One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

• The novel One Crazy Summer, written by Rita Williams-Garcia, is a wonderful novel about three young African American sisters, who journey to see the mother that abandoned them. These sisters are exposed to the revolutionary group, known as the Black Panthers, during their stay with their mother in Oakland, California. This is a story about self-discovery, maturity, race, and the power of family.

How could this novel be used in the classroom?

•    This novel would be a very good addition to a classroom, due to the fact that it opens up a wide variety of topics. 
• Family dynamics 
• Race issues
• Self-discovery
• Maturity 
• Questioning society 
• The importance of words

• This novel would give a teacher the opportunity to discuss these issues with the class, and give students the opportunity to discuss personal connections they feel to the novel.
• One Crazy Summer would also be a good addition to a classroom, due to the fact that it gives the students some diversity.  It is important to introduce students to novels written by different races and genders. This way all students have the opportunity feel connected to the literature they are being presented.

Connections to other texts:

• Teachers could connect this text to other historical canonical works that bring up many of the same issues.

• The Invisible Man, written by H.G. Wells.
  

Assignment from my Teacher

This post will be a bit different from my others, due to the fact that this is an assignment from one of my teachers. Please enjoy anyway!

 Why do I admire Emily Dickinson?
Emily Dickinson is a world renounced American Poet. Dickinson was born in 1830 in Amherst, Massachusetts. She wrote an abundance of poetry throughout her life, until her death in 1886.


What about her poetry made her so admirable?

• Emily Dickinson had an incredible ability to create extremely strong opening statements, while speaking on issues that may have been seen as controversial topics during her time period.  
• During the time when Emily was growing up, the Christian church in her town set the tone in her community. However, Dickinson was the only member of her family that didn't join the church. Instead, she secluded herself inside her home and lived solely for her poetry. 
• Dickinson wrote about topics that she found to be important to her, instead of simply writing on topics she felt that she was supposed to write on. 

• During this time period, women in literature were supposed to write about comforting topics, while being very predictable in their writing. 

Examples in her work: 

 Emily Dickinson's Poem 202: "Faith is a Fine Invention"
 
"Faith is a fine invention
When Gentlemen can see—
But Microscopes are prudent
In an Emergency." 
  

• Here, Dickinson is almost questioning what "faith" is. The word "invention" can be seen as something created by man, but how can we create faith ? This is not something of the physical world, however it is a connection one feels toward their chosen God. It is almost as though Dickinson is stating that we created "Faith" in order to help ourselves through life. 
• Dickinson continues by asking another important question; what happens when a true emergency happens? Then, as good as "Faith" can be for most people, it is not enough to actually save us in emergency situations. In serious emergencies science is necessary. The "Microscope" is a metaphor for science in this poem. Dickinson is attempting to portray that although "Faith" can be helpful for some, it is not a replacement for science. 

Emily Dickinson's poem 591: "I heard a fly buzz when I died." 

"I heard a fly buzz when I died;
      The stillness round my form
Was like the stillness in the air
      Between the heaves of storm.
The eyes beside had wrung them dry,
      And breaths were gathering sure
For that last onset, when the king
      Be witnessed in his power.
I willed my keepsakes, signed away
      What portion of me I
Could make assignable,-and then
      There interposed a fly,
With blue, uncertain, stumbling buzz,
      Between the light and me;
And then the windows failed, and then
      I could not see to see."

• This opening statement is an extremely strong and depressing one. Here, as she dies, Dickinson does  not see something religious, but instead she hears the anticlimactic buzz of a fly. The fly represents a mundane characterization of death, and the scary idea that there is nothing beyond life. Death is normally the beginning of the afterlife, however there is only the fly.

• Dickinson's character in this poem ends up dying without any form of religious figure or event, but instead with a fly. Again, this represents the idea that there is nothing beyond life. This idea represents Dickinson's own non-belief. She was not greeted by a choir of angles or the ghosts of those she loved that had passed; she died with the sound of a fly buzzing, and nothing more.

Sold wirtten by Patricia McCormick

The novel Sold, written by Patricia McCormick, is an intense story about one thirteen year old girl who was sold into the sex trade industry, in the country of India. 

