I pulled a classic blunder before reading this book. I let the summary on the back of the book give me a preconceived notion of what the book was going to be about. It is not that the back of the book was wrong in terms of what it was about, I just read the fact that it was set against the backdrop of the murder in 1906 and assumed that it was going to be more of a murder mystery. I guess I was thinking a mix of Devil in the White City, and Sherlock Holmes, not Little Women. It did not take me long to realize that I was mistaken. That is not to say that it was a terrible book, it was just not what I was expecting.
As a teacher the first lens that I always look through is that of a high school student. As a student I am not sure how I would rate it. First, I guess it would depend on the gender or the student. I feel that this book would speak more to a female student than a male one, and I do not say this simply because the main character is a female. I say it because I think on many levels male students would not be able to relate to the novel. In my opinion I found this as a coming of age story of a young woman. A girl (Mattie) who had to raise her sisters and run a farm because their mother died, struggled with thinking she was plain (classic case of poor self-esteem), told us about the highs and lows of her first relationship, and in the end learned to live for herself in the wake of the death of Grace (a lady murdered by the man who got her pregnant). It is for these reasons that I feel the character of Mattie will not relate to many of the young boys in high school. She is a character, however, that many young girls will be able to connect with. Even though it takes place over a hundred years ago, they are still issues that girls go through and fight with in today’s society.
Taking away the lens of the student it is a novel that I thought was very well written. Donnelly does a masterful job interweaving the history of the murder with the story of Mattie. As I mentioned before I started out thinking it was a murder mystery novel. After about 50 pages, when I found out it was not, I was able to stop and start to enjoy the book for what it was. I personally do not know much about the turn of the century, especially up around the Adirondacks. It was interesting to see how the life was so much different, and yet much the same. When Mattie finally got the job, she lived about 8 miles from home. She did not call it far, but it was far enough that she could not go home every night. For her it was a summer job away from home. It today’s society less than 10 percent of my friends live within 8 miles of my house. When I first started reading I read about a simpler time. However, the further I got in the novel I realized that it was not exactly simpler, it just had a different kind of hardships. While some of the things were different, there was a great deal that is the same. I think that Donnelly does a great job creating a character that transcends time. Her development did not depend on the time she lived, but rather on the very same things that make us all human.
I feel this was what made A Nothern Light such a good example of a Historical fiction. It was not a story about the early twentieth century; it was a story that just happened to take place in that time frame. The fact that it was in 1906 was an undercurrent to give the plot a context. For example it gives a context as to why women’s rights were non-existent. At that time women’s suffrage had not happened, so the Mattie’s role on the farm was set. School was a second priority for a girl who had to cook clean and raise children; going to college was uncommon, let alone for women. And then those women like Miss Wilcox/Baxter who are educated, still have to play second fiddle to the men, even if he is abusing his wife. It was never stated why the gender roles where the way they were, but knowing that it was in 1906 helps the reader understand what was happening and why.
Overall, I thought that the story was told very well. Donnelly did a great job writing a compelling novel that can speak to all people no matter what decade they grow up in. Mattie was a character that was easy to cheer for and easy to share in her hopes and dreams. Even if it is more girl friendly, I do not think that stops it from being a text that could be used in the classroom to give an idea of the early twentieth century.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
I have been meaning to read The Book Thief for a while now. The first time it caught my eye was on display at Barnes and Nobel and it was being touted as one of the best new novels for teens. The title itself was one that, as a lover of literature, had me intrigued. I guess I am a homer, and the mere thought of a book about books made me want to read it. I mean, what English teacher does not love a good book, therefore a book about books is as good as it can get.
My second meeting with the novel came in the classroom. I was subbing for a teacher that teaches striving readers. I was looking around at the books in the classroom and saw that it was there. I asked her about the book and she gave it a glowing review. However, I noticed that it was not a short text, and knowing that she teaches striving readers I asked her if many of the students pick it up and read it. She said that five of her students had already read it, and they loved it. Five may not seem like many, but when she teaches only 25 students, five is 20 percent. She offered to lend me the book, but at the time I had other novels on my list that I needed to read first. Then low and behold it showed up on my book list for my Lit class. I knew that I had to read it, it was calling to me.
