Final Examination

What is Young Adult Literature?
The most common characteristics in young adult literature are that it is often seen through the first person view of a teenager, consists of a rite of passage to maturity, and ends with the young adult achieving a stronger grip on his/her life.
Each of the books that we have read this semester had us view the novel from the eyes of a teenager providing young adult reader with simple language and similar situations that they can easily relate to. One of my favorite books that we had to read was The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, because the main character, Arnold, uses humor throughout the novel to describe his troubling life; including the fact that he has an over-sized head, suffers from poor eyesight, gets seizures, stutters, and has a lisp. Because of his physical condition, Arnold often gets beaten up and labeled a “retard”.
As you can see from this example, many (if not all) young adult books introduce a character who must face the challenges of growing up, because readers of young adult literature want to see a character who is struggling emotionally, sexually, or conditionally in order to see how that character deals with, and conquers those difficulties. Now the moment of triumph never comes easily, in fact, the situation will often get even worse before getting better, giving young adult literature a kind of “suspense” to it that pulls young readers into the book. This form of writing where the author focuses on portraying the struggles and growth of a character is often labeled as bildungsroman or “the coming of age”. The reason why this form of writing is so important in young adult literature is because it is dealing with something they can relate to and want to read.
The thing that keeps readers going in these bildungsroman type novels is the “final solution” or conclusion. This is the part where the character finally overcomes the difficulties in their life and achieves a new outlook on life. In the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Christopher, who is a kid with autism, must face his fear of talking to strangers and going out into the real world in order to be reunited with his mother in London. From this experience, Christopher learns to cope with his fears and ends up with a new set of goals in life and a clear future. The reason why the conclusion is so interesting is because each novel has its own unique ending that the reader can experience and learn from as they receive that same new outlook on life though the character.
Young adult literature cannot be defined in a single sentence, for it is a combination of many characteristics that target teen readers. It is a combination of “struggle”, “growth” and “triumph” that portrays the many complicated and difficult situations that we face in life, but more importantly, it gives teenagers something they can relate to and learn from in an entertaining kind of way.

Why The Giver should be taught in school.
The Giver by Lois Lowry is a fascinating book that schools should have the right to teach. Some critics may say that teaching this “fantasy” book in class is simply a waste of time since they can read it on their own, but this book should be read for more than just entertainment for it presents many important concepts that young adults can learn from. Take for example, the importance of choice; this book helps students understand the importance of choice and how it can shape their future (e.g. their career path, or marriage). With this knowledge students will become more apt in making good decision.
Although the dystopian community presented to us in The Giver may seem like silly and simple-minded stuff to some, it is a goldmine of information to others. This book touches on many serious subjects including pain, pleasure, and even death. And even though it is set in a fantasy world, this kind of literature allows students to use their imagination and develop their creative abilities, because keep in mind that there is a lot more opportunities in this world than just the “serious work” that students can and should focus on. Creativity and the use of the imagination give students the ability to develop into musicians, artists, and even entrepreneurs.
The Giver is a fine example of why young adult literature should be taught in schools, because not only does it touch on some major themes that students must experience in life, but also because it allows students to use their imagination by doing something that they can enjoy.

A Moment.

Entry 1
I looked at my watch, 12:08, then stood up, and made my way towards the front of the room. As I was walking, I could feel their eager eyes drilling into the back of my head, waiting for something to happen, begging me to make a mistake. With the beat of my heart pounding frantically against my chest, I could feel the blood circulating through my veins as I took my place behind the podium. I tried moving my tongue, but the inside of my mouth felt like the scorching deserts of the Sahara with not a single drop of liquid. I tried clearing my throat, but it came out in gasps as if somebody were holding a clenched fist around my throat. I heard several mumbles from the crowd seated before me. What were they mumbling about? Was something stuck in-between my teeth? Could it be my hair that had aroused them? Perhaps they had noticed the stain on the left sleeve of my shirt? A thousand questions came popping into my mind and I could feel the blood rushing towards my head in an effort to  give it more room to breathe, quickly transforming it into a red tomato. I glanced at the clock; only twenty-three seconds had passed since I had entered this living nightmare. I then stared down at the trembling note cards in my hands. I suddenly felt dizzy and could sense the pungent taste of vomit building in the back of my throat. My mind had begun to collapse and the walls started caving in as everything grew darker and darker until all I could see was the glowing emergency exit sign in the back of the room. At that moment I felt my head drop and slam into the podium before my body crumbled to the floor. I remember hearing somebody scream, and the feeling of the ground vibrating underneath me from the stomping of feet as the crowd rushed to my aid.