How could this be used in the classroom?

• Everyone can relate to the topic of grief, it is something that we have all experience. However, what most people do not realize is that people, in other parts of the world, experience grief that we could not even image. 
• Child prostitution 
• Child soldiers
• Poverty
• Many more!
• This novel would give teachers the opportunity to discuss intense world issues with students, while opening their eyes to the grief of others. Students would have the opportunity to look at their own lives, and note that we all may be luckier than we think. 

Connection to other texts:

• Teachers could make connections to the grief experience in this novel to classical literature representing the suffering of others.  
• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave- written by Fredrick Douglass 

Ship Breaker and the Feminist Lens

The next novel I would like to look at is entitled Ship Breaker, written by Paolo Bacigalupi.

• This novel is set in a futuristic world, where grounded oil tankers are being broken down for parts. This is where we meet the young protagonist named Nailer. Throughout the novel Nailer is faced with an extremely difficult decision: claim a wrecked ship for salvage and live like a King among the poor, or save the rich young survivor named Nita and possibly change his life forever.

Looking at Ship Breaker in the Feminist Lens:
*It is really important to note how this young adult novel could be used in the classroom to promote critical thinking skills. For this novel, it would be very helpful to have the students look at these characters in the Feminist Lens, and note  what this novel could be saying about culture and gender.

• Nailer: Nailer is the main male character in this novel. However, he possesses some of the most feminine traits seen in this novel. Nailer is very compassionate and tends to day dream a lot about his hopes, dreams, and aspirations. His thoughts are mostly gender neutral, until he meets Nita(the ship wreck survivor). Once Nailer meets her he becomes extremely strong willed and pushes for the changes that are necessary for their survival.
• Nita: Nita is seen as the typical damsel in distress. She is beautiful, feminine, and appears to be extremely delicate. However, once Nita is rescued by Nailer and his crew mate Pima, she is determined to prove herself. Nita becomes very resilient and more of a survivalist. It is interesting to note, however that she begins this switch in her personality due to the fact that she is trying to impress Nailer. 
• Pima(Nailer's crew mate): Pima is described as an extremely determined, powerful, and in charge woman. She is strong willed, loyal, and trustworthy. Pima is much less compassionate that Nailer, but she is the one who looks out for him.

 Thinking Critically about these characters:

• Nailer, although the main male character, has more feminine traits than masculine. That is until he meets Nita. Once Nailer meets this beautiful girl something changes in him. All of the sudden, he is much more determined and strong willed. Nailer is looking to impress Nita, while keeping her safe from those looking to kidnap her. It is very interesting to notice that Nita's character also changes once she meets Nailer. She becomes much more intense and strong willed. Could this be a comment on society and gender? Gender types in this society are not very apparent. It is all about survival. Except in the case of these two characters. Once Nita and Nailer meet, they begin to rebuild the stereotypes of man and woman of our time.
• Pima's character is actually everything that Nailer's character lacks. These two characters are almost FOILS of each other. They are used to show the differences in characteristics between them, while also showing that women in this time period do not have the option to be soft. They must work as hard or harder than the men to survive.

Zombie Haiku and its connections to Edgar Allan Poe

The novel Zombie Haiku is an intensely fun and slightly scary story. From my last post, we know that it is relatable to young adults and would be an interesting addition to a high school classroom. However, it is very important that we can make connections between these fun young adult novel, and the classical literature that is very important for future education.
Zombie Haiku can be connected to some of Edgar Allan Poe's classical works, the one I found the most connections to was The Tell-Tale Heart.  
http://www.literature.org/authors/poe-edgar-allan/tell-tale-heart.html

 What is Edgar Allan Poe's writing style?

• Among the public, Poe is known primarily for his mastery of the Gothic genre. Gothic literature has a number of conventions, including subjects such as death, horror, suggestions of the supernatural, and dark exotic locations, such as castles and crumbling mansions. 

How is this  genre similar to Zombie Haiku?

• Although Zombie Haiku is intensely fun, it is also similar to the Gothic genre. It is creepy, dark, and has strong suggestions to the supernatural. This entire novel, as I have stated before, is about society turning into Zombies. The subject of death is presented over and over again throughout the novel. This is all very similar to the Gothic genre, and to Poe's writing style.