I wish I had not waited so long. The novel did not disappoint. It was everything I was hoping for and more. One of the things that drew me in from the onset was the narration. Who has Death narrate the story of a girl? However, it fit with the story. The holocaust was a time of death and sadness. It was a constant reminder of what was happening all around Liesel; it reminded the reader that Death is always close by. This is definitely reinforced by the fact that the book starts with the death of Liesel’s brother. I think the way that Zusak wrote Death was not only for a creative was to tell a story, but knowing that it was Death allowed the reader to put the story in perspective.
Like I said before, this is a text that is read in a striving reader’s classroom, and I can see why. In the class the teacher is constantly looking for texts that engage her students. This novel is one that does this in spades. I went into her classroom again this week just to get her feedback as to why her students like the story so much. One of the most common answers for her is because they fall in love with the Characters. Whether it is Liesel, Rudy, Max, Hans, Rosa, or the Mayor and his wife, Zusak does a great job developing well rounded characters that students are able to connect with. With Death narrating, the reader is constantly aware of what might be waiting around the corner and with that they find themselves turning the page and dreading something bad, but hoping for something good. The other aspect of the story that many of the students really enjoyed (and I did as well) was the perspective from which it was told. So much of the WWII literature out there that the students had experienced was either told from an American in the war, or a survivor of the concentration camps. This was a new way to see the war. I think that is does a good job giving students a glimpse as to what life was like in Germany, especially for those who did not agree with what Hitler was doing. Rudy’s father was sent away for refusing to send Rudy to the Nazi program, and Hans was drafted into a war that he despised. While they listed those two reasons, among others. I think that the main reason the students like the story is because it makes them feel. Zusak does a great job making the reader care about the characters, and hope that they can find happiness. At times it can bring the reader to tears, and at other can have them thankful for what they have in life.
Zusak is a masterful storyteller. He tells the story of a girl growing up in one of the saddest and most depressing times in the history of the world. The setting is important to the novel, but I feel that Zusak also does a good job explaining the larger human experience than just what happened during WWII. Like Death says, “you are going to die”, but that does not mean you have to let that affect the way that you live.
My second meeting with the novel came in the classroom. I was subbing for a teacher that teaches striving readers. I was looking around at the books in the classroom and saw that it was there. I asked her about the book and she gave it a glowing review. However, I noticed that it was not a short text, and knowing that she teaches striving readers I asked her if many of the students pick it up and read it. She said that five of her students had already read it, and they loved it. Five may not seem like many, but when she teaches only 25 students, five is 20 percent. She offered to lend me the book, but at the time I had other novels on my list that I needed to read first. Then low and behold it showed up on my book list for my Lit class. I knew that I had to read it, it was calling to me.
I wish I had not waited so long. The novel did not disappoint. It was everything I was hoping for and more. One of the things that drew me in from the onset was the narration. Who has Death narrate the story of a girl? However, it fit with the story. The holocaust was a time of death and sadness. It was a constant reminder of what was happening all around Liesel; it reminded the reader that Death is always close by. This is definitely reinforced by the fact that the book starts with the death of Liesel’s brother. I think the way that Zusak wrote Death was not only for a creative was to tell a story, but knowing that it was Death allowed the reader to put the story in perspective.
Like I said before, this is a text that is read in a striving reader’s classroom, and I can see why. In the class the teacher is constantly looking for texts that engage her students. This novel is one that does this in spades. I went into her classroom again this week just to get her feedback as to why her students like the story so much. One of the most common answers for her is because they fall in love with the Characters. Whether it is Liesel, Rudy, Max, Hans, Rosa, or the Mayor and his wife, Zusak does a great job developing well rounded characters that students are able to connect with. With Death narrating, the reader is constantly aware of what might be waiting around the corner and with that they find themselves turning the page and dreading something bad, but hoping for something good. The other aspect of the story that many of the students really enjoyed (and I did as well) was the perspective from which it was told. So much of the WWII literature out there that the students had experienced was either told from an American in the war, or a survivor of the concentration camps. This was a new way to see the war. I think that is does a good job giving students a glimpse as to what life was like in Germany, especially for those who did not agree with what Hitler was doing. Rudy’s father was sent away for refusing to send Rudy to the Nazi program, and Hans was drafted into a war that he despised. While they listed those two reasons, among others. I think that the main reason the students like the story is because it makes them feel. Zusak does a great job making the reader care about the characters, and hope that they can find happiness. At times it can bring the reader to tears, and at other can have them thankful for what they have in life.
