Rationales!
Soon you will be writing a rationale for a book of your choosing. Nilsen and Donelson talk specifically about rationales on pgs. 390-393. You should review those pages when you write your rationale. Also see your syllabus for minimum requirements concerning length, etc.
As well, by visiting these links you can view a sample rationale and read a sample chapter about what to do when censorship issues arise:
http://www.ncte.org/store/books/122791.htm?source=gs
http://www.ncte.org/store/books/censorship/105797.htm
Please follow the NCTE format for writing rationales. You'll see it illustrated in the samples from the first link. Also note that NCTE has a couple of CD-roms for sell that feature numerous rationales for various texts.
Finally, I am copying an exeptional rationale from a friend and former YA Lit student of mine who is now in the doctoral program in English Education at UVa. Her name is Amy D. Graves, and she chose to write on the Haddon novel we read (sorry, that means that one's off limits).
Rationale: the curious incident of the dog in the night-time
CitationHaddon, Mark. the curious incident of the dog in the night-time. Random House: New York, 2003.
Intended Audience:In our next unit, students in Advanced English 10 will have the option of reading Mark Haddon’s national bestseller, the curious incident of the dog in the night-time. The book will be read by some students during our literature circle unit. This novel falls under the genre of Young Adult literature and has about an eighth or ninth grade reading level.
Plot Summary:The back cover of the novel reads:“Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.”Christopher Boone, an Autistic teen-age boy, narrates the events of his daily life. His daily routine is interrupted by the murder of his neighbor’s dog, Wellington. He decides to investigate this crime, so this murder mystery consumes him until his father orders him to quit attempting to solve the mystery. Regardless, Christopher eventually solves this mystery, as well as another investigation that forces him to stretch the boundaries of his lifestyle.
Opinions About the Text: “Superb…Bits of wisdom fairly leap off the page.”- Newsday. “More so than precursors like The Sound and the Fury and Flowers for Algernon, The Curious Incident is a radical experiment in empathy.” –The Village Voice. “I have never read anything quite like Mark Haddon’s funny and agonizingly honest book, or encountered a narrator more vivid and memorable. I advise you to buy two copies; you won’t want to lend yours out.”- Arthur Golden, author of Memoirs of a Geisha.
My Reflection: After reading the first page of Haddon’s novel, I thought, “Wonderful, a novel that is straight to the point!” Little did I know exactly how forthright the entire book would be. I loved the blatant comments like: “This is a murder mystery novel,” and “There are no jokes in this book.” I realized that Christopher mathematical mind resulted in his straightforward nature. I found many of his thoughts hilarious, especially his ideas on metaphors and similes. Although his genius was humorous and appreciated, I felt sympathy for Christopher when I realized the downside of his abilities. The novel hid Christopher’s disability at first, but Christopher’s circumstances gave hints that he maybe had Autism. Since the book was not written in an omniscient perspective, Christopher’s own description of circumstances acted as clues to solving his disability. I enjoyed the first person point-of-view of the novel; Christopher’s interpretations and opinions of his surrounding gave clear insight to any situation. For example, I could tell exactly why he felt the way he did about being touched and getting sick. I never would have understood why Christopher was afraid of minor things, except through his own perspective.
Possible Objections:
Special Needs- Some may be offended that the novel brings to surface real life attitudes of children/ teenagers with special needs. Haddon’s narrator represents one teenager with Autism; this is not to say that all teenagers with Autism act the same way as the protagonist. Christopher’s attitudes and actions should simply create an awareness about Autism and empathy for Special Needs.
Vulgar Language- Christopher and even some adults in the book use vulgar language. The book is very realistic is every aspect, even with the daily language that is used.
Objectives for Reading the Text:
Participating in literature circles allows students to meet the SOL objectives 10.1 and 10.2, participating in small group activities and creating/evaluating work in small group environments. Reading this specific text allows students to meet other SOL objectives. After reading this novel, students should be able to
• Examine first-person point of view and decide why the author chose to write in this narrative perspective
• Understand various literary terms such as metaphor, simile, personification, hyperbole, understatement
• Analyze stereotypes in our culture
• Examine themes such as “coming of age”
Our class has already focused on multicultural issues such as gender, race, and class and has read texts that provide insight on understanding one another’s differences, as well as similarities. A former and popular unit this year, Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, continued to make students aware of another way of life, the life of someone growing up with a disability. Hopefully, the students learned to appreciate others with disabilities, becoming more aware of their daily concerns, challenges, and triumphs. Haddon’s the curious incident of the dog in the night-time serves as a complement to the Of Mice and Men. By reading this novel, students will better understand the life of a teenager growing up with Autism.
posted by Bucky C. @ 7:41 AM
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Speak
by Laurie Halse Anderson
Publisher: Puffin (reprint edition) 2001
Rationale by Jenifer Dowell, Education Student at the University of Southern Mississippi
Intended Audience: Speak is a Young Adult Fiction novel with an eigth or ninth grade reading level..
Plot Summary: Melinda is a new freshman at Merryweather High School. She does not fit in with any of the cliques…the jocks, country clubbers, idiot savants, cheerleaders, human waste, eurotrash, future fascists of America, big hair chix, the Marthas, suffering artists, thespians, goths, shredders…nothing. She is the outcast. This is her first year of high school and one of the most miserable years of her life. Her family rarely ever talks to one another, she has no friends, and IT is always lurking somewhere in the halls of her school. The only person that she can really trust is her art teacher.
Speak is an intriguing book about a girl’s emotional struggle with a serious problem. Melinda used to have friends and be just like the average teenage girl until something happened at a high school party when she was in the eighth grade. Now everybody at her school hates her, her parents ignore her, and she feels like she has nobody she can trust. She is depressed and will not talk to anybody. Near the end of her freshman year, however, she learns that there is hope in her world full of hurt. She speaks and finally learns how to trust again.
Opinions About the Text:
“The book's overall gritty realism and Melinda's hard-won metamorphosis will leave readers touched and inspired.” – Publisher’s Weekly
“This is a compelling book, with sharp, crisp writing that draws readers in, engulfing them in the story.” – School Library Journal
My Reflection: After I read Speak, memories of junior high school and high school came flooding back to me. Anderson hit right on the mark when it comes to getting in touch with the feelings of the young adult readers. She wrote as if she was just in high school yesterday. Though the book contains a sensitive topic, it treats the subject of rape with an honest perspective to help make students aware of the problems of rape. In an interview with Laurie Halse Anderson, the interviewer and Anderson talk about Melinda’s silence in the story.
