Outside Reading, Week 2, Post A

Vocab
klaxon (56): a loud electric horn, formerly used on automobiles, trucks, etc., and now often used as a warning signal.

parasiticide (55): an agent or preparation that destroys parasites.

Figurative Language
"A pain twinkled in Bunny's chest when he surfaced. He spun about to smooth the flannel that clung to the tub's rim like a slice of ragged ham" (44).

In this excerpt, DBC Pierre uses a simile to compare the way the flannel clung to the tub's rim to the way a slice of ragged ham would do the same. I believe that he chose "a slice of ragged ham" as his object of comparison for comedic effect. Earlier in the chapter, all Bunny talked about was his craving of ham and all the different cuts of ham. So, after not talking about it for several paragraphs, Pierre ends the chapter with a obscure/humorous reference to the beginning of the chapter, overall entertaining the reader.

"Her breasts and belly, and the fat that hung from her cheeks and neck, traveled downwards to sniff her grave" (45).

DBC Pierre is describing Irina Aleksandrovna to the reader in this quote and he does so in a very entertaining manner. This passage could be thought of as a hyperbole and a personification, as well as possibly even a foreshadowing. I say this is a hyperbole because with the text "the fat [...] traveled downwards to sniff her grave" isn't meant to be taken literally. DBC Pierre uses this to say that a lot of fat was sagging on her and was traveling towards the ground. I also say that this could be a personification because the fat doesn't have the ability to "sniff", but Pierre gives it this ability in order to compliment the hyperbole. One has to be close to sniff something, so coupling this with the hyperbole lets the reader see how far the fat will sag in the hyperbole. The use of the word "grave" also hints that it could be used as a foreshadowing, saying that the fat would eventually kill Irina.

"Maksimilian moved like an upholstered whip of muscle, dragging an oil drum into the tractor's lea, lighting dung bricks in it, and carring chairs from the shack" (48).

In this passage, Pierre compares the way Maksimilian moves to the way an "upholstered whip of muscle" would move in the same situation. When Ludmilla's mother and grandmother are deciding who should go West and look for a job, they briefly consider Maksimilian, as he is the eldest male, but unfortunately, he isn't particularly bright and mainly a "muscle man". Pierre uses this simile to show that reader that Maksimilian is not the best person to send.

Quote
"'Stay this side of the gate,' he whispered. The gate was a concept of Bunny's, a mental tool he had devised to help him cope with the world around him" (57).

I felt that this quote very accurately portrays the general feeling of the plot right now. In both plots, there is one person who is trying to progress forward and do something meaningful and useful, but they are being dragged down by those around them. These people that are dragging them down on the "other side of the gate" so to speak. They don't completely understand the situation and try to attach themselves to others or depend on others as a result. In Bunny's case, he is trying to latch on to Blair so he won't "fail" the social experiment, whereas in Ludmila's case, Irina and Olga are trying to make her do the work and support the family.

Theme
Currently, I would have to say there is an emerging theme of an individual's obligation to themselves vs. their obligation to their family members. Ludmila's family is trying to force her to work for them and support the family, but at the same time, she wants to run away with her boyfriend and live a better life. In Blair's case, Bunny, his separated twin, is trying to leech onto him and make him fail the social program, but Blair wants to live a normal life and try not to be held back by the fact that he was attached.