Module 4: Contemporary Realistic Fiction - Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

Contemporary Realistic Fiction – Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

1.  Rowell, Rainbow. Eleanor & Park. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2013. Print

2. Plot Summary – This story is set in 1986 over the course of a year in high school and chronicles the heart-wrenching love story of Eleanor and Park. At first, what seemed like a normal first day of school where Eleanor’s biggest problem is finding a seat on the bus, she didn’t realize it would change the outcome of her future. Park, a teenager who mostly keeps to himself, takes pity in Eleanor and tells her to sit down next to him on the bus. At first, they sit in awkward silence and Eleanor would steal glances at Park’s comic books during bus rides, but eventually, they would become fast friends and beyond.  This book is about loving someone for who they are and doing what is best for them.

3. Critical Analysis – Eleanor and Park is a contemporary realistic fiction novel by Rainbow Rowell and has won numerous awards such as, “Boston Globe-Horn Book Award,” “Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books,” and is also recommended by Publishers Weekly as well.  Aside from its many accolades, it is also on The New York Times Bestseller list. Professional reviews have noted Rowell’s ability to create a connection with the protagonists. Horn Book Magazine states that, “Their slowly evolving but intense relationship is chaste first love, authentic in its awkwardness.” Goodreads reader, Cinda, includes in her review that, “I’ve often said that nobody should write for teens who doesn’t remember what it was like to be one. Rainbow Rowell remembers, and has captured it beautifully in this book.” I would have to agree with these reviews due to the fact that Rowell reminds readers of that girl or boy that just didn’t belong and were bullied for no apparent reason. She helps us understand that while we may have looked away

The story also oozes 80s pop culture with its references to style, music, and comic books. One such example is, “And there was her Walkman. Untouched. Un-batteried, too, but nevertheless, there. And where there was a Walkman, there was the possibility of music (p. 20).” The Walkman device was highly coveted in the 1980s before iPods were even conceived. This allowed Rowell to tap into the genre of contemporary realistic fiction because the music references only enhanced the story. With most teenagers, music was life. Music spoke to their adolescent souls more so than any parent or teacher could.  The lyrics and bands (The Smiths, U2, Morrissey) mentioned in the book were so accurately chosen for the setting. It reminds readers of a time when wearing a band T-shirt was essentially a beacon for other like-minded people to approach you and share music.

One thing about the story I do question is the plot of Eleanor’s family. At the end of the book Eleanor’s family (mom, siblings, and step-father) just vanished without a trace. A part of me felt guilty that I was happy for Eleanor’s escape to Minnesota, but another part of me felt sad that we never truly found out if her family is safe, despite being in the clutches of her step-father. Perhaps readers are supposed to take the line, “Everybody says they’re gone. The whole family (p. 317),” as an end to that plot, but I felt unfulfilled.

Overall, this book was an emotional roller coaster. I related to each of the characters and knew someone like them when I was in high school. Many can recall how cruel teenagers can be and how we just let them pick on “the outsider,” the “weird one,” just because we didn’t want to become the bully’s next target. This book will help teenagers understand that there is more to the picture that meets the eye. Perhaps, this will teach them to be a little more compassionate and stand up for those who feel as if they don’t have any friends. Just don’t do a high spin kick like Park did to Steve.

Works Cited

 

Rowell, Rainbow. Eleanor & Park. New York: St. Marten's Press, 2013. Print.

 

Module 3: Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Award Winner – Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley.

1. Whaley, John Corey. Where Things Come Back: a Novel. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011. Print.

2. Plot Summary – This coming of age tale by John Corey Whaley takes place in a small and seemingly uneventful town in Arkansas. It’s the summer before Cullen Witter’s senior year and he is met with a bizarre chain of events that include the sudden disappearance of his younger brother, finally getting the girl he’s been crushing on, and the death of his cousin due to an overdose.

Meanwhile in another part of the world, a young missionary is consumed with the meaning of life and although he doesn’t know it yet, it will have far-reaching consequences. It may not seem as these two tales will collide, but they will in a way that will make readers look for hints about how they are connected.

