zack
Period 6

Anonymous said...

Paul Zindel could’ve chosen to use marigolds for a variety of reasons. One reason would be to resemble Tillie’s problems and feelings. With Marigolds, everything looks fine on the outside, but they are very strong-smelling if you get close enough, which may relate to problems that Tillie keeps rapped inside of her. Also, Marigolds can be such colors as yellows, reds, and oranges, they change throughout summer and spring. I think of those colors as happy and fun, but that was almost the opposite of Tillie’s life and family. That might have been why Beatrice was not fond of them, and maybe they reminded her of having a happy life, which she did not have. When Tillie used the Marigolds for her science project Beatrice could’ve felt sad and remembered how her life used to be. It may have brought her back in time when she used to have a good life, when she saw the beautiful colors again.

Period 1

Anonymous said...

There are a few different reasons why I think the author, Paul Zindel, used marigolds as the flower in the play. One reason is because of the color that marigolds are. Marigolds are yellow, orange, and red. The bright colors of marigolds might symbolize how Beatrice felt before she was married and had kids. Another reason is because they can heal and soothe things. Marigolds can soothe irritated skin and lessen inflammation. The last reason is because marigolds are hardy flowers and grow easily. In the play the play Tillie often feels unhappy because of some of the things her mother said. The marigold symbolizes grief, which is like how her mother makes her feel. The mother, Beatrice, says things that could be considered as verbal abuse. These things might make Tillie feel not good enough for her mother. Tillie’s mother told her that the clothes Tillie wore to school were embarrassing to the mother. These are the reasons why I think Zindel used marigolds as the flower in the play.

Period 1

Anonymous said...

Marigolds are differant from other flowers because they can grow anywhere and they grow quickly. The author could have chosen marigolds for many differant reasons. One might be becase they can grow no matter where they are planted. That could relate to Tillie because even though her mother is unnurtureing and very cruel twoards her she still goes on with her life. She still does things that she loves to do even thoguh the condition that she is growing up in isnt the best one. Another reason could be because you have to remove the dying flowers to keep the good ones alive. I think that Tillies mother could represent a dying flower and later on in the play Tillies mom might be romoved from the play.

Jesse S.
Per. 4

Anonymous said...

Paul Zindel’s decision on the use of marigolds can be interpreted in a few ways. Marigolds are very hearty and strong flowers that can withstand hash weather and other obstacles of flowers. If Tillie wants to affect them with gamma rays a symbol is created. The symbol is that Tillie has been strong and has withstood her mother’s cruelty. This cruelty is represented by gamma rays. We don’t know how Tillie or the flowers will be affected by the forces they are under. Another symbol of the use of the marigold is its color. They keep their color for many months until they die. There colors are vibrant shades of red and yellow and can symbolize the happiness Tillie so desperately longs for.

Anonymous said...

The reason that the author chose marigolds is because a marigold is a type of flower that can grow pretty much anywhere at anytime and in any conditions. They are called very hardy and quick growing. This connects to the story because Tillie is growing up in fairly poor conditions and is being poorly parented. However, she is still attempting to grow up on her own and the way she wants to. In conclusion, marigolds are very tough flowers that can be grown under even the most sever conditions. And in comparrison to marigolds, Tillie is growing up under sever conditions( being treated poorly by her mother).

James
Period 1

Anonymous said...

Marigolds is a type of flower that is very beautiful, it symbloizes calm and pretty things in life. I can really understand why the author chose Marigolds to connect to the story Gamma Rays. Not only if Tille one of the main characters growing up as flowers do, but she is a young girl getting parented by a mother who dosne't really care all that much. If she does so then she has a very bad way of showing it. In my opinion a flower like Marigolds is something that starts out as a seed then at one day at a time it growns with the right amount of sunlight, food, and water. This works the way a child does, a child starts off as a baby and will grow with the right amount of food and other things a baby needs to survive and stay healthy. But most of important a baby needs tender love and care. Marigolds have needs just as children do. I can deffidently see why the author chose Marigolds as a symbol in Gamma Rays.

Anonymous said...

The author, Paul Zindel, choose to use marigolds since they are very versatile and are easily grown.This is important in the play because Tillie, living in an old vegitable stand would be able to care for the flowers without to much of a strain.Also their uses is what makes them different from other flowers because they have the ability to cure a range of skin issues including burns and soothe irratated areas. By connecting this knowledge about marigolds, it could be said that in the story, these marigolds might be able to help someone who was intoduced to the gamma-rays or radioactivity. The mother was complaining the phone abouthte to Tillie's teacher.Zindel might use the fact that they can help skin and tissue irritations along with reducing inflammation to make a point that maybe Tillie wants to see if she can help people through her science experiment.He uses marigolds as the flower since there are so many possibilities for the flower to connect to the play.

Anonymous said...

I think that Paul Zindel used Marigolds for a few reasons. One reason I think he used this flower is because it’s such a hardy and can grow easily. I think somehow it represents how Tillie will learn to get tougher to survive her mom’s rampages and how she will be able to pull through and become somebody. Also Marigolds can change color. As other people have said I think this can show how Beatrice feels. It could make her either happy or sad depending on what the colors make her think. I also think that this goes the same for any of the characters in this play. The colors could effect all of them in some way or another.

-Shane
Period 1

Anonymous said...

I think that author Paul Zindel in Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds used the flower marigold because Tillie was doing some experiments on her science about gamma rays. Marigolds is the flower that is grown in the month of october. It is a unique flower with different bright colors like red, yellows and oranges which makes it really different than other flowers. May be author wanted to connect the deams of tillie about her science. It blooms quickly than other flowers and very hard to plant it. Marigold turns towards the sun. Author used marigold flower in this story because marigold is the flower that helps us in many ways. It kills the insect (aphids) in tomato. I think marigold is nat affected by the Gamma rays and can be used to cure the range of the tissues. Gamma rays are really harmful to the humans as it destroys the tissues. I think author chose Marigold for the experiment in science to check wether it is used as the medicine or not.

Anonymous said...

The author, Paul Zinde, used marigolds as the flower of the play is because they can grow anywhere at anytime and mostly at any place. They have a yellow, orange, and red flower witch is like what Beatrice felt before she was married and had kids. The Marigolds could also symbolize the other characters like Beatrice. Beatrice is very nice to Mr. Goodman on the phone, but when they get off the phone she calls him a “Hebrew hermaphrodite”. . Marigolds also reminded me of Ruth because Marigolds always do the same thing every year, just like how Ruth wakes up and smoke a cigarette. I think marigolds was a good flower to choose from because there’s so many different things about it and if you really think about it, it relates to the story.

Anonymous said...

I believe that the author of Man-in-the-Moon-Marigolds, Paul Zindel, chose Marigolds as the flower because you can easily keep track of how long is has been growing. Marigolds normally bloom in the beginning of the months in the summer time, so you can just count the days off one by one. The flower shows off its bright, colorful colors of orange, red, and yellow. The Marigold is also very easy to grow, since it'll grow in almost any type of soil. I also believe the author chose the flower because it heals wounds and kills of insects. It is connected to gamma rays, because the rays are very harmful and can burn ones skin; you'll be able to use the flower to reduce the pain.

Zack F.
Period 6

Anonymous said...

The author, Paul Zindel, chose marigolds as the flower to use in the science experiment because marigold flowers are said to be one of the most versatile flowers to grow in a garden. This would have been used for the science experiment because it can be different at different times that it grows. (Hints versatile) This flower also might have stood out to the author because of the versatile characters in the script. Other flowers are not always so versatile, meaning that they grow a specific shape and color and nothing but that. Marigolds on the other hand can be different sizes and shades of orange/yellow colors. In the play there are many different or versatile characters, I think this may have something to do with the author’s choice in the flower. I also think that maybe Beatrice will have different sides to her personality as we continue reading, and this might symbolize her different moods or actions. (Her versatility)

Anonymous said...

There seems to be a small connection to the play “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon” and the actual flower, marigolds. The growth of the marigolds is effected by the sun. How long it’s out in the sun and the quantity of sunlight. And in the title of the play, there are the words “Gamma-Rays” and gamma rays come from the sun. I don’t however know any connection of “Man-in-the-Moon”. And the occasional death and rebirth of the marigold is like Tillie’s mother’s fake personality. One moment Tillie’s mother is flirting and being nice to Mr. Goodman on the phone, the next minute she is scolding Tillie about her science expertise.

nicole t.
period 1

Anonymous said...

I think thAt the author chose Marigolds because they are a very unique flower. they also keep mosquitoes and other insects away. Marigolds are a very easy flower to grow since they can grow in any type of soil. It connects with the story b/c all the characters, like Beatrice are all different as to Marigolds are as well... they grow in any shape or size.

Alicia/ p:1

Anonymous said...

I think that author Paul Zindel use Marigolds in his story because Marigolds are common flowers and Tillie faces common problmes in her life. Also Marigolds are yellow, which is a happy color. Just like the way Beatrice felt before she had her-life children and job.

Anonymous said...

I believe that there are many different reasons that the author chose to use Marigolds. One reason might be that Marigolds are the most versatile flowers and in the play I think that Beatrice is versatile. She says one thing and acts one-way one second and act another way another minute. Like when she was nice to the principle on the phone and then talks bad about him to her daughters. Also Marigolds can be yellow, orange, and red. Also I feel these colors can represent the characteristics of each character.

Period 1

Anonymous said...

I think there is a few resons why the author chose marigolds for the stroy. One being that marigold are the most versatile flowers to grow in a garden. Marigolds are also very easy to grow. This seems like it refers to her childhood and growth of herself. They do not need alot of attention and are very hardy flowers. They also like the sun, which can mean they like to be happy. And these flowers can lastey help us out. We can uuse the flower for some cream to treat some skin problems. Tillie being with science also wants to help people.




Matt Tarducci
P-6

Anonymous said...

I think that there are many reasons why the author, Paul Zindel chose to use marigolds instaed of any other flower. One of the most significant reasons may be that marigolds can thrive and grow in almost any place or in any condition, which relates to Tillie because she is a vety smart and successful girl. Another reason why I thnik the author chose marigold is because it relates to the topic of gamma rays. Gamma rays can harm or kill off cells in the body and marigold help to heel cuts, burns, or even damaged tissues.
period 4

Anonymous said...

I think that the author chose marigolds because they are very unique flowers. For one, they can heal wounds. So when something bad happans and then a good thing happans after that, that can be like a marigold healing the wound. Also, the marigolds can kil insects. So I guess that in the story insects can represent all of the bad things that happan and the marigolds can represent people or other events that made them better. Another thing about marigolds is how they are easy flowers to grow in a garden and they do not need much. You can simply plant them and leave them, because all they really need is sunlight.

Anonymous said...

I believe that Paul Zindel chose marigolds as the flower in Tillie’s experiment because of the unique qualities that it possesses. First of all, a marigold is one of the hardiest and sturdiest types of flowers. This makes it very ideal to grow in rough conditions or in a brutal environment. Second of all, marigolds are supposedly extremely versatile and flexible. This adaptability allows marigolds to mature in a number of settings – areas with a hot and cold climate, or regions in high and low altitudes. Finally, the third reason Zindel might have used it was to compare or contrast it to characters or things in the play. It is a possibility that the author intended to compare it to either Tillie or Beatrice. Marigolds evidently possess the ability to bloom from color to color very rapidly. I believe that this characteristic may represent Beatrice’s varying personality. It may also foreshadow Tillie’s future transformation from nerdy young girl to a beautiful young woman.

Matt R. - Period #1

Anonymous said...

I beleive that Paul Zindel used marigolds in the story for a few reasons. One reason could be a connection to Beatrice. Marigolds have very bright nice colors but have a strong, spicy, sent. The nice bright colors connect to how Beatrice acts polite and nice to other people, and the strong spicy sent related to how she is hard on her kids. So she has 2 very different personalities. a good one, and a bad one just as marigolds do. A good look but strong sent.

Anonymous said...

I think there are a few reasons why the author of the play "The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds." One reason is because marigolds are very versitale. They can be orange, yellow, or red. They are just like Beatrice and how she can be one way one moment then another way the next moment, like her phone call to Mr. Goldman.

Period 4

Anonymous said...

Marigolds were used in this play to symbolize Beatrice, the crazed mother. The gamme rays represent how Tillie is, and how involved with science she is. So basically, I believe it's how Tillie effects her mother.

steph
Period 1

Anonymous said...

i think that the author chose marigolds because they have the ability to grow and develop into something beautiful in rough atmospheres. Tilly and Ruth are like marigolds, because they are growing up in rough conditions, with an abusive mother, (emotionally) low self esteems, some sort of mental problem, and various other difficulties. but as i think we will see in the book, Tilly and Ruth grow and develop into beautiful flowers, despite their hard conditions.

Anonymous said...

Marigolds are different from other flowers because they can heal wounds with their ointment. I believe the author chose marigolds over any other flower because marigolds have the ability to grow and flourish in almost any conditions. This symbolizes Tillie’s interest in science. She is growing up in a very hard home because her mother and sister both think science is a waste of time and don’t see any value in it at all. They keep telling this to Tillie, especially Tillie’s mother who seems to have something against someone learning something about science. Besides all this Tillie is still interested in science and wants to continue doing experiments. Another reason the author might have chosen marigolds is because they bloom in many different colors and sizes. This might symbolize the characters in the story. It seems that they are all have extreme personalities and contrast each other very well.

Anonymous said...

The author clearly chose marigolds for a reason. On the whole, a marigold can symbolize the entire family. This is because marigolds bloom in many different varieties (color, size, time of year, etc.). The family is like these marigolds because every member is different. They each have there own qualities and characteristics which makes no two exactly alike. Even more so, a marigold can be symbolic towards Tillie. This is because marigolds have the ability to bloom and grow in a large variety of conditions, alike Tillie. Tillie has the ability to learn and expand her mind with her science, even when her family members are trying to bring her down and make her feel like a "nerd". They continually make her feel as if she is a geek and make the attempted growing of her knowledge harsh to flourish. Yet, Tillie has perservered and still continued her studies to better her brain. Tillie, alike marigolds, can survive under numerous conditions that can sometimes be harsh.

Anonymous said...

I belive that the marigolds were in this play because they are based on the family. there about the family because the family is growing fast just like the flowers. with the cemicals the plants will grow faster.

Anonymous said...

I think it has to do with the fact that the flower kann heal wounds with it's ointment.Marigold kann grow in any condition and I think thats why the author chose marigolds as the flower of the story,but also because Tillie in the story grows up to be better in school and in science.That could be the reason of the marigold because the marigold kann grow in any condition(weather).And Tillie kann grow her self confidents even without the help from her mom or her sister,because they are not helping her at all.And maybe because the flower is very colour full and big and that has to do maybe with the characters.

Anonymous said...

There are several reasons that Zindel might have used marigolds as the flower that Tillie has to use in her experiment. The author uses the marigold as a symbol because it is one of the easiest flowers to grow. It doesn't require a lot of work and is rather independent. I think that the flower relates to Tillie herself. It seems that way because Tillie is also independent and can take care of herself when her mother doesn't want to. Marigolds are different from other flowers because of the fact that they are easy to grow and don't need much help.

Bekah
Period 6

Anonymous said...

The marigold turns with the sun other plants dont. People bloom like flowers becasue they grow up in time. Ruth grows up becasue she doesn't get laughed at becasue she makes the finals of the science fair. Zindel use the flower because it shows how the flower is different like the family.

piriod 4

Anonymous said...

Zindel used marigolds for the science expiriment because they relate to Tillie. They are a like in many ways. The marigolds were exposed to radiation, and in a way, so was Tillie. Her family is sort of like the radiation, making it hard for her in more ways than one. But like Tillie, Marigolds always turn towards the sun. If there was ever a bump in the road for Tillie, she worked right on through it not caring much about what everyone else had to say. She looked for the brighter sides of things. Also, as flowers, marigolds will bloom when the time is right. That is most likely what is going to happen with Tilie. She will bloom into a beatiful flower, just like marigolds.

Anonymous said...

Marigolds were used in Zindel's story for many reasons. One of them is because Marigolds heal wounds and kill of insects. In this story Tillie gets verbal abuse from beatrice and she has to heal her own "wounds". Also marigolds aren't normal flowers, they are rare like tillie she doesn't feel like a "normal" kid her home life isn't great and people at school laughed at her when she did her first science experiment

Anonymous said...

Paul Zindel, the author of The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, could have picked the marigold flower for many different reasons. I think the main reason the marigold flower was picked was because the flower is very hearty. Marigolds can "take a beating". Meaning the flower unlike many other kinds of flowers can survive through frost, wind and many other types of variouse weather conditions that other flowers would not survive through. Marigolds are like Tillie because Tillie also survives through variouse verbal abuse from her mother. And just like the marigold, Tillie survives and continous on with her life. Also, the marigold flower is allways facing the sun. Similar to how whenever Tillie gets down she moves on with her life, she goes on always is looking for the brighter side of things.

Anonymous said...

I think the reason the author chose maragolds is becasue they can grow in pretty harsh conditions and they can symbolize tillie. She is still growing even though she is growing up in a not so good envirerment. Like the seeds were exposed to radation, tillie is exposed to cigarette smoke, a verbly abusive mother, and being made fun of at school. The flower is said to cure some certain diseases and Tillie is being "cured" by her exparament, she has something to keep her moving and interested in science.

Anonymous said...

I think the reason why Zindel chose marigolds was because that flower has the ability to heal things. Tillie and her family need alot of healing. Her mom needed to be less abusive and start to act like a mother and her sister needed to not be so crazy. Tillie's self esteem also needs to be healed. All she hears is her sister and her mother bringing her down and making fun of her.

Per.4

Anonymous said...

I think Zindel chose to use marigolds as the flower in the play because they are affected by radiation and so is Tillie. Tillie's family is the radioation, they make it hard for her to make her dreams come true. They also try o put her down , but Tillie jsut brushes whatever they say off and goes on her way through life like her family never even affected her. Tillie is a very strong person and knows how to make it through the tough times.Tillie always looks for the brighter side of things. When the time is right Tillie will blume into a beautiful person jsut like a Marigold. People need time to blume everything does.

-Liz Pirrone

Anonymous said...

I think that the author of the effects of gamma rays on man on the moon marigolds, was because he was relating marigolds to the main character, Tillie. Marigolds can grow in harsh conditions and even grew after having radiation submitted to it. Tillie is just like marigolds, they can grow normally without abnormalities even after cobalt 10 was subjected to them. Tillie can still grow and not go crazy (like her sister) while living under her current conditions. Her family is like the radiation being submitted to her, but she still manages to maintain normalness.

Anonymous said...

I think they chose marigolds because they relate to the main character, Tillie. It seemed that the author was comparing the resistant marigolds. Like Marigolds could be hit with elements of nature, Tillie can take verbal abuse from her mother and be able to just brush it off like its nothing. Tillie has grown used to her environment, and in a sense, has "evolved," just like marigolds.

Anonymous said...

Joe Sierejko (forgot name) December 05, 2006 9:46 A.M.

Anonymous said...

The author must have used marigolds for a reason. I believe teh marigold has to do with the entire family and how they will turn out. Marigolds bloom in many diffrent ways (size,color,etc.). Each family member has to do with the diffrent kind of marigold Tillie is growing.Tillies family members think that her science project is a joke and her mother Beatrice wants nothing to do with it.This science project is Tillies only way to break free from all the bad her family puts on her.

Anonymous said...

The author chose marigolds for a reason. I think that the marigold represents Tillie and her personality. Tillie, like marigolds, know how to persevere even through somewhat harsh environoments. Marigolds do best in sunny locations, but can also thrive in somewhat-sunny locations. Tillie's home environment would be the " not so sunny" situation. However, Tillie can still do well and grow as a person, through harsh conditions. Marigolds can also grow and bloom in many environments. They are hardy and easy to grow, withstanding components that can affect their growth.

Anonymous said...

I think Zindel chose the marigold because it is a very symbolic flower to the story and its characters. The gamma rays that the flower is exposed to represents the mother always verbally abusing Tillie. But Marigolds, like Tillie, can grow under very poor conditions without dying. As much as Tillie is exposed to her dysfunctional family, she does not go crazy like her sister Ruth.

Brandon
Period 1

Anonymous said...

We have tried all sorts of acne treatments and we decided to stick to acnezine. We have seen incredible results. We have tested many treatments here at AcnezineReviews.com and for now it's the only effective treatment that we truly reccomend. Brian Kane from AcnezineReviews.com