TBB: “Melinda's silence can be very frustrating to the reader at times. You often want her to talk about what happened to her or defend herself when others hurt her. It's as if her speech has been stolen from her. Do you think this often happens after a traumatic event? How can teens regain their voice?”
LHA: “Yes! Yes! This happens constantly!! We shut ourselves up in big ways and little. We don't tell our parents things, we hold something back from a friend. Do that enough and you stop listening to your real feelings. And now you are depressed and you can't find a way out. And that's just normal stuff. Traumatic events (like death, moving, divorce, abuse, harassment, rape) lead to silence --- it is just so painful to think about, you block it. Only you can't block pain. It's like a river --- block it one place and it floods somewhere else. Try and hide from your pain and it'll hurt you in a different place. You have to talk about things that hurt. It’s a sucky fact of life.”
Throughout the novel, this is the theme that keeps coming back up. To deal with people’s problems, they have to talk about them. Once they get out in the open, the hurt can escape, and people will learn from their experiences.
Possible Objections:
Rape - This book contains a particularly touchy subject for a lot of people. We follow the main character through her struggles after she was raped at a party in the eigth grade. Through most of the book, the reader has no idea that Melinda got raped. Readers spend a lot of time trying to understand what happened to Melinda to make her so silent and withdrawn. At the end of the story though, she realizes that she has to tell somebody that she was raped, and thus began her healing process. A lot of adolescents do not realize the importance of telling parents and teachers about their problems. Speak shows readers that, above anything else, it is very important not to bottle up hurt feelings, but to tell someone when something bad happens to them.
Awards for Speak:
A 2000 Printz Honor Book
A 1999 National Book Award Finalist
An Edgar Allan Poe Award Finalist
A 1999 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist
Winner of the SCBWI Golden Kite Award
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
An ALA Quick Pick
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Booklist Top Ten First Novel of 1999
A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Horn Book Fanfare Title
References:
Amazon.com - Reviews
Teenreads.com
Title: Number the Stars
By: Lois Lowry
Citation: Lowry,Lois. Number the Stars. Random House: New York, 1989.
Target audience:7th-9th grade students
Plot summary: Ten year old Annemarie Johanson and her best friend, Ellen Rosen, often think about life before the war. But it's now 1943, and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching in their town. The Nazi won't stop. The Jews od Denamrk are being "relocated", so Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be part of the family. Then Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission. Somehow she must find the strength and courage to save her best friends life. There's no turning back now.
Opinions about the text: "A deftly told story". -Kirkus Reviews. "Lowry tells her story well, fashioning a tense climax". -Booklist. "The whole work is seamless, compelling, and memorable- impossible to put down; dificult to forget". - The Horn Book Magazine. "[A story of] Denamrk and the Danish people, whose Resistance was so effective in saving their Jews". -School Library Journal.
Objectives for reading the text:
-Experience literature circles
-Analyze stereotypes in culture
-Learn about family struggles during World War II
Possible objections:
-Readers might be a little curious as to how a ten year old may be able to help other families escape to a safe place.
My reflection: After reading this novel, I have come to except the fact that some people are placed in this world to be a blessing to others. It takes courage for a child to be brave and outgoing to able to protect others that are older and younger than them from people with much authority over them.
Lord of the Flies
by William Golding
Publisher: Perigee Trade, 1959
Grade Levels and Audience:
This novel is good for language arts classes from 10th grade- 12th grade. It could also be explored in younger accelerated English classes. It could also be taught in Civics classes 9th-12th, teaching students about the importance of the rule of law in society. It can also be taught in psychology class to explain some Freudian terms such as id, ego, and superego that the characters may represent.
Plot Summary:
William Golding’s Lord of the Flies (LOTF) was published in 1954. The plot of Lord of the Flies is very simple, yet very deep. A plane crashes on the shore of a tropical island and many children of all ages are evacuated. All of the adults are killed. The children go about their days and eventually become savages, because they are not rescued right away. There is a struggle between two young boys, Jack and Ralph, for authority, and many hardships and difficulties are met. Golding’s thoughts were colored by his experiences in World War II. His thoughts after the war were those of evil and dark human nature. Golding’s characters represent the way in which society could become savage-like and chaotic without some sort of government control with laws.
Opinions about the Text:
"His prose is forceful and compact. He tells a rousing good story. Yet his technical virtousity, his use of image and symbol....are what account for his reputation." - The New York Times
"Illuminates the human condition in the world today." -Swedish Academy Nobel Prize Citation
My Reflection:
Lord of the Flies is a very thought provoking text. It makes students think deep into a text to see the underlying meaning of character traits. Lord of the Flies addresses many serious and important issues such as: the importance of the government and laws, civilization vs. savagery, the general conflict between good and evil which lies within us all, also the relationship between Piggy and Ralph teach students the importance of friendship and trust. In general, it shows the importance of building positive relationships with others. There is also a central theme of loss of innocence which is important for students to understand. It is sometimes better to keep the innocence one has as a child, because after it is gone, bigger things come into play- the real world. It is also a good representation of survival of the fittest, using whatever resources one can to survive. Another theme is to show that the bad things in human nature cause the bad things in society. One can also read Lord of the Flies with a psychological approach analyzing the id, ego, and superego. Freud says the id, which is located in the unconscious mind, works on pure impulses for gratification. Jack Merridew never considers anything but his very own pleasure; therefore, he can be seen as the representation of the “id” in the novel. The ego is the conscious mind, according to Freud, whose role is to be mediator between the id’s need for pleasure and the pressures brought upon the superego. Ralph, being the one who is always dealing with the “reality” of things, clearly fills this role. The superego is the part of the mind that feels the need to control the impulses of the id. The superego acts as a sensor. Piggy serves this role in the novel. Just as the superego needs the ego to control the id, Piggy needs Ralph to help control Jack. There are also instances of the libido, “Freudian sex drive” within the novel when Jack and the hunter’s drive to kill the pig becomes purely for pleasure, instead of just for food. Reading Lord of the Flies with a psychological approach, Golding illustrates that the id will have full control of the psyche without rules being reinforced and norms of society being met. These are all very important themes that students should be familiar with in order to live in today’s society. Each student comes in contact with rules and regulations as well as relationships and just plain living. Students can relate to characters in this novel and also learn from their mistakes. It is also good to be told from the point of view of children, because students can relate better.
Possible Objections:
Without really understanding the underlying meaning of the texts, some people may think it is a very violent novel that shows too much violence between kids their age, and this may influence kids. A murder even happens in the novel. The novel also shows cruelty towards Piggy because he is overweight, wears glasses, and is somewhat “slow.” This may teach kids to pick on others which is also a negative thing. Parents also may think the novel is too dark, evil, and frightening for their young kids to witness. Some critics may also not look at this as an adventure story with politics, but as an enticing story for kids to run away from home and live alone with no rules and responsibilities.