Entry 2
Hi. My name is Brian, but usually people call me the “Brain”. This is mostly because of my extensive use of complicated vocabulary, but also the fact that I am really really smart. I don’t pride myself in my intelligence; in fact, I despise it. I have come to the conclusion that high school wasn’t made for smart people, because as I walk through the halls each day all I see is a battlefield where the good guys like me appear smack-dab in the middle, running for our lives with our heads bent low and anybody that falls behind or nudges from the group will get torn to shreds by the mindless beasts that roam this arena, that thrive off our innocence. As you may have already noticed, this is not a very wonderful moment of my life even though I have a 4.2 GPA and have never skipped a day of school in my life, but I assure you, everything is about to change. Before this moment everything in my life had reason and a purpose and radical things like drugs and sex had never even crossed my mind, in fact, I’ve never even had a girlfriend, coming up with the conclusion that I think, and therefore I am single.

Entry 3
After I had regained consciousness, I tried recuperating my memory, but only received fragments of voices and faces and then the overwhelming sirens that still pound in my ears as I lay on a bed in a white room filled with ugly instruments. A man walked in dressed in a blue outfit and spectacles, asking me if I was alright. Was he insane? I was laying there with some contraption bound to my head and had tubes attached to almost every part of my body like I was fucking Frankenstein, of course I wasn't alright! I tried yelling at him, but the only thing that came out of my mouth was a weird noise that sounded gibberish. I began to panic and tried to move my arms and legs, but I couldn’t feel anything below my neck, yet I still sensed the rise and fall of my chest as I gulped down air in my panicked frenzy. I looked at the man in the blue outfit on my left, but he was busy tapping at an instrument ending with a resounding “click”. As soon as he had ended a yellow liquid came oozing down the tubes that were connected to my body which I had lost all control of, so I watched in agony as the liquid filled the tubes and entered my body. I instantly noticed that my chest had begun to slow down, yet my mind was going crazy with a series of thoughts that all had to do with one questions: “What the fuck is going on?!” With that last though, I blacked out.

The Joy of Life

“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounter with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have a new and different sun.”

I chose this quote from the book “Into the Wild”, because I feel like it truly defines Chris (Alex) and explains why he wanted to escape the “security, conformity, and conservatism” of his life and seek adventure by going “into the wild”. I feel like there is so much wisdom in this quote because it really does say a lot about people and why so many seek that “secure future” where they settle down, have a steady job and maybe even create a family. I can see why Chris found this “damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man” because with this sort of future, you will only be restricting yourself from adventure and therefore your passion, since you can’t really go to too many places if you have a family to take care of or a job that you are responsible for, so it’s harder to just drop everything and enjoy the many other experiences of life.

I think I actually learned something!

The Last Pages of The Book Thief...

Choose what you consider two of the most important passages in the entire novel.  The passages should be at least three-four sentences in length, ideally a full paragraph.  Set the full passages down along with your response.  Why these passages?  In your response try to articulate your reading experience for The Book Thief. 

These are probably not the most important passages in the entire novel, but I found them quite meaningful and just wanted to read them over again so that I can remember them for a little while longer.

“You could argue that Liesel Meminger had it easy. She did have it easy compared to Max Vandenburg. Certainly, her brother practically died in her arms. Her mother abandoned her. But anything was better than being a Jew.”

This quote is of the first few sentences of the chapter called “Tricksters” and I thought it was important not only because it shows just how terrible the war was for the Jews (I think that last sentence pretty much speaks for itself), but it also explains what kept me going throughout the book. I always looked forward to the next chapter because each new chapter always had something that would instantly grab my attention and made me want to figure out why. 

“When they come and ask you for your children,” Barbara Steiner explained, to no one in particular, “you’re supposed to say yes”.

I know this quote is small, but I think it has a lot of meaning to it and can explain a lot of things about the Holocaust. This quote shows just how much “fear” had played an important part in the war, that a woman would actually feel obligated to give away her 13 year old child for the “Fuhrer” (Adolf Hitler). In the US history textbooks and research papers I never fully understood why so many Germans had sided with Hitler and his cause, but with this little quote you get to really experience just how “brainwashed” they were from the fear of what may happen to them if they step out of line. I think that teaching us about these little things was one of the main purposes of this book.

