When I think of multicultural literature the first thing that comes to mind is books about minorities, or foreign cultures. After reading Luna I realize why multicultural literature extends beyond my preconceived notions. Luna also had to grow up in a reality that is different than one most people know. She has to grow up as an outsider both in her body and in her community.
We live in a society that I would like to think has come a long way in terms of sexual preference/identity, but I also realize that we still have a ways to go. I teach at a school where very few GLBT members come out of the closet. The GLBT club holds their meetings at odd hours and do not publicize the information so as draw attention to those that are part of the group. While I know that this is not true for all schools across the board, it is true for many suburban schools. I know that there are students at my school that come out to only a few because they are afraid of how everyone will react and treat them. They are afraid of the hate that so many in our society still have for GLBTer’s. I also have my share of gay friends, and I have heard stories crossing all spectrums. My best friend was afraid to come out to me because I was a Christian, and he thought I would hate him. He was lucky though, he has been accepted by most of his close friends and today lives a happy life out of the closet. That is not the happy ending for all of my friends though. I have friends that have been disowned by their parents, grandparents and community. They have had to start their life over again. Reading Luna gave me a better understanding of what they went through.
One thing that really stuck out to me while reading the story was the talk about gender expectations. In college I minored in Psychology and in Human Sexuality we talked at great length about how gender expectations shape children. Her whole life Luna was pressured by her father, and society, to be a ‘man’. Jack, the father, thought that he was helping Luna/Liam because he thought that if Luna/Liam acted ‘different’ then he would not fit in. He wanted Luna/Liam to be ‘normal’, without a thought as to how forcing her to be someone she was not made her whole life more difficult. Peters I feel did a good job making Luna a sympathetic character. It was easy to see the pain that Luna felt as Liam. I think it would be hard for anyone to read her character and not feel a want for her to find happiness. I cannot imagine what it would be like to have to live the life that Luna/Liam had to live; wanting so much to be the person you were born to be, but afraid of what society might have to say to about it. The only one that Luna/Liam had was Regan.
Regan was another character that I felt Peters did a good job developing. It is one thing to look at the affects of being a Transgender in today’s society, but rarely would we have the opportunity to look through the eyes of the sibling and how she/he is affected by it. First, she wants what is best for her brother. This means that she wants her to be happy, but she also wants her to be accepted. At times these things come into conflict, and much like I am sure it would be in the real world, Regan did not know how to handle the situation. Second, she wanted her own life to be normal, which she found exceedingly difficult with her brother transitioning right before her eyes. Every choice that Luna made also affected her own life, maybe not as much as she felt, but it did. She wanted to remain invisible, but with her brother coming out she was not able to because she was the only one that Luna could go to for help. In the end though, Luna going out in the light also made Regan go out into the ‘light’ and both of them were able to change for the better.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I think the Peters did a good job getting me the reader to feel what both Luna and Regan were having to deal with. The one thing that bothered me at times was the voice of Regan. I guess having to deal with teens on an everyday basis gives me enough teen dialogue without having to read it in novels as well. However, with that said, I think that it is a voice that many of the teens who will be reading this book will be able to connect with. They will see a girl just like themselves with all of the insecurities and wants and desires.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
The Circuit by Fancisco Jimenez
The more that I read the more I am finding books that I find well written and interesting books points that I do not enjoy. It is usually hard for me to find a reason behind it other than just personal preference. Maybe I am a product of the fast paced society that I grew up in? Maybe it is because I have found out that I have a limited amount of time on this earth and I do not want to spend that time reading books that do not captivate me? But there are times that very much like my own students, I have to read a book because it is an assignment. That was the case with The Circuit by Fancisco Jimenez. I do not want anybody to believe that I hated the book, it was just a book that I read because I had too. While reading the book I could see why it has won awards, but for me it just did not do much.
With that said, even though I did not enjoy it, I think that it could be right book for some students. Some students will see this book and be able to relate to Jimenez. They will be able to say “I know what that feels like”. Hopefully from it they will be able to say that everyone has the ability to rise from whatever circumstance and know that they can do amazing things in this world. Francisco did not have an easy life, and many students today have to go through same thing. I remember some of the kids on my soccer team that had to miss practice because they need to work for the family. Kids that freedom care only after making sure they could pay rent. These are issues that we still struggle with as teachers for the foreseeable future. How do we make sure that we are conscious of what students are going though? How do we let them feel that they have their future ahead of them? Hopefully this book can help students realize this.
As a teacher I did see some things that could be used in the classroom. For me, this is a book that I could have the kids read, but I am not sure how well they would like it. I see this book more for what it can add to another unit. There are two units that I feel that this text would work very well for. First, right now I am doing a Of Mice and Men unit. While it takes place during the dust bowl, Francisco and his family have to go through much of the same routine that Lenny and George have to go through. They all have to move from place to place looking for work wherever they can find it. I think that many students have a hard time placing Of Mice and Men in the context of “this is something that could ever happen outside of the great depression.” If the students could see that this type of situation is still a possibility and even a reality for people, I think that they may be able to make some deeper connections with the text.
Another unit I feel this memoir might be able to add to a larger unit is when I teach a Latino curriculum later in the year. The district that I teach at is not known for their diversity. To many of the students the people who cross the border are barely human. It is not uncommon to hear my students spout the rhetoric that I am sure their parents have taught them. I feel that Jimenez does a great job creating and humanizing the struggle that so many Latino’s faced and still face today. I find that it is more difficult for students to dehumanize people when they have a face to put with them.
Overall, Jimenez does a great job allowing the reader to put themselves in California, and the labor camps that they had to live through. I could see Papa’s face when he heard the rain during cotton season, as well as the smile on Fancisco’s knowing he was going to sleep in. I could also feel that pain that the parents felt when they could not give their children more than a bag of candy for Christmas. I think that it is hard for my students to understand what abject poverty can be like. Many of my students throw a fit when they do not get the newest Ipod of cell phone, but Jimenez’s memoir might actually show students what poverty really is.
While I am able to look at this book and name so many great qualities, it still is a book that I was not engaged by. My fear for this text is that many students might have the same experience. For some of them it might just be another text that they have to read. I feel that the text moves relatively slowly and will have a hard time keeping the students attention for a long period of time. That is why I feel that this is a text that would be great for a larger unit. Jimenez does such a great job breaking up the text into smaller stories that I could choose these smaller pieces interspersed throughout to give the students a glimpse of what Jimenez and his family (and so many others) had to go through.
With that said, even though I did not enjoy it, I think that it could be right book for some students. Some students will see this book and be able to relate to Jimenez. They will be able to say “I know what that feels like”. Hopefully from it they will be able to say that everyone has the ability to rise from whatever circumstance and know that they can do amazing things in this world. Francisco did not have an easy life, and many students today have to go through same thing. I remember some of the kids on my soccer team that had to miss practice because they need to work for the family. Kids that freedom care only after making sure they could pay rent. These are issues that we still struggle with as teachers for the foreseeable future. How do we make sure that we are conscious of what students are going though? How do we let them feel that they have their future ahead of them? Hopefully this book can help students realize this.