Alternate Works:
Many texts deal with similar themes that are addressed in Lord of the Flies. Shakespeare’s Macbeth addresses the issue of the evil that is inside everyone’s heart. It takes an outside force to bring it forward. In Lord of the Flies, it is the removal from civilization that causes the children to become evil savages, in Macbeth it is his yearning to become the king that causes his evil. Huckleberry Finn and Lord of the Flies both portray society as morally corrupt. They also both display what can happen when ethical and moral standards fail to apply. Both novels also use symbols of nature to reflect how they see society, such as the island and weather in LOTF and the Mississippi River in Huckleberry Finn. Teachers could also consider a thematic unit on government control and the importance of being “civilized.”
Awards:
1983 Nobel Prize in Literature
References:
Free Expression Network. Censorship. 22 July 2005. 26 March 2007.http://www.freeexpression.org/
Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Berkley Publishing, 1954.
McClean, John. "Lord of the Flies: A psychoanalytic View of Destructiveness." Contemporary Literary Criticism. 26 March 2007.
Rosenfield, Claire. "'Men of a Smaller Growth:’ A Psychological Analysis of William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies'." Contemporary Literary Criticism 1961. 26 March 2007.
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sing
by Maya Angelou
Rationale by Shannon McCraw, Young Adult Literature, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Grade level and audience: 9-12
How this book will be studied: small groups, through independent reading, placed in the classroom library, and recommended to individual readers. Caged Bird is pertinent to the objectives of this unit in exploring the various lives touched by the Great Depression: The Great Gatsby and The Grapes of Wrath will also be included.
Opinions about the text: “Simultaneously touching and comic.” _ New York Times. “Regularly throws out rich, dazzling images which delight and surprise with the simplicity.” _ Robert A Gross, Newsweek. “A work of art which eludes description because the black aesthetic – another way of saying ‘the black experience’ – has too long been neglected to be formalized by weary clichés.” _ Julian Mayfield. “It is a heroic and beautiful book.” _ Cleveland Plain Dealer. “A beautiful book – an unconditionally involving memoir for our time or any time.” _ Kirkus Reviews.
Plot Summary: Caged Bird is the first in a series of five books of Maya Angelou’s autobiography. This book tells of the beginnings of Angelou’s life, her relationship with her parents and brother, how she came to live in Arkansas most of her life and her experiences as a black female in the South during the first half of the 20th century, and of her molestation and eventual rape by her mother’s boyfriend. Angelou was a victim of circumstance and the events of her early life impacted her so that she became one who did whatever she could to survive in the “white” world.
Strengths of the work: Angelou’s use of color and imagery permeate the entire novel so as to fill the imagination of the reader with vivid images while reading. While the content is startling at times, Angelou’s writing and storytelling skills smooth the reader over the bumps. The depression was an extremely hard time in America during the first half of the 20th century and Angelou tells of how it affected the African-American population – where much written about this era has focused on the affects of the white man.
Angelou’s experiences are not subject to just her race and era. The events she experienced are still in practice today. Her words could be encouraging to a student who is experiencing similar situations.
Family is a major theme in Angelou’s book. She relies on her brother and “Momma” for strength and support, Uncle Willie for stability, and her mother and father for affection. Everything Angelou experienced, she always referred back to the family’s actions or reactions.
Possible Objections: Maya Angeleou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is her autobiography depicting the life a black girl/woman in the first half of the 20th century. Racism and segregation, abandonment, and gender, religious, and sexual issues pervade the text which may cause some problems within the classroom or among the students’ communities. Planned activities to help handle any problems shall be discussion questions before beginning the text, journal entries while reading sections of the text with discussions on entries, and discussions after completion of the text. Literature circles will be used while reading sections of the book that are more sensitive to help the uneasiness of the students and make discussions less intimidating. There will also be a reading list sent home with each student at the beginning of the year to inform guardians of the literature that will be studied this semester.
Alternate Works:
A Bus of Our Own by Freddi Williams Evans (non-fiction)
The Story of Ruby Bridges by Robert Coles (non-fiction)
Poor is Just a Starting Place by Leslie J. Wyatt (fiction)
Longest-running record (2 years) on The New York Times Paperback Nonfiction Best-seller List.
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
Rationale by Mandy Lawrence, The University of Southern Mississippi
Grade Level and Audience
I suggest it for Grade Levels Ninth through Twelfth in English and Safety Ed. Classes.
Plot Summary
Melinda begins her freshman year as an outcast with a painful secret. All ties with her friends were severed because of one fateful summer party. She uses her “outsider” point of view to paint an honest picture of the social structure and rules of high school groups. Soon Melinda’s social problems affect her academics and family life. Her only outlet is her art class where she tries to perfect an artistic interpretation of a tree. The first semester Melinda spends hiding from “IT” and tolerating an obnoxious friendship with Heather.
However, with the coming of Spring things begin to change for Melinda. She finds a “friend” in her lab partner, stands up to her history teacher, and even confronts her ex best friend, Rachel, about the events that transpired the summer before at a party. After her call for help, by dialing 9-1-1, cops are sent to the party, ruining everyone’s good time. In the climax of Melinda’s year she stands up to “IT,” her rapist, Andy Evans, who tries to harm her again. In the touching final scene she finds her “voice” by opening up to her art teacher after drawing the perfect tree.
Strength’s of the Work
The subject matter of Speak is by far the book’s strongest contribution to the classroom. The situations that underage drinking can cause are numerous and date rape is one of them. Miranda goes through various stages after her experience. She lives in denial, anger, and depression. This book does not only give a situation where date rape can occur, but also explains the repercussions on the victim. It is also important to note that Melinda knew her assailant because statistically most women who experience rape know their assailants.
Speak also has literary value. The characters and symbolism in Speak are particularly interesting. Tracking the progress of Miranda is a good, solid example of character growth. She is significantly different at the end of the story than at the beginning. Other characters function slightly different than expected. For example, Melinda’s parents are not approachable as the stereotype may suggest. Her teachers are not nurturing and the guidance counselor is not exactly sure of what she is advising. The symbolism through the artwork, nature, and objects presented to story can also be discussed with a class. Students can describe how the trees Melinda draws are personifying her. Other literary elements can also be unearthed such as gothic elements.
Possible Objections
The issues of sexual abuse and rape are taboo in today’s society. To teach a book where rape is the central focus may seem inappropriate. However, it is important to educate youth on the possibilities and danger of sexual abuse and rape. Being sheltered from such subjects can cause someone to be confused and not know how to handle such a situation.
