Uglies by Scott Westerfeld is the first book in a trilogy about a world in which everyone has an operation when they turn sixteen, making them ultra-beautiful. Fifteen year old Tally Youngblood, a notorious prankster, eagerly awaits the birthday that will make her eligible for the transformational plastic surgery, a rite of passage to the world of Pretties.
Although she yearns to be pretty, when her best friend Shay runs away to the rumored rebel settlement called The Smoke, Tally has second thoughts. After a series of events, Tally learns the sinister secrets behind becoming pretty, falls in love, and now must escape the authorities.
In this futuristic world, contemporary society is portrayed as hopelessly backward—The Rusties, while the glamorous future moves at hyper-pace on hover-boards. These action packed scenes combine the antics of skateboarding and surfing to create suspense. And the cliff-hanger ending entices us to read the next in the series.
Teaching Ideas
Appropriate for ages twelve and up, Westerfeld’s book explores the question: Can we perfect society by taking away the “pretty people factor” that separates us and gives rise to so much discrimination? Literature circles can also explore other provocative questions about where young people get their images of ideal physical attractiveness and why beauty is such a pervasive social concern. In addition, they can consider how more and more teenagers are receiving or requesting plastic surgery as birthday or graduation gifts. One startling statistic reports that more money is spent on breast implants and Viagra than on Alzheimer’s research. In fact, the book invites discussion about several real life issues that play out in these pages. Although I penned 22 of these, I share just a half dozen:
Talking Points for Uglies by Scott Westerfeld
1. While talking to Tally about creating morphos, Shay says, “This whole game is just designed to make us hate ourselves” (44). Consider the practices of current media—fashion magazines, television shows like The Bachelor or What Not to Wear, the Miss America Pageant, body building advertisements and publications, Barbie dolls, etc. . . . Are any of these designed to make us hate our body images? Find an example of an advertisement or other media image that targets body image or forces us to focus on our flaws.
2. On page 50 and again on page 97, the operation is described, and Tally comments: “It did seem like a lot to go through just to look a certain way” (97). How much time do you spend in the mornings to “look a certain way”? Have you ever considered cosmetic surgery, body building, steroids, or other options for improving your performance or appearance? How much might you consider going through to “look a certain way”?
3. Many of us look longingly at the lifestyles of the rich and famous. For them, too, the rules seem to be “Act Stupid, Have Fun, and Make Noise” (12). Why do many people desire this “life of beauty, glamour, and elegance” (98)? According to Tally, the answer is “when you’re pretty, people pay more attention” (93) and “put up with your annoying habits” (402). She also draws a parallel between beauty and confidence. Do you agree/disagree with these conclusions?
4. Using the example of the white tiger orchid, Westerfeld suggests that sometimes science allows us to “[succeed] a little too well” (181). Think of a situation where that seems true. How does Westerfeld seem to feel about science “messing with genes”?
5. The white tiger orchid is “one of the most beautiful plants in the world” that “turned into the ultimate weed. What we call a monoculture” (181). How is this “biological zero” effect similar to the pretty culture? Are they “victims of their own success. . . , so beautiful, so delicate and unthreatening but [choking] everything around them” (182-183)?
6. While creating morpho images (44-45) and again in the library in the Smoke while looking at magazines (197-200), Tally and Shay discuss the rationale for the operation: erasing deformities, eliminating imperfections, reversing the signs of aging, ending eating disorders, providing impervious teeth, perfect vision, and disease resistance. “It’s the only way to make people equal.” Do you agree that there would be “no more controversies, no disagreements, no people demanding change” if we just created “masses of smiling pretties” (267)? What parts of this culture seem attractive?
Westerfeld’s book certainly invites us to exercise wisdom: “If only people were smarter, evolved enough to treat everyone the same even if they looked different” (97).
This is cool that I get to be the first comment for once!
ReplyDeleteThis week I read After by Francine Prose. I got the book off the list in the Nilsen and Donelson and it turned out to be a great read. However, it was blurry to me at first whether the book should actually be considered science fiction. So, I decided to take a further look into the role technology plays in the book.
The book begins at Central High School with news of a shooting 40 miles up the road at another high school being reported. The shooting ends up causing every school in the state to make harsher rules. These harsher rules end up being extremely over the top, and the chaos in the wake of the shooting only gets worse with them in place.
