Sunday, November 18, 2012

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

“I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.”

This quote is spoken by the narrator who is also the main character, August

Pullman, an eleven year old, fifth grader in the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio. What struck

me as a major theme in this book is August’s struggle to be accepted and loved despite his

physical differences in the community of his peers who are middle schoolers faced with their

own social challenges and peer pressure to accept a boy with extreme facial deformity.

R.J. Palacio allows us to understand different characters perspective and feelings

for August by switching narrators throughout the book including his sister, his mom, his best

friend, his dad, his classmate and others. The characters perspective come together to

form a picture of this community’s struggle with empathy, compassion and finally

acceptance.

I’ve read other books about middle schoolers who had a difficult time fitting in

because they were different, such as the character Joe in both The Misfits and Totally Joe

by James Howe and Melody in Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, and though these

characters’ struggle for acceptance was great, none of them reached the depths of pain that

I felt for the character August Pullman. What comes through is that those people that allow

themselves the chance to get close to Auggie and to get beyond the gruesome deformity in

his face, find a bright, funny, warm and caring person who impacts their life in a very

positive way. Every middle schooler should read this book as it will make them think about

being a better person to those around them who may not fit in with the norm and how those

people should be treated.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Discrimination in Revolt of the Evil Fairies

Discrimination in “Revolt of the Evil Fairies”

Jacob Sutton 708

In the short story, “Revolt of the Evil Fairies” by Ted Postman, a young African American boy with a dark complexion tells the story of how African American children in a small “colored” school in Kentucky are discriminated against because of their skin color. The annual play at the Booker T. Washington Colored Grammar School of Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty was presented as “the modern mortality play of conflict between the forces of good and evil.” However, the real conflict is the evil of discrimination that both this boy and the community share as a result of being African American and also African American with dark skin.

From the very beginning of the story, the reader begins to feel the unequal treatment of the black people in Hopkinsville Kentucky. Blacks are allowed to use the Cooper Opera House but as the text notes, “the first two rows of the orchestra were always reserved for our white friends, and our leading colored citizens sat right behind them – with an empty row intervening of course.” “The yallers” had a lighter skin tone and were the more privileged in the black community. Being closer to white gave African Americans in this community more opportunities and opportunities led to a better life. In the text it states, “The yallers had the best of everything.” It goes on to explain that the yallers were doctors, lawyers and insurance salesman for example. Blacks with darker skin had none of these positions and none of these opportunities for a better life. They were considered to be the lowest class citizen.

This gives the reader a sense of the kind of discrimination that was used against African Americans during the time in history when this story took place.

There are different, but similar forms of discrimination within this story. The narrator of the story is a young boy who is denied the role of Prince Charming, a role he has desperately wanted for years, but that role is given to the “yallers” (African Americans with a lighter skin tone). In the text, he states, “I made the best grades in my class, I was the leading debater, the scion of a respected family in the community. But I could never be Prince Charming because I was black.” What he basically means is that he would never get the role because his skin tone was darker than some of the others. Even within the black community, being closer to white was considered better. Being closer to white gave you the opportunity to be Prince Charming. Being a darker skinned African American got you the role as the evil fairy or a part with no speaking lines. This mirrors the discrimination that blacks in Hopkinsville experienced by the white community.

Discrimination in “The Revolt of the Evil Fairies” is particularly horrific because blacks who are lighter skinned see themselves as better and superior and more deserving than their darker neighbors. The yallers show the same discrimination that they have felt from white people on those from their own community with a darker skin tone. Martin Luther King Jr. once said,

Discrimination is a hellhound that gnaws at Negroes in every waking

moment of their lives to remind them that the lie of their inferiority is

accepted as truth in the society dominating them.