Enhance your Life with Poetry: The Ultimate Guide to Poetry and Short Fiction for Teens

Introduction:

I know many of you young adults think that short stories and poetry are not very popular subjects and find them to be just “a waste of time and space”, but I think that after you have gone through my Ultimate Guide, you will think otherwise.

                The first thing you should know about poetry is that it’s practically everywhere, from music and advertisement to  humor and even those really cool quotes you hear in the movies like the famous “There’s no place like home” (from the Wizards of Oz) or the classic “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse” (from The Godfather). Poetry isn’t some complicated writing that a few old people chose to create just to have our high school teachers torture us with, but it is simply the creative use of words to evoke emotion in the reader. Now I know you may be thinking (especially you guys out there) “Ugh, emotion…yuck”, but let’s not forget that emotion can be a good thing especially if it’s in the form of laughter or affection. Most famous celebrities and song writers you know are also poets, since they play with words to stir emotion in their listeners, whether it’s happiness or sorrow, its poetry all the same.

                Now that you know that poetry isn’t some loser language that nobody uses anymore, let me tell you exactly how much you can actually benefit from just reading poetry and short stories! I know that reading poetry can sometimes be very frustrating since you can’t understand them as easily as you would with a book or a movie, but that’s because with poetry, you can’t expect to understand the entire poem by simply skimming the surface. You must delve deeper into a poem than you would with a book and read it over and over again until the words form a picture inside your head that you can walk around in and be able to observe it from every angle. This of course, is the beauty of poetry and why it’s so beneficial for you since it makes you think using just your imagination, and like a muscle, the more you use it the more creative you will become.

                You’re already probably thinking, “who cares if I’m creative or not”, but I’m pretty sure subconsciously you want to be creative, just as much as you would want to become rich and famous, because notice that everybody famous got to where they are using their creativity. Song writers use creative language to write their lyrics, actors stay original and artistic brining something fresh to the table, and inventors use innovative thinking to come up with awesome new things like the iPod. Now that you know just how much creativity plays a role in our lives I would also like to add just how much poetry can help you to become a better and more interesting person to be around with. Everybody loves to be around the funny and witty kind of people and that is exactly what poetry can help you become. I have already mentioned how poetry has to do with playing with words to create something more meaningful than the average sentence, and by reading poems and getting more accustomed to the language of poetry you can create a little “emotional chaos” yourself. For instance, let’s say that your stuck in math class and the teacher seems to be talking gibberish so you raise your hand for help; but instead of just sticking to the generic line of “I’m confused, can you help me?!”, you could add a simile or two and say, “I’m as confused as a baby in a topless bar and could really use some help right now” and voila! You have humor! You could also use your newly acquired creativity to come up with witty lines like “I'm not single. I'm in a long distance relationship with my girlfriend. She lives in the future. Or perhaps make a conversation interesting with word play, for example, if somebody asks, "surely, you can't be serious", you can comeback with "I am serious, and don't call me Shirley!”. Or even challenge symbolism and say something like, “I am not a vegetarian because I love animals. I am a vegetarian because I hate plants.” I’m sure all of us could use a bit more imagination in our life and reading some poems and short stories is an excellent way to start!

Lastly, I would just like to say that anybody can say they hate poetry, but only the poetically skilled can arrange a few simple words in such a way that can cause the reader to experience deep emotional chaos; and my question for you is, “would you like to be one of those few? If so, read on!

Step 1: Let’s warm up!

The first thing we must do is to tug at that dusty old imagination of yours, and what better way to do that than to read some of my favorite poems! Below are a few poems that I think will help rekindle that appetite for poetry that you had probably once had as a child when your imagination could run wild on pure curiosity; this is of course before you were struck by reality and forced to find an “answer” to everything. The reason why I’m referring to your childhood as the “brink” of your imagination is because that is truly when you were most creative, before your brain was contaminated with people trying to tell you what to do. From grade one, teachers are already eroding that creativity of yours by telling you that you’re supposed to color “in-between” the lines, instead of just allowing you to think for yourself and creating your own unique way that things should be. Why else do you think drop-outs like Einstein and George Washington were so inventive and creative? I would also like to point out that a large majority of the famous poets we read about today were very rebellious as well, yet they became famous because they didn’t allow themselves to be governed by what others thought was right, but would rather use their own unique perspective to see what others could not. Now I’m definitely not saying that you should rebel against your teachers or anything, but rather use that rebellious attitude towards the following poems, approaching them with an open mind and unique perspective. Don’t allow your old school habits of “needing to find an answer” to restrict you from being creative as you interpret each poem.

