#17

Melanie M.L. Moorhead 4.11.2022

The life of Nory Ryan is brutal and unbearable, Nory is a girl

about twelve to fourteen and must search for food every day just to
eat. We soon find out the setting is depicted in Ireland, during the
potato famine. The author never really describes her. Though we
know what her siblings look like, this allows us to picture what Nory
Ryan may look like. 
Nory’s sister has freckles covering her face with deep blue eyes
with flecks of grey just like her younger brother nicknamed, patch.
Since it looks like this trait is found with reddish hair too. It just makes
sense to add freckles with stone blue eyes and reddish-brown hair
that's dirty. Though the family has the same genes, they also have the
same problem or conflicts. The potatoes were Ireland's main source of
food without them, the people will starve. Some chapters into the book
we read about a fungus spreading quickly from farm to farm. The
fungus spread to Ryans’ potatoes starving them even more. Leaving a
huge scar to deal with. The potatoes were the only crop the family
had, over time Nory and her family got skinnier making their eyes big
and their heads narrower. Her brother, patch, is constantly whining
about the hunger coming back. This shows us that they have not had
food in a while.
Nory Ryan has a big heart and is she always looking out for the
farm and others. She cares about her family a lot, but she seems to
love patch more. Nory tried to borrow a coin from an old lady named
Anna Donnelly to help a family that was kicked out because they didn't
pay the rent, sadly, Nory loses the coin and now must work for Anna.
Since the family has barely any money to eat they often wear the
same clothes. Her dress is probably long falling halfway passed her
calves. Since Nory is always pulling up her dress from getting muddy.
Though from working on the farm, the dress is probably torn with the
hems falling apart. Nory is always worried about what the future brings
and how it will affect their lives, but Nory is the heart of her family
helping everyone to push on and always find a way to move forwards.