Connections between Zombie Haiku and The Tell-Tale Heart? 
 For this I am going to choose quotes from both texts to parallel each other.

•  "The disease had sharpened my senses, not destroyed, not dulled them"(Poe).            

•  "Something is not right. If my blood is in puddles. Why do I feel strong?"           (Mecum).                                                                                                                                                                                  

•  "...I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus ride myself of the eye for ever" (Poe).
• "My instinct steers me to my gourmet dinner feast, a nursing home" (Mecum). 

• "Presently, I heard a slight groan, and I knew it was the grown of mortal terror" (Poe). 
• "She's in the kitchen, scared and screaming her lungs out--which I will soon see" (Mecum). 

• "But the beating grew louder! I thought the heart must burst" (Poe).
• "Soon, they'll have to choose. They're out of food and starving. Die in there, or run" (Mecum).

Zombie Haiku

The next text I would like to look at is entitled Zombie Haiku, written by Ryan Mecum.

• What is it about?
• This is a novel written in the perspective of those bitten by, and becoming Zombies. It describes the changes that occur to one's body and mind during the change from human to the flesh eating undead.
• Why would this be a good addition to a High School classroom?
• This text is a quick read, which always helps the motivation of students to actually read the assigned material. Also, this text is written entirely in the poetic form of Haiku. For those who are unfamiliar with this style; a Haiku is a poem written in three lines. The first line has three syllables, the second has seven syllables, and the last line has five syllables.   This would be an excellent way to introduce this section of poetry into a classroom, while giving students fun and interesting examples of this form. This is a very creative text, which would give the teacher a wide range of activities that the students could preform that were also creative and edcational.
• Example: "Little old ladies/ speed away in their wheelchairs,/frigtened meals on wheels" (Mecum, pg 47).
• A teacher could give this example, or any other from this novel, and then discuss it with the students. Showing them the five/seven/five format, and then having the students create their own unique Haiku. 
• How does this novel relate to the students?
• During High School students are going through a lot of changes. There are physical changes, emotional changes, the relationship with their parents are beginning to change, the are gaining new friends, and also losing the old friends from middle school. This novel is a connection to the constant changes that are going on in these students lives. This novel shows the concern for change, the overwhelming feeling that change is bad and unnecessary, and how change is inevitable. Students can relate to this book, even though they are not trying to eat the flesh of those who are surrounding them.
• For my next post I will be discussing how Zombie Haiku relates to classical literature, which we know is a very necessary aspect of our future education.

Looking For Alaska

One good example of Young Adult Literature in the classroom could be the novel entitled, Looking for Alaska.  We could use this novel to teach critical thinking skills in the classroom, and use it to teach students how to find the "true meaning" through close reading. This story connects to students. It is about being a young adult, peer pressure, friendship, and suicide. Real issues that teens may have to deal with in their lives. This will gain student's interest, and help them stay motivate to read the novel. This novel could be used to find Archetypes in literature. An Archetype is a recurrent image, symbol, character or even situation that is an instinctual expression of man's nature and experiences that are universal in nature. An example of this could be  teaching the Archetypal numbers in this novel. It is known that the number three represents the holy trinity, spiritual awareness, and light. The number four represents the life circle, four seasons, the four elements, and change. The number seven is most potent of all symbolic numbers, because it signifies the union of three and four; represents the perfect number. By taking this information and putting it toward the text we begin to use critical thinking skills. Realizing that the number three is relevant to the novel due to the fact that it represents the character Alaska, Pudge, and the colonel. The number four is used after the death of the character Alaska. The number four is represented by the characters Pudge, the Colonel, Laura, and Takumi. The change of events after the death of Alaska's character, and those four friends having to work together to find out what had happened. The number seven is reflected in the story by Pudge and the Colonel's room number. Their room was number forty-three. Four plus three equals seven; the perfect situation. This is a very brief critical thinking example, but there is so much more we could do with this story. This is the type of thinking teachers want their students to begin to be able to accomplish. By first teaching through stories students can relate to, we can begin to teach them the skills they need while actually having students accomplish their reading goals.