Weekly Blog 2_Lunkun Deng

-Will we go back to normal?
-Yes, we'll go back to normal.
But normal will be different.
This is the new normal.

(page34, THE GUYS by ANNE NELSON)

This short "ask and answer" powerfully describes the effect of 911 on people psychologically. Joan uses a simple way to express what ordinary people think of the event and the changes over time. It directly hits the very tenderness in our hearts.

"We’ll go back to normal." The first sentence of the answer presents a positive result. We are faithful that we’ll be fine.
"But normal will be different."The second one gives us a great psychological gap to our expectation from the first one. It impacts a fact that we can never get back where we used to be. We cannot pretend that nothing had happened on that day. What can never be wiped is the shadow of our dearest’s passing away.
"This is the new normal." The last one shows the optimism of the speaker. Every great event has an influence on us. That’s what we cannot deny. The influence may be whether physical or mental, positive or negative, short or eternal. Joan leads us to be optimistic. Everything will be fine. There will be a new world order, balancing the past, the present and the future.


-Can we start all over again?
-Yes, we can love each other once again.
But it’s hard to be a brand new start.
We can try to cherish the present and look forward.

The dishonesty seems hurt both sides. Time goes by. The scar is slowly to heal. They can make a new start. However, like a broken mirror, the crack can always be recognized even if it is perfectly repaired. The unhappiness never meant to fade away.