MAAASSIIVVEEE DEVELOPMENTS: SISTERS BROTHERS PG 165-244

WARNING: SPOILERS (duh)

DAMN DANIEL... Back at it with the white.... *ahem*.... the SISTERS BROTHERS!!! OMGOMGOMGOMG, there are sooo many developments happening... let's just get into it!!

In this segment, we are instantly greeted by the Sisters Brothers' background. One day back when Eli was a little child and Charlie was a teenager, they were innocently sitting in the field behind their house eating under-ripe apples when their father began arguing with their mother. The argument between the parents was furious and quickly escalated: their father "broke out the window with his hist and then hit [their mother] on the arm with an ax handle. He had gone crazy." (Dewitt, 165) In response, Charlie came into the house with the rifle and shot his father twice to defend his mother, disabling his father and leaving him to lay on the ground, where he spat and cursed with his last words.

Vividly picturing the scene in my head, I can now really sympathize with Charlie even more. I now personally feel that Charlie's ruthless attitude is justified. OK OK, you might be judging me rn, thinking that I have no morals or something. But, pleeaassee just hear me out.

AAHHHH PLEASE DON'T JUDGE ME!!!

Mrs norma brooks. “PLEASE DON. PLEASE DON'T JUDGE.” Meme Super, Digital Octopus, memesuper.com/download/e66207f315bccc4e81a1e5ee6345dd2cb256a315.html. Accessed 3 May 2017.

When Charlie was growing up, we see that he was constantly around violence: he grew up in the violent Midwest, was gifted a gun, and constantly watched his father abuse his mother. Seeing all this unfolding in front of him, Charlie must have been traumatized to some degree as a child: the violence in his immediate surroundings caused his developing brain to become desensitized to the act of beating and killing. He could have also stored pent up hatred towards his father. As a result, when Charlie grew up to be an adult, he became waaaaay more likely to be violent and to harbor hatred towards others, mirroring his environment he grew up in. Referring to this article, I can see several other reasons as to why Charlie has his violent tendencies. From the descriptors of Charlie's background, it is highly likely that Charlie received poor parenting and experienced stressful family situations, since his parents were ALWAYS violently arguing.

What do you think? Do you think Charlie's attitude is totally justified???

The story continues with the Sisters Brothers in San Francisco to find their victim: Hermann Warm (that's a pretty cool name... sorry, that pun wasn't too hot). Immediately, there is a contrast in setting. On the journey to the "hunting grounds," the two travel by small towns and pass little settlements; however, San Francisco is a different beast. Simply put: I do not want to live in San Francisco in that time period. Everything can be put in one word: chaos. There are "hundreds of [ships] packed together so densely as to give the appearance of a vast, limbless forest rolling the tides...Men of every race and age rushing, shouting, pushing, fighting; cows and sheep [are] directed this way and that" (Dewitt, 171). It really does seem that the brothers will have a difficult time finding this unknown Warm guy- it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack!!! I can just image San Francisco being like Canada Day in downtown Ottawa, the party in Cleveland when the Cavaliers came home with the NBA championship, or like China's overwhelmed subway lines... except the chaos is EVERYDAY. LIKE GEEEEEZ DOESN'T THAT GET TIRING???

Yeah... I don't wanna go through THAT every single day!!

BeijingCream. Beijing Subway, Line 13, Morning Rush Hour - Just a Little Crowded. YouTube, 22 July 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG-meaGqg-M. Accessed 4 May 2017.

When the brothers look for Morris who has gathered intelligence about Warm (some premier James Bonds spying here), it appears that Morris has ditched his post for... WARM??? After reading Morris's journal, I am completely thrown off! Real quick, lemme ask you a question: if you work for a mysterious mafia/gang leader who you KNOW kills people, will you EVER IN A MILLION YEARS betray him??? That's not even taking into account the two INFAMOUS killers he has at his disposal. Now, you may ask: "how about morals?" My response: pfft, I rather have my life (plz don't judge me more). I just think Morris is dumb now. But, it does seem that Morris converts to a greater cause: Warm's invention, which I think is some hopus pokus magic or something, BTJM.

Never mind Morris's switching side- I just find it very interesting in how Morris changes his character. During Morris's dinner with Warm, we see the most important part: WARM WAS SPYING ON MORRIS!!! WHAT A PLOT TWIST!! Ok I digress... that's probably not the mooost important part of the meeting. The most important part is Warm's character. Warm is easily characterized as a smart, genuine, and very likable person. Not only is he able to correctly analyze Morris, but he is also able to befriend and enlist him into helping his plan to get rich. To top it off, it even seems like Warm is in the right; the Commodore now just seems like a big bad bully who is greedy and is willing to kill whoever he needs to obtain it. It seems like that Commodore guy should reallllyyyy go into some rehab or at least take up yoga.