Football

By Louis Jenkins

I take the snap from the center, fake to the right, fade back...
I've got protection. I've got a receiver open downfield...
What the hell is this? This isn't a football, it's a shoe, a man's
brown leather oxford. A cousin to a football maybe, the same
skin, but not the same, a thing made for the earth, not the air.
I realize that this is a world where anything is possible and I
understand, also, that one often has to make do with what one
has. I have eaten pancakes, for instance, with that clear corn
syrup on them because there was no maple syrup and they
weren't very good. Well, anyway, this is different. (My man
downfield is waving his arms.) One has certain responsibilities,
one has to make choices. This isn't right and I'm not going
to throw it.

The Bagel

By David Ignatow

I stopped to pick up the bagel
rolling away in the wind,
annoyed with myself
for having dropped it
as if it were a portent.
Faster and faster it rolled,
with me running after it
bent low, gritting my teeth,
and I found myself doubled over
and rolling down the street
head over heels, one complete somersault
after another like a bagel
and strangely happy with myself.

What I Would Do

By Marc Petersen

If my wife were to have an affair,
I would walk to my toolbox in the garage,
Take from it my 12" flathead screwdriver
And my hickory-handle hammer,
The one that helped me build three redwood fences,
And I would hammer out the pins
In all the door hinges in the house,
And I would pull off all the doors
And I would stack them in the backyard.
And I would empty all the sheets from the linen closet,
And especially the flannels we have slept between for nineteen winters;
And I would empty all the towels, too,
The big heavy white towels she bought on Saturdays at Target,
And the red bath towels we got for our wedding,
And which we have never used;
And I would unroll the aluminum foil from its box,
And carry all the pots and pans from the cupboards to the backyard,
And lay this one long sheet of aluminum foil over all our pots and pans;
And I would dump all the silverware from the drawer
Onto the driveway; and I would push my motorcycle over
And let all its gas leak out,
And I would leave my Jeep running at the curb
Until its tank was empty or its motor blew up,
And I would turn the TV up full-blast and open all the windows;
And I would turn the stereo up full-blast,
With Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on it,
Schiller's "Ode to Joy," really blasting;
And I would strip our bed;
And I would lie on our stripped bed;
And I would see our maple budding out the window.
I would see our maple budding out our window,
The hummingbird feeder hanging from its lowest bough.
And my cat would jump up to see what was the matter with me.
And I would tell her. Of course, I would tell her.
From her, I hold nothing back.

Step 2: Find the humor in poetry!

Below is a lesson plan that I would really like teachers to use and would recommend for you to try individually because it introduces poetry in a light and even humorous manner taking place in a situation that we are already too familiar with: school. This lesson plan will encourage students to think without feeling like they’re forced to find some hidden meaning in the poem offering helpful questions like “Is the poem realistic? Does it remind you of school life? Is the poem amusing? Why? What makes it funny?” gently nudging them to look at the poem from different angles and allowing them to freely say what they think without being pressured to find anything specific. The reason why I was most attracted to this lesson was because it is aiming to introduce you to humorous poetry that plays with language in a setting that all teens can relate to making it easier to think more creatively.

Lesson plan: Key Stage KS2: Lesson on 'Please Mrs Butler' by Anthony Wilson

Step 3: Learn about your deepest desires!

From the moment you were born, you had already experienced that feeling of “want” or “longing” for something, whether it was for a blanket to keep you warm or a toy that you didn’t have, but the fact is that before you had even made it outside your hospital bed, you had already known the feeling of desire. Now that your all grown up and experiencing that stage we call “young adulthood” I’m sure that your desires have changed and grown and are reaching towards that inevitable subject of “sex”. I know that you’ve thought about it so don’t try to deny it, but instead you should bring it up to the surface, because this is yet another area where short stories and poetry can help. The following book is a collection of short stories that I think all teens should read for it will touch on a subject that is on every teenagers mind giving them something they could enjoy and easily relate to. This book captures the various expressions of desire, from first crushes to first times, providing young adults with well-known scenarios that they can experience through this book and even learn from.

ONE HOT SECOND: STORIES ABOUT DESIRE edited by Cathy Young (Knopf, 2002).

Step 4: Build your Imagination!