As a teacher I did see some things that could be used in the classroom. For me, this is a book that I could have the kids read, but I am not sure how well they would like it. I see this book more for what it can add to another unit. There are two units that I feel that this text would work very well for. First, right now I am doing a Of Mice and Men unit. While it takes place during the dust bowl, Francisco and his family have to go through much of the same routine that Lenny and George have to go through. They all have to move from place to place looking for work wherever they can find it. I think that many students have a hard time placing Of Mice and Men in the context of “this is something that could ever happen outside of the great depression.” If the students could see that this type of situation is still a possibility and even a reality for people, I think that they may be able to make some deeper connections with the text.
Another unit I feel this memoir might be able to add to a larger unit is when I teach a Latino curriculum later in the year. The district that I teach at is not known for their diversity. To many of the students the people who cross the border are barely human. It is not uncommon to hear my students spout the rhetoric that I am sure their parents have taught them. I feel that Jimenez does a great job creating and humanizing the struggle that so many Latino’s faced and still face today. I find that it is more difficult for students to dehumanize people when they have a face to put with them.
Overall, Jimenez does a great job allowing the reader to put themselves in California, and the labor camps that they had to live through. I could see Papa’s face when he heard the rain during cotton season, as well as the smile on Fancisco’s knowing he was going to sleep in. I could also feel that pain that the parents felt when they could not give their children more than a bag of candy for Christmas. I think that it is hard for my students to understand what abject poverty can be like. Many of my students throw a fit when they do not get the newest Ipod of cell phone, but Jimenez’s memoir might actually show students what poverty really is.
While I am able to look at this book and name so many great qualities, it still is a book that I was not engaged by. My fear for this text is that many students might have the same experience. For some of them it might just be another text that they have to read. I feel that the text moves relatively slowly and will have a hard time keeping the students attention for a long period of time. That is why I feel that this is a text that would be great for a larger unit. Jimenez does such a great job breaking up the text into smaller stories that I could choose these smaller pieces interspersed throughout to give the students a glimpse of what Jimenez and his family (and so many others) had to go through.
A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah
Memoirs have always been a genre that I have mixed feeling about. On the one hand those that are well written and interesting stories can be a pleasure to read. However, I have also been bitten in the butt by horrible memoirs. I went into A long Way Gone with high hopes but few expectations. However, I quickly found myself drawn into the book.
The story of Ishmael was a story that is not that different from others that I have read, but I still found it unique. With all of the turmoil that has happened in the recent African past, many young boys have found themselves in America after civil war. This book reminded me of They Poured Fire on us from the Sky, which is a memoir written about three Lost Boys from Sudan. The story followed three young men who found themselves homeless and parentless in a war torn country. They found themselves going from place to place, looking for safety. This is exactly what Ishmael had to go though at the start of his journey. I cannot begin to imagine what Ishmael and the Lost Boys went through at such a young age. I think the passage that stuck out the most for me was when Saidu said, “Every time people come at us with the intention of killing us, I close my eyes and wait for death. Even though I am still alive, I feel like each time I accept death, part of me die.” Ishmael had been running so long, and seen so much pain I just wanted him to find happiness. However, as soon as he found a small amount of safety behind the guns of the army he was again put into the heart of the war. What must it be like to find so much despair at such a young age?
What I found the most engaging with the book was not the journey; it was what Ishmael was asked to do. The difference between They Poured Fired on us from the Sky and A Long Way Gone was the fact that Ishmael was asked/forced to participate in the war itself, a choice no child should ever have to make. How could people ever ask children to kill other children? These children were not mature, and did not know how to handle the situation. They were told that they could get back at the people who had killed their parents. Yet what child would not want to get revenge for a murdered family. The army used their immaturity against them. In the end they were asked to carry a weight on their shoulders that they will never be able to take off. As Ishmael learned, he will never be able to forget the horrors that he not only went through, but also participated in.
One thing that I did find hard to read was the fact that every time it seemed like Ishmael had found a small fragment of happiness it was stolen away from him. When he heard that his parents were in the next village, he arrived there an hour too late to see them. When he got behind the Sierra Leone’s army lines, they were attacked again. When he found a new home in Freetown the government was taken over and he was again in the midst of war. Time after time Ishmael lost everything that he loved. I found myself losing hope for him. The only reason I kept reading was because I knew that he was able to get out of the situation simply because he had written the book. I think that many students might also be bogged down by the sorrow and the pain, but hopefully they will be able to draw the same hope out of it that I was in the end.
I think that this is a book that many young readers will find themselves reading even though at times they do not want to. It is a book that is so captivating that they will not be able to turn away from the book. A long Way Gone does a great job of explaining what it is that Ishmael actually went though. He does a great of explaining the moments in his life that affected him, and also allow the reader to know exactly what he was he was feeling at those times. It is hard to imagine a child at 13 thought he was a good soldier and enjoyed killing the enemy, but Ishmael does a great job explaining what he was feeling that I was praying that he might find his way out. The best and the worst part of this book is that ability to elicit emotion. In the end Ishmael finds a new family, he finds his place in the world, but he also tells us that he will carry the memories of that terrible time with him for the rest of his life. The reader is forced to carry the burden with Ishmael, and in so doing hopefully will learn the power of war and the power of hope.
The story of Ishmael was a story that is not that different from others that I have read, but I still found it unique. With all of the turmoil that has happened in the recent African past, many young boys have found themselves in America after civil war. This book reminded me of They Poured Fire on us from the Sky, which is a memoir written about three Lost Boys from Sudan. The story followed three young men who found themselves homeless and parentless in a war torn country. They found themselves going from place to place, looking for safety. This is exactly what Ishmael had to go though at the start of his journey. I cannot begin to imagine what Ishmael and the Lost Boys went through at such a young age. I think the passage that stuck out the most for me was when Saidu said, “Every time people come at us with the intention of killing us, I close my eyes and wait for death. Even though I am still alive, I feel like each time I accept death, part of me die.” Ishmael had been running so long, and seen so much pain I just wanted him to find happiness. However, as soon as he found a small amount of safety behind the guns of the army he was again put into the heart of the war. What must it be like to find so much despair at such a young age?
What I found the most engaging with the book was not the journey; it was what Ishmael was asked to do. The difference between They Poured Fired on us from the Sky and A Long Way Gone was the fact that Ishmael was asked/forced to participate in the war itself, a choice no child should ever have to make. How could people ever ask children to kill other children? These children were not mature, and did not know how to handle the situation. They were told that they could get back at the people who had killed their parents. Yet what child would not want to get revenge for a murdered family. The army used their immaturity against them. In the end they were asked to carry a weight on their shoulders that they will never be able to take off. As Ishmael learned, he will never be able to forget the horrors that he not only went through, but also participated in.
