TASK 1:
In this extract from pages 2 to 3 we find out more about the mothers illness. The majority of the extract is made up of descriptions of the way the mother spits ‘green fluid’ into a ‘plastic receptacle’. Eggers has a very vivid memory of the ‘green fluid’ and goes onto describe the difficulties in disposing of the ‘green fluid’. The main people that are in this scene are Eggers mother as the extract is mainly a description of her illness, and Beth also makes an appearance at the end of the extract when she procures. In the extract we find out that the mothers illness encompasses the whole family not just the mother. This is shown through the way Egger and Beth have to find different ways for their mother to dispose of the ‘green fluid’. The ‘green fluid’ the mother is producing is constant, meaning the thought of her illness and her suffering is always around them- it is difficult to escape. Even though the illness surrounds the whole family, Eggers seems emotionally detached from his mothers illness. This is shown through the lack of opinion and feelings on the issue at hand. Eggers talks more about the illness practically, however through some of the words used the readers can make assumptions to his opinions even if they are not directly expressed. The repetition of the word ‘green fluid’ and ‘half-moon plastic receptacle’ emphasis the idea that their mother’s illness is a significant part of their lives, as it is always there. The noun ‘plastic receptacle’ has connotations with hospitals something that is not commonly associated with a happy home and family environment.
The key themes within this extract are the idea of responsibility on the family to look after and care for their ill mother as well as the theme of relationships between the Egger and his mother. Egger has to continuously clean the ‘green fluid’ otherwise it would be ‘festering’ on the towels and would be ‘impossible to clean’. The descriptive language ‘festering’ suggests something rotting and uncleanliness, the illness is slowly destroying the mother as well as the family. Eggers and Beth would be constantly ‘folding and turning’ the towels, the phrase ‘folding and turning’ is repeated twice emphasises the amount of time they would have to fold and turn the towels for their mother as she was too unwell to do so. The children have to constantly care for their mother- they have no breaks. The themes of relationships especially between Egger and his mother is shown within this extract. Due yo the mothers illness she has little to do but sit on the ‘couch most of the day and night’ whilst she spits up ‘green fluid’. This leaves Egger and his sister Beth with a large responsibility to care and look after his mother. The relationship between Egger and his mother is not what would be expected due to the illness, meaning Egger has more of dominant and protective role in the relationship due to him caring for his mother. Unlike what would normally be associated with a traditional parent and child relationship.
TASK 2:
Themes of juxtaposition of vitality in youth and weakness in illness, physicality and blending of fantasy and reality:
In the extract from pages 12-16, Egger focuses mainly on his mothers illness and goes on to thoroughly describe her before and after her illness-allowing the reader to make a comparison between the different physicality's and personalities of Dave’s mother. In the middle of the extract Egger describes his mothers physicality and personality before her illness. He describes his mother using words such as ‘power’ and ‘muscle’ and that she had an ‘inner hardness’.The descriptions of his mother have connotations with warrior and soliders- she is a fighter physically and mentally. The mothers physical strength is also emphasised when his mother would ‘cut the living shit out of her finger’ when cutting vegetables yet would just ‘grimace’ and ‘keep cutting’. The way his mother carries on even when she is evidently in pain suggests her sturdiness and capability to look after herself- before her illness she didn't need any care or assistance. The way Egger describes through the use of emotive language such as ‘power’ and strength’ almost in admiration and appreciation of the way she was before. However, before Eggers describes his mother pre illness, stating that when she came out of hospital she was feeling ‘defeated’ and ‘stripped’. The juxtaposition between the words ‘power’ and ‘stripped’ emphasis the huge impact the cancer has had on the mother physically and mentally. It also emphasises the way Eggers now thinks of his mum, as ‘defeated’ is defined as being beaten it suggests even Eggers has no hope for his mum- be believes his mothers illness is inevitable. Despite the fact that Eggers describes his mother as ‘defeated’ and ‘stripped’ he also describes her ‘area where her stomach was’ as a ‘pumpkin’ and that her stomach appeared ‘pregnant’. Both of these comparisons suggest something full and round which contrasts with the verb ‘stripped’ which suggests emptiness. There seems to be a blur of fantasy, as the noun ‘pumpkin’ is often associated with fairytales ,and reality, which suggests maybe Eggers has got hope for his mother and her illness or maybe its a way for him to cope with the inevitable. 
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