Zusak is a masterful storyteller. He tells the story of a girl growing up in one of the saddest and most depressing times in the history of the world. The setting is important to the novel, but I feel that Zusak also does a good job explaining the larger human experience than just what happened during WWII. Like Death says, “you are going to die”, but that does not mean you have to let that affect the way that you live.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton
I was unfortunate and fortunate enough to order the wrong book online. Instead of the full book of folk tales I ordered the illustrated version of the folk tale titled The People Could Fly. I was unfortunate in the fact that the one that I did receive was so powerful I know that I missed some amazing stories. However, I was fortunate in the fact that the one I did get was not only beautifully written, the illustrations were stunning.
I want to start with the pictures because they are so well done that they could tell the story without any of the words. The Dillon’s allow the reader, or viewer in this sense to feel exactly what is happening in the story. I know that it is cliché to say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but the way that these pictures were drawn it is hard to say anything less. Whether it is the picture with the slaves crammed into a boat crying for freedom to the old man whispering in the wind the pictures draw the reader in and want to continue reading if for nothing other than to see the next illustration.
Now, while the pictures are powerful and awe-inspiring I do not want to take anything away from the story itself. I know that many of the folklores for African Americans are rooted in slavery and the subsequent escape of the slaves. Growing up a Christian and in the public schools I have not had what some would call an extensive education on African American folklore, but I do have a good introduction. I know that many of the “Negro” spirituals were actually instructions for slaves to escape to their freedom, or to find the Underground Railroad. They were also rooted in the beliefs of the slaves, both Christian and African beliefs. One thing that I did not know, which I have since learned from Hamilton, is that the accounts of the flying Africans was not uncommon for the African folklore. In the author’s note Virginia Hamilton state, “A plausible explanation might be the slaves running away from slavery, slipping away while in the fields or under cover of darkness. In code language murmured from one slave to another, ‘Come fly away!’ might have been the words used”(Hamilton, Author’s Note).
It is not just the fact that this is an African Folktale that makes this a powerful story, it is the story in and of itself. It is a story that includes many things that would draw students into the reading. One is the idea of magic. It is true that there might have not been real “magic” involved in the story, but there is magic in the way that the story is told; there is magic in the sense that it could bring slaves to their freedom. The idea that Africans could fly is not realistic, but it bring up a great discussion with the students by asking them what does it mean that they could fly? Is there more to flying then the physical aspect? Why are more and more slaves “flying” away?
Another part of the story that fascinated me was the character of Toby. Toby was always there for the slaves when they needed him, whether it was because they were being whipped, or because they collapsed from heat. He is their rock, and their savior. I say savior, because Toby was in my mind a Christ figure for the slaves. I know that it is a scary thing to imply in public schools, but knowing that many of the folktales are rooted in Christianity I feel this is who the slaves wanted to listening to believe was going to be there to help them “fly” away. He was both the instigator as well as the peacemaker. Toby saved the lives of many of the slaves by giving them a way to their freedom.
It is a story that would make a great companion to a slavery unit that is being taught in a Social Studies course. The story brings the students on a trip from Africa to America. It puts them through the emotions and pain that the slaves went through while in America. It gives them hope when Toby says the magic words to make them fly.
Overall, it is a great story with both the illustrations as well as the story itself. This one of the most powerful folk tales I have read. Even though slavery in America happened over a hundred years ago, the way that Hamilton tells the story makes it seem very real. It shows the horror, as well as the hope. But it does it in a way that all ages can comprehend. The illustrated copy while is directed towards children is far from just a children’s book. It is a story that can inspire all ages. I think this is what folk tales are supposed to do. They are there to instruct and inspire. Toby and the flying people are able to do that for the reader.
I want to start with the pictures because they are so well done that they could tell the story without any of the words. The Dillon’s allow the reader, or viewer in this sense to feel exactly what is happening in the story. I know that it is cliché to say that a picture is worth a thousand words, but the way that these pictures were drawn it is hard to say anything less. Whether it is the picture with the slaves crammed into a boat crying for freedom to the old man whispering in the wind the pictures draw the reader in and want to continue reading if for nothing other than to see the next illustration.
