Archive | Book projects RSS feed for this section

Blathering on about Bleak House, Part 6.

29 Sep

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Chapters 33-38

No Victorian novel is complete without someone getting sick… sometimes, several someones. It’s only natural given the state of sanitation at the time that illness is generally a feature in the novels of the time. I am still not entirely certain what Esther’s fever really involves, but I don’t want to investigate too much for fear of running into plot spoilers… I am intrigued by the many intrigues and want to keep my suspicions fresh and uninformed by wikis, etc. :) Though if Mr. Guppy’s reaction to Esther’s changed appearance is any indication, this is more than a case of fever… I’m guessing smallpox? Or some sort of pox? My investigations will have to wait (though working at a medical library, I am sure I will find all manner of graphic depictions).

A crucial moment between Lady Dedlock and Esther during the latter’s convalescence at Mr. Boythorn’s reveals the connection between the two at long last, confirming what I had started to suspect when Esther encountered Lady Dedlock at the church in Chesney Wold. I remain intrigued by Lady Dedlock, but I cannot say that I felt particularly sympathetic towards her despite her moment of weakness.

Alas, poor Richard has fallen victim to the allures of Chancery and chance. I find that as the story progresses, I like Richard less and less as a character, mostly because I just lose all patience with him. I can’t hold Mr. Vholes accountable for Richard’s actions. Is he opportunistic? Yes, but it’s only to be expected that someone in Mr. Vholes’s position would make the most of the situation when faced with the possibility of taking on a client like Richard. He has no personal stake in the matter, despite his father in the Vale of Taunton and his two daughters. What should he care what it does to Richard so long as he earns his keep. I can’t exactly blame him for that. As for Mr. Skimpole, I never liked him to begin with and I like him even less. I find his “child-like” innocence far more damaging than Mrs. Jellyby’s dedication to the African scheme and Mr. Turveydrop’s deportment. These two are negligent of their affairs and their families, but they do not claim ignorance for their lack of self-control. Though Mr. Turveydrop uses his son shamelessly, he is what he is. I feel that all of Skimpole’s arguments are nothing but a clever front for the sake of self-indulgence, at the cost of friends and neighbors alike. Mr. Turveydrop and Mrs. Jellyby believe they are offering some sort of service to society (misguided though they may be), but Mr. Skimpole is merely out to satisfy his own greed.

The Bleak House Read-Along is hosted by Amanda at The Zen Leaf.

I <3 Fantasy

27 Sep

I’m taking a class on library collection development this term (my last core class! hurrah!) and one of our assignments is to create a list of core titles for a public library collection. Of course, I chose YA fantasy literature because

1) I love YA
2) I love Fantasy
3) I have far too much knowledge of the genre not to.

I now have a very long list of titles that I can’t post for self-plagiarism reasons (in other words, don’t want to confuse the SafeAssignment submission thing). I have also come to the realization that I have read an awful lot of YA fantasy over the years. More than I thought, I mean. I knew I read a lot, but my list doesn’t even cover half of what I’ve read and I only stopped because it was growing far too long for the assignment.

I’ll post the list as soon as the term ends… This process makes me want to go back and re-read. Terribly tempting.

Blathering on about Bleak House, Part 5.

22 Sep

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Chapters 26-32

Mr. Guppy is up to no good once again. Grandfather Smallweed continues to be as nasty as can be, and Mr. Tulkinghorn tries to coerce the good-natured Mr. George into surrendering some writings that may or may not be in his possession, that may or may not have belonged to a Captain Hawdone, who may or may not have been the unknown Nimrod/Nemo who died in Mr. Krook’s dreary upstairs room.

The Dedlock plot starts to unravel as Lady Dedlock makes a crucial discovery. Caddy Jellyby makes her match and finally escapes the thrall of her mother’s passion for the African cause. And most curious of all, Mr. Krook becomes the victim of spontaneous combustion.

Though Lady Dedlock’s discovery was a bit predictable given the clues provided by Esther’s reaction to the similarity between herself and that Lady, it was still exciting to have my suspicions confirmed. Though not the usual sort of detective novel, there are plenty of mystery elements in Bleak House to keep the reader engaged… I think this may be one of the reasons that I am finally enjoying Dickens–it almost reminds me of a Sensation novel.

This is the second novel I’ve encountered that makes a point of defending the possibility of Spontaneous Combustion striking a person–the other novel being Brockden Brown’s Wieland. It makes me want to look further into the “evidence” that Dickens cites to support his claims (and argue against Mr. Lewes’s skepticism… George Henry Lewes, partner to George Eliot). Combustion seems to be used in both cases to indicate some sort of inner wrongness in the victims, though Dickens’s description of the aftermath of Mr. Krook’s death is much more disturbing than Brockden Brown’s. It’s been a while since I last read Wieland, but I recall that Wieland just sort of goes out like a light… a burst and poof. Krook sort of smolders and releases a dirty, greasy ash and smell, like something rotten. The thing is, I never read Mr. Krook as a particularly malevolent person. It seems to me there are plenty of other characters who warrant death by Spontaneous Combustion as a means of revealing their moral decay… Krook seemed like a harmless old drunk to me. Unless there is more that Dickens has yet to reveal regarding Krook’s involvement in Chancery?