Students begin to be disciplined harshly, and some even disappear for breaking the ridiculous rules.
Anyways, most of the chaos I believe is caused by technology.
When the shooting happens it was cell phone calls from parents that started the bedlam at Central. Then as rules get put in place and Catcher and the Rye gets confiscated from kids lockers (because Holden is a bad role model), the new Crisis Councilor Dr. Willner uses E-mail to make some kids even disappear for breaking the rules.
Technology plays a major role in the chaotic but exciting plot of After, and because of that use of technology I do believe that it should be placed in the science fiction genre. However, I am not sure I would teach it in connection to a science fiction unit. After by Francine Prose is a great book but I would not recommend teaching it in the classroom.
I guess we kind of have to decide whether the usage of cell phones and email having a major impact on the plot makes this a science fiction book?
I read such a wonderful, fantastic, amazing book: "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card. I could not put this book down and hope to read the following two in the trilogy over winter break.
ReplyDeleteThe book follows Ender as he is taken to Battle School as the only hope of the world. The book has its fair share of heartbreaks and violence as Ender is isolated and picked on by many. There is also the side plot of his brother and sister back on Earth. Card fills this book with surprising twists and turns throughout.
The confusing line between reality and a game makes up a large theme of the book, as well as adults vs. children. Interesting discussions about war could arise from the book as well. I think this would be an excellent book to teach in a classroom though because both boys and girls would enjoy this book. This would also be an amazing book to do characterization with.
Also, it looks like the book may become a movie...that would be interesting.
I read a little book titled "The Hunger Game" by Suzanne Collins. It's about this mid-teens (16?) girl (Katniss) who ends up playing in the Hunger Games – a sort of battle to the death, which is the Capital’s (think Big Brother) way of controlling citizens from a riot. This all takes place on a post-apocalyptic North America – perhaps east coast.
ReplyDeleteThough Katniss’ younger sister was drawn to play in the games, Katniss volunteered in her place. Though I'm somewhat torn on the protagonist’s decision to do that. Certainly, it would most likely mean near death for Primrose (Katniss' sister), but Katniss could still take care of her mother (a sort of invalid in the process of life), and herself. Her younger sister, on the other hand, can't do either. Though they set it up with Gale (Katniss' friend) to help, it could end up being quite the strain. But I've digressed quite far. (And really, in the end, it all works out.)
I can't quite get behind the hype of this book. I didn't like the writing, for one. I thought it was more than elementary prose; the sentences had me questioning whether I was actually reading a book for a 3rd grader. I also think everything that happens – at least most major events, are too cute. Bow-tied and with little actual consequence for decisions. What I did like was the bigger questions the novel poses: does the government have too much power? What is the government’s role in protecting citizens? Also, the role of poverty and class plays a role in the story. Though I think that Little Brother by Cory Doctorow and of course, 1984 by Orwell does better at the former issues; and pretty much any Dickens novel would satisfy the latter, along with a number of young adult books that we’ve read this semester.
I can't quite get behind the hype of this book. I didn't like the writing, for one. I thought is was more than elementary and the sentences had me questioning whether I was suddenly reading a book for a 3rd grader. I also
David: I read "After" quite a few years ago and not only loved it, but still think about it quite often. I think the reason why it could be considered SciFi is that if you break SciFi into subgenres you would have a dystopian subgenre and that would be where I think "After" would fall.
ReplyDeleteI too read a Scott Westerfeld novel for this week. I've been a fan of Westerfeld since he did the Midnighters series, and while I haven't yet read Uglies, etc. I had recently seen that he had a new series out that I thought looked fascinating, so I chose to read it for this week. The first book in this series is "Leviathan". It is also in a subgenre of SciFi, one known as Steampunk.
For those of you unfamiliar with Steampunk, it is basically the idea that we kept advancing under machines like the zepplin and those fueled by steam. It creates an alternate view of history.
"Leviathan" follows the lives of two young adults--one boy, and one girl--on the brink of the Great War. The boy is Aleksander, the son of Franz Ferdinand -- the man whose death basically began the Great War (a fascinating tale in its own right, although Westerfeld tweaks it a little for his own purposes). Alek is a "Clanker", a person on the Steampunk side of what will become World War I. These powers are Germany and Austria-Hungary amongst others.
