Turning points in the story

Use this forum to discuss the July 2019 Book of the month, "Defining Moments of a Free Man from a Black Stream" by Dr Frank L Douglas.
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briellejee
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Re: Turning points in the story

Post by briellejee »

InStoree wrote: 05 Aug 2019, 06:02
briellejee wrote: 05 Aug 2019, 04:13
shravsi wrote: 05 Aug 2019, 00:28 I also felt the suicide part was the biggest turning point.
Yes, because I think it was the start where he knew or had the realization that he's the one who can control his life.
That's an interesting point of view, briellejee. Indeed, that was what he needed most, in the first place - to be in control of his life. Well-said!
I think it helped him develop a sense of authority over himself. Rarely does that happen to kids, but I guess with the circumstances, he matured greatly for his age. :tiphat:
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Post by Gracedscribe »

I don't think anything could have been a more groundbreaking turning point than the almost-suicide. Having said that, many of those major life events like knowing about his dad, the experiences in a different country, among hostile people would have been major life changers, too.
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Post by Atharva Joshi »

I think the fact that fear saved his life kind of flipped the board for him, so it has to be a major turning point in his story.
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Post by KitabuKizuri »

briellejee wrote: 19 Jul 2019, 00:46
Stephanie Elizabeth wrote: 10 Jul 2019, 06:10
Kibetious wrote: 08 Jul 2019, 08:00 The decision not to end his life is probably the most important turning point for him. The others may have played a role but it seems realizing he could do much better did play a huge role in his life.
I agree. I saw this as his rock-bottom and everything after that was him moving forward with the motivation to do better and be better.
Same here. That actually might be the biggest turning point in his life that made him who he is now. :tiphat:
It seems like most people who go through this and choose to keep going have passed the test of the will to live.
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Post by Burnaard+42 »

The fact that he faces his fears of drawning and turns them into strength to walk out of his suicide mission shows a great turning point.
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Post by Nuel Ukah »

briellejee wrote: 08 Jul 2019, 00:59 Early on, the author recalled about the time where he attempted suicide when he was a boy overwhelmed with emotions. He was about to let himself fall over the edge but decided not to because of fear of drowning. Do you think this was a turning point in his life? That after this incident, he decided to turn his life around? For me, I think it was one of the instances that made him realize he could do better and life will be better. Another one was when he knew about his real father. Are there any other instances like this in the book that you think are turning points in the author's life?
I think seeing a reason to live, despite all he was going through, was a turning point in his life.
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Post by Vickie Noel »

esp1975 wrote: 11 Jul 2019, 10:39 I think there's a reason that the author began the book with that story of contemplating suicide and then not going through with it. Obviously, he sees that as a turning point in his life, and it is written as the point where he decides to take control (or as much control as he can) over his life. That one decision is the catalyst for everything that comes after.
I agree with you. Reasoning himself out of committing suicide as against a suicide gone awry shows that from that point on, ending his life by his own hands was not only not an option, but the fact that such a thought had occurred to him at one point in his life also served as a propelling catalyst to ensure that he ended up having a fulfilling life.
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Post by Herbstlicht »

I think the desicion to not kill himself was rather a result of his defining moments. I believe the story of his father and incidents with bigotry and racism were the turning points.
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Post by Felicity Granger »

It's when you hit rock bottom that you have nowhere to look but up. I believe this was the case with Frank. He had three choices: go through with killing himself, continue on the same path of being victimized and steeped in self-pity or changing. The fact that he did strive forward, and so profound a stride too, was something I found very admirable.
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Post by Ekta Swarnkar »

Well, I think it was after that he realizes that only he can control his decisions and should control them.
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Post by Lady-of-Literature »

If you don't mind, I would like to piggy-back on your first example because I love it so much. I remember some time ago I read a article about suicide victims who survived and how half through with the act they realized how every single problem they faced could be overcome. Every single one. I can certainly see why this moment, horrible as it is, is a moment that sort of, "woke him up," and allowed him to see that there is more.
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Post by VictorKE »

The decision not to cut short his life actually was the turning point.
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Post by Umesh Bhatt »

There were many points in this book which can be taken as a turning point in this memoir of the author and one of the prominent one in my opinion is grant of scholarship to him for studying in US.
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Post by Agbata precious »

Wriley wrote: 08 Jul 2019, 10:03 I think when he talked to Moms about his father was his turning point. He decided life would change for him and HE would make it change. I know twelve year Olds kill themselves but honestly I don't think suicide was ever going to happen for Frank. A kid like Frank who talked himself out of suicide by deduction, was not going to kill himself.
I agree with you.
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Post by Samuel Okoye 2 »

He had 'every reason' to take his life, but somehow he didn't. I think that was the most conspicuous turning point in the book.
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