Reading short stories is also a great way to get your imagination moving in a simple and entertaining kind of way. Speaking of “imagination” I would highly recommend that the first short story you read be “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber. The main character in this short story has such a vivid imagination that he takes ordinary day-to-day tasks and uses them as an opportunity to escape into his own made up fantasy; for example, as he’s driving in his car, he actually imagines it as if he’s commanding "a Navy hydroplane" through a terrible storm. You will definitely not get bored in this short story and may even find his abstract way of thinking quite humorous!

                Another great read that I think you’ll most definitely enjoy is called “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”. This is a rather long read, but it is completely filled with fantasy and vivid imagery which is exactly what you need to build your imagination. It will fill your head with extravagant mental images that open your mind to the impossible incidentally building your creativity all the more. Along with having fantastic imagery this short story will have you racing towards the end with its enticing plotline and jaw-dropping climax.

                The last short story that I will leave you with is “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson. This story will introduce you to irony which is perfect for building humor, and not to mention very enjoyable to read. Irony is always fun to have especially in short stories like “The Lottery” because it keeps you guessing till the very end which will come with a “Bang!” Of course I won’t spoil the interesting twist at the end for you but I will say this, that this is definitely no ordinary lottery!

Step 5: Hear the music!

Whenever you’re listening to music on your iPod or the radio, I would recommend that you actually pay attention to some of the lyrics, because a song is one of the simplest kinds of poetry. A great song that you can start with is called “Replay” (by Iyaz). I chose this song mainly for its simplicity that I’m sure you should have no trouble interpreting (if you do, please feel free to read my notes at the end of the lyrics).

"Iyaz - Replay"

Shawty's like a melody in my head
That I can't keep out
Got me singin' like
Na na na na everyday
It's like my iPod stuck on replay, replay-ay-ay-ay (2x)

Remember the first time we met
You was at the mall wit yo friend
I was scared to approach ya
But then you came closer
Hopin' you would give me a chance

Who would have ever knew
That we would ever be more than friends
We're real worldwide, breakin all the rules
She like a song played again and again

That girl, like somethin off a poster
That girl, is a dime they say
That girl, is a gun to my holster
She's runnin through my mind all day, ay

Shawty's like a melody in my head
That I can't keep out
Got me singin' like
Na na na na everyday
It's like my iPod stuck on replay, replay-ay-ay-ay (2x)

See you been all around the globe
Not once did you leave my mind
We talk on the phone, from night til the morn
Girl you really changed my life
Doin things I never do
I'm in the kitchin cookin things she likes

We're real worldwide, breakin all the rules
Someday I wanna make you my wife
That girl, like somethin off a poster
That girl, is a dime they say
That girl, is the gun to my holster
She's runnin through my mind all day, ay

Shawty's like a melody in my head
That I can't keep out
Got me singin' like
Na na na na everyday
It's like my iPod stuck on replay, replay-ay-ay-ay (2x)

I can be your melody
Oh girl that could write you a symphony
The one that could fill your fantasies
So come baby girl let's sing with me
Ay, I can be your melody
Oh girl that could write you a symphony
The one that could fill your fantasies
So come baby girl let's sing with me

Ay, na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Shawty got me singin
Na na na na na na na
Na na na na na na na
Now she got me singin

Shawty's like a melody in my head
That I can't keep out
Got me singin' like
Na na na na everyday
It's like my iPod stuck on replay, replay-ay-ay-ay (2x)

My notes: I’m sure everyone here has had that experience where you listen to a song and you just cannot get it out of your head so it just keeps repeating itself inside your head almost automatically like an “iPod stuck on replay”.  Well that’s what this song is about except Iyaz is using that just as a metaphor to describe how it feels like when you meet that special somebody and you just can’t get them out of your head, because you can’t stop thinking about them. I think this would be a perfect song to teach young adults since it’s new-ish (2010), it’s hip, and it’s about relationships which is something that most hormone infested teenagers tend to experience when they reach that stage of young adulthood so it’s something they could easily relate to and even like.

Squaw Boy.

If I had to change the book The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian in some way then it would probably be to have Rowdy agree to go to Reardon with Junior. I think it would be very fun to see how people react to him because he’s almost the exact opposite of the people in Reardon (he gets into fights, very angry, poor) though he still has an amazing talent when it comes to basketball, so they will either love him or hate him, but I’m sure at first it will be hate…

     It was a windy Monday morning.

     Rowdy was already waiting for me in the kitchen gorging down a pack of saltine crackers. As soon as he saw me he muttered “Hurry up asshole” through a mouthful of crackers.