On the other side is Britain and France or "The Darwinists". In Westerfeld's world, Darwin not only discovered evolution, but also genetics and subsequently began making different animals--most of whom were eventually geared towards war purposes. The Leviathan is one of these beasts, a type of whale designed to fly and carry people and cargo across the world. The Leviathan is also home to the girl protagonist of the novel--Deryn. However, as a midshipman, she is not supposed to be a girl, so she acts like a boy and goes by the name Dylan.
Alek is on the run for his life, and Deryn is hiding a huge secret. When they eventually meet, war is breaking out amongst the continent and a package of great importance needs to be delivered.
Teaching Ideas: I absolutely loved this book. I think it would be a great book to bring into a classroom. It shows sides from both genders which is nice to have. It has some sentences and words from several different languages sprinkled throughout which could catch a student's interest.
I think it would be fascinating to compare the history that we know of the beginning of the Great War to what Westerfeld created.
Many fun activities could be created to go with this like making your own fabricated beast or Clanker coat of arms.
It also has a lot to say about the power of government and how wars begin and continue. It also would be interesting to look at the way the two sides interact because it is a hate and fear similar to racism.
I love this book!! I can't wait to read the sequel and I want the third to come out!
For this week, I read "Catching Fire" the second Hunger Games book by Suzanne Collins. Just like "Little brother" would be a good companion for "1984," I think this book or Collins's first installment "The Hunger Games" would be good as well.
ReplyDeleteI think of these novels act as sort of a transition into adult dystopian novels. I took the special topics Utopia/Dystopia taught by Liberal Studies' Professor Stuart Justman last year and some of the content in these dystopian novels were way over my head.
However, I think the ideas portrayed in Collins' novel are applicable to the young reader: finding strength in yourself, questioning things you may not think is right (this may more be about developing a set of personal beliefs,) and compassion.
I agree with Justin, sometimes Collins' book does read more elementary. However the thoughts, ideas, characters, and the novel's aim are definitely worth investigating. Even just recommending the book with the aim of those students eventually reading "1984," "Animal Farm," or "Brave New World" makes this a great novel to read yourself.
I re-read Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. I read this book back in high school and loved it. I do not know why I did not finish the series. I was going to continue with the books, but could not remember all the details needed. The basic overview is 15 year old Tall (ugly) has lost her best friend Peris to pretty town. She runs to go see Peris, but he does not want to talk to her until she becomes a pretty. Once Tally becomes 16, Dr. Cable and her team will alter Tally in every way to make her a “pretty.” The only problem is Tally meets Shay and Shay shows Tally all the fun things in life and introduces her to the smoke. The smoke is where those who run-away before their operations go. To wrap it up- Tally ends up having to chose between the smoke or the pretties…what happens must be read!
ReplyDeleteTeachable elements:
1. Media Literacy can be taught well from this book. It pertains to all genders having to be “pretty” and perfect. Students can take a close look at the perception of “pretty” and how the media alters this perception
2. Friendship and trust: Tally becomes great friends with Shay and forms a relationship with David. Young adults are going to be at the age where they are experiencing these issues. Tally is faced with the trust she has given her friends or becoming pretty.
3. I would want to teach the overall courage and meaning behind the book, but it is important to ask the class what their view points are.
I truly enjoyed this book now and loved it in high school. I was able to relate to Tally because I was beginning to become interested in boys, figuring out who my true friends were, and who I wanted to be/believed. I believe every young adult can relate to at least one theme within this book and or at very most, discuss the themes within.
I read "Eragon" by Christopher Paolini (who lives in Paradise Valley, MT). The book is fantastic and I enjoy the series very much. Bringing it into the classroom would be an entertaining novel but I do not see it being a useful teaching tool. Things about it that would most likely interest students would be that Christopher Paolini began writing this book when he was only 15 and that he lives in Montana brings another interesting aspect for Montana students.
