The Stolen Party falls under the category of XYZ short stories. While there are many themes to be noticed on the surface, reading between the lines reveals even more.
One theme is naivete. Rosaura's naivete in believing that the occupants of the 'big house' view her as a friend is the most obvious; she doesn't seem to realize she's being deceived until the very end. Her persistence in trying to see the good in other people renders her blind to the fact that they only see her as someone of a lower class. Likewise, Senora Ines' naivete lies in believing that Rosaura knows her place in society, and that she volunteers to work at the party because of this. Her naivete, like Rosaura's, is shattered when she attempts to pay Rosaura for her efforts.
Another theme is power and resistance, which occurs multiple times throughout the story. In the beginning, Rosaura resists her mother's power over her when she states that she's going to Luciana's birthday; her mother attempts to reassert her power, but eventually gives in. During the party, Rosaura has power over the other guests when she hands out slices of cake; she gives out "the biggest pieces" to the people she likes, and "a slice so thin one could see through it" to a girl she argued with. Senora Ines also has some power during the party when she asks Rosaura to help her; she indirectly asserts her authority. At the end of the story, Rosaura resists both the power of Senora Ines and the power of social class when she refuses to accept payment from the senora.
A third theme, similar to naivete, is deception. When Rosaura goes to the party, she is deceived by the behavior of Luciana's family into thinking that she is viewed as a friend. Her naivete in believing the deception lasts until the last few paragraphs of the story. The magician hired for the party also has some deceptions of his own. With his card tricks, and making the monkey disappear, he is convincing people into believing the untrue. This is similar to the deception Rosaura falls for; both appear to be good things but in reality are no more than smoke and mirrors.
Showing posts with label ya lit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ya lit. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Social Justice in the Potterverse
Have you ever tried to 'read between the lines' in a wildly popular series? One that you've read over and over?
Take, for example, the Harry Potter series. This is probably the epitome of a series everyone has read (or watched). Many people choose to focus on the protagonists' growth and emotional development through the books; however, there are several social justice themes I find particularly interesting that appear in most of the series.
One major theme throughout the series is discrimination, especially against races viewed as 'lesser' than wizards. A particular species that fits this is the house-elves. Since Dobby's appearance in Chamber of Secrets, the rights of the house-elf have become an underlying theme in the story. They are often treated cruelly by their masters, being subjected to unusual punishments for straying out of line- Dobby's reference to shutting his ears in the oven for helping Harry is an example of this. Some are treated callously, as if they have no business existing- Sirius's indifference to Kreacher, as if he is a common household object, is another example. Yet they profess to be happy with their lot, and are nauseatingly grateful to the supposed kindness of their masters. (Dobby is probably the only exception to this rule.) Hermione, always the champion of equal rights, forms a group to get the elves a better situation; her determination for equality at age fourteen or so is admirable, especially when others refuse to acknowledge the house-elves' rather miserable situation.
Another form of discrimination is against Muggle-borns. Witches or wizards who come from an entirely nonmagical family are an uncommon group at Hogwarts, and are thought to be of a lesser status than half- or purebloods, thus having lesser magic. This is entirely untrue- Hermione, a Muggle-born, has more skill than Neville, a pureblood. Unfortunately, 'Mudbloods' are heavily discriminated against by their fellow wizards (take Malfoy's utter disdain of Hermione).
These themes of discrimination have parallels in reality. In the US, for example, African-Americans were historically discriminated against, such as the victims of the Holocaust- including Jewish citizens, homosexuals, 'Gypsies', and the disabled- were during the 1940s. In other countries, women have severely limited rights, such as the Potterverse's Muggle-borns and house-elves.
In conclusion, social justice in the Harry Potter series has parallels in reality. Many of these themes also come up in other series or stand-alone works; however, the Potterverse has more opportunity to explore these in detail. I believe that if J.K. Rowling had focused more on justice for characters that were discriminated against, she could create a very interesting and sensitive topic.
Take, for example, the Harry Potter series. This is probably the epitome of a series everyone has read (or watched). Many people choose to focus on the protagonists' growth and emotional development through the books; however, there are several social justice themes I find particularly interesting that appear in most of the series.
One major theme throughout the series is discrimination, especially against races viewed as 'lesser' than wizards. A particular species that fits this is the house-elves. Since Dobby's appearance in Chamber of Secrets, the rights of the house-elf have become an underlying theme in the story. They are often treated cruelly by their masters, being subjected to unusual punishments for straying out of line- Dobby's reference to shutting his ears in the oven for helping Harry is an example of this. Some are treated callously, as if they have no business existing- Sirius's indifference to Kreacher, as if he is a common household object, is another example. Yet they profess to be happy with their lot, and are nauseatingly grateful to the supposed kindness of their masters. (Dobby is probably the only exception to this rule.) Hermione, always the champion of equal rights, forms a group to get the elves a better situation; her determination for equality at age fourteen or so is admirable, especially when others refuse to acknowledge the house-elves' rather miserable situation.