One thing that I did find hard to read was the fact that every time it seemed like Ishmael had found a small fragment of happiness it was stolen away from him. When he heard that his parents were in the next village, he arrived there an hour too late to see them. When he got behind the Sierra Leone’s army lines, they were attacked again. When he found a new home in Freetown the government was taken over and he was again in the midst of war. Time after time Ishmael lost everything that he loved. I found myself losing hope for him. The only reason I kept reading was because I knew that he was able to get out of the situation simply because he had written the book. I think that many students might also be bogged down by the sorrow and the pain, but hopefully they will be able to draw the same hope out of it that I was in the end.
I think that this is a book that many young readers will find themselves reading even though at times they do not want to. It is a book that is so captivating that they will not be able to turn away from the book. A long Way Gone does a great job of explaining what it is that Ishmael actually went though. He does a great of explaining the moments in his life that affected him, and also allow the reader to know exactly what he was he was feeling at those times. It is hard to imagine a child at 13 thought he was a good soldier and enjoyed killing the enemy, but Ishmael does a great job explaining what he was feeling that I was praying that he might find his way out. The best and the worst part of this book is that ability to elicit emotion. In the end Ishmael finds a new family, he finds his place in the world, but he also tells us that he will carry the memories of that terrible time with him for the rest of his life. The reader is forced to carry the burden with Ishmael, and in so doing hopefully will learn the power of war and the power of hope.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong
I first read the story of Shackleton and his men in the book Dangerous Book for Boys. So, from the start I was excited to have a chance to read a more complete story of Shackleton then the page I read previously. For the sake of this book I was not left wanting.
From cover to cover I was riveted. What grabbed my attention from the start though were the images and drawings that accompanied the text. Part of what shocked me the most was the clarity of the images that Hurley took. Often when I have seen pictures from the early part of the 20th century they have been scratchy and faded at best. That was not the case with Hurley’s, for the most part they were all crisp and clear, it seemed like they were taken a few years ago. I am not sure if they went through a restoration process, but they were captivating. While Armstrong did a great job going into detail describing what was happening, Hurley’s pictures prove that pictures are worth 1,00 words. The pictures allowed me as a reader to actually place myself with them on their journey. I could look at the landscapes of the desolate and endless snowpack or the ice frozen on their beards and feel the cold and hopelessness that they dealt with on a daily basis. It was the picture on page 40 that will stick with me forever. It is the picture the Endurance surrounded by ice and covered from top to bottom in frost.
While the photographs were stunning, they would not have been complete without the amazing tale that Jennifer Armstrong wove in Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. The text itself never left me feeling I was reading a book of facts. It was a story, granted a true story, that drew me in from the beginning. If I did not know before reading the book I could have easily mistaken the book for a novel. I think part of what made the book so engaging was the fact that Armstrong allowed us to make connections with some of the members of the crew. Because of the extensive research she put into the text she was able to show us the personality of Shackleton, and a few of the others. It was not just the crew that we are able to connect with, but Armstrong also allows us to see what daily life was like for the crew. I know that I take for granted all of the amenities that we have in today’s society. With Ipods we have music on the go, and on planes, trains and automobiles we have instant access to movies and television. In 1915 these items were not even the beginning of an idea. The crew of the Endurance had to create their own entertainment. One of the stories that I found humorous was the story of Orde-Lees who found a bicycle in the hold and decided to start riding around the snowpack. “He also took long rides in the darkness until the day he got lost and had to be rescued. Shackleton told Orde-Lees in no uncertain terms that his bike riding days were over” (26 Armstrong). I cannot begin to know the despair that the crew must have felt and the extremes to which they went in order to keep themselves occupied.
I was also impressed with Shackleton, and his leadership. I think that the quote at the start of the book by Apsley Cherry-Garrard sums up Shackleton the best. “For scientific discovery, give me Scott; for speed and efficiency of travel, give me Amundsen; but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton.” Shackleton seemed to be in tune with his men, and seemed to always know the correct choice to make. Being stuck on the ice with 28 men and nowhere to go is a recipe for disaster, especially with the eclectic group of men that he assembled for the journey. However, Shackleton always found a way to boost the men’s moral even in the midst of immanent disaster. Whether it was understanding the appropriate time for a party, or knowing when the men would need extra rations or extra warm milk and tea, he always seemed to stay one step ahead of a moral or physical catastrophe.
Overall, this is text that I think students will fall in love with. The way that Armstrong is able to create such a vivid image with her words, and the pictures that accompany the text allow the reader to take the journey with Shackleton and his men. In essence this is an action adventure novel that also just happens to be a true story. Never once did I feel like I was reading a list of facts and research, but instead she was able to weave the facts and research into the story itself. I truly believe that students of both genders will find themselves engaged in the text, even if they come into the text with the preconceived notion that all non-fiction is boring. It has a little bit for everyone, a great story, great facts and amazing pictures.
From cover to cover I was riveted. What grabbed my attention from the start though were the images and drawings that accompanied the text. Part of what shocked me the most was the clarity of the images that Hurley took. Often when I have seen pictures from the early part of the 20th century they have been scratchy and faded at best. That was not the case with Hurley’s, for the most part they were all crisp and clear, it seemed like they were taken a few years ago. I am not sure if they went through a restoration process, but they were captivating. While Armstrong did a great job going into detail describing what was happening, Hurley’s pictures prove that pictures are worth 1,00 words. The pictures allowed me as a reader to actually place myself with them on their journey. I could look at the landscapes of the desolate and endless snowpack or the ice frozen on their beards and feel the cold and hopelessness that they dealt with on a daily basis. It was the picture on page 40 that will stick with me forever. It is the picture the Endurance surrounded by ice and covered from top to bottom in frost.
While the photographs were stunning, they would not have been complete without the amazing tale that Jennifer Armstrong wove in Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World. The text itself never left me feeling I was reading a book of facts. It was a story, granted a true story, that drew me in from the beginning. If I did not know before reading the book I could have easily mistaken the book for a novel. I think part of what made the book so engaging was the fact that Armstrong allowed us to make connections with some of the members of the crew. Because of the extensive research she put into the text she was able to show us the personality of Shackleton, and a few of the others. It was not just the crew that we are able to connect with, but Armstrong also allows us to see what daily life was like for the crew. I know that I take for granted all of the amenities that we have in today’s society. With Ipods we have music on the go, and on planes, trains and automobiles we have instant access to movies and television. In 1915 these items were not even the beginning of an idea. The crew of the Endurance had to create their own entertainment. One of the stories that I found humorous was the story of Orde-Lees who found a bicycle in the hold and decided to start riding around the snowpack. “He also took long rides in the darkness until the day he got lost and had to be rescued. Shackleton told Orde-Lees in no uncertain terms that his bike riding days were over” (26 Armstrong). I cannot begin to know the despair that the crew must have felt and the extremes to which they went in order to keep themselves occupied.