In this story, the dark skinned blacks feel a kind of discrimination that “gnaws” at their very soul. The narrator feels this intensely and understands that his own community practices the same kind of discrimination as the white community does toward the blacks. He teaches us that when a group believes that they are superior to others, they put themselves in a position of power over those less able. This kind of unequal treatment creates feelings of weakness and inferiority. The narrator teaches us that there is no truth in discrimination – there are only judgments and opinions that attempt to define a person or group.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

The Diary of a Young Girl

by Anne Frank

I recently started a very intense and disturbing book that my mother has been suggesting I read for a long time called The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. Being a Jew, I feel it is important for me to know and understand what has happened to Jews in history. In this book, Anne Frank's life changes dramatically when the Nazis invade Holland and start bringing Jews to concentration camps to be tortured and killled. Although Anne is hidden away from the fighting in a secret annex (cave), World War II is very real. Anne is separated from her parents who were captured by the Nazis.

A theme of this book is one of hope and courage despite the horrors of World War II. It reminds me of another book I read in 5th grade called Number the Stars by Lois Lowry which is set in Denmark and tells the story of one brave girl who helps protect her Jewish friend while surrounded by the Nazis. The books are similar in that both Jews and non Jews are equally afraid, and in spite of that, courageous in the face of the Nazis.

As Anne Frank writes in her diary, she is afraid and disturbed as she tries to make sense of the horrors of the war, yet she never gives up hope. She hears the air raids and the battle and fears for her and her family's life. She is worried about being discovered and sent to a concentration camp to be killed. The Dutch protectors bring the news from the outside to her and she also learns about what is happeniung by listening to her portable radio. Through all of this, she somehow teaches the reader to never give up hope and to stay positive. At one point she writes,

"And I now know that first and foremost, I shall require courage

and cheerfulness."

She also writes,

"I truly believe that people are really good at heart."

Though Anne wonders if she will live through the end of the war and be united with her family, she showed the most amazing courage and bravery through the most difficult of circumstances.

Anne Frank in 1942

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Oct

Mockingbird

by Kathryn Erskine

This weekend I read a book called Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine which is written in the voice of Caitlin, a young ten year old girl with Asperger's Syndrome. Caitlin is dealing with the loss of her brother, Devon, who is killed at a school shooting. Devon had been her anchor, the person who helped her figure out the reality of the world around her. Without him, nothing makes sense to Caitlin.

A significant portion of this novel is devoted to Caitlin's search for "closure". Her counselor, Ms. Brook recognizes Caitlin's confusion and suggests looking up the word in the dictionary. Though Caitlin finds the definition for the word "closure", she's not able to understand it emotionally and she's not able to understand her dad's sadness. The dictionary is not able to teach Caitlin enough about this word.

Caitlin's attempts at dealing with her emotions are difficult and confusing. She has a great talent for drawing and in some way this seems to bring her closer to the "closure" she is seeking. At one point, Caitlin is drawing the face of Devon's art teacher at a middle school fundraiser (this is the first time she is ever drawing a human face and she thinks:

"There is something wrong with his smile. I stare into his

eyes. His eyes don't look happy like the photos of happy

eyes Ms. Brook has shown me. Maybe his smile is not big

enough to push his eyes up at the coroners like happy eyes

are supposed to be."

As the book progresses, Caitlin moves closer to understanding the real meaning of closure by connecting herself more to other people. With her counselor's encouragement, Caitlin joins a group project in her class for the first time and begins to socialize with other kids. She also recognizes her dad's smile and begins to understand that he is moving on from his sadness. Finally, she makes friends with a young boy who experienced a similar loss at the school shooting. Their shared experience and opportunity to talk about their loss brings Caitlin closer to a greater understanding of her feelings.

Posted 12 minutes ago by Jacob Sutton

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Oct

Where's My Wand?

Where's My Wand?

by Eric Poole

Over the course of this past week, I read a funny memoir called Where's My Wand? by Eric Poole. As a young boy, Eric was obsessed with a television series called "Bewitched" and one of the characters named Endora who wore glamorous clothes and had magical powers. It seemed as if Eric wanted to use magic in order to make his and his hard working mother's life easier.

Before Eric reaches adolescence, he is tormented and bullied by his peers as they see him as a "geek" and not as a typical boy. When he reaches adolescence, Eric begins to think about his one friend Billy and wonders if he or Billy is gay. At this time, he considers changing his personality so that he can become more popular in school.