ReplyDeleteI read "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madelieine L'Engle. This was a banned book for its theological elements that upset christians. The book is about a brother, sister and friend who are taken by "witches" (they are actually stars that have died and taken on new forms) to save their father and the universe from "the Dark Thing." The Dark Thing is what their father was fighting against when he was taken captive on the its home planet. The planet is a dystopia where everyone is controlled by "IT." IT is defeated and the main character, Meg, comes to realize that life isn't so bad with all of its choices, freedoms, and ways that each person is different.
ReplyDeleteTeachable moments that I found included the themes of feeling different and cast out. These ideas are combated by showing what the world would be like if everyone were the same and fit in like they wanted to. These ideas could help students accept their own differences, and others', and learn to make decisions for themselves and not base them off of what other people are doing.
The writing in the book was simple, but the themes and ideas were complex if looked at closely. Time/space travel are prominent along with beliefs about good and evil. Figures like Jesus, Buddah, and Da Vinci are all mentioned as good characters who fought for freedom and goodness in the world. The mention of these figures together (from Witches' mouths no less :O ) upset some parents in the past. I did not find any of the book to be offensive (and I am Catholic). The ideas can all be supported since they advocate freedom and acceptance of others.
I think students could make a quick read out of this and there could be some very worthwhile discussions from it.
I read The Giver by Lois Lowry. This book reminded me a lot of Ann Rand's Anthem where choices in life such as career, pro-creation, marriage, family creation, food choice and death are made by a controlling government in this case the Council of Elders.
ReplyDeleteJonas's "utopia" is shattered when he is chosen as the the communities Receiver of Memory. As the Receiver of Memory he works with one of the community elders, The Giver. Soon, just like the characters in the Anthem, he is awakened to the dystopia of his world and rebels against the rules of the community.
Many questions are raised in this book that examines pain-free, but void life vs. life that is full of pain, but full of beauty. A life where the individual has choice or where choses are made for us. Excellent Read!
I read House of Stairs by William Sleator which I LOVED. The novel was one I would absolutely keep on my book shelf to give to students. I really enjoy the idea of "big brother" and the government controlling human behavior (1984, for example) but this novel was one that I truly thought young adults could really get into.
ReplyDeleteThe story follows 5 young people who were placed in a house/hospital/prison which has no ceiling, floors, or walls; only never-eneding stairwells. At the base of one of the stairwells is a machine that produces food and soon the kids find out that it will only produce food if certain behaviors are achieved. The behaviors turn very ugly (pulling hair, hurting one another) and the kids are tested at just what they will do for food; what their limits are.
This novel was great because it had 5 vastly different characters, both male and female. I enjoyed being introduced to these characters and watching how they interacted and what they each decided to do in the end. I think that students would enjoy predicting the ending in this type of story ("Who do you think is going to participate in this bad behavior to get food? Why? Who do you think will not? Why?")
As I mentioned earlier, I really enjoy the dystopia American type of story because it is a unique genre that only some students enjoy/can read. I know a lot of people who could not get through 1984 in high school because it was so dense and complicated. But this novel was very enjoyable and I think that young adults, because this story sticks with these five individuals, will not only be able to finish it but really get into it and enjoy it.
I also read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. While I agree with Justin that some of the resolutions were "too cute" (and Stephen King would agree too!) I did think there were also some moments of absolute horror that would make even Poe blush (the hunting 'mutts' made out of recycled organics from fallen players).
ReplyDeleteHonestly I thought the succinct language in the novel did a great job at building suspense. Perhaps for a collegiate English major the language stuck out like a sore thumb due to it's easy fluency, but I think the exact opposite would happen for a young adult, the intended audience: the language would disappear behind the plot and characters. Granted, we do want to challenge our students' capacity to make sense of language, but I think Hunger Games would be a great resource for students working on fluency.
One thing I liked in particular about the novel, especially considering it's intended audience, is it's treatment of Katniss as a young female role model, and it's treatment of romance. Katniss, I think, is a superb role model -- but still flawed and imperfect! And, to put it in a nutshell, I like how romance is present (because it usually is in the life of a young adult), yet is messy, unresolved, and the protagonist never knows how much of it is rreal and how much of it is a game. I think a LOT of young adults can relate to all of that.
