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.
No comments:
Post a Comment