The Commodore Before and After Yoga

Rooney , Yolanda. “Before and After Yoga Picture.” Om No She Didn't, Blogger, 9 Oct. 2012, omnoshedidnt.blogspot.ca/2012/10/i-like-coffee-i-like-tea.html. Accessed 4 May 2017.

The more I read, the more I understand the characters. I guess I'll apologize now: maybe I shouldn't have just ranted about Morris joining Warm. That's entirely my b. Here's my opinion about Morris REVISITED: he seems very genuine, being described as not having

"a dishonest bone in [his] body. Typically, for example, when a man wishes another man a good morning, he will smile just as long as he is facing the other person, but as soon as he passes by, the smile immediately drops from his face... '[Morris] remains on [his] lips long after [he] [has] turned away. [Morris] takes a genuine pleasure in communing with another man or woman." (Dewitt, 188)

Morris truly seems like a sympathetic person- even I sometimes do the temporary smile gesture (I can sense your increasing judgement again). Looks like the Commodore should not only take up yoga, but he should also change his hiring practices- he obviously got the opposite of what he is looking for.

How does Morris appear to you? Does he seem like a good fellow, or is he setting up the back-stab of Morris?

Now back to the Sister's Brothers- they start to experience a change of heart when they read Morris's journal. As said by Charlie: "I have never minded cutting down the Commodore's enemies much, brother. It always happens that they are repellent in one way or the other. Lesser villains, men without mercy or grace. But I do not like the idea of killing a man because of his own ingenuity." (Dewitt, 197). It seems that EVEN Charlie is starting to feel weary about his actions, but nevertheless continue with his job. On the other hand, Eli is confident in exiting the professional killing business, after having a HUGE epiphany:

"[Eli] was not an efficient killer. [He] was not and had never been and would never be...[Charlie] manipulated [Eli]...[Eli] thought how many times have [he] pulled [his] pistol on a stranger and fired a bullet into his body... [Eli] had a vision of [Charlie and the Commodore] in the great man's parlor, their heads enshrouded in smoke, laughing at [him] as [he] sat on [his] comical horse in the ice and rain outside. [Eli] knew it to be the truth. It had happened and would happen again, just as long as [he] allowed it." (Dewitt, 216)

Eli hopes to quit the mercenary business soon, obtaining distaste towards looting and hired killing. Realizing his alienation from the rest of the industry, Eli further gains subtle contempt towards his brother and his brother's manipulations; Eli now actively considers a future of opening a store in Oregon and settling down with the loot from Mayfield. Through all his thoughts, I can see that Eli is very sensible and empathetic: he realizes his wrong doings and has a good sense of morals (though suppressed), hoping to escape the mercenary world once and for all. But, with Eli planning for his exit, there becomes a wedge driven between the two brothers, possibly foreshadowing a falling out between them. I can reaaallly see that happening, since they seem very very VERY different. I mean, you wouldn't expect two very different personalities to be a duo who go around murdering people would you??

Eli and Charlie are an opposite personality duo, just like Jenko and Schmidt from 21 Jump Street.

Sprankles, Julie. “Shared Interest in Extracurriculars.” SheKnows, 12 Apr. 2014.

Now, if you ask me, that's not that bad of an idea. Look- with Eli's plan, you get automatically rich from Mayfield's gold, won't have a target on your back, will not have to deal with the Commodore or your jerk brother, and can talk to your mother again. It's a win, win, win, and win for you!!! If I am in Eli's position, I will take that path for sure!

What do you think Eli should do? Do you support his actions?

I can already picture the two brothers changing sides and going against the Commodore. Hmmmmm, maybe that's what's coming up in later on in the book. But, right now I smell hanging suspense in the air (do you smell suspense or do you see suspense? idk)... and there's nothing that can be done about it unless we continue reading.

SO, SEE YOU NEXT TIME!!!

Additional Works Cited

Ari Spool. “Damn Daniel.” Know Your Meme, Literally Media Ltd., 9 May 2016, knowyourmeme.com/memes/damn-daniel. Accessed 3 May 2017.

Barbour, Scott. “What Are the Causes of Violent Behavior in Children?”LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, 19 Sept. 2010, www.livestrong.com/article/251743-what-are-the-causes-of-violent-behavior-in-children/. Accessed 3 May 2017.

Dewitt, Patrick. The Sisters Brothers. Toronto, House of Anansi Press, 2011.

Juliedinosaur. “My+b.” Urban Dictionary, Urban Dictionary, 22 Mar. 2007, www.urbandictionary.com/define.php? term=my%2Bb&defid=2322835. Accessed 4 May 2017.

LOLWHUT?! “RN.” Urban Dictionary, Urban Dictionary, 17 May 2010, www.urbandictionary.com/define.php? term=RN&defid=4969252. Accessed 3 May 2017.

Tom Kalmaku. “BTJM.” Urban Dictionary, Urban Dictionary, 29 Sept. 2013, www.urbandictionary.com/define.php? term=BTJM&defid=7202858. Accessed 4 May 2017.