I was also impressed with Shackleton, and his leadership. I think that the quote at the start of the book by Apsley Cherry-Garrard sums up Shackleton the best. “For scientific discovery, give me Scott; for speed and efficiency of travel, give me Amundsen; but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton.” Shackleton seemed to be in tune with his men, and seemed to always know the correct choice to make. Being stuck on the ice with 28 men and nowhere to go is a recipe for disaster, especially with the eclectic group of men that he assembled for the journey. However, Shackleton always found a way to boost the men’s moral even in the midst of immanent disaster. Whether it was understanding the appropriate time for a party, or knowing when the men would need extra rations or extra warm milk and tea, he always seemed to stay one step ahead of a moral or physical catastrophe.
Overall, this is text that I think students will fall in love with. The way that Armstrong is able to create such a vivid image with her words, and the pictures that accompany the text allow the reader to take the journey with Shackleton and his men. In essence this is an action adventure novel that also just happens to be a true story. Never once did I feel like I was reading a list of facts and research, but instead she was able to weave the facts and research into the story itself. I truly believe that students of both genders will find themselves engaged in the text, even if they come into the text with the preconceived notion that all non-fiction is boring. It has a little bit for everyone, a great story, great facts and amazing pictures.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
For a person who loves fantasy novels, most people would think that I would also enjoy science fiction. However, that is one genre that I have never truly enjoyed. To be fair though, it is also a genre that I have not given much of a chance. However, I am grateful that we had the opportunity to read The House of the Scorpion.
When I first started reading the book I was not getting into it, I attribute that to the fact that I did not want to read the book. It did not sound like something that I would enjoy on any level. As I continued to read my opinion of the novel changed. It got to the point where I could hardly put the book down. As the character of Matt developed so did my love of him. Farmer did a great job creating a character that I thought was real. Many authors when they create child protagonist create a character without many flaws. That was not the case with little Matt. Matt had many of the faults that children do at his age. At times he was selfish and at times he let his anger get out of control, but in the end he was always able to see his faults and learn from them.
I think that Matt is a character that many students will be able to make connections with. Matt had to experience a great deal of adversity. It started with the fact that he was born as a clone. For a long time Matt did not even know what that meant other than he was on the same level as the animals. Matt was looking for his place in a world that seemed to reject him at every doorstep. His only friends were Tam Lin and Maria, and the closest thing that he had to a parent was Celia. While many of the students in this day and age do not have it as bad as Matt, there are quite a few children and students out there who do feel that they are on their own. They feel different from everybody else. Maybe they are adopted, maybe their parents get a divorce, or maybe they moved towns, whatever the cause it is not easy to feel you have to ‘survive’ on your own.
I also enjoyed the character of Tam Lin and Celia. They were character that it was easy to cheer for. Tam Lin was the typical flawed hero. He is spending his life making up for one wrong that he committed earlier in his life. While it was a heinous crime, it was something that Tam Lin did not intend and was also not able to forgive himself for. With that said, he penance ended up being giving a new life to his charge little Matt. I think what I loved most about him was that was the voice of reason in the story. Even Maria his other friend still saw Matt as a clone and at times less than a human. Tam Lin did not do that. He saw matt as a person, and taught him everything that he could about survival because he knew that sometime in the future he would need that knowledge. Celia was another character that I really appreciated. She reminded me of my mother. She was always there for Matt no matter what happened. She was also willing to fight and risk her own life to keep Matt alive.
Science fiction is supposed to be placed in the realm of a scientific possibility. While some of the things that are taking place in the novel are possible, some of them seem very improbable. Amazingly enough it was not the science that made it seem unreal at times. I thought that the science added a great deal to the story itself. It was in a realistic world that does not seem that far fetched from where we could be in the future. With the ongoing debate of using stem cells and cloning to find cures, it is not unreal to think that there are people who are out there who would create a child simply to use as spare parts. Farmer also uses a chip in heads of people and animals to create beings that are efficient to a fault. They can only do things that they are told to do, and thus work solely to complete one task. While this is a little more far fetched, it was a very haunting idea. Because, when Matt finally escapes from Opium he finds himself in a situation that is not that far removed. Instead of putting chips in the children’s Matt see that they are being brainwashed and in the end being trained to be the same as the ‘zombies’ back in Opium.
While these scientific ideas are grounded in the truth that does not mean that I found everything believable. My impression of the book while reading it definitely did change, but the ending I felt was very much lacking. It is like in the book Huck Finn, Twain put the characters in a position that it was difficult to find a way out of so he made up a fantastical ended to help him (Twain) out of a jam. I saw this same thing with Matt and Opium at the end of book. He goes back to a place that was going to be full of people wanting him dead. It would have been a massive struggle, but it was if Farmer had made Matt struggle so much she could not put him through anything else. It turned a great book into a good book.
Other than the end though, I feel that this is a great book for students. It has characters that I feel they can relate to, and it is an interesting story that students will feel is a possibility. It was fun and exciting and full of action, things that especially boys will find hard to put down.
When I first started reading the book I was not getting into it, I attribute that to the fact that I did not want to read the book. It did not sound like something that I would enjoy on any level. As I continued to read my opinion of the novel changed. It got to the point where I could hardly put the book down. As the character of Matt developed so did my love of him. Farmer did a great job creating a character that I thought was real. Many authors when they create child protagonist create a character without many flaws. That was not the case with little Matt. Matt had many of the faults that children do at his age. At times he was selfish and at times he let his anger get out of control, but in the end he was always able to see his faults and learn from them.
I think that Matt is a character that many students will be able to make connections with. Matt had to experience a great deal of adversity. It started with the fact that he was born as a clone. For a long time Matt did not even know what that meant other than he was on the same level as the animals. Matt was looking for his place in a world that seemed to reject him at every doorstep. His only friends were Tam Lin and Maria, and the closest thing that he had to a parent was Celia. While many of the students in this day and age do not have it as bad as Matt, there are quite a few children and students out there who do feel that they are on their own. They feel different from everybody else. Maybe they are adopted, maybe their parents get a divorce, or maybe they moved towns, whatever the cause it is not easy to feel you have to ‘survive’ on your own.
I also enjoyed the character of Tam Lin and Celia. They were character that it was easy to cheer for. Tam Lin was the typical flawed hero. He is spending his life making up for one wrong that he committed earlier in his life. While it was a heinous crime, it was something that Tam Lin did not intend and was also not able to forgive himself for. With that said, he penance ended up being giving a new life to his charge little Matt. I think what I loved most about him was that was the voice of reason in the story. Even Maria his other friend still saw Matt as a clone and at times less than a human. Tam Lin did not do that. He saw matt as a person, and taught him everything that he could about survival because he knew that sometime in the future he would need that knowledge. Celia was another character that I really appreciated. She reminded me of my mother. She was always there for Matt no matter what happened. She was also willing to fight and risk her own life to keep Matt alive.