Elissa,
ReplyDeleteI have successfully paired Lowry with Rand to produce good discussion and writing. I share those ideas with anyone who's interested in cutting and pasting and recycling. :-)
Teaching Ideas for The Giver by Lois Lowry
I pair this YA book with the classic Anthem by Ayn Rand and have students construct charts as they read and discuss in literature circles so that they can ultimately write a literary analysis paper that compares and contrasts these two novels.
Both of these books explore the price we pay to live in a world without conflict, a world of Sameness. Many of us crave a more nearly perfect world, a world absent of hate and intolerance, a world without class differences or disease or poverty. The books invite students to question: Is perfection worth the sacrifices we must make? Is it worth the loss of distinctly human traits?
The writing assignment:
Literary Analysis
It is nearly impossible to get through a day without reading about, listening to, or discussing what's wrong with our society. The social ills of poverty, homelessness, disease, aging, abuse, lack of medical care, violence, and political corruption do not begin to scratch the surface of the problems we experience, either personally or vicariously, every day. Although most people would not want to believe that life in the United States in this new millennium could be characterized as a dystopia, many would agree that we have come dangerously close to the imaginative warnings of 20th century fiction writers. Books such as Ayn Rand's Anthem and Lois Lowry's Newbery Medal winner The Giver bring those societal issues into focus by examining "perfect" societies.
Although readers can explore many themes with these two novels, certain topics open themselves to evaluation and written analysis. As you read the two novels, follow one of these topics and collect data for a comparison and contrast paper. Record page numbers so that you can later use this data for parenthetical documentation as you credit your source after quoting.
1. List the qualities that contribute to the idealism of the "utopic" community.
2. List the drawbacks of living in this "perfect world."
3. List the jobs available; what is the social structure hierarchy?
4. What rituals, rules, and social conditions comprise the society?
5. Identify the traits of a community member.
6. Explain the rationale for taking away individual choice.
7. What does the society do to uniformly code people, to strip them of their individuality, to make them conform?
8. What is the concept of family?
9. Identify any methods of propaganda used to brainwash or condition the people's thinking.
I read The Diary of Pelly D for this week’s science fiction novel. I have to be completely honest, I am NOT a fan of this genre, and was not looking forward to it. This book pleasantly surprised me. Basically Pelly D lives in a world where water sustains her people and she is raised with a silver spoon in her hand. Her genetic makeup ends up failing her socially, and she becomes a victim of the war described in the book.
ReplyDeleteWhat I really enjoyed about this book was the opportunity to connect it to an event in history that I find extremely important, the Holocaust. Pelly D and her family are all branded with green stamps claiming them the lowest social class that is in danger of being killed off. Much like the Jews, the characters in the novel are forced to ration, separate from families, and deal with the loss of death in their community. I think for a student who is interested in a science fiction book that has real-world connections, this book would be one I would highly recommend. I do not know if I am a changed science fiction addict, but I definitely would give another book like this a chance.
I also read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. I really enjoyed this book, and actually didn't notice the writing as lesser quality until thinking about it in retrospect. It is written somewhat simply, but as Cody pointed out, I think the fast paced, action packed plot overshadowed a lot of the book's flaws. There were definite times when the plot took away from details that would make the story more viable, and many of the characters do not seem adequately developed. The most redeeming part of the book is the author's portrayal of the individual and societal difficulties that develop from the dystopian society. I think it would be a great book to teach alongside 1984, A Brave New World, or The Road. It contains great fodder for studying through the Marxist and Feminist lenses. Some questions to ask students might be:
ReplyDelete1. Who are the most powerful characters in The Hunger Games if looked at from the Marxist lens? If looked at from the Feminist lens?
2. How is Panem similar or different from our society?
3. How is the main character, Katniss, defiant? How is she compliant?
For my book I also read "The Giver" by Lois Lowry. Although I am not a huge fan of the science fiction genre, I really enjoyed this book. It describes a utopian society that has strict rules by which the citizens obey or are released from the community and are never seen again. There are a series of ceremonies which children go through as they get older, the most important one being when they turn 12, which is when they become adults and are assigned jobs. Jonas is a young boy who is assigned a very honored but difficult job of being the new "receiver of memories". As he continues his training with "the giver", his view of the community and interactions with his friends and family are shattered and brought into question forcing him to make a very difficult decision.