     Dad hadn’t come home last night so my mom drove us to Reardon. Rowdy was unusually quiet the whole drive there and just stared out the window. When we got to the school Riley was still staring out the window so I leaned over and opened the door for him and gave him a push.

     That was a mistake.

     In a flash he had his fist in the air aimed directly at my face, as I was seconds away from a black eye I noticed something different about Rowdy, something I have never seen before; I think Rowdy was ACTUALLY nervous about something. Rowdy doesn’t get nervous about ANYTHING that just doesn’t happen.

     He landed his fist against the seat just inches away from my head, and stormed out the front door. I tried to follow him but he had quickly disappeared into the throngs of students making their way towards their first class. I tried to look for Rowdy by standing on my tippy toes, but I was quickly knocked down by the waves of students behind me so I decided to get to my first class, I’m sure Rowdy can handle himself.

     As soon as everyone was seated, Mr. Smithy, my History teacher started ranting about how fabulous his summer had gone, but all I could think about was whether Rowdy was able to find his first class.

     After we were about five minutes into class there was a loud “BANG” outside the classrooms and everybody quickly ran out to see what happened. By the time I was out the door there was already a student semi-circle surrounding a number of lockers and when I finally crawled my way towards the front I found Rowdy pinning a junior named Zach against the lockers with one fist while he was beating his stomach with the other. 

     I quickly ran to get Rowdy off of him but he simply shoved me to the side. Then Mr. Smithy appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Rowdy whipped around and smashed him in the face and his nose started to bleed like crazy. He tried to cover his nose with his hand but blood oozed down his entire hand. It took three teachers to finally restrain Rowdy and they had to drag him away writhing and kicking as he yelled “That faggot called me squaw boy!”

The Giver.

My first impression:

If I saw this book on a shelf in the library I'm not gonna lie, would probably have never picked it up in my life unless someone actually told me that it was a great book. When I first started reading The Giver I was actually not at all interested in it especially since the cover of the old grandpa and a tree was not really that appealing to me (p.s. I’m a guy). After I crawled through the first chapter I actually went upstairs to grab an energy bar which could mean one of two things: I was really hungry and needed something to keep me awake, or I just had absolutely no interest in reading this book. I know this may seem a bit harsh but seriously, the whole part of how everybody does what they’re supposed to and somebody being “frightened” just from a plane flying over their head was a complete turn off for me and I knew I was in for a long read knowing that there was probably not going to be much excitement or action in this book (everything just seemed soo…predictable); not to mention the part where they get to the whole “sharing of the emotions and feelings” part -I practically shut down (thus the possible need for the energy bar). Even though the character was a guy and the odd ("dystopian") behaviors were somewhat interesting, I just get the feeling that this book was not meant to target guys...

A few chapters later…

It wasn’t until I got to about the middle of the book when I finally received that “attachment” you get to a book when you know that you’re not going to put it down until you get to that very last page to see what actually happens. When I finally got to the last page I was a bit confused by the vague ending of music suddenly appearing out of –literally– nowhere. So I quickly ruffled through the pages looking for an answer, but later on I found out that Lowry had left that part for our own interpretation allowing us to imagine our own ending. I thought this was actually kind of nice since I just kept imaging Jonas reaching "Who-Ville" (from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”) and meeting all the “Whos” holding hands and singing around a ginormous Christmas tree. This “Who-Ville scene” actually made me think back to the cover of the book and since this book has a lot to do with “memory” I just thought that maybe it was because of the cover and the tree that made me refer to such a jolly scene. Of course, that’s just a thought and highly unlikely, but it’s just fun to think about since this book kind of opened my eyes to how much a single memory can affect us so much without us even knowing it.

Archetypes.

  The story takes place in the 16^th century beginning somewhere along the Iberian Peninsula where a young boy is separated from his mother who was burned at the stakes for witchcraft right before his eyes. The boy knows nothing of his father other than what his mother had said about him that he had been an explorer and he had set off one day when the boy was only two, but has not yet returned ever since. Having no other family that he knew of, the boy was taken to a monastery where he spent eight years as a servant to the monks that lived there. While he was at the monastery he lived in a cold dark shed, though he preferred to sleep outside where he could watch the stars and the moon that seemed unusually comforting as he would think about how his father would have used those very stars to help him navigate the globe. As he got older, the boy begins to realize that he is not like the other boys that live in the monastery, who are mostly bigger than him and tease him a lot. One day he became so furious with the other boys that his hands began to shake and he felt an extreme burst of energy run throughout his entire body, his hands started to burn and the other boys quickly scatter and tell the monks what they saw. Some say that they saw him envelop in flames, while others say that they saw his eyes turn red and the ground below him began to rise. The monks have a meeting and decide to shun the boy and leave him out in the streets.