Another form of discrimination is against Muggle-borns. Witches or wizards who come from an entirely nonmagical family are an uncommon group at Hogwarts, and are thought to be of a lesser status than half- or purebloods, thus having lesser magic. This is entirely untrue- Hermione, a Muggle-born, has more skill than Neville, a pureblood. Unfortunately, 'Mudbloods' are heavily discriminated against by their fellow wizards (take Malfoy's utter disdain of Hermione).
These themes of discrimination have parallels in reality. In the US, for example, African-Americans were historically discriminated against, such as the victims of the Holocaust- including Jewish citizens, homosexuals, 'Gypsies', and the disabled- were during the 1940s. In other countries, women have severely limited rights, such as the Potterverse's Muggle-borns and house-elves.
In conclusion, social justice in the Harry Potter series has parallels in reality. Many of these themes also come up in other series or stand-alone works; however, the Potterverse has more opportunity to explore these in detail. I believe that if J.K. Rowling had focused more on justice for characters that were discriminated against, she could create a very interesting and sensitive topic.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
An Analysis of Names
The YA novel Hero by Perry Moore is about Thom, a gay teenager with superpowers who deals with the disdain of his father and his fellow heroes while coming to terms with who he is. While I was reading this book, I noticed that the names of several characters have a connection to their personality, or are simply interesting. So here is my analysis of their names.
Thom Creed
Thom's first name is a short form of Thomas, meaning "twin" in Greek. This is connected with his inner struggle- one half of mind wants to please his father, while the other wants to be who he is. Since twins may be referred to as two halves, this is an accurate first name. His surname, Creed, means "a statement of beliefs, principles, or opinions", something Thom doesn't really do until near the end of the book. It seems that the twins need to reconcile in order to state their beliefs.
Ruth Whitliff
Ruth, an elderly woman who can see the future, is Thom's first friend within the legion of superheroes. Her first name means "friendship" in Hebrew- this has to be more than a coincidence. (Whitliff doesn't seem to have any specific meaning; simply an aristocratic name that reflects her upper-middle-class ancestry.)
Hal and Lila Creed
Hal, a diminutive form of Harold, is an English name meaning "army ruler". This connects with his army service, but also his leader-type demeanor*. Lila is a Persian name meaning "lilac tree", but it can also mean "night" or "you are mine" in Hebrew. The flower name connects with the scent of gardenias Thom associates with his mother; "night" can be connected with the time she returned to visit him, or the time of day she left her family. An army leader and a night flower seems like an unlikely combination, but she is still his to the end.
Miss Scarlett and Typhoid Larry
Two of Thom's team members, Scarlett and Larry are two of the unlikeliest people to become friends. Scarlett is an English name meaning "red", but a better meaning is associated with Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind. Mr. Moore's Scarlett has inherited Ms. O'Hara's "cold-blooded tenacity" and flirtatious manner, as well as a penchant for the color red. Typhoid Larry, who can infect people with a handshake, is a parody of Typhoid Mary, the Irish cook who allegedly infected 50 people with her cooking. Larry is also a short form of Lawrence, an English name meaning "laurel". A laurel wreath was historically awarded to game champions or victors of a battle; Larry's sacrificing himself to save the world earns him a posthumous, metaphorical laurel wreath from Thom.
Golden Boy and Uberman
Uberman's name states who he is; the personification of masculinity (especially in Thom's eyes). Golden Boy's name does much the same; he's the sidekick doing everything he can to maintain a good image for his superiors, and in the beginning of the book, he's "nauseatingly kiss-ass" in Thom's opinion. His first name, Kevin, means "handsome" in Irish, connecting with his good looks- and it's this handsome, unusually successful young man** who wins Scarlett's heart (much like Scarlett and Rhett in Gone With the Wind).
Justice and Goran
Justice is a parody of Superman, from the alien ancestry to being adopted by older farmers in Kansas. He means to bring justice to Earth, and he does; at least until he decides he wants justice for his destroyed planet and nearly blows up the Earth in the process. Goran, the basketball player from Croatia, is an enigmatic young man who also wants his own justice, becoming a vigilante hero in the process. His name can metaphorically mean "the big/tall one", which reflects his imposing size.
*Hal's superhero alias was 'Major Might'; his first name ties in neatly with this.
**The expression 'golden boy' means someone who is unusually successful at an early age. Kevin's hero status, at the age of nineteen or so, is pretty successful, considering the fact that he's an orphan of unknown race.