Science fiction is supposed to be placed in the realm of a scientific possibility. While some of the things that are taking place in the novel are possible, some of them seem very improbable. Amazingly enough it was not the science that made it seem unreal at times. I thought that the science added a great deal to the story itself. It was in a realistic world that does not seem that far fetched from where we could be in the future. With the ongoing debate of using stem cells and cloning to find cures, it is not unreal to think that there are people who are out there who would create a child simply to use as spare parts. Farmer also uses a chip in heads of people and animals to create beings that are efficient to a fault. They can only do things that they are told to do, and thus work solely to complete one task. While this is a little more far fetched, it was a very haunting idea. Because, when Matt finally escapes from Opium he finds himself in a situation that is not that far removed. Instead of putting chips in the children’s Matt see that they are being brainwashed and in the end being trained to be the same as the ‘zombies’ back in Opium.
While these scientific ideas are grounded in the truth that does not mean that I found everything believable. My impression of the book while reading it definitely did change, but the ending I felt was very much lacking. It is like in the book Huck Finn, Twain put the characters in a position that it was difficult to find a way out of so he made up a fantastical ended to help him (Twain) out of a jam. I saw this same thing with Matt and Opium at the end of book. He goes back to a place that was going to be full of people wanting him dead. It would have been a massive struggle, but it was if Farmer had made Matt struggle so much she could not put him through anything else. It turned a great book into a good book.
Other than the end though, I feel that this is a great book for students. It has characters that I feel they can relate to, and it is an interesting story that students will feel is a possibility. It was fun and exciting and full of action, things that especially boys will find hard to put down.
The Giver by Lois Lowry
It is hard to know where to start with a novel like The Giver. Students have the opportunity to read it at many different levels. There are Philosophy professors that have it as part of their curriculum or at least an option read for extra credit, and English Teacher’s also love teaching the book because it was one that students love, and teachers love to teach. The Giver is a book that it is hard not to fall in love with.
Everything about the novel was intriguing to me. At the beginning of the novel Lowry does a great job painting a picture of what the world is like. A perfect ‘Utopian’ society in which everybody does what they are best suited for, and nobody has to feel pain or sorrow because they do not know what it is. Jonas does not see a perfect Utopian society though, he has questions. He doesn’t understand everything, and by seeing the world through his eyes we the reader can see that the community is missing vital elements of what we as humans have come to love about being human. By living in a society where everything is the same, it has eliminated the ability for humans to make their own choices. As the story continues Jonas’ eyes are opened to the way life should was and should be again by the Giver
I think what really drew me in first was the character of the Giver. What I loved so much about him was the way that he was able to teach Jonas. The Giver was the wise old man that seems to have all of the answers that Jonas needs to hear. The Receiver of Memories has the weight of the past solely on his shoulders; he had to carry all of the pain and sorrow of the past. However, he also carried all of the beauty and wonder of the past. In order to teach Jonas he started by giving him the good memories, leaving him with less and less joy, making the weight of the sorrow more and more. The Giver knew that in order for Jonas to make it, he had to see the beautiful things from the past before he could deal with the pain. He seemed was so peaceful and kind and loved Jonas so much, it was hard not to love the man.
Jonas is a character that I feel many students are able to connect with. I believe that when people are put in a tough situation they hope that they will do the noble thing, whatever that may be. In the character of Jonas they are able to be that noble person. Jonas risks his own life so that everyone can have the memories of the past. He sees the world for what it is, a grey place with no beauty, no love, nothing that can bring true happiness. In order to show the citizens the memories of the past he also needs to carry the memories of pain. I think that it is easy to forget Jonas is only 12 years old the novel, because as a child he is able to see the world for what it is and make the conscious effort to change that. It is because he is so young that I feel that students will be able to make that connection with him.
I feel that the society was another character in and of itself. The way that Jonas sees the community and the way he interacts with it bring it alive. Lowry did such a great job describing the society that it actually gave me a visceral response. I hated the society. I wanted to scream at the book and tell all of the citizens that they were fools. They had given up all of the beauty simply so they could stop feeling pain. I think what made it so real for me was that it did not seem so far fetched. At times it is so easy to see all of the pain in our world and wish that things were easier. Sometimes we have those sections in our life where it seems bad things pile up. We think to ourselves, what would I give to have this pain stop? In this novel Lowry asks instead what would you give to have joy? I think what she is saying that with all of the bad things that are out there we can always find hope in the joy that exists.
Overall I think that this was great book. While it is a book that I never thought of as a science fiction book, I look back now and see that it is just that. The Giver takes place in the future, in a society that has changed the way they live their lives so as to create a community that everybody will be the same. This future society I think will draw students in and make them want to keep reading; I know that it did for me. The Giver may not be a rousing action story but it still has characters that the reader can relate to and cheer for, and a story that give the reader hope in the end. I hope that this novel continues to be taught in high schools because I think that it has a great deal to teach the students of the importance of going through life, both the good and the bad.
Everything about the novel was intriguing to me. At the beginning of the novel Lowry does a great job painting a picture of what the world is like. A perfect ‘Utopian’ society in which everybody does what they are best suited for, and nobody has to feel pain or sorrow because they do not know what it is. Jonas does not see a perfect Utopian society though, he has questions. He doesn’t understand everything, and by seeing the world through his eyes we the reader can see that the community is missing vital elements of what we as humans have come to love about being human. By living in a society where everything is the same, it has eliminated the ability for humans to make their own choices. As the story continues Jonas’ eyes are opened to the way life should was and should be again by the Giver
I think what really drew me in first was the character of the Giver. What I loved so much about him was the way that he was able to teach Jonas. The Giver was the wise old man that seems to have all of the answers that Jonas needs to hear. The Receiver of Memories has the weight of the past solely on his shoulders; he had to carry all of the pain and sorrow of the past. However, he also carried all of the beauty and wonder of the past. In order to teach Jonas he started by giving him the good memories, leaving him with less and less joy, making the weight of the sorrow more and more. The Giver knew that in order for Jonas to make it, he had to see the beautiful things from the past before he could deal with the pain. He seemed was so peaceful and kind and loved Jonas so much, it was hard not to love the man.
Jonas is a character that I feel many students are able to connect with. I believe that when people are put in a tough situation they hope that they will do the noble thing, whatever that may be. In the character of Jonas they are able to be that noble person. Jonas risks his own life so that everyone can have the memories of the past. He sees the world for what it is, a grey place with no beauty, no love, nothing that can bring true happiness. In order to show the citizens the memories of the past he also needs to carry the memories of pain. I think that it is easy to forget Jonas is only 12 years old the novel, because as a child he is able to see the world for what it is and make the conscious effort to change that. It is because he is so young that I feel that students will be able to make that connection with him.