     As he is wandering the streets the boy follows a path that leads him towards a sea port where he steals a boat and sets off to sea. After three days of open waters the boy is about to pass out from exhaustion and thirst when he suddenly becomes shrouded in mist as if the ocean is rising right from under him, though as this is happening the boy finally becomes unconscious. He is unaware of how long he was out, but when he wakes up, he finds himself upon a sandy shore and in front of him is a thick forest of the biggest trees he has ever seen. The boy drags himself towards the greenery and finds an unusual assortment of fruit growing on the bark of the trees that he consumes in huge hungry bites. As he ventures deeper into the forest he encounters two beast-like birds fighting over a bag. Then later on he meets “the forest people” (I haven’t thought up of a name yet) who live in a vast networking of ladders and houses that they had built in the huge trees as to avoid the dangers of the forest under them. The forest people are unusual creatures and are very hostile towards the boy at first, but after he passes their “test” which was a battle with one of their fiercest warrior (and the boy wins just as his opponent has him pinned down and as he’s about to make that final blow the boy panics, closes his eyes and he experiences that same feeling he had felt at the monastery though this time it’s slightly different because the boy sees a flash just before a weight is lifted off of him and when he opens his eyes he finds his opponent on the opposite side of the field, unconscious. The forest people are a bit taken aback at first but they quickly recover (almost too quickly, as if they’ve seen something like this before), and after this they are unusually welcoming and offer him a place to stay. The boy is curious of their peculiar behavior and asked around if they knew why he keeps experiencing these strange feelings, but they would just smile at him and carry on with their tasks.

     Ok I feel like this story is going to take forever to describe at this pace so I’ll just cut to the chase…

     The boy learns a lot living with the forest people but decides that it is best for him to leave and they are reluctant to see him go providing him with a few gifts for his journey and he also attracts a companion that he had gotten close to, to travel with him on this journey. After encountering a few life-threatening situations he eventually encounters two elf-like people quarreling amongst each other who agree to bring him to their camp (that is well hidden among the forest). After some event/ceremony they invite him to join their people and teach his special ability to perform magic and he soon becomes unnaturally good, maybe even saves a few people. During some time he finds out that the people of this world are suffering under the rule of an evil tyrant which is why the forest floor is so dangerous (recollect the birds at the beginning and a few of the life-threatening events) and why many (the survivors) choose to stay hidden. Something then happens and the tyrant discovers their hiding place and this leads to war of the evil forces versus the reunited “good people” that come out of hiding and reunite. Then it ends with the boy doing some spectacular feat that ends the war (perhaps kills the tyrant –who he also finds out is highly skilled in magic). And then peace is restored throughout the lands.

P.S. I chose the Magicians archetype.

Reader's Sketch: Rough Draft

Alex Gamayunov

Young Adult Literature, Spring 2012

Reader’s Sketch: Rough Draft

01/20/2012

Elementary

As the bell rang they all flooded the hallways, coming in from every direction each racing towards the open doors. They came in shoving and pushing, fiercely trying to get to the front of the line. A few of the kids got trampled while others were plastered against the walls; you would have never guessed that this was a group of nice young fifth graders making their way to lunch. Being one of the few that got trampled, he quickly got up and grabbed his backpack along with the books he was holding that had scattered across the floor. Somebody from the line called out his name, smiling, he scampered off towards his best friend, Billy. As he waited in line, he eagerly delved into the pages of his book, subconsciously paying attention to the flow of the line as to not irritate the starved youngsters behind him. When he reached the lunch line he hastily got his lunch and made his way towards an empty seat at the lunch table. He was a swift eater and he choked down his lunch with hurried gesture seeming as though he had somewhere to be, and he did; because as soon as he gurgled down the last drops of his chocolate milk, he dumped his tray in the trash can and briskly walked past the lunch monitors towards the door leading him out into the hallway where he knew he would find Billy already burrowing into some book at their usual place under the squeaky old tables that stood beside the lunchroom door. Once he sat comfortably in-between the crevice of the table legs and the wall, he quickly became lost inside the adventures that awaited him behind the front covers of his book.