ReplyDeleteThis book has a lot of teachable aspects that make it beneficial for young adults to read. The struggles that Jonas endures like growing up, losing his innocence and questioning everything he knows are not uncommon. Young adults would be able to relate to these issues and would also enjoy the interesting plot.
If you ever desire to be utterly confused and lost, frustrated and infuriated, bewildered and amazed, satisfied and impressed all at the same time, read Frank Herbert's Dune. This fundamental science fiction book follows the intermingled lives of a score of characters as they struggle for dominance in the Galactic Imperium. Readers follow the story of Paul Atreidies as he fulfills prophecy after prophecy and eventually becomes the messiah of the galaxy. The sheer amount of characters and the depth that each one is given makes for a difficult yet rewarding read and ultimately one is fully engrossed into the world of Dune!
ReplyDeleteHerbert's novel provides a plethora of teachable ideas and because of its place in the development of the genre of science fiction is an absolute must when engaging in the topic.
1. Students must balance and maintain clear conceptions of characters and their development throughout the novel.
2. They must juggle the many houses and factions that populate the galaxy.
3. Individuals can look at the clear progression of science fiction from Dune to other texts and movies like the Star Wars series.
4. One can teach the literary devices employed in the genre and how they are master by Herbert and how they are copied in the science fiction that students watch.
5. One should teach how literature can create entire universes with worlds and how profound that notion is.
Apparently like many others in class, I read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The Hunger Games takes place in a dystopic society where 'The Capitol' essentially rules all of North America's 12 'districts' with an iron fist. Katniss, the protagonist, becomes a participant in the Capitol's yearly Hunger Games, in which each of the 12 districts must send one male and one female child to fight to the death in elaborate arenas as a show of the Capitol's complete dominance.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that while I might struggle to find relevance for this book in the classroom that I was COMPLETELY sucked into this book while I read it. (Though this could have been in part because I read it over Thanksgiving break when I had a lot of time to curl up in a comfy chair with coffee while snow fell outside all day.) While I found the story engaging and think it could be of use for students to engage them in the reading process (perfect for reluctant readers), I wouldn't offer it as a model for writing because plot, not eloquence, is definitely the focus of this book. It does provoke inquisition into the nature and role of government in our lives and encourages students to think about the morality of the Hunger Games. What would you do in a similar circumstance? Would you kill fellow children in order to survive? It also provides a strong female protagonist, something I sometimes find somewhat lacking in the Science Fiction genre.
Sarah -- I also read Ender's Game, and since you mentioned its connections to war, which I hadn't thought about as in-depth as you did, I was just this moment inspired to pair it with another YA novel concerning war. For the Holocaust/war genres I read Yolen's Briar Rose, which looks at the reconstruction of the life of the protagonist's grandmother during and after the Holocaust, and it might be interesting to use Ender's Game, with its presentation of Ender's horror at the genocide he perpetrated and his concealment of the Bugger Queen's chrysalis, and compare it to the way Yolen discusses the victims and their strategies within the death camps. Also, since Ender's Game is science fiction and Briar Rose is couched in ideas of fairy tales and mythology, one could do some interesting juxtapositions with regard to speculative fiction, myth, and legend. Thanks Sarah! :)
ReplyDeletePS -- I've been hearing so much about The Hunger Games -- my students at Frenchtown High were completely involved in it, Entertainment Weekly has written about it, and we keep it in a prominent place in the UC Bookstore -- I'll have to look into it.
ReplyDeleteFor science fiction I read “Gone” by Michael Grant. This lengthy novel is the story of what happens when there are no adults left in the world -- only fourteen year olds and younger. Set in the FAYZ (Fallout Alley Youth Zone, as the kids call it) on Perdido Beach, California, bullies start to run the town, and limits are tested. The town’s center is a nuclear power plant, and from its radiation, kids and animals start mutating and developing extreme powers. The animals become dangerous – a group of talking coyotes take a girl captive and introduce her to “The Darkness,” a mysterious “all knowing” creature in an old mine shaft. Shortly after, other kids are brainwashed into doing The Darkness’ bidding while kids start bullying each other to the point of death and food is running out. There are the average kids, Sam, Astrid, Quinn, and Little Pete, against the Coates Academy kids up on the hill, Caine, Drake, and their followers.