The book Where's My Wand? reminded me of another book that I read in 6th grade called Totally Joe by James Howe. In Totally Joe, Joe, who is in middle school and is gay, gets bullied and tormented for being different. Similarly, Eric struggles with being different and the challenges this brings up during his adolescence.

Throughout his memoir, Eric Poole uses humor to help him cope with difficult life issues. For example, he says,

I had always considered myself a compassionate figure, a benevolent soul in

the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr, Marcus Welby, MD or Big Bird. As some-

one with such magnificent qualities, I naturally abhorred violence of any kind,

particularly that rendered upon small animals or seventh graders.

Eric succeeds in capturing his struggles and his family's craziness through hilarious, touching and sometimes sad moments.

Posted 6 days ago by Jacob Sutton

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Oct

Where's My Wand?

Where's My Wand?

by Eric Poole

Throughout his memoir, Eric Poole uses humor to help him cope with difficult life issues. For example, he says,

I had always considered myself a compassionate figure, a benevolent soul in

the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr, Marcus Welby, MD or Big Bird. As some-

one with such magnificent qualities, I naturally abhorred violence of any kind,

particularly that rendered upon small animals or seventh graders.

Eric succeeds in capturing his struggles and his family's craziness through hilarious, touching and sometimes sad moments.

Posted 6 days ago by Jacob Sutton

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Sep

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Jacob Sutton

708

September 30, 2012

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

by Mark Haddon

This past week, I read the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark haddon, which focuses on the main character, who is also the narrator, Christopher Boone, a fifteen year old autistic genius who lives in Swindon, England with his father. Christopher is different than other people. He despises the colors yellow and brown, does not like to communicate with people, hates being touched, cannot tell a lie and does not understand the way other people think. He is a math whiz; for example, he can identify all the prime numbers up to 7,057 and loves puzzles.

Christopher values animals more than people. When his neighbors dog is killed with a pitchfork, he tries to solve this crime as if it were a puzzle and a math problem. This begins a journey for Christopher that takes him places that he could not ever imagine, both physically and mentally.

Since Christopher is not a typical person, it is difficult to measure how much Christopher grows as a character throughout the novel. His thoughts are so different than others. For example, he describes his observations of the universe in this way:

"When the Universe has finished exploding, all the stars will slow down, like a

ball that has been thrown into the air, and they will come to a halt and they will

all begin to fall towards the center of the universe again. And then there will be

nothing to stop us from seeing all the stars in the world because they will be

moving toward us, gradually faster and faster, and we will know that the world is

going to end soon, because when we look into the sky at night, there will be no

darkness, just the blazing light of billions and billions of stars all falling."

He states over and over again that the brain is just like a computer and that humans are no more special than animals. This is why Christopher is so intrigued by the horrible crime against the dog. Christopher's social skills are limited by his autism which makes it easier for him to identify with animals rather than with people.

When events in the story challenge him emotionally, Christopher's reactions are not typical. When he discovers that his mother is alive or when he travels by himself to London, Christopher gets sick and blacks out. This seems to be a way for him to avoid his mind getting overloaded. He pushes himself and in the end, he grows stronger and finds ways to overcome some of the challenges that limit him.

Posted 3 weeks ago by Jacob Sutton

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About Me

Jacob Sutton

Sunday, September 30, 2012

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Jacob Sutton

708

September 30, 2012

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

by Mark Haddon

This past week, I read the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by

Mark Haddon, which focuses on the main character, who is also the narrator, Christopher

Boone, a fifteen year old autistic genius who lives in Swindon, England with his father.

Christopher is different than other people. He despises the colors yellow and brown, does

not like to communicate with people, hates being touched, cannot tell a lie and does not

understand the way other people think. He is a math whiz; for example, he can identify all

the prime numbers up to 7,057 and loves puzzles.

Christopher values animals more than people. When his neighbors dog is killed with a

pitchfork, he tries to solve this crime as if it were a puzzle and a math problem. This begins a

journey for Christopher that takes him places that he could not ever imagine, both physically

and mentally.