Junior

It was the first week of school and he stumbled into his study hall class just as the daily announcements were being blasted out through the speakers around the school. He quickly scanned the many unfamiliar faces that sat at the tables around the room and made his way towards the empty seat in the back. Once he sat down, he leaned his backpack against the table and instinctively took out a book along with his planner and pencil, setting them aside and immediately jumping into the pages of his book. As the minutes went by, students began to stir impatiently while others whispered with their friends and neighbors. His stomach made growling noises as it waited grudgingly for its next meal which would come closer and closer as each minute ticked on by until finally, the speakers made an emphatic dinging noise signaling students to get to their next class. The halls were in a panicked frenzy as students struggled to find their next class. He hurriedly made his way along the current of students that led towards the lunchroom until he came upon a long line of people that were already waiting for their meals. As he waited in line, he observed the massive lunchroom to his left that was bathed with sunlight coming from the huge windows that made up a large part of the wall. As the line inched forward he noticed his friends Riley and Kyle coming from the opposite side of the lunch line who quickly found a table and excitedly began to converse with the people around them. Once he had gone through the lunch line he found a spot near Riley where he sat down, smiling at a few of the familiar faces that surrounded the table. He cluttered his books and backpack across the middle of the table, conscious of the confused stares of those around him who had left their stuff in their lockers. He smiled nervously and started to eat his lunch. Once he was finished he opened up a book and started to read, drowning out all of the commotion around him. At one point he looked up and noticed that everybody around him was having fun and laughing as they exchanged stories of their summer; feeling a bit left out he put down his book and slowly merged into the general flow of conversation among the table. The next day and the ones after followed a similar routine, though this time there were no books.

High School

He strode into the hallway with a confident glint in his eye, nodding at a few close friends who were hanging out by the snack bar. He saw Riley walking towards him and he nudged him with a playful shove as they brushed past each other. Riley whipped around and greeted him with a “Hey!” which he answered back with a sideways grin leaping up the stairs towards the top floor. As he was nearing his locker he noticed his friends Vuthy and Vlad laughing hysterically as they hovered over somebody’s locker. Once he got closer he noticed that Vlad had a pencil in his hand and was barely holding back his laughter as he finished writing, “I LOVE BANANAS” on somebody’s locker. He quickly approached the two of them, wrapped his hands around their necks and yelled, “What are you doing!?” imitating a booming authoritative voice. Though they saw past his pretension and all three of them commenced in buoyant laughter which was cut abruptly by the morning bell and everybody rushed towards their first class. In all the commotion Vuthy hurriedly asked him if he had finished the questions for chapter two, he replied with an irritated, “Ugh! We were actually supposed to read that? Oh well, I’ll just get it from Billy”.

My Perspective on Young Adult Literature

      In her article Darkness Too Visible, Megan Gurdon exposes some very horrific material in today’s young adult literature, from drug abuse to premature rape; something most any parent would find disturbing - especially if they’re looking for a welcome home present for their 13-year-old (which was what provoked Ms. Gurdon to write this article). She states that such "dark" writing should not be a part of young adult literature. But even though this type of literature may seem “disheartening” to some people, Sherman Alexie puts it in an entirely new perspective in his article, Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood, pointing out that these books can only benefit the child since they help teach them “how to battle the real monsters in life.”

     I tend to disagree with Ms. Gurdon's point of view, because she seems to be directing her writing towards an audience of overprotective parents who still want to cherish their child’s innocence and not cloud it with the harsh reality of living in a world full of drug lords, rapists, and other crooked minds. As a child reaches young adulthood and puberty, their curiosity reaches full bloom and they will want to explore their new world whether it’s through books, movies, or even personal experience. By trying to prevent this from happening Ms. Gurdon seems to be fighting the inevitable since most children’s “adventure” starts in middle school and high school were they are already being exposed to peer-pressure, intimate relationships, and social groups which open the gateway towards drugs, rape, and violence. The road the child takes is solely up to them and a parent can never predict and prevent every single outcome from happening. The best thing a parent can do for their child is to give them the best damn support they can get and hope for the best.

    I am leaning more towards Sherman Alexie's point of view on this, because he believes that the more a child knows about the darker parts of the world the better. And even though reality may not always be "pretty", knowing about it will do more good than bad. Ask yourself this:

Would you rather your child read about rape and violence in a book or risk letting them walk inadvertently into a dark alley, unaware of the potential danger lurking in the shadows?

Links to articles:
Darkness Too Visible
Why the Best Kids Books Are Written in Blood