I feel that the society was another character in and of itself. The way that Jonas sees the community and the way he interacts with it bring it alive. Lowry did such a great job describing the society that it actually gave me a visceral response. I hated the society. I wanted to scream at the book and tell all of the citizens that they were fools. They had given up all of the beauty simply so they could stop feeling pain. I think what made it so real for me was that it did not seem so far fetched. At times it is so easy to see all of the pain in our world and wish that things were easier. Sometimes we have those sections in our life where it seems bad things pile up. We think to ourselves, what would I give to have this pain stop? In this novel Lowry asks instead what would you give to have joy? I think what she is saying that with all of the bad things that are out there we can always find hope in the joy that exists.
Overall I think that this was great book. While it is a book that I never thought of as a science fiction book, I look back now and see that it is just that. The Giver takes place in the future, in a society that has changed the way they live their lives so as to create a community that everybody will be the same. This future society I think will draw students in and make them want to keep reading; I know that it did for me. The Giver may not be a rousing action story but it still has characters that the reader can relate to and cheer for, and a story that give the reader hope in the end. I hope that this novel continues to be taught in high schools because I think that it has a great deal to teach the students of the importance of going through life, both the good and the bad.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Skellig by David Almond
I have been a fantasy reader for as long as I can remember. I have been anxiously waiting this week, in which we had a chance to read some new and hopefully exciting fantasy novels. Part of what I love most about fantasy is it gives you a chance to suspend your disbelief. We live in a world that is so full of pain, sorrow and hurt that it becomes a weight we all need to bear. I find that fantasy is a way to get around that. Magical things can happen. I know that not all fantasy novels are happy or sad, but there is magic. Even when there is tragedy it usually lifts up the reader by the end.
Almond’s novel Skellig is one that I fell in love with from the get go. It was a story that was so soft and simple. What drew me in the most was the mood. Even with all of the issues with Michael’s baby sister, it felt so peaceful. I think part of that is because I am so used to fantasy novels with take place in other lands and have swords and wizards and everything else that is associated with the genre. Fantasy is a genre that I always think of action; the good side is always outnumbered with little hope of succeeding. In the end it is their goodness that propels them to victory. Skellig is far from this. It is more introspective. Almond presents a story that feels realistic. Other than the Skellig, everything that happens is something that could actually happen and something that many students would be able to relate to. It moves slower, but with a purpose I feel.
One of the things that I loved about it was the fact that from the get go the reader did not know if Skellig was good or bad. Almond does a great job developing the character of Skellig without really ever giving anything away until the end. At first he was angry, then he was annoyed and then he became grateful. In a genre where there is usually a good guy and an evil person or force, Almond creates a character that could be either. At first Skellig, is one of the people in life that one passes by that is just plain angry or detached. Yet, we the readers never learn what causes him to be that way. However, as the novel continues we see he starts to change. At first he will not give his name, just want he wants and needs. Than as Michael and Mina start to visit him and talk to him he starts to open up. He still is not what one could call a social creature, or even a friendly creature but, he starts to tell him some things. In the end we find to be a sort of angel. He is able to save the life of Michael’s sister, and in the end we find out that he was saved as well. Skellig was the way he was because he was forgotten and unloved. Mina and Michael show him love. They show him he has a reason to go on. His “Arthritis” takes him from where he can barely walk to where he can save the baby’s life. It brings hope to our world like most good fantasy novels do.
The conflict in all of this is that Michael’s baby sister is having serious medical concerns. As the reader learns more and more about Skellig, he/she starts to realize that Skellig is going to have something to do with whether or not she will survive. In essence, is Skellig the good of evil force in the novel? At first Almond lets the reader draw their own conclusion by deciding if there is a correlation with her illness and finding Skellig. Michael never has that doubt though; he believes that Skellig can help her, and even puts his faith in him at times. This is seen in the fact that Michael asks him to think about his sister when she was going to have surgery. I believe this is where we start to see the good in Skellig. Almond, does not flat out say that Skellig kept Michael’s little sister alive, but by having Michael ask him to think about her and have her survive it leads the reader to drawing that conclusion.
Overall, I think the Almond does a great job creating this wonderful text. For the most part it is a novel that I feel many students will be able to connect with. Whether it is the challenge of moving into a new house in a new neighborhood, or having stressful situations in the family Michael went through many emotions that teenagers are also dealing with; events that will shape his future. It was realistic but at the same time magical. Skellig ended up being exactly what Michael needed, while at the same time Mina and Michael were exactly what Skellig needed. He ending up being able to live up to the faith that Michael put in him. It is a happy ending that brought a smile to my face as I closed the back cover. With all that happens in the world, Skellig brought me hope. This was not overly fantastical, but it was just enough at the end that it can be considered fantasy, and just enough to let the reader know that miracles can happen.
Almond’s novel Skellig is one that I fell in love with from the get go. It was a story that was so soft and simple. What drew me in the most was the mood. Even with all of the issues with Michael’s baby sister, it felt so peaceful. I think part of that is because I am so used to fantasy novels with take place in other lands and have swords and wizards and everything else that is associated with the genre. Fantasy is a genre that I always think of action; the good side is always outnumbered with little hope of succeeding. In the end it is their goodness that propels them to victory. Skellig is far from this. It is more introspective. Almond presents a story that feels realistic. Other than the Skellig, everything that happens is something that could actually happen and something that many students would be able to relate to. It moves slower, but with a purpose I feel.
One of the things that I loved about it was the fact that from the get go the reader did not know if Skellig was good or bad. Almond does a great job developing the character of Skellig without really ever giving anything away until the end. At first he was angry, then he was annoyed and then he became grateful. In a genre where there is usually a good guy and an evil person or force, Almond creates a character that could be either. At first Skellig, is one of the people in life that one passes by that is just plain angry or detached. Yet, we the readers never learn what causes him to be that way. However, as the novel continues we see he starts to change. At first he will not give his name, just want he wants and needs. Than as Michael and Mina start to visit him and talk to him he starts to open up. He still is not what one could call a social creature, or even a friendly creature but, he starts to tell him some things. In the end we find to be a sort of angel. He is able to save the life of Michael’s sister, and in the end we find out that he was saved as well. Skellig was the way he was because he was forgotten and unloved. Mina and Michael show him love. They show him he has a reason to go on. His “Arthritis” takes him from where he can barely walk to where he can save the baby’s life. It brings hope to our world like most good fantasy novels do.
The conflict in all of this is that Michael’s baby sister is having serious medical concerns. As the reader learns more and more about Skellig, he/she starts to realize that Skellig is going to have something to do with whether or not she will survive. In essence, is Skellig the good of evil force in the novel? At first Almond lets the reader draw their own conclusion by deciding if there is a correlation with her illness and finding Skellig. Michael never has that doubt though; he believes that Skellig can help her, and even puts his faith in him at times. This is seen in the fact that Michael asks him to think about his sister when she was going to have surgery. I believe this is where we start to see the good in Skellig. Almond, does not flat out say that Skellig kept Michael’s little sister alive, but by having Michael ask him to think about her and have her survive it leads the reader to drawing that conclusion.