Now, while the pictures are powerful and awe-inspiring I do not want to take anything away from the story itself. I know that many of the folklores for African Americans are rooted in slavery and the subsequent escape of the slaves. Growing up a Christian and in the public schools I have not had what some would call an extensive education on African American folklore, but I do have a good introduction. I know that many of the “Negro” spirituals were actually instructions for slaves to escape to their freedom, or to find the Underground Railroad. They were also rooted in the beliefs of the slaves, both Christian and African beliefs. One thing that I did not know, which I have since learned from Hamilton, is that the accounts of the flying Africans was not uncommon for the African folklore. In the author’s note Virginia Hamilton state, “A plausible explanation might be the slaves running away from slavery, slipping away while in the fields or under cover of darkness. In code language murmured from one slave to another, ‘Come fly away!’ might have been the words used”(Hamilton, Author’s Note).
It is not just the fact that this is an African Folktale that makes this a powerful story, it is the story in and of itself. It is a story that includes many things that would draw students into the reading. One is the idea of magic. It is true that there might have not been real “magic” involved in the story, but there is magic in the way that the story is told; there is magic in the sense that it could bring slaves to their freedom. The idea that Africans could fly is not realistic, but it bring up a great discussion with the students by asking them what does it mean that they could fly? Is there more to flying then the physical aspect? Why are more and more slaves “flying” away?
Another part of the story that fascinated me was the character of Toby. Toby was always there for the slaves when they needed him, whether it was because they were being whipped, or because they collapsed from heat. He is their rock, and their savior. I say savior, because Toby was in my mind a Christ figure for the slaves. I know that it is a scary thing to imply in public schools, but knowing that many of the folktales are rooted in Christianity I feel this is who the slaves wanted to listening to believe was going to be there to help them “fly” away. He was both the instigator as well as the peacemaker. Toby saved the lives of many of the slaves by giving them a way to their freedom.
It is a story that would make a great companion to a slavery unit that is being taught in a Social Studies course. The story brings the students on a trip from Africa to America. It puts them through the emotions and pain that the slaves went through while in America. It gives them hope when Toby says the magic words to make them fly.
Overall, it is a great story with both the illustrations as well as the story itself. This one of the most powerful folk tales I have read. Even though slavery in America happened over a hundred years ago, the way that Hamilton tells the story makes it seem very real. It shows the horror, as well as the hope. But it does it in a way that all ages can comprehend. The illustrated copy while is directed towards children is far from just a children’s book. It is a story that can inspire all ages. I think this is what folk tales are supposed to do. They are there to instruct and inspire. Toby and the flying people are able to do that for the reader.
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen is a novel that has made me rethink Sleeping Beauty and my own idea of a fairy tale. My preconceived notion, like many other Americans, is a Fairy tale starts with “Once upon a time” and ends with, “they all lived happily ever after”. It is an idea that she herself brings up in the many time throughout the novel. In Briar Rose Yolen plays with and pushes this idea to the limits. What does it mean to end, “happily ever after”? The novel has many happy endings, but it also had many unhappy endings.
Overall, I think that this is a story that youth will fall in love with. First, they will be intrigued with the idea that they get to read about Sleeping Beauty. However, soon they will learn that it is not like any story of Sleeping Beauty that they have ever read or seen. The book is really two stories in one. The first one, the story of Briar Rose is a very small story in the greater scheme or the book. However, it works as a catalyst to propel the story forward. Upon reading it you want to continue reading it because you know that it is different, and you want desperately to know how this one ends. The larger story though is Becca’s quest. In the end she looking for her Grail, she is looking for her history, her grandmother’s history. She needs to know the truth. There is a scene in the novel when Becca is trying to explain why she needs to go to Poland and she says, “’is that I alone can break the spell. It wasn’t so much as finding her as looking for her. And only she could do it.’”(Yolen 109). The quest is the important part. She needs to look for her, she needs to look for her own past. In so doing she can break the spell, she can wake up from journey, and her grandmother can fully wake up from her history as well.
I think that when most people hear the word fairy tale, they think of a made up story with a happy ending. In essence a fantasy that he/she wants to believe because it is uplifting. Throughout the novel Yolen is explaining how fairy tales can be more than just a fantasy. There is the old adage that every story/lie is based in the truth. This can also be true for fairy tales. One line that really stuck out to me was when Stan, the love interest of Becca states, “’We are made up of stories. And even the ones that seem the most like lies can be our deepest hidden truth.’”(Yolen 64). I think that this line explains fairy tales. Yes, fairy tales are stories, sometimes they are made up, but in the root of these stories lies the truth. Whether it is lore about the creation of the world, or a simple children’s tale, these stories are telling a hidden truth. They are in response to the larger world, explaining and telling how the world works in the language that is understandable. The writer, and telling in the early versions, is telling the emotional truth, the symbolic truth. Does it matter that we believe that the world was created in 7 days, no, but it matters that some powerful being created the earth. Does it matter that Sleeping Beauty was not a person, no, but can it be used to explain a larger meaning, yes.
