TOW #12: In My Brother's Image, Eugene L. Pogany (IRB)

The book, In My Brother's Image, by Eugene L. Pogany, is very powerfully written. Since it is a memoir, it is written in the style of a story, and Pogany is able to utilize devices such as imagery and other figurative language. At the very beginning of the book, the two young boys are running through a church. Pogany describes it as an "awe-inspiring sanctuary, sheathed in red marble and gilt...line with magnificent statues of saints, angels, and kings, larger-than-life somber paintings of the crucified Christ, and four enormous central columns, supporting a domed cupola that rises to where heaven meets earth" (2). Normally, squeezing all of this detail into one sentence would be too much, but this author seems to create a strong and descriptive sentence that is perfect for the book. The church that the boys are in is obviously crucial to the story, being a center of religious meeting. The book continues to have religion as a theme, following the conflicts that the boys discover regarding their worship choices. The event in the chapel also represents how close the twin brothers are. In their childhood, they seemed to be inseparable. This detail is important when readers see how their relationship develops through the book. Twins are said to have a special bond, stronger and closer than normal brothers and sisters. With this in mind, I believe that it will be interesting to continue reading and see what happens. Although they do everything together, it is clear that the brothers have distinct differences. On page 3, there is a scene where Gyuri wants to go and investigate behind the altar, while Miklós is scared to. This juxtaposition of the two characters creates a necessary difference between them. It shows the reader that one is adventurous, while one is more timid. It allows the audience to see that they are not exactly alike, despite the fact that they are twins. So far I really am enjoying this book. I am not fully sure of the message Pogany is attempting to send, but I think that it has a lot to do with family values and relationships. As boys, Gyuri and Miklós have a very strong relationship, but it is not clear yet what will happen when they grow up. I am very excited to keep reading and find out!

http://blog.hdrshooter.net/2013/02/19/more-from-the-basilica/