Overall, I think the Almond does a great job creating this wonderful text. For the most part it is a novel that I feel many students will be able to connect with. Whether it is the challenge of moving into a new house in a new neighborhood, or having stressful situations in the family Michael went through many emotions that teenagers are also dealing with; events that will shape his future. It was realistic but at the same time magical. Skellig ended up being exactly what Michael needed, while at the same time Mina and Michael were exactly what Skellig needed. He ending up being able to live up to the faith that Michael put in him. It is a happy ending that brought a smile to my face as I closed the back cover. With all that happens in the world, Skellig brought me hope. This was not overly fantastical, but it was just enough at the end that it can be considered fantasy, and just enough to let the reader know that miracles can happen.
Skellig by David Almond
I have been a fantasy reader for as long as I can remember. I have been anxiously waiting this week, in which we had a chance to read some new and hopefully exciting fantasy novels. Part of what I love most about fantasy is it gives you a chance to suspend your disbelief. We live in a world that is so full of pain, sorrow and hurt that it becomes a weight we all need to bear. I find that fantasy is a way to get around that. Magical things can happen. I know that not all fantasy novels are happy or sad, but there is magic. Even when there is tragedy it usually lifts up the reader by the end.
Almond’s novel Skellig is one that I fell in love with from the get go. It was a story that was so soft and simple. What drew me in the most was the mood. Even with all of the issues with Michael’s baby sister, it felt so peaceful. I think part of that is because I am so used to fantasy novels with take place in other lands and have swords and wizards and everything else that is associated with the genre. Fantasy is a genre that I always think of action; the good side is always outnumbered with little hope of succeeding. In the end it is their goodness that propels them to victory. Skellig is far from this. It is more introspective. Almond presents a story that feels realistic. Other than the Skellig, everything that happens is something that could actually happen and something that many students would be able to relate to. It moves slower, but with a purpose I feel.
One of the things that I loved about it was the fact that from the get go the reader did not know if Skellig was good or bad. Almond does a great job developing the character of Skellig without really ever giving anything away until the end. At first he was angry, then he was annoyed and then he became grateful. In a genre where there is usually a good guy and an evil person or force, Almond creates a character that could be either. At first Skellig, is one of the people in life that one passes by that is just plain angry or detached. Yet, we the readers never learn what causes him to be that way. However, as the novel continues we see he starts to change. At first he will not give his name, just want he wants and needs. Than as Michael and Mina start to visit him and talk to him he starts to open up. He still is not what one could call a social creature, or even a friendly creature but, he starts to tell him some things. In the end we find to be a sort of angel. He is able to save the life of Michael’s sister, and in the end we find out that he was saved as well. Skellig was the way he was because he was forgotten and unloved. Mina and Michael show him love. They show him he has a reason to go on. His “Arthritis” takes him from where he can barely walk to where he can save the baby’s life. It brings hope to our world like most good fantasy novels do.
The conflict in all of this is that Michael’s baby sister is having serious medical concerns. As the reader learns more and more about Skellig, he/she starts to realize that Skellig is going to have something to do with whether or not she will survive. In essence, is Skellig the good of evil force in the novel? At first Almond lets the reader draw their own conclusion by deciding if there is a correlation with her illness and finding Skellig. Michael never has that doubt though; he believes that Skellig can help her, and even puts his faith in him at times. This is seen in the fact that Michael asks him to think about his sister when she was going to have surgery. I believe this is where we start to see the good in Skellig. Almond, does not flat out say that Skellig kept Michael’s little sister alive, but by having Michael ask him to think about her and have her survive it leads the reader to drawing that conclusion.
Overall, I think the Almond does a great job creating this wonderful text. For the most part it is a novel that I feel many students will be able to connect with. Whether it is the challenge of moving into a new house in a new neighborhood, or having stressful situations in the family Michael went through many emotions that teenagers are also dealing with; events that will shape his future. It was realistic but at the same time magical. Skellig ended up being exactly what Michael needed, while at the same time Mina and Michael were exactly what Skellig needed. He ending up being able to live up to the faith that Michael put in him. It is a happy ending that brought a smile to my face as I closed the back cover. With all that happens in the world, Skellig brought me hope. This was not overly fantastical, but it was just enough at the end that it can be considered fantasy, and just enough to let the reader know that miracles can happen.
Almond’s novel Skellig is one that I fell in love with from the get go. It was a story that was so soft and simple. What drew me in the most was the mood. Even with all of the issues with Michael’s baby sister, it felt so peaceful. I think part of that is because I am so used to fantasy novels with take place in other lands and have swords and wizards and everything else that is associated with the genre. Fantasy is a genre that I always think of action; the good side is always outnumbered with little hope of succeeding. In the end it is their goodness that propels them to victory. Skellig is far from this. It is more introspective. Almond presents a story that feels realistic. Other than the Skellig, everything that happens is something that could actually happen and something that many students would be able to relate to. It moves slower, but with a purpose I feel.
One of the things that I loved about it was the fact that from the get go the reader did not know if Skellig was good or bad. Almond does a great job developing the character of Skellig without really ever giving anything away until the end. At first he was angry, then he was annoyed and then he became grateful. In a genre where there is usually a good guy and an evil person or force, Almond creates a character that could be either. At first Skellig, is one of the people in life that one passes by that is just plain angry or detached. Yet, we the readers never learn what causes him to be that way. However, as the novel continues we see he starts to change. At first he will not give his name, just want he wants and needs. Than as Michael and Mina start to visit him and talk to him he starts to open up. He still is not what one could call a social creature, or even a friendly creature but, he starts to tell him some things. In the end we find to be a sort of angel. He is able to save the life of Michael’s sister, and in the end we find out that he was saved as well. Skellig was the way he was because he was forgotten and unloved. Mina and Michael show him love. They show him he has a reason to go on. His “Arthritis” takes him from where he can barely walk to where he can save the baby’s life. It brings hope to our world like most good fantasy novels do.
The conflict in all of this is that Michael’s baby sister is having serious medical concerns. As the reader learns more and more about Skellig, he/she starts to realize that Skellig is going to have something to do with whether or not she will survive. In essence, is Skellig the good of evil force in the novel? At first Almond lets the reader draw their own conclusion by deciding if there is a correlation with her illness and finding Skellig. Michael never has that doubt though; he believes that Skellig can help her, and even puts his faith in him at times. This is seen in the fact that Michael asks him to think about his sister when she was going to have surgery. I believe this is where we start to see the good in Skellig. Almond, does not flat out say that Skellig kept Michael’s little sister alive, but by having Michael ask him to think about her and have her survive it leads the reader to drawing that conclusion.