ReplyDeleteThough this book is fairly long (over 500 pages) it reads incredibly fast. It switches between the viewpoints of around ten characters, which keeps your interest, but doesn’t get confusing. This book is also part of a trilogy, as of now, with the second installment being “Hunger” and the third “Lies.” I think more books are in the works from what I’ve read online. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a bit of time to kill, just because of the length (however, I did read it in about three days).
This book could be paired with “Lord of the Flies” if a teacher wanted to take it on. Its length is pretty intimidating, and there is quite a bit of terminology that needs to be learned before skipping parts of the book. However, the online reviews are pretty impressive, and bullying, community, and friendship and family are overarching themes that could be taught from the book.
Here’s a link to the author's bio where you can find out more about the series.
Justin: I would agree completely with your statements about Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games. I also chose to read it for the science fiction novel, and was sadly disappointed. I simply could not get past the elementary-style writing--in particular I disliked the reliance on flashbacks rather than a consistent timeline--and I couldn't help thinking that a movie would be better... a notion which I rarely entertain.
ReplyDeleteIn so many ways, I felt let down by this book. I often feel this way about books that are surrounded by hype; somehow they rarely live up to my expectations. Needless to say, I would not teach this book in a classroom, though I would, of course, allow students to read it for an outside reading project or something along those lines.
Despite its downfalls, the book does contain some teachable ideas. Like with many science fiction novels, the idea of government control is central to The Hunger Games, as well as the ideas of bravery and heroism.
I'm very interested in the broad range of responses on here in regards to this novel, but found myself aligning most strongly with Justin's opinion: this book does not belong on a mandatory class reading list.
So after reading everyone's posts, I'm thinking I need to read, The Hunger Games! It's now officially on my read list! :)
ReplyDeleteFor this week, I read "47" by Walter Mosley. The book is about a slave in the South named 47. The slave owner names them with numbers to dehumanize them, however, 47 doesn't know any different and thinks it is completely normal.
47 believes he is destined to be a slave for the rest of his life until he meets Tall John. Tall John becomes 47's mentor and guides him through life. It is immediately revealed that Tall John has powers that can stop time and even make him invisible to others. This fascinates 47, and the two go on many adventures during the night. Tall John helps cure 47's ailments from the slave owner whips. Tall John is friendly to everyone, which causes everyone to flock to him.
Tall John lives by the mantra, "Neither n----r, nor master be." He empresses this upon 47 so he will realize that only he can define who he is and that labels don't mean anything. What 47 doesn't know is that Tall John is training 47 to take over for him. He tells 47 that he is special and that he is meant for greater things than just living on the plantation. 47 steps up to the challenge and leads all his friends to safety off of the plantation.
I personally had never heard of the book until I saw it listed in "Books that Don't Bore." I wasn't even really sure what I was getting into. I personally am not a fan of science fiction reads, but I can see how some students may be interested in the story.
I believe it has several teachable moments. My favorite, by far, is the lesson that people are in charge of their own destinies. I think another teachable concept is that how a person chooses to carry themselves will determine how they live their life. I also think the novel is teachable with its historical context. It shows students what the times were like and how people thought back then.
(Please pardon the late post)
ReplyDeleteThe science fiction novel that I chose to read is The Dark Side of Nowhere by Neal Shusterman. Shusterman goes beyond the common question, “Are there aliens” and answers the question, “Are there aliens amongst us?” The main character and protagonist, Jason, leads a mind numbingly normal life in a small town called Billington. Jason soon discovers that his small town is not at all as ordinary as he thought when a close friend, Ethan, dies mysteriously and suddenly from appendicitis and when a janitor named Grant gives him a silver glove that would introduce him to a fantastical/supernatural world. Jason is thrust into a situation where he is forced to decide the difference between right and wrong while deciding to which community he belongs, humanity or otherworldly.
I am not entirely sure that I would use Shusterman’s novel in the classroom due to the fact that the storyline is borderline stereotypical and the main character is borderline flat. On a positive side, the novel does start out with an impressive first sentence, “Ethan died of a burst appendix.” I would also not at all discourage the novel being read during a student’s personal time or for a free-read assignment. The novel does still cover emotionally significant issues for young adults including puberty and teen-romance.