The other touchy subject matter in Speak is the darker elements. Scenes where Melinda tries to cut her wrists with a paperclip. Her behavior and thoughts of a dark nature are a reaction to the traumatizing experience she endured. This book can also address issues of depression and suicide for the same reasons it addresses rape.
Alternative Works
In looking at the theme of female social outcasts the first book to come to mind is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. A gothic novel can also be substituted such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein because of its hints about society and darker elements. Book dealing with teenagers such as The Outsiders can also be used like Speak. A novel that addresses various issues such sexual assault, depression, social ostracism, teenage clichés, and pop culture are in the broad cannon of this novel.
Awards
Michael L. Printz Honor Book
National Book Award Finalist
Edgar Allan Poe Award Finalist
Los Angles Times Book Prize Finalist
Winner of the SCBWI Golden Kite Award
New York Times Best Seller
Publishers Weekly Best Seller
ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults
ALA Quick Pick
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Booklist Top Ten First Novel of 1999
BCCB Blue Ribbon Book
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Horn Book Fanfare Title
Winner of eight State book awards and a finalist for eleven
Feed
by M.T. Anderson
Citation: Anderson, M.T. Feed. Candlewick: Cambridge, 2002.
Rationale by Valerie H. Freeman
Grade Levels and Audience:
Recommended for grades 11–12, and for courses in American Literature or World Literature
Plot Summary:
The characters in M.T. Anderson’s 2002 novel Feed live in a futuristic world where school is trademarked, night and day is controlled by switches, the moon and space are a day’s drive away, and people’s bodies are completely wired into the Internet, or Feed. The Feed allows people to communicate by “chatting” without speaking or typing, as the Internet images are received directly in the character’s brains. The Feed also bombards users with constant advertisements, newscasts, and messages from “personal shoppers” who monitor the users’ feelings and desires in order to pull up relevant information or products to meet the users’ needs.
Despite the constant flow of information that the people in Feed receive, the teenagers of the time are still bored with their lives and continually search for excitement and fun. The main character, Titus, and his friends take a trip to the moon. Though it is basically a worn-down tourist trap for teenagers, Titus meets a girl—Violet—at a zero gravity attraction and the two form quite an attraction. The group goes dancing one night, but a hacker at the club gives most members a virus. Everyone but Violet fully recovers; because she came from an poor, nonconformist family she had not had the Feed installed at birth, causing complications after the encounter with the hacker. Aside from the personal danger now posed on her, Violet also sees the dangers of the instant gratification and blatant consumerism that the Feed encourages. The Feed has seemingly blinded people to the deteriorating world around them and has desensitized them to their own lesions and loss of hair and skin alike. Violet’s Feed ultimately shuts her down, symbolizing the pending end of civilization itself in a Feed-driven apocalypse.
Strengths of the Work:
This novel possesses a number of important themes and explores issues in American (and world) culture that are presented in a manner that is both humorous and eye opening. Feed is a young adult novel with characters who, though they are futuristic, are teenagers themselves and deal not only with problems caused by the Feed, but also typical teenage problems: desiring to “fit in,” wanting to have fun, trying to stay trendy, and wanting to try new things. The novel also follows Titus through a sort of self-finding journey. Though the end of the novel leaves readers to decide whether or not Violet has actually changed Titus and his view on life, the novel follows Titus’ thoughts throughout the novel and readers can see how his thoughts become more aware of the world around him.
The novel is an apocalyptic story and is a warning against the dangers of instant-gratification and everyone’s desire for more and more of everything. The novel also touches on how companies and government officials can persuade and manipulate an unaware public. Feed also exposes how electronic communication, such as instant messaging and text messaging, could erase the need for verbal communication if people allow it. Several historical events are also mentioned or alluded to in the novel; however, none of the students seem to really know about any of them. Overall Feed seems to suggest that knowledge, independent thinking, and people working together for the good of humankind can save the world from self-destruction, but if people allow technology and selfishness to rule, then they are heading to a self-inflicted apocalypse.
Possible Objections:
Some of the language found in Feed may be offensive to some readers; however, the “curse” words are not included merely for the sake of using them. Anderson uses the presently offensive language to show how language can evolve, as—in the novel—words today deemed “offensive” are part of the character’s daily vocabulary, no longer taboo. In the novel, the words are just words used to place emphasis.
The novel also has some references to drug use and sexuality. Neither is explicit, and no actual drugs are used in the book. Instead, characters “malfunction” by purchasing a temporary program that interferes with their Feeds. The novel also presents malfunctioning in a negative light. The sexuality in the book is mild, no worse than what can be viewed on prime-time television. The sexuality also plays a key role in building tension in the plot and intensifying the novel’s conclusion.
Alternate Works:
No other books really take on the issues presented in M.T. Anderson’s novel, at least not from a young adult point of view. George Orwell’s 1984 could be substituted, but the imagery is not as up-to-date and the protagonist is not a young adult.
Awards:
Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, 2002
Finalist for the National Book Award, 2002
Honor book for the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award (Fiction category), 2003
Ryan Arnold
ENG 418 Rationale
Bucky Carter
26 March 2007
Rationale: Equus
Citation: Shaffer, Peter. Equus. Signet Classics. Reissued 2001.
Intended Audience: Equus is a play. It was most likely penned for an adult audience, but because of its young adult protagonist, I am firmly convinced that it would be appropriate for an upper-level high school English class, perhaps eleventh or twelfth grade.
Plot Summary: There are only seven characters in Equus, one of which is a horse. However, the two central characters are child psychologist Dr. Martin Dysart and seventeen-year-old Alan Strang. The story was written in the 1970’s, but could have just as easily been written today. The bulk of the story takes places at a psychiatric hospital in London. At the beginning of the story, Alan has just been admitted into the hospital because he has brutally blinded six horses. Dr. Dysart is Alan’s last hope, because all of the other doctors on staff are so greatly appalled by Alan’s seemingly vicious act that they refuse to treat him. But Martin is so greatly intrigued by Alan that he accepts the case, and finds later that Alan actually worships the horses he handicapped, and his act has caused great turmoil within him. The play is about Dr. Dysart trying to coax the “hows” and “whys” out of the tormented boy.
Opinions About the Text: " 4 stars!" -London Times "Brilliant!" - The London Review Equus is a spectacular play. It shows teenagers that, whether they like it or not, their parents do have a great impact on the adults they become, whether those adults are seen by society as “good” or “bad,” or, as Alan’s parents are convinced, “criminally insane.” This play also points out many of the flaws in organized religion.