Overall, I think the Almond does a great job creating this wonderful text. For the most part it is a novel that I feel many students will be able to connect with. Whether it is the challenge of moving into a new house in a new neighborhood, or having stressful situations in the family Michael went through many emotions that teenagers are also dealing with; events that will shape his future. It was realistic but at the same time magical. Skellig ended up being exactly what Michael needed, while at the same time Mina and Michael were exactly what Skellig needed. He ending up being able to live up to the faith that Michael put in him. It is a happy ending that brought a smile to my face as I closed the back cover. With all that happens in the world, Skellig brought me hope. This was not overly fantastical, but it was just enough at the end that it can be considered fantasy, and just enough to let the reader know that miracles can happen.
The Golden Compass By Philip Pullman
As a youth leader, and avid fantasy reader, The Golden Compass is a novel I have been meaning to read for years. I remember when the movie came out, I took the youth group to seen the movie. For me the main reason that I wanted to read it was because of the belief that Pullman wrote this series as a response to C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia. In Essence Pullman wanted to show that religion is bad. Or at least that is what I had heard.
As I novel I very much enjoyed it. It has all of the characteristics of a good if not great fantasy novel. There was Lyra, a small girl facing immense odds trying to stop the large evil group: the Gobblers. There was magic, there was good vs. evil, there was deceit and there was hope. It was a novel that had me cheering for Lyra. I wanted her to succeed, I wanted her to find her friend Roger, and save her father. She was the epitome of the traditional heroine. She was a young virtuous girl who fought for what was good and right no matter what the cost. She had charisma to get the people she met to help her, and the fortitude to fight through any obstacle. Lyra also had a special ability. She could read the alethiometer (a magical device that told the reader the truth) instinctively which few people could read even the books explaining it. The fantasy characteristics do not end there though. There is also the knowledge that the novel takes place in a parallel universe that is connected though the Auroras, or Nothern Lights. This universe is similar to our world in many ways, many of the places in our world share a name and a look as the places in the other universe. On top of these there is also the idea that the spirits of the people on this universe take the form of an animal that follows them and talks to them. In the end the fantastical is neverending in the book.
I did not just read this because of the fantasy aspects though. I also did want to see what it said about faith and religion. In all honesty, I feel that Pullman did not do a very good job explaining what was what. It is as though he so much hate for the church that he could not create a coherent parallel between the book and religion. It is hard to tell who stands for what. I think part of the issue lies that he does not do a good job explaining what dust, is or what it is used for, and this was the crux of his argument. Throughout the novel, and especially at the end for the novel Pullman makes sure to point out that the Church and Priests are the powerful people that are financing the Gobblers. He then goes into a long dissertation of the fall of Adam and Eve, and how the dust is the result of that. He seems to base his sole argument on one aspect of Christianity that he does not explain that well, and one that is even argued even among Christian leaders today.
With that said though I thought it was a novel that had something for everyone. Fantasy seems to be a genre that can draw all different types of people, and all different types of readers. Fantastical things allow the reader to get out of the realm of reality and dream about new and exciting things. Pullman does this. He creates a fantasy world that students can relate to one that is already similar to the real world. He also creates characters that are easy to relate to. All of the evil people are adults, and all of the children are good and innocent people, which is actually the premise of the idea of cutting the daemons from the children.
This is a novel that has constantly been under the microscope from religious leaders. It is a text that many churches have on their list of books to not read to children. I feel that this is not a fair assessment of the book. While there are some ideas that Pullman is trying to prove with this novel, that try to contradict the church, there is still a great novel lying underneath the political context. As a teacher I know that many students in through early high school do not have the ability for deeper level reading without the help of a teacher or parent. And this novel is so much more than a political/religious text. It is a text that is full of fantastical situations that allows students and children to step out of the dullness of life and see life in a new way. In terms of it being a religious text, I ask, “what is blocking a text from a student going to do”? If anything the church could use it to show where they disagree with the message, and use it as a learning tool.
As I novel I very much enjoyed it. It has all of the characteristics of a good if not great fantasy novel. There was Lyra, a small girl facing immense odds trying to stop the large evil group: the Gobblers. There was magic, there was good vs. evil, there was deceit and there was hope. It was a novel that had me cheering for Lyra. I wanted her to succeed, I wanted her to find her friend Roger, and save her father. She was the epitome of the traditional heroine. She was a young virtuous girl who fought for what was good and right no matter what the cost. She had charisma to get the people she met to help her, and the fortitude to fight through any obstacle. Lyra also had a special ability. She could read the alethiometer (a magical device that told the reader the truth) instinctively which few people could read even the books explaining it. The fantasy characteristics do not end there though. There is also the knowledge that the novel takes place in a parallel universe that is connected though the Auroras, or Nothern Lights. This universe is similar to our world in many ways, many of the places in our world share a name and a look as the places in the other universe. On top of these there is also the idea that the spirits of the people on this universe take the form of an animal that follows them and talks to them. In the end the fantastical is neverending in the book.
I did not just read this because of the fantasy aspects though. I also did want to see what it said about faith and religion. In all honesty, I feel that Pullman did not do a very good job explaining what was what. It is as though he so much hate for the church that he could not create a coherent parallel between the book and religion. It is hard to tell who stands for what. I think part of the issue lies that he does not do a good job explaining what dust, is or what it is used for, and this was the crux of his argument. Throughout the novel, and especially at the end for the novel Pullman makes sure to point out that the Church and Priests are the powerful people that are financing the Gobblers. He then goes into a long dissertation of the fall of Adam and Eve, and how the dust is the result of that. He seems to base his sole argument on one aspect of Christianity that he does not explain that well, and one that is even argued even among Christian leaders today.
With that said though I thought it was a novel that had something for everyone. Fantasy seems to be a genre that can draw all different types of people, and all different types of readers. Fantastical things allow the reader to get out of the realm of reality and dream about new and exciting things. Pullman does this. He creates a fantasy world that students can relate to one that is already similar to the real world. He also creates characters that are easy to relate to. All of the evil people are adults, and all of the children are good and innocent people, which is actually the premise of the idea of cutting the daemons from the children.
This is a novel that has constantly been under the microscope from religious leaders. It is a text that many churches have on their list of books to not read to children. I feel that this is not a fair assessment of the book. While there are some ideas that Pullman is trying to prove with this novel, that try to contradict the church, there is still a great novel lying underneath the political context. As a teacher I know that many students in through early high school do not have the ability for deeper level reading without the help of a teacher or parent. And this novel is so much more than a political/religious text. It is a text that is full of fantastical situations that allows students and children to step out of the dullness of life and see life in a new way. In terms of it being a religious text, I ask, “what is blocking a text from a student going to do”? If anything the church could use it to show where they disagree with the message, and use it as a learning tool.
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