For Yolen, she wanted to tell a history through the eyes of Briar Rose. For this she uses a context that many students will understand, as well as be intrigued with. Considering the stigma that Sleeping Beauty is a girls story, I think that Yolen does a good job making it assessable to boys as well. The idea that she was sleeping not from the prick on the finger, but a gas shower during the holocaust creates this new version that all genders can relate to. She was not awakened by a kiss, but instead brought back to life through a breath. The way Yolen plays with this story makes the reader want to keep reading, and also lets you forget for a minute it is a fairy tale. It is really easy for me to talk about what I loved about the book because it was excellent on so many levels. However, I think what will resonate with me the most is the story at the end of the book. The story of how Josef survived in the wilderness after the concentration camp. This is the story that I feel the students especially the male students will enjoy. It is full of action as well as meaning. Because, as Yolen says “We say to fibbing children: ‘Don’t tell fairy tales!’ Yet children’s fibs, like old wive’s tales, tend to be overgenerous with the truth rather than economical with it” (Yolen 223). Like this quote, the story itself is not the truth, but it full of the truth of the emotions and the feelings of those who survived the holocaust. It is a happy ending in the fact that the grandmother lived and Becca found her truth and they were both able to wake from their spell. However, the happy ending also is laced with the sorrow of what happened to so many young Jewish men and women.
Overall, I think that this is a story that youth will fall in love with. First, they will be intrigued with the idea that they get to read about Sleeping Beauty. However, soon they will learn that it is not like any story of Sleeping Beauty that they have ever read or seen. The book is really two stories in one. The first one, the story of Briar Rose is a very small story in the greater scheme or the book. However, it works as a catalyst to propel the story forward. Upon reading it you want to continue reading it because you know that it is different, and you want desperately to know how this one ends. The larger story though is Becca’s quest. In the end she looking for her Grail, she is looking for her history, her grandmother’s history. She needs to know the truth. There is a scene in the novel when Becca is trying to explain why she needs to go to Poland and she says, “’is that I alone can break the spell. It wasn’t so much as finding her as looking for her. And only she could do it.’”(Yolen 109). The quest is the important part. She needs to look for her, she needs to look for her own past. In so doing she can break the spell, she can wake up from journey, and her grandmother can fully wake up from her history as well.
I think that when most people hear the word fairy tale, they think of a made up story with a happy ending. In essence a fantasy that he/she wants to believe because it is uplifting. Throughout the novel Yolen is explaining how fairy tales can be more than just a fantasy. There is the old adage that every story/lie is based in the truth. This can also be true for fairy tales. One line that really stuck out to me was when Stan, the love interest of Becca states, “’We are made up of stories. And even the ones that seem the most like lies can be our deepest hidden truth.’”(Yolen 64). I think that this line explains fairy tales. Yes, fairy tales are stories, sometimes they are made up, but in the root of these stories lies the truth. Whether it is lore about the creation of the world, or a simple children’s tale, these stories are telling a hidden truth. They are in response to the larger world, explaining and telling how the world works in the language that is understandable. The writer, and telling in the early versions, is telling the emotional truth, the symbolic truth. Does it matter that we believe that the world was created in 7 days, no, but it matters that some powerful being created the earth. Does it matter that Sleeping Beauty was not a person, no, but can it be used to explain a larger meaning, yes.