Thom Creed
Thom's first name is a short form of Thomas, meaning "twin" in Greek. This is connected with his inner struggle- one half of mind wants to please his father, while the other wants to be who he is. Since twins may be referred to as two halves, this is an accurate first name. His surname, Creed, means "a statement of beliefs, principles, or opinions", something Thom doesn't really do until near the end of the book. It seems that the twins need to reconcile in order to state their beliefs.
Ruth Whitliff
Ruth, an elderly woman who can see the future, is Thom's first friend within the legion of superheroes. Her first name means "friendship" in Hebrew- this has to be more than a coincidence. (Whitliff doesn't seem to have any specific meaning; simply an aristocratic name that reflects her upper-middle-class ancestry.)
Hal and Lila Creed
Hal, a diminutive form of Harold, is an English name meaning "army ruler". This connects with his army service, but also his leader-type demeanor*. Lila is a Persian name meaning "lilac tree", but it can also mean "night" or "you are mine" in Hebrew. The flower name connects with the scent of gardenias Thom associates with his mother; "night" can be connected with the time she returned to visit him, or the time of day she left her family. An army leader and a night flower seems like an unlikely combination, but she is still his to the end.
Miss Scarlett and Typhoid Larry
Two of Thom's team members, Scarlett and Larry are two of the unlikeliest people to become friends. Scarlett is an English name meaning "red", but a better meaning is associated with Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind. Mr. Moore's Scarlett has inherited Ms. O'Hara's "cold-blooded tenacity" and flirtatious manner, as well as a penchant for the color red. Typhoid Larry, who can infect people with a handshake, is a parody of Typhoid Mary, the Irish cook who allegedly infected 50 people with her cooking. Larry is also a short form of Lawrence, an English name meaning "laurel". A laurel wreath was historically awarded to game champions or victors of a battle; Larry's sacrificing himself to save the world earns him a posthumous, metaphorical laurel wreath from Thom.
Golden Boy and Uberman
Uberman's name states who he is; the personification of masculinity (especially in Thom's eyes). Golden Boy's name does much the same; he's the sidekick doing everything he can to maintain a good image for his superiors, and in the beginning of the book, he's "nauseatingly kiss-ass" in Thom's opinion. His first name, Kevin, means "handsome" in Irish, connecting with his good looks- and it's this handsome, unusually successful young man** who wins Scarlett's heart (much like Scarlett and Rhett in Gone With the Wind).
Justice and Goran
Justice is a parody of Superman, from the alien ancestry to being adopted by older farmers in Kansas. He means to bring justice to Earth, and he does; at least until he decides he wants justice for his destroyed planet and nearly blows up the Earth in the process. Goran, the basketball player from Croatia, is an enigmatic young man who also wants his own justice, becoming a vigilante hero in the process. His name can metaphorically mean "the big/tall one", which reflects his imposing size.
*Hal's superhero alias was 'Major Might'; his first name ties in neatly with this.
**The expression 'golden boy' means someone who is unusually successful at an early age. Kevin's hero status, at the age of nineteen or so, is pretty successful, considering the fact that he's an orphan of unknown race.
"Sick Lit Books Aimed at Children"- summary
The Daily Mail article "Sick Lit Books Aimed at Children", by Tanith Carey, presents the idea that YA books about darker issues are not good for teenagers. Ms. Carey presents her idea by paraphrasing the plots of several books that deal with "the harsh realities of terminal illness, depression, and death"- namely, The Fault In Our Stars, Never Eighteen, and Before I Die. She continues by talking about books that deal with suicide; specifically how there are entire books on the subject when other forms of media will gloss over it "for fear of encouraging copycat behavior". She calls such books "morbid" and "mawkish", saying that using teenagers with severe situations to build dramatic tension is "distasteful". She concludes with a quote from a child psychologist: "Let's hope publishers do have young people's interests at heart- and they are not selling books by sensationalizing children's suffering."
Ms. Carey uses many craft moves to convey her ideas. Her tone is disdainful towards these books and their publishers- she uses loaded words such as "disdainful", "morbid", "exploitative", and "questionable". She quotes psychologists who agree with her opinion, while also addressing the counterclaim with quotes from others who have opposing views on the subject. She urges parents to check up on their children's reading habits; her tone is sympathetic towards them.
While her article is well-written, I disagree with her. I think it's important for young adults to read books addressing darker themes. Things such as death and illness are part of life, and it's easier to connect with a protagonist who is going through the same troubles. Reading about subjects such as suicidal depression and self-harm doesn't encourage the reader to start cutting...which is why the term 'sick-lit' stood out to me. Is everything not about vampires and supernatural stuff unhealthy for teens?