Since Christopher is not a typical person, it is difficult to measure how much Christopher

grows as a character throughout the novel. His thoughts are so different than others. For

example, he describes his observations of the universe in this way:

                 "When the Universe has finished exploding, all the stars will

                 slow down, like a ball that has been thrown into the air, and

                  they will come to a halt and they will all begin to fall towards

                  the center of the universe again. And then there will be nothing

                  to stop us from seeing all the stars in the world because they

                 will be moving toward us, gradually faster and faster, and we

                 will know that the world is going to end soon, because when we

                 look into the sky at night, there will be no darkness, just the

                 blazing light of billions and billions of stars all falling."

He states over and over again that the brain is just like a computer and that humans are

no more special than animals. This is why Christopher is so intrigued by the horrible crime

against the dog. Christopher's social skills are limited by his autism which makes it easier for

him to identify with animals rather than with people.

When events in the story challenge him emotionally, Christopher's reactions are not

typical. When he discovers that his mother is alive or when he travels by himself to London,

Christopher gets sick and blacks out. This seems to be a way for him to avoid his mind

getting overloaded. He pushes himself and in the end, he grows stronger and finds ways to

overcome some of the challenges that limit him.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

"Peak"

Jacob Sutton
708
9/23/12

PEAK

       Over the summer one of the books I read was called "Peak", by Roland Smith. It was the story

of 14 year old climbing addict named Peak Marcellois' and his experience climbing to the top of the

world. This climb would change his life forever.

       After Peak gets arrested for climbing a New York City skyscraper, the judge tells Peak

that he has two choices; Peak can stay in juvenile detention for several years, or go live with his

dad in Thailand where he owns a climbing adventure company. When Peak chooses to live with his

father he learns that his dad has some very big challenges for him. He wants Peak to become the

youngest person ever to climb Mt. Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, but Peak ultimately

makes the right decision for himself about this.

       In the book, Peak strikes up an important friendship with a poor Tibetan boy named Sunjo who is

three months older than Peak. Sunjo, who's father died trying to save Peak's father on a past climb is

also planning to summit Mt. Everest. During the climactic scene of the book, Peak stops only ten feet

from the summit of Everst and tells Sunjo to summit the mountain without him. Smith writes, "Sun-

jo stared at me like I was crazy, and maybe I was at that moment, but the decision I had made during

the last few feet felt right. I didn't want to be the youngest person to summit Everest. Sun-jo's father

died saving my father. Reaching the top would save Sun-jo and his sisters. With the money from the

equipment endorsements he would receive they would all be able to go back to school".

       "Peak", by Roland Smith, is an exciting and stimulating story. For Peak, almost making it to the

top of Mt. Everest is an incredible accomplishment. Doing something extraordinary for a friend in

need is even more incredible.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Jacob Sutton
708
9/16/12

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

                    On the recommendation of my mother's cousin, I read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by

Betty Smith over the summer. My cousin said that the main character Francie Nolan, captured her

heart. That was exactly what she did for me.

                    Francie Nolan is the central character in the book. As a young girl, she is very

observant, bright, and has a wide imagination. Her family, the Nolans, are very poor, but

that does not overshadow Francie's joy for the things she loves. I would have liked to have known

Francie, as she reminds me of myself in some ways. She loved reading, just like me. Sometimes,

school is my favorite place to be, just like Francie. Even though it didn't give her many friends, her

personal nature kept her open and sensitive. Francie was a young girl who strives and fights for the

things she loves, most of all her family.

                     Francie knows her mother, Katie Nolan , loves her brother Neeley more than her. She

strives to make her mother love her just as much as she loves Neeley. The reason that Katie does not

love Francie as much as Neeley, is because Francie and Katie are both so similar. They both

work hard, and fight hard for the family, but no matter how hard Francie tries, Katie loves Neeley

more.

                     By the end of the book, Francie has a more complex view of her world, but never

betrays her family. Francie always finds a solution to her problems, even though the odds are against

her. Francie will never forget the ones she loves, because she works so hard for them.