For Yolen, she wanted to tell a history through the eyes of Briar Rose. For this she uses a context that many students will understand, as well as be intrigued with. Considering the stigma that Sleeping Beauty is a girls story, I think that Yolen does a good job making it assessable to boys as well. The idea that she was sleeping not from the prick on the finger, but a gas shower during the holocaust creates this new version that all genders can relate to. She was not awakened by a kiss, but instead brought back to life through a breath. The way Yolen plays with this story makes the reader want to keep reading, and also lets you forget for a minute it is a fairy tale. It is really easy for me to talk about what I loved about the book because it was excellent on so many levels. However, I think what will resonate with me the most is the story at the end of the book. The story of how Josef survived in the wilderness after the concentration camp. This is the story that I feel the students especially the male students will enjoy. It is full of action as well as meaning. Because, as Yolen says “We say to fibbing children: ‘Don’t tell fairy tales!’ Yet children’s fibs, like old wive’s tales, tend to be overgenerous with the truth rather than economical with it” (Yolen 223). Like this quote, the story itself is not the truth, but it full of the truth of the emotions and the feelings of those who survived the holocaust. It is a happy ending in the fact that the grandmother lived and Becca found her truth and they were both able to wake from their spell. However, the happy ending also is laced with the sorrow of what happened to so many young Jewish men and women.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Joyful Noise by Paul Fleischman
Poetry is something that I am passionate about. However, as a teacher I am fully aware of the fact that many high school students do not like Poetry. In my mind there are two main reasons that many students do not like poetry. First and foremost, it is poetry! At the slightest mention of the word students shutter. It is such a visceral reaction that many students do not even give it a chance. The second reason that many students do not enjoy poetry is that a great deal of it is actual work for them to understand. Who wants to read while at the same time trying to figure out metaphors?
So, the question for me was can I look past my own love for poetry and see Joyfull Noise through the eyes of a student. A couple of things jumped out at me right away. Things that I feel can even captivate the high school reader assuming they are willing to give it a shot. One thing that worked for the poems was the use of a dual voice. I actually cheated and used some of my students to do the reading, because the first time I read them through by myself they were not working for me. This ended up changing my view of the poems. They went from something that students would not want to read, mainly because it was about insects, to something that was new and exciting. It became an experience. This was seen in the fact that the students went from reading it with little to no inflection, to actually playing off of each other as they read. Having two voices read the poem, gave rhythm to the poem. They were able to work with each other and create in their own head the way the poem was supposed to be read. They were even able to pick up on the fact that the rhythm of the poem was supposed to reflect the rhythm of the insect. For instance, the grasshopper poem actually had the rhythm of a grasshopper in motion. Little jumps here, and larger jumps there. Another way the rhythm of two voices was used was in the poem “Fireflies”. In the fireflies and flickering going back and for I could picture the evening up in the boundary waters and looking out over the grassy area and seeing the flicking of the fireflies; going back and forth with their flickering just like Fleischman did in his poem.
Another reason I liked the dual voice was because Fleischman was able to use the dual voice multiple ways. It was not just to add rhythm to the poems, but it was also to give two different perspectives. One of the poems that I really enjoyed reading was t”Honeybees”. While the students read the poem I noticed how many more lines, in essence how much more work the worker bee had than the queen bee. The student actually stopped in the middle of the poem and asked why she had to read so many more lines then the other girl. When a student stops in the middle of reading it tells me that they are able to make a connection to the text. They may not have liked the poem (which they did not), but they were able to understand what the author was trying to do and could empathize with the plight of the worker bee. Another poem that Fleischman used two different perspectives was in the poem “Book Lice”. They were a couple that fell in love. The great part about this poem is that when they shared their individual loves they had an individual voice, but when it talked about what they both love, they shared their voice. In doing this Fleischman was able to give a feeling of loving relationship and even a marriage in the lice. The idea is that at one even though they are together they will always remain an individual.
Overall, I thought that the way that the poems were written allowed the reader (and listener) to become part of the poem. During the reading I was a grasshopper, bee, fly (fill in your favorite insect here). The rhythm of the poem gave the feeling of their motion, and the voice gave the reader enough of a story to keep even the students involved in their life. After finishing the book I asked the students what they thought as a whole, and they said that while it was still poetry and “not their favorite” they enjoyed the way that Fleischman made it “Fun”. In the end, even for the students it made created a beautiful noise with their words. Which is exactly what I think Fleischman was going for when he wrote these poems. The one criticism that I would have is that even for me, I am not sure how well students would be able to make a connection with the text without having two voices reading it for them or two them.