3. Critical Analysis – Where Things Come Back has received numerous awards such as, “Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Books,” “William C. Morris YA Debut Award,” and the coveted, “Michael L. Printz Award.” A professional review in Publishers Weekly notes, “In this darkly humorous debut, Whaley weaves two stories into a taut and well-constructed thriller.” Other professional reviews also make note of the two concurrent stories and how well Whaley fused them together.  A reader from Goodreads, Karen, commented that, “This book is a sad and unpredictable gem, but with plenty of moments of humor.” I must agree that the book is at times humorous and one example is, “There are 3,947 people, according to the faded green sign on the side of the road as you drive into town, and most of those people are complete ass-hats who tried and subsequently failed to leave this place behind (p. 10).”

One of the strengths of this title is its dialog. I feel that it accurately depicts what young adults would talk about between friends, whether it be a funny conversation or one that is more serious. The dialog is casual, for the most part, and easy to follow. Readers will not help but feel a connection with all the characters, even Cabot, who is overly obsessed with the meaning of life and his estranged wife, Alma.

Another strength is the way Whaley was able to weave, what seemed like, two completely different stories into one. Once readers are finished being introduced to Cullum, they were whisked away to Africa where Benton Sage is conducting missionary work. We learn about the two settings and learn why Benton Sage is included in the story in the first place.

While Whaley’s ability to weave the two stories is a strength, it can also be seen as a weakness. The story about Benton Sage made me question why it was even in the book and his suicide made me wonder even more. I felt as if she last few chapters where the two stories collided, did not end with a strong note. For example, I have been questioning Gabriel’s whereabouts and if he was even alive, however, it was all explained so quickly that I had to read those last few chapters once more to understand how the pace went from moderately slow to lightening fast. Cabot’s character change is something to note as well. He was a likeable person who trotted around the university as if he owned the place and then converted to a potential murderer blinded by jealousy and rage due to a failing marriage. I understood that Cabot has an obsessive personality (he was obsessed with Benton’s quest), but did not finger him for an unstable, violent person.

Overall, I did enjoy this book, but may not read it again. From the first half of the book, it didn’t seem like a thriller story, yet all of a sudden it was. I felt misled in a way because the book took a hard left turn and there was no going back. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy Cullen’s discussion with Dr. Webb and how he was trying to cope with his missing brother. At one point, Dr. Webb points out to Cullen that, “We don’t have to be anxious about anything. We can just be. We can get up, anticipate that the day will probably have a few good moments and a few bad ones, and then just deal with it. Take it all in and deal as best we can (p. 226).” This became the most impactful scene in the book for me and will refer back to it in the future.

 

 

 

 

Module 2: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Challenged – The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

1. Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. MTV Books/Gallery Books trade pbk.ed., Movie tie in ed. New York: MTV Books/Gallery Books, 2012. Print.

 

2.  Plot Summary – This first novel by Stephen Chbosky tells the story of Charlie, a young boy on the fringes of adulthood. He’s not the biggest geek in high school, but he’s a wallflower. A wallflower in the sense that he is shy, introverted, and tries not to meddle in other people’s business too much. His life does begin to change when he meets new friends and confronts the realization about his beloved Aunt Helen. Written in a unique style where Charlie writes letters to his “friend”, readers will feel as if they are joining him in his journey of self-discovery.

 

3. Critical Analysis – The Perks of Being a Wallflower is Stephen Chbosky’s first novel and has been on a number of bestseller lists such as, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Publishers Weekly, New York Times, and Washington Post. While reading professional and reader reviews of the title, there seemed to be polarized views about the quality of the book. Publishers Weekly called it “trite,” and Voice of Youth Advocates described the novel as having “[A] disjointed and almost dreamlike quality of a music video.” On the other hand, a reader from Amazon.com, Kailey commented, “This book is horrible because it is sad. It is so sad, you’ll hurt. But it is now my favorite book. It makes you feel.” So, while professional reviews may not see the affect this title has on young adults, the young adult readers themselves felt connected with the events that occurred.

 

That is one of the strengths of this title. Chbosky was able to bring readers to a time in adolescence when you felt that falling in love was the biggest concern and nothing could stop you when you’re with your friends, while on the other end of the spectrum, it the title tries to resolve and deal with real-life events such as, homosexuality, love, abortion, depression, sexual abuse, and social anxiety. As mentioned before, Chbosky’s writing has a dreamlike quality. One example is when Charlie comments on a car ride he recently shared with his friends, “I have since bought the record, and I would tell you what it was, but truthfully, it’s not the same unless you’re driving to your first real party, and you’re sitting in the middle seat of a pickup with two nice people when it starts to rain (p. 33).”