Ms. Carey uses many craft moves to convey her ideas. Her tone is disdainful towards these books and their publishers- she uses loaded words such as "disdainful", "morbid", "exploitative", and "questionable". She quotes psychologists who agree with her opinion, while also addressing the counterclaim with quotes from others who have opposing views on the subject. She urges parents to check up on their children's reading habits; her tone is sympathetic towards them.
While her article is well-written, I disagree with her. I think it's important for young adults to read books addressing darker themes. Things such as death and illness are part of life, and it's easier to connect with a protagonist who is going through the same troubles. Reading about subjects such as suicidal depression and self-harm doesn't encourage the reader to start cutting...which is why the term 'sick-lit' stood out to me. Is everything not about vampires and supernatural stuff unhealthy for teens?
Monday, September 16, 2013
I Am J- a review
I Am J is a young-adult novel by Cris Beam about a transsexual teenager struggling to adapt in a society that takes a very narrow-minded view on sexuality.
J, the main character, knows he's really a boy at heart. Unfortunately, no one else seems to see him that way- his parents still call him Jenifer, the other kids at school treat him as something other than human, and even his friend Melissa, the one person he's closest to, doesn't truly understand him.
J's fight to show his parents and Melissa who he truly is on the inside (not the lesbian his mother thinks she can deal with, not a gay teenage boy- there's a difference between gay and trans!) is chronicled in a unique third-person point of view, detailing the internal and external conflict J has with himself and the people around him.
I like this author's writing style- it's different from Astrid's snarky and sarcastic comments in Ask the Passengers, but still has that witty sense of humor I enjoy.
I would recommend this book to anyone exploring LGBTQ themes.
J, the main character, knows he's really a boy at heart. Unfortunately, no one else seems to see him that way- his parents still call him Jenifer, the other kids at school treat him as something other than human, and even his friend Melissa, the one person he's closest to, doesn't truly understand him.
J's fight to show his parents and Melissa who he truly is on the inside (not the lesbian his mother thinks she can deal with, not a gay teenage boy- there's a difference between gay and trans!) is chronicled in a unique third-person point of view, detailing the internal and external conflict J has with himself and the people around him.
I like this author's writing style- it's different from Astrid's snarky and sarcastic comments in Ask the Passengers, but still has that witty sense of humor I enjoy.
"I feel like I'm taking beefcake shots for a calendar."I also like watching how J changes throughout the course of the book, from the introvert carefully concealing his change from a rather overprotective mom to a bolder person coming out (eesh, unintentional) and confronting said mother about his sexuality.
I would recommend this book to anyone exploring LGBTQ themes.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Ask the Passengers- a review
Ask the Passengers is a young-adult novel by A.S. King about a teenager questioning her sexuality in an insulated small town.
Astrid Jones, the main character, moved with her family to her mother's hometown of Unity Valley- a drastically different place from her former home in New York. Unlike her younger sister, Astrid has never really "fit in" with the crowd, despite being friends with the homecoming couple. She's also dating a girl, but she doesn't know if she's gay. On top of that, she has no one to talk to, her mother completely ignoring her, her father occupied with smoking pot, and her sister Ellis sucking up to their mom. So she sends her love to the passengers in the airplanes flying overhead- not that they know she's down there, but she has no one else to give her love to, really.
The author intersperses Astrid's story with little vignettes of passengers on the planes passing over Unity Valley. All these passengers (unknowingly) have a small connection with Astrid's love, and it ends up changing their lives- and eventually hers -for the better.
I like how the author portrays Astrid's growing sense of self-acceptance and bravery throughout the book, especially her courage to confront her mother near the end. I also appreciate her snarky, sarcastic sense of humor used to defend herself from the taunts she receives at school and to reflect upon events, because it's something I would do.
Astrid Jones, the main character, moved with her family to her mother's hometown of Unity Valley- a drastically different place from her former home in New York. Unlike her younger sister, Astrid has never really "fit in" with the crowd, despite being friends with the homecoming couple. She's also dating a girl, but she doesn't know if she's gay. On top of that, she has no one to talk to, her mother completely ignoring her, her father occupied with smoking pot, and her sister Ellis sucking up to their mom. So she sends her love to the passengers in the airplanes flying overhead- not that they know she's down there, but she has no one else to give her love to, really.
The author intersperses Astrid's story with little vignettes of passengers on the planes passing over Unity Valley. All these passengers (unknowingly) have a small connection with Astrid's love, and it ends up changing their lives- and eventually hers -for the better.
I like how the author portrays Astrid's growing sense of self-acceptance and bravery throughout the book, especially her courage to confront her mother near the end. I also appreciate her snarky, sarcastic sense of humor used to defend herself from the taunts she receives at school and to reflect upon events, because it's something I would do.
"How many things do I have to invent in my head to survive this?" -A.S. King, Ask the PassengersI would recommend this book to anyone interested in LGBTQ themes.
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