So, the question for me was can I look past my own love for poetry and see Joyfull Noise through the eyes of a student. A couple of things jumped out at me right away. Things that I feel can even captivate the high school reader assuming they are willing to give it a shot. One thing that worked for the poems was the use of a dual voice. I actually cheated and used some of my students to do the reading, because the first time I read them through by myself they were not working for me. This ended up changing my view of the poems. They went from something that students would not want to read, mainly because it was about insects, to something that was new and exciting. It became an experience. This was seen in the fact that the students went from reading it with little to no inflection, to actually playing off of each other as they read. Having two voices read the poem, gave rhythm to the poem. They were able to work with each other and create in their own head the way the poem was supposed to be read. They were even able to pick up on the fact that the rhythm of the poem was supposed to reflect the rhythm of the insect. For instance, the grasshopper poem actually had the rhythm of a grasshopper in motion. Little jumps here, and larger jumps there. Another way the rhythm of two voices was used was in the poem “Fireflies”. In the fireflies and flickering going back and for I could picture the evening up in the boundary waters and looking out over the grassy area and seeing the flicking of the fireflies; going back and forth with their flickering just like Fleischman did in his poem.
Another reason I liked the dual voice was because Fleischman was able to use the dual voice multiple ways. It was not just to add rhythm to the poems, but it was also to give two different perspectives. One of the poems that I really enjoyed reading was t”Honeybees”. While the students read the poem I noticed how many more lines, in essence how much more work the worker bee had than the queen bee. The student actually stopped in the middle of the poem and asked why she had to read so many more lines then the other girl. When a student stops in the middle of reading it tells me that they are able to make a connection to the text. They may not have liked the poem (which they did not), but they were able to understand what the author was trying to do and could empathize with the plight of the worker bee. Another poem that Fleischman used two different perspectives was in the poem “Book Lice”. They were a couple that fell in love. The great part about this poem is that when they shared their individual loves they had an individual voice, but when it talked about what they both love, they shared their voice. In doing this Fleischman was able to give a feeling of loving relationship and even a marriage in the lice. The idea is that at one even though they are together they will always remain an individual.
Overall, I thought that the way that the poems were written allowed the reader (and listener) to become part of the poem. During the reading I was a grasshopper, bee, fly (fill in your favorite insect here). The rhythm of the poem gave the feeling of their motion, and the voice gave the reader enough of a story to keep even the students involved in their life. After finishing the book I asked the students what they thought as a whole, and they said that while it was still poetry and “not their favorite” they enjoyed the way that Fleischman made it “Fun”. In the end, even for the students it made created a beautiful noise with their words. Which is exactly what I think Fleischman was going for when he wrote these poems. The one criticism that I would have is that even for me, I am not sure how well students would be able to make a connection with the text without having two voices reading it for them or two them.
19 Varieties of Gazelle by Naomi Shihab Nye
The poem that truly had me hooked was “Red Brocade”. In the first stanza Nye starts, “The Arabs used to say,/when a stranger appears at your door,/fee him before three days/before asking who he is,/where he’s come from,/ where he’s headed.” She goes on to say that it is either because they will have strength by then or that it no longer matters because they are now friends. This reminded me of the book Three Cups of Tea, in which the author learns that you need to have three cups of tea with someone because the third time is when you become friends. To me this is a novel idea. Think if we as a culture/world made it our business to take the time and become friends with everyone.
As a whole it was a group of poems that I very much enjoyed. Nye was able to tell a story with her poetry. It gave me a look at the life of a young girl and how she views a world and cultural that she loves, and wants other people to be able to see the beauty in it. In the introduction Nye writes a lovely letter explaining that for her the Arab culture was one that she loved because of the passion and love her father had for it. However, she goes on to say that 9/11 changed the way that many people saw the Arab world. They were known for their generosity, and in the eyes of many that was forgotten in the aftermath of the attacks. Nye reminds us that we must always remember the “innocent citizens in the Middle East”. So, I believe that this collection was a way that Nye was able to show the world that the Arab world is still a beautiful place with people not very different from everyone else.
In my mind the first part of the book is dedicated to trying to give that beautiful Arab world and people a voice. They are poems about her childhood and memories. They allow the reader to look through the lens of an Arab girl. Nye uses her words to show that while there are differences in the cultures, some things are very similar. Much of Nye’s memories come in the form of reminiscing about her family, and the time that she spent with them. Her father and grandmother are two people that she continually looks to for inspiration. It is not just in her poetry about her family, the similarities are seen in the desire for peace. One poem that really stuck out was “Those Whom We Do Not Know”. At the beginning of the second part she says that she supports everyone no matter what they look like or what they do. The last lines of that stanza go on to say, “If we have killed no one/ in the name of anything good or bad/may light feed our leafiest veins.” To Nye it is obvious that nothing matters but peace. This is an idea that people in every culture strive for and people in the Middle East are no different.