 

The title’s diary-like writing is another strength that helps young readers connect to the protagonist, Charlie. He writes to a “friend” and it feels as if we found his diary randomly in a sock drawer so as we begin to read, we experience everything he is experiencing at the time. It’s near the end of the title’s end that we are hit with the realization Charlie discovers about his Aunt Helen. We begin to feel sadness, but also relief because after this painful event has been unearthed, Charlie can now seek help and move on from the traumatic event. It’s safe to say that most teenagers feel affected by something and perhaps this title will help them confront their fears and try to understand the situation.

 

What I found to be weak in this title is that a few events were cliché. One example is that Charlie has fallen for his friend Sam, but she is with someone else. Another is that he is a misunderstood and quiet teen, but is also gifted in writing which the teacher takes notice of. It’s not to say that the story is boring, but some readers may be able to predict what happens next in the story.

 

Overall, I found this title emotional, touching, and relatable. Young adults have more experience with the subjects in this book than adults would like to believe, but perhaps we sometimes forget that we were all young once and felt more alive than ever. Charlie sums up those special moments in adolescence well when he said, “I feel infinite (p. 33).”

Module 1: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Classics – The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

1.  Hinton, S.E.. The Outsiders. New York: Penguin Group US, 2012. Print.

2. Plot Summary. There are two types of people in the world, according to Ponyboy Curtis, who is the protagonist: greasers and socs (social elites). Greasers always have to watch their backs from the socs and roam the streets at night. Socs are society’s elite few that seem to have a genetic disposition to pick on the greasers, whether it be for a girl, territory, or just bragging rights. Constant street warfare is bound to ensue when these two groups clash. This is exactly what causes the tension in the novel. We find multiple people dead and the two sides will either find a way to make things right or seek revenge.

3. Critical Analysis. The Outsiders is S.E. Hinton’s first young adult novel which was published in 1967 and became an instant classic due to its coming of age tale and ability to convey a sociological struggle within adolescents. It has received awards such as, “A New York Herald Tribune Best Teenage Book,” “ALA Best Book for Young Adults,” and “A Chicago Tribune Book World Spring Book Festival Honor Book.” Reviews often focus on the tension and drama S.E. Hinton is able to project through her style of writing. The Chicago Tribune says, “Taut with tension, filled with drama” and Philadelphia Daily News calls it “[A] classic coming-of-age book.” When it comes to the story’s tension, I would have to agree that it will keep readers on their toes. Hinton is able to leave readers guessing about what will happen between the socs and greasers.

While reading reviews on Amazon and Goodreads, which are written by readers of all ages, I have come to notice that many mentioned how they could relate to each character and felt a connection to them. For example, from Goodreads, Brigid commented, “It’s really exciting, and the characters are all really believable. I like how the story was written by a young author who really knew about what she was writing about—she based it partly on the experiences of her friends.” So although this story was set in the 1960s, readers are still able to relate to the subject. Personally, I could relate to the characters because they weren’t perfect and had flaws just as every human being does. Even members of the socs, which are supposedly the social elite, had their own dilemmas as well. I find it more engrossing when an author can weave a story centered on real-life characters and conveys their internal and external struggles.

Reading the story, I did not expect there to be multiple deaths, especially in a grisly manner.  For example, “Dally didn’t die a hero. He died violent and young and desperate, just like we all knew he’d die someday (p. 154).” This statement is just a sample of how Hinton is able to create not just tension, but also a setting of violence and death. Readers will understand that socs and greasers do not take each other lightly and are not afraid to defend their territory.

A weakness to the story is that I found the names Dally and Darry to be very similar. At times, I found it difficult to distinguish who was who because their given names are Dallas and Darrel, but they go by their nicknames.  Another aspect of the story that struck me was how cruel the socs were. Hinton made it seem as if every nice car filled with a group of privileged youth were ready to jump out on a moment’s notice and attack a greaser to the brink of death. This happened a few times in the story and I was hoping for more of an explanation as to why the socs were so cruel to the greasers. Being disadvantaged is one thing, but to seek out greasers at night like a hawk looking for its next meal is another.  Perhaps it was simply because the socs were taught to hate greasers or maybe they were just bored.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and can see how it would strike a chord with young adults. It’s graphic, grisly, emotional, and the characters are flawed, but good-natured. It does, in some ways, glorify violence and gang mentality, but this offers a different insight of those looking for a family. A family perhaps without a mother and/or father, but a diverse group of people that band and protect each other.