The Bleak House Read-Along is hosted by Amanda at The Zen Leaf.

Blathering on about Bleak House, Part 4.

15 Sep

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Chapters 20-25

Oh, the Smallweeds, what an impossibly sycophantic lot. Mr. Smallweed’s oaths when tossing cushions at Mrs. Smallweed are some of the funniest lines I have read. I can just imagine this old pair–one blissfully unaware in her dementia, the other bitter to the end and unwilling to let anyone be more pleased than he. What a pair. Miss Smallweed, old before her time and the perfect match for her grandfather, and young Mr. Smallweed, just as described–a small weed leaching off of Mr. Guppy. The Jellybys and Turveydrops almost seem models of familial bliss compared to this lot. My copy of the text contains the illustrations from the first edition by ‘Phiz’ (Hablot Knight Browne) and the illustration of The Smallweed Family (p 340), with Miss Smallweed looking down on their poor, overworked and underfed maid, Charley, reveals such a miserable, shriveled up bunch that you cannot imagine any good cheer or fellow-feeling among that group.

But good things can happen, even in dreary, foggy London, despite people like the Smallweeds. Mr. Jarndyce saves a few more lost souls and brings the deserving Charley into his home as Esther’s maid. Caddy and Prince manage to overcome their parents’ obvious lack of enthusiasm and manage to piece together a wedding service, and establish a living space where they will be well out of the way, allowing Mr. Turveydrop to continue displaying his fine Deportment in the best light (and in the best rooms). Richard makes a go at a military profession after falling into debt, though he must put his engagement to Ada on hold. And Jo receives a few scraps of kindness.

The Bleak House Read-Along is hosted by Amanda at The Zen Leaf.

Blathering on about Bleak House, Part 3.

8 Sep

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Chapters 14-19

The plot thickens like a fine pudding! When Esther joins Mr. Jarndyce and Ada on a friendly visit to Mr. Boythorn’s home, even more questions are raised into the matter of her unknown origins.

Attending the Sunday service, Esther’s first glimpse of Lady Dedlock strikes a chord. While Esther knows she has never seen Lady Dedlock before, she finds that there is something strangely familiar between her and that lady. The hint of a previous association between Mr. Jarndyce, Lady Dedlock, and her sister stirs things further, while Lady Dedlock’s apathetic manner when she encounters Ada and Esther acts as a counterpoint to Esther’s increasing awareness of Lady Dedlock.

One of my favorites moments in this section is the introduction of Mr. Turveydrop and his Deportment (almost a character in itself). Sweet, neglected Caddy Jellyby has fallen in love with the estimable, young Prince Turveydrop, but it is his father who steals the scene. Between Mrs. Jellyby and Mr, Turveydrop, it is a wonder that Caddy or Prince have any idea what it means to make a match and maintain a household. But Caddy’s predicament does not begin to compare to poor Jo’s miserable existence. Every social ill comes to be embodied in Jo–illiterate, starving, orphaned, at the mercy of people both high and low. Of all the wretched, neglected youths in Bleak House, Jo is the most wretched of all.

Sooo much happened in these chapters, it’s difficult to summarize. Even the most repulsive, opportunistic characters–the Chadbands, Mr. Guppy, Mr. Turveydrop–are absurd enough to redeem themselves as comic fools, though only just.

The Bleak House Read-Along is hosted by Amanda at The Zen Leaf.

Blathering on about Bleak House, Part 2.

1 Sep

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Chapters 8-13

I think what I am most enjoying about this novel is the variety of characters. There are so many of them that it reads like a complex web of interconnected lives and situations. Esther remains one of my favorites, though Mr. Jarndyce and the oddball Jellybys (as a set) with their mad house and philanthropic matron are a close second.

Several seemingly unrelated events have taken place in this section, but I know better than to truly believe that they are unrelated. Lady Dedlock’s eternal boredom must surely signify something and her sudden interest in an unknown copy writer’s hand can only lead one to question why this one detail was capable of drawing her out of her general ennui. That the copy writer is eventually found by Mr. Tulkinghorn in a rather unfortunate state only adds to the mystery of the case and that Lady’s interest.

Esther continues to remind me of Marian from The Woman in White, particularly her noble-hearted feelings for Mr. Jarndyce, Ada, and Richard. Ada and Richard remain… well… rather useless if optimistic about their state. Though these two are the wards in Jarndyce, I find that I have little interest in their relationship. Ada seems the perfect