My Reflection: I actually saw Equus performed before reading it. The role of Alan Strang was played brilliantly by seventeen-year-old Daniel Radcliffe, yes, that’s the kid that plays Harry Potter. I enjoyed it thoroughly. But I do recognize that one does have to have an open mind while viewing this, because of the stance it takes on religion, and perhaps even more shocking, sex. Most of the people I come into contact with on a daily basis would most likely die before admitting they liked it, at least the people in parents’ generation on upward.
Probable Objections: Sexual references (beastiality, open sex between minors, full frontal nudity of both sexes) Yes, that sounds pretty awful, but all total it accounts for perhaps seven minutes of a two-hour play. The bigger issues are much more important. Also, if you are reading the play, you wouldn't actually see any of that. Also, in Britain, seventeen-year-olds are not minors.
Consistent profanity-including the infamous “f” word a few times. Truthfully, this is very realistic language for the vast majority of today's teens.
Idol worship-He is worshipping God, even if a skewed version. This becomes evident as the play progresses.
Disrespect to adult authority-He has been convinced that his parents think he is crazy. But, through Dr. Dysart, he regains trust in the adult population.
Teaching Objectives: Through this work I hope that my students will learn that it is all right to have a differing opinion from others, perhaps even those in authority over them. And, although not always, sometimes the faults that manifest themselves in us are in fact a direct result of the faults in those around us. Also, I hope they will learn empathy for their peers, and that, whatever the world thinks of them, the only people that they really have to answer to are themselves and God.
To Kill a Mockingbird
By: Harper Lee
Rationale by: Shannon Price, English Education, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Citation: J.B. Lippincott Company, Subsidiary of Harper & Row Publishers, Inc., East Washington Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Copyright: 1960.
Grade Level and Audience
Recommended for grades 9-12 and for courses in American Literature
Plot Summary
To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb, Alabama and is narrated by Atticus Finch’s daughter Scout. Atticus Finch is a lawyer and is widowed and must take care of his daughter and son, Jem, on his own. Scout and Jem befriend a boy named Dill and the three of them become obsessed yet fascinated with the house they liked to call the Radley Place. The three of them begin to find things left in a tree that they thought were presents from Nathan Radley’s brother Boo. Boo is not your typical person, he had been living in this house for many years without stepping foot outside.
The next summer Dill comes back into town and the children begin to make fun of Boo Radley and Atticus corrects the children for their behavior. He tells them to see life from another person’s perspective before passing judgment on them. The last night of the summer the three children decide to go on to the Radley property and Nathan Radley shoots at them. Jem happens to lose his pants when trying to dodge the bullets. The next day when he went back to look for them, he found them mended and hung on a fence. Boo then left presents during the winter for Scout and Jem but eventually Nathan put cement in the hole of the tree where the presents were being left. One winter night there was a fire at a neighbor’s house and Scout was watching. As she was watching the fire someone slips a blanket over her shoulders and she suspects it was Boo. The children are then convinced of everything Boo was doing and they decide to tell Atticus everything that was happening.
Maycomb is a racist white community, yet Atticus decides to defend a black man named Tom Robinson, who has been accused of raping a white woman. Scout and Jem are treated badly by other children in the town because of their father defending a black man. The two children get to feel the warm embrace of a black church when they go with Calpurnia, their black cook to her church. Tom Robinson’s trial soon begins and a racist mob comes to the local jail that he is being held in. This mob has plans to lynch Tom but Atticus stands up to them. At the trial itself, Atticus’ children sit in the “colored section” with the town’s black people. Atticus provides very good evidence that Tom is innocent and that Mayella and her father are lying about the whole situation. Although the evidence was clear, the all-white jury found Tom Robinson guilty of rape. Tom later tries to escape from jail and is shot to death.
Even though the verdict was what Bob, Mayella’s father wanted, he was still upset that Atticus tried to make a fool out of him. Bob then threatens Tom’s widow, tries to break into the judge’s house, and attacks Jem and Scout when they were on their way home from a Halloween party. Luckily, Boo Radley was there to stop Bob and ends up stabbing him to death. Boo carries Jem to his home, and the sheriff is kind enough to make Bob’s death look as if he tripped and fell on his own knife ultimately killing himself in order to cover for Boo.
Scout finally realizes what kind of person Boo Radley is and that he is a human too. She also realizes that what her father had been teaching her all along was what she needed to be practicing. These things include sympathy and understanding, as well as her faith not being broken because of prejudices and hatred because there are good people in the world.
Strengths of the Work
This novel has many important themes that need and should be stressed in our society. This novel is a good description of how things were when segregation was still taking place. The setting for this novel is around the years of 1933-1935. At this time, there were hardly any whites and blacks that got along. This novel shows that some people are willing and want to overcome things that are seen as inappropriate. By Atticus taking Tom Robinson’s case and fully defending him, he was able to make a point that people of different races can get along and work together.
The theme of good and evil are a big part in this novel. Scout tells the reader about each character and the way that he or she behaves towards others. Atticus and his family were portrayed as a very open-minded family and the people that were not open-minded saw them as evil, but really they are part of the good in a sense. The townspeople who falsely accuse others for felonies and the racist mob are part of the evil in this novel. The evil people thought that they were good because they do not like people that are not the same color as they are and considered the colored people evil. All in all, there was good and evil coexisting in each other’s daily lives which added conflict and resolution to this novel. Without the conflict occurring we would not have had the opportunity to see a result in this novel.
Another theme that was seen in this novel was morality. Atticus constantly taught his children about doing the right things and having faith that there were good people, such as when he told Scout not to judge Boo Radley until she knew him as a person. This is a moral that all people need to go by because it is constantly seen. People are always judging and putting down others that they do not even know. Atticus is keeping his children from growing up like the people that are portrayed as evil. The lesson on morality is very important in this novel because it also puts the idea of doing right in the reader’s mind.
Of course, social class is an issue in this novel as well. Social class is an issue in this world today, but it is something that is real and people have to face in life. The thing about social class is that a person can always work their way up in social classes. People just need to try hard and not give up when life gets hard. It is seen in the novel that certain social classes don’t get along, but we must keep in mind the time setting of this book when reading it.
Possible Objections
There are a few reasons that this book may get challenged when being taught in a classroom. Those reasons include racial slurs, violence, and profanity. As for the racial slurs, there is a certain word that is used in this text that is known for being very derogatory and discriminating. The term is not used in the book in a derogatory way or in a manner of trying to get readers to use it. It is used to show how people talked in this time period. I feel that this word should not be used in books anymore as soon as people quit using it in their everyday language. But until then, it is a term that can be found in the dictionary and is part of our language so therefore it is okay for it to be used in books. If a situation arouses because of this term used in the novel, I will explain to them that there is no racism intended and that we simply can not look over what was said in the past. It is part of the learning experience to explain some of the history that the students do not yet know about.
Violence is seen in this novel. Violence can also be seen in everyday households whether on T.V. or on the streets. Violence is a part of life that children have to learn about. If children know and are aware of things that can happen to them, it is less likely something bad will happen to them. Children can be taught what to do if they are in certain situations and how to handle them. Students that may get raped will be willing to talk to an adult about what happened to them and can have the problem taken care of. Otherwise, the students are not going to learn about life and how to cope with situations that are important. The violence that was portrayed in the novel was used because it showed the reader what happens to an innocent man falsely accused. It should touch the readers and make them think about the situation as if it could happen to them one day.
Yes, profanity is also in this novel but it is also in a lot of people’s daily lives. Profanity is everywhere; parents even slip up and say bad words in front of their children. Wanting to ban a book because of profanity is like saying we should ban all human beings that use profanity around people under the age of eighteen. Profanity is something that is a part of life that will probably never change and may only get worse. The main thing about profanity is when teaching a book with these words in it, a teacher has to stress to the students that these are words that are used to show certain emotions and shouldn’t be used in just everyday speech. If students are going to use profanity they will more than likely pick those words up from parents, friends, music, or T.V. and not from the novels they are reading in class.
Alternate Works
There are many works that can relate to the book To Kill a Mockingbird such as – Speak, Monster, Catcher in the Rye, Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography. All of these works are very important in building a good foundation for a higher level of learning for the students. Teachers should try to teach these many novels and have them all in the same thematic unit: life lessons.
Awards
Pulitzer Prize for fiction
Bestsellers’ paperback award in 1962
References
Donelson, Kenneth and Allen Pace Nilsen. Literature for Today’s Young Adults. Boston. 2005: 390-393.
NCTE. Rationales for Challenged Books: Vol. 2. http://www.ncte.org/library/files/Store/Books/Sample/73314RationalesCD_v2x.pdf
Rational:
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Citation:
Twain, Mark. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Clayton: Prestwick House Inc., 2005.
Garde Level:
This novel could be read in grades 7th through 9th or higher.
Plot Summary:
This novel explores late 1800s southern United states from the eyes of two runaways a white boy and a black slave. The story follows their adventures as Finn helps Jim escape slavery. They travel along the Mississippi river and the novel follows their travails.
Strengths of the Work and Possible Objections:
Twain uses the friendship between Jim and Finn to highlight the problems in society. Through their adventures southward they observe the slavery system that was prevalent at the time. Twain’s portrayal of Jim shows the difference between society and humanity. The friendship of Finn and Jim allows the reader to learn from society’s problems and cheer on the underdog. In many of the novels from this period the slavery issue is either whitewashed or ignored and this book stares it straight in the face allowing the reader to understand why it is wrong. The use of racial terminology such as “nigger,” does not make the novel itself a racist work but is a byproduct of the author’s use of Local Color Realism or the vernacular, or common linguistic tendencies. The racial outlook of the social castes is not present in the book to promote the practice, as many thought, but is instead a critique of the use of color as a deciding factor in the lives of so many.
Mark Twain used the linguistic style of Local Color Realism or the vernacular, or common speech in the novel to show the differences in the different levels of society. However according to a Concord, Massachusetts library the very language running through the book was all that was needed to bann the book from their shelves; immediately upon its publication. Although there were groups willing to support the book the support was not strong enough to keep the book on “civilized” shelves. There have been attempts to rework the novel by changing the language and characters’ race; however these changes have all taken away the very themes of the story. The book has been looked down upon because of the speech and has been thought to promote racism when it is actually, at times, a witty critique of the racist society that prevailed over much of the south at the time the story was written. The creative use of local vernacular that Twain uses when Finn or any of the other characters speak highlights their status at the time. The change of vernacular between individual characters showed their different status; example: most “black folk” spoke using uneducated slang and terminology where as most if not all of the “white folks” spoke using a more cultured or educated vocabulary, and less slang. This showed that the “white folk” were better and more deserving than the “black folk” when it is actually the set of circumstances that each found them in that allowed that level of education.
Opinions:
"Huck Finn was (and probably will remain) a lesson in the use of language, of epithets, of slurs and how they can change (or not) over time." ~ Bill Walsh
Possible Assignments Related to the Text:
After reading the novel students could be asked to write a few paragraphs on issues of racism that they see in everyday life.
Where certain factions have attempted to change the novel to make it more acceptable; the students could propose their own ideas of potential changes and why or why not these changes should/should not be made.
Personal Opinions and Reflections:
This story is a classic coming of age novel. There are two major controversial aspects to this novel: racism and language. However, it provides an unfiltered look at a part of dark United State’s history that society tries to overlook and forget. By allowing it in schools, students will be more likely to look upon their fellow man with a kinder eye. And they will be able to discern right and wrong in the “race” issues.
"The Secret Life of Bees"
by Sue Monk Kidd
Publisher: Penguin Books
Publication date: 2003
Grade level: 9-12
Plot Summary: This novel is set in South Carolina in 1964 during the Civil Rights Movement. Lily Owens, a 14 year old white girl is being raised by a black lady named Rosalene. Lily's mother died during a family fight and Lily wants to find out who really killed her. Lily's dad is mean and does not like to have much to do with Lily. Rosalene goes into town to register to vote and is confronted by some racist white men. She spits on the men's shoes and is thrown in jail. She is beaten by the men and has to be hospitalized. Lily breaks her out of the guarded hospital and they run away from all the cruelty in their lives. Lily has a picture from her mother of a black Virgin Mary. It has a name of Tiburon South Carolina on the back of the picture, so that is where they go. They find August Boatwright's home. August sells honey with the same exact picture of the Virgin Mary on the lable. Eventually, Lily finds out that August helped raise Lily's mother. Lily also finds out how to keep bees and process honey. August and her sisters have a big statue of Mary in their livingroom. They, along with several other black ladies, worship the statue as their queen. Lily loves it here and learns many interesting things.
Strengths of the work:
This novel is about the hardships faced by both blacks and whites during the Civil Rights Movement in the South. It is also about the art of beekeeping. "The Secret Life of bees" shows that people can overcome obstacles in their life.
Possible objections:
"The Secret Life of Bees" may be offensive to some people because of the racial issues faced in the text. Lily has feelings for the young black helper but they know that their relationship will be frowned upon by society. Rosalene is beaten by white men after spitting on their shoes. She is jailed for causing trouble.
There are also a few curse words that may be offensive to some readers. There is the mention of womanly problems, but it is not a big issue in the text.
Use in the classroom:
"THe Secret Life of Bees" can be used in a classroom as a reading to go along with Civil Rights study. Students will be able to see the effects of racial tension with blacks and whites. They can also see how Lily Owens overcomes troubles and hardships in her life. this may help a student to find hope for their life.
Comments about the book:
1. "Maybe it's true that there are no perfect books, but I closed this one believing that i had found perfection"--"Book" magazine
2. "Beautifully told and wonderfully humorous.... A warm, deftly told story about a girl and her search for the truth."--San Antonio Times-Express
3. "Simply a beautiful book... Georgeous language...Offers beauty, mystery, and resolution all at the same time."--Nashville Scene
4. "Kidd has written a triumphant coming-of-age novel taht speaks to the universal need "love." --New Orleans Times-Picayune
5. "Buzz-worthy."--People
Diana Tannehill
Mr. Carter
English 418
28 March 2007
Perfect by Natasha Friend
Rationale by Diana Tannehill
Citation: Friend, Natasha. Perfect. Milkweed Editions: Minnesota, 2004.
Intended Audience: Within the next few weeks, students in eighth grade Language Arts will be reading Perfect by Natasha Friend. This book will be read as a class in order to focus on the theme of grief.
Plot Summary: Perfect is the story of Isabelle, a thirteen year old girl who is having issues dealing with her father’s death. Unable to grieve and cope Isabelle becomes bulimic. Isabelle’s mother sends her to an eating disorder and body image therapy group where Isabelle befriends Ashley, the most popular girl in school. Throughout the novel Ashley and Isabelle struggle with bulimia and eventually discover the underlying cause of the disorder.
Opinions about the Text: “A fine novel that addresses common adolescent issues. Teenagers, even reluctant readers, will find the outcome satisfying.”
–School Library Journal
“Isabelle’s therapy sessions help explain the disease to readers without seeming didactic…Isabelle’s story will both touch and educate readers.”
–Publishers Weekly
“Eating disorder plots aren’t new…but Friend tells this more as a family story, bringing a spontaneity and engagement to Isabelle’s narration that lifts this above most pointed problem novels…[a] witty and perceptive family drama.”
-Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
My Reflection: Right away the novel grabs my attention. I am thrown into the conflict when the novel opens with Isabelle’s sister, April, walking in on Isabelle forcing herself to throw up. When Isabelle’s mother sends her to group it becomes obvious that there is a problem. I thought it must be a self image problem if she has an eating disorder. However, I was surprised to learn that it has less to do with self image and more to do with the death of Isabelle’s father.
No one in the family is dealing with his death. For instance, Isabelle’s mother has taken down all of his pictures, hidden his belongings, and refuses to talk about him; while Isabelle throws up and April cries at night. The anger Isabelle has towards her mother’s behavior causes her to become absorbed in bulimia. I believe that it is important to recognize that anger is a part of the grieving process as is such I also find it worthwhile to note that as soon as Isabelle communicates her feelings the bulimia begins to diminish.
The fact that the novel is written in first person and not omniscient allows me to develop a personal relationship with the main character. For example, I am able to be compassionate towards the death of Isabelle’s father and her mother’s willingness to surrender.
Possible Objections:
Eating disorders: Some may find the topic of eating disorders unacceptable. Throughout the novel there is a great deal of description about binging and purging. The descriptions could be easily transferred into instructions, however, the descriptions are necessary to understand the seriousness of the disorder.
Grief: Grief is the root of eating disorders and other emotional problems in Perfect. Several students may not be emotionally prepared to discuss grief in which a person does not grieve using the “normal” methods.
Objectives for Reading the Text: After completing the novel the students will be able to:
-Analyze themes of friendship and grief
-Create sentences using different parts of speech such as similes and metaphors.
-Analyze first person point of view
-Examine the effect of style on the reader’s perspective.
This text will be an excellent addition to our class curriculum for the year. We have already read and discussed Speak, in which grief and coping are also an issue. Perfect is a great novel to connect to Speak.
Rationale: Happy Endings Are All Alike
Citation:Scoppettone, Sandra. Happy Endings Are All Alike. Hushion House: New York, 1978
Rationale by Margaret Fleming
Intended Audience: In our next unit, students in English 101 will have the option of reading Sandra Scoppettone’s Happy Ending are all Alike. The book will be read by the students in the class. This novel falls under the genre of Young Adult literature and has about a tenth grade reading level.
Plot Summary: Jaret and Peggy are stuck in the lazy summer before college, in the middle of a romance that’s a badly-kept secret from Jaret’s mother and Peggy’s father and a well-kept secret from the rest of their somewhat conservative town. Things get nasty when a local boy finds out about the romance and decides that Jaret needs some conversion to heterosexuality.
Opinions About the Text: “The emotions at play throughout the book are clear and well-done. Most of book’s characters are complex, solid, and far from annoying. This one is worth a look”-Robert P. Beveridge.
My Reflection: When reading Scoppettone’s novel, I thought that it was interesting to read about teens that do not conform to the usual stereotypes. It was also very powerful in terms of expressing emotions that the characters felt. This is definitely a great book that shows how people who face society with different values have to deal with the negative consequences in a prejudice town.
Possible Objections:
Some may be offended that the novel brings out the sexuality of lesbians. Scoppettone’s characters are two girls who fall in love and start dating. A lesbian relationship would probably cause withdrawals for this book.
Violence- In part of the book one of the characters is raped. This could raise particular anger against what happens in the book.
Objectives for Reading the Text:
Participating in a group discussion allows students to meet different objectives to discuss. The students will be able to evaluate what they have read. Reading this specific text allows students to meet other objectives. Students should be able to
• Examine the point of view of others who have different values of how they believe and what they are faced with in the society.
• Analyze stereotypes
• Examine traumatic experience and the symptoms of trauma
• Understand various literary terms
Our class has already focused on various issues such as race, religion, and class and has read several text focusing on the different understanding of one another’s culture. After reading this text the students will be able to appreciate others who have different values in the society. The novel also gives an insight of traumatic experience that some people are faced with each day.
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
Publsiher: Warner Books
Rationale by Amanda Russell
Elementary Education Major
University of Southern Mississippi
Intended Audience: This novel is a young adult book on the 8th grade reading level. However, this book is suitable and would be of interest for students in the 9th-10th grade because of the concepts and themes it presents.