While there are endless positives for 19 Varieties of Gazelle, it all comes down to “how will this group of poems connect with students”? In terms of writing I feel that the students will find the text very accessible. The poetry does not read like poetry. They do not need to look for things like rhyme schemes and alliteration. It is more like a collection of short stories written in poetic form. They are small glimpses into the life and beliefs of a young Arab American. Nye does a great job using these stories to give a well rounded image that I believe many students would be able to connect with given the chance. They will see not an Arab girl, but a girl that loves her family and has hopes and ambitions. There are a few things that might lose some of the students such as the fact that while it is told like a group of short stories, in the end it is poetry. This fact itself will scare some away. Another issue that some students might struggle with is choosing how to read the book. While at times it reads like a story, there is not a real storyline. So students who are drawn to the voice of Nye, might get lost in trying to figure out what she is trying to say with such a wide collection of poetry. I think in teaching the text I would have the students focus a on themes and images. These are two things with a continuing throughout the text, and which I feel the students will be able to pick out. Without this focus I fear that many students would get lost in the book.
Overall, this is a great book of poems that I feel gives voice to culture that is often misunderstood. I feel that if students give 19 Varieties of Gazelle a chance they would be rewarded by a powerfully moving collection of poems that speak to the need for peace and the hope that we can forget our differences see each other as beautiful people.
As a whole it was a group of poems that I very much enjoyed. Nye was able to tell a story with her poetry. It gave me a look at the life of a young girl and how she views a world and cultural that she loves, and wants other people to be able to see the beauty in it. In the introduction Nye writes a lovely letter explaining that for her the Arab culture was one that she loved because of the passion and love her father had for it. However, she goes on to say that 9/11 changed the way that many people saw the Arab world. They were known for their generosity, and in the eyes of many that was forgotten in the aftermath of the attacks. Nye reminds us that we must always remember the “innocent citizens in the Middle East”. So, I believe that this collection was a way that Nye was able to show the world that the Arab world is still a beautiful place with people not very different from everyone else.
In my mind the first part of the book is dedicated to trying to give that beautiful Arab world and people a voice. They are poems about her childhood and memories. They allow the reader to look through the lens of an Arab girl. Nye uses her words to show that while there are differences in the cultures, some things are very similar. Much of Nye’s memories come in the form of reminiscing about her family, and the time that she spent with them. Her father and grandmother are two people that she continually looks to for inspiration. It is not just in her poetry about her family, the similarities are seen in the desire for peace. One poem that really stuck out was “Those Whom We Do Not Know”. At the beginning of the second part she says that she supports everyone no matter what they look like or what they do. The last lines of that stanza go on to say, “If we have killed no one/ in the name of anything good or bad/may light feed our leafiest veins.” To Nye it is obvious that nothing matters but peace. This is an idea that people in every culture strive for and people in the Middle East are no different.
While there are endless positives for 19 Varieties of Gazelle, it all comes down to “how will this group of poems connect with students”? In terms of writing I feel that the students will find the text very accessible. The poetry does not read like poetry. They do not need to look for things like rhyme schemes and alliteration. It is more like a collection of short stories written in poetic form. They are small glimpses into the life and beliefs of a young Arab American. Nye does a great job using these stories to give a well rounded image that I believe many students would be able to connect with given the chance. They will see not an Arab girl, but a girl that loves her family and has hopes and ambitions. There are a few things that might lose some of the students such as the fact that while it is told like a group of short stories, in the end it is poetry. This fact itself will scare some away. Another issue that some students might struggle with is choosing how to read the book. While at times it reads like a story, there is not a real storyline. So students who are drawn to the voice of Nye, might get lost in trying to figure out what she is trying to say with such a wide collection of poetry. I think in teaching the text I would have the students focus a on themes and images. These are two things with a continuing throughout the text, and which I feel the students will be able to pick out. Without this focus I fear that many students would get lost in the book.
Overall, this is a great book of poems that I feel gives voice to culture that is often misunderstood. I feel that if students give 19 Varieties of Gazelle a chance they would be rewarded by a powerfully moving collection of poems that speak to the need for peace and the hope that we can forget our differences see each other as beautiful people.
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