"Far and Away" is a love story about two people who are from different worlds. They came together to find new land in The United States. Shannon a wealthy Irish woman meets Joseph, a poor Irish man, when he comes to her home trying to murder her father. Shannon was held captive in her home because her mother would not let her have a life of her own. Joseph wanted to kill Shannon's father because he took his land back and burned down his fathers house. Shannon and Joseph came together and started on their way to the free land in The United States.
When Shannon and Joseph arrive in The United States they faced many challenges. Right when they arrived in The United States people did not want to be near them because they were Irish. The person they met on the boat was killed the second they hit dry land. He had all of Shannon's antique spoons and they were stolen when he was killed. Shannon was going to use the money from the spoons to get a horse and go to Oklahoma to the free land, but they had no money since the spoons were stolen. Joseph was barred because he did not win a fight so the whole town shut their doors on them. The men also took all of his money and Shannon and Joseph were unable to eat for days. They asked people if they could work for them but they all said no because they didn't want Irish to work for them. Many of the challenges they faced were because they were Irish and people were untrustworthy.
Joseph and Shannon reacted to these challenges by taking them in and working around them. They would be upset and frustrated at first but they always pulled through. They each did what they had to do to make things work. Joseph fought to earn money and get out stress, while Shannon worked hard at a job she hated. Their experience was horrible. They had to go through a lot to unpleasant situations filled with violence and fear to get where they wanted to be.
I think the immigrant experience would have been very disheartening. To know people don't like you because of your nationality and never get to know the real you. I think the experience is an eye opener because it is easy to see that these people are selfish when they won't help someone that needs medical attention. I believe this experience helps many people look at their own lives and want to be a more compassionate person, to help others when they have a hard time.
What do you think would have happened to Shannon and Joseph if they split up after they got off the boat? Do you think they would have been able to make it on their own?
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I think that Shannon would have been stubborn and scared and would have tried it out for a day or two and realized she hated it there and would have hopped right back on that boat. I think Joseph would have been fine. He seemed pretty independent and was looking forward to starting a new life (even if it had to be in America). He knew what he wanted and was willing to work for it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kelsey in that Shannon would have eventually called upon her family to return home. Then she may have come back to America with her family later on, since their mansion burned to the ground and most of their possessions destroyed. Joseph may have headed out West earlier, and I think he would have been able to survive--he knew how to handle tough instances.
ReplyDeleteI think that if Shannon and Joseph had split up when they got off the boat, one or both of them may have died. They came very close to death being together because they had no money for food. However, because they were together they were able to look after each other. For example, when they break into the house to find food and Shannon gets shot, if Joseph had not been there to bring Shannon to her parents home, she would have died. Also, when Shannon decides she is going to be a burlesque dancer in order to earn money she could have gotten in some trouble. Joseph again saves her because he gets her away from Kelley's friend. Though Joseph saves Shannon more than once, Shannon also saves Joseph by getting him out of Ireland. I think that they were meant to stay together to help each other out in America.
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