Plot Summary: THis story begins in the seemingly peaceful town of Maycomb, Alabama. The main charcters in the book are Atticus Finch (lawyer) and his two children Scout and Jem. On their way to school they pass the spooky house of Boo Radley, who everyone thinks is a crazy man. The children try to make Boo come out of the house but their father discourages them from messing with the man. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place at a time in the South (1930's) when black men could not stand up against the power of the white man. This comes into play when Atticus tries to defend Tom Robinson(a black man who is accused of raping a "white trash" girl named Mayella). The theme of the story goes along with the saying "to kill a mockingbird is a sin" because it does not harm anyone and it pleasantly sings. In the same manner, Boo RAdley and Tom Robison represent the mockingbirds because the are innocent. In the end, sin is committed because Tome does not get the justice he deserves (the mockingbird is killed).
Opinions about the text: "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a first novel of such rare excellence that it will no doubt make a great many readers slow down to relish the more fully its simple distinction...the style is bright and straightforward; the unaffected young narrator uses adult language to render the matter she deals with, but the point of view is cunningly restricted to that of a perceptive, independent child, who doesn't always understand fully what's happening, but who conveys completely, by implication, the weight and burden of the story. There is wit,grace and skill in the telling. From the narrator on, every person in the book is every moment alive in time and place." Richard Sullivan "Engrossing First Novel of Rare Excellence" Chicago Sunday Tribune July 17,1960.
My Reflection: I first read TKAM in the seventh grade as a required reading. I did not always enjoy or remember many books I was forced to read as an adolescent. However, this novel stuck with me and had a perhaps life changing affect on some of my actions and attitudes. I grew up in the Deep South and parts of my family were very prejudice. Some of their thoughts had affected the way I felt around people who were different than me. TKAM led ot classroom discussions about racism and hatred and how to deal with ignorant people. It changed how I felt. Not only does the book hit that subject but it also teaches you not to always believe what you hear (major issue with teens). It hits on standing up for justice and putting yourself in other people's shoes as well as social classes.
Possible Objections:
Sexual References (rape, sexual acts)-Some may be offended by the topic of rape and sexual material. The fact of the matter is that this is what goes on and children need to be taught the truth and how to deal with bad situations.
Racial Slurs-there are some references to blacks as "negro,niggers etc." This is simply the language that was used at that time. To be written otherwise would be sugar coating reality.
Cursing, Obscene Language
Slang and Ungrammatical Speech
Objectives for Reading the Text: Students will learn about how historical events (Civil Rights) impacted the relationships between people of different social classes and race in our country. This will also show them that problems we have in America today could possbily have rooted from our country's past. They will also discover different viewpoints on prejudice, justice, educaiton, growing up and so on. Students will also learn more about their justice system and be involved in some debates based from within the story that will allow them to think logically.
This 9th grade class has shown a large interest in topics such as racism and class. Hopefully, this novel will allow the student to experiences what it would be like living in someone else's shoes. They will have a newfound respect for people and treat each other as they would like to be treated.
Rationale: The Tenth Circle
Citation: Picoult, Jodi. The Tenth Circle. Washington Square Press: New York 2006.
Intended Audience: In the next unit for my students in English 12, we will be discussing John Milton’s “Paradise Lost” and Dante’s Inferno. Picoult’s The Tenth Circle will be used in our literature circle sessions in order to bring the classic text into a more modern light. This book is intended for more mature young adult readers (10th+).
Plot summary: The blurb on the back of the book reads: “Fourteen-year-old Trixie Stone is in love for the first time. She’s also the light of her father, Daniel’s life- a straight-A student; a pretty popular freshman in high school; a girl who’s always seen her father as a hero. That is until her world is turned upside down with a single act of violence. Suddenly everything Trixie has believed about her family- and herself- seems to be a lie…” This book explores the intricate balance required to maintain trust, popularity, and bravery in the life of a high school student. It also includes clips from a graphic novel that personalizes the ten circles of Dante’s Inferno to the story line.
Opinions about the text: “Picoult spins fast-paced tales of family dysfunction, betrayal, and redemption… [Her] depiction of these rites of contemporary adolescence is exceptional: unflinching, unjudgemental, utterly chilling.”- The Washington Post. “Picoult’s great strength, which has revealed itself in previous novels, is here on almost every page… She portrays teenagers with a deft and intuitive touch.”- The Wichita Eagle. “Thought-provoking and topical… the book twists the reader’s heart… [Picoult] leads readers to consider thorny issues around motives and consequences.”- Denver Post.
My Reflection: From the first chapter of Picoult’s work I was enthralled with the plot line. This novel deals with real issues that teenagers face daily. The main character’s father, Daniel Stone, contributes flashes of comic book strips putting his own twist on Dante’s Inferno. The combined elements of art and literature mix to form a dazzling story of crisis and liberation. The main character deals with date rape, her parents dissolving marriage, and rebuilding her life. There are so many kids that are looking to deal with these very issues. When these issues, paired with the reference to Dante’s Inferno, are discussed and resolved in a matter of 385 pages it’s hard to turn down. After completing this book, I saw many different opportunities for application in the classroom.
Possible objections:
Rape/Date Rape/Sexual references: This novel does deal with the sexual world of teenagers. There are times in which kids are participating in sexual activities during parties. The main character, Trixie, is raped and tells her story in detail. I believe that this element of the text is essential. Where better to discuss this situation than in the safety of the classroom- children may benefit from the experience of the fictional character, Trixie. With knowledge of the dangers at parties they may have thought to be safe, it should be reassuring that we explore these issues in the classroom so that they might avoid stumbling into confrontation at a party themselves.
Vulgar Language: There is some vulgar language used by a few of the characters in the book. However, this is in addition to the “appropriate” language used in the other 90% of the book. This possible objection keeps the novel realistic and raw, so as to draw the reader into the characters.
Partial Nudity: In one section of the comic strips there is a woman who appears half naked. She represents one of Dante’s characters from the Inferno. The use is in no way vulgar or distasteful. You may see examples of said character from the classic paintings associated with Dante’s Inferno as well.
Objectives for Reading Text:
Since we will be using this text in our literature circles we will be discussing the book amongst small groups. I will guide the reading and analysis of the text minimally by highlighting the issues of Trixie’s home life, her life with peers, and her self-control. We will be able to compare and contrast the different stages of a story (exposition, climax, dénouement, etc.). I will also use the comic strips as a visual bridge to Dante’s Inferno.
Hopefully by using this text I will be able to reach the students at a personal level in order to involve them more in the classic literature of Dante and Milton. The transmission of ideas from student- student, teacher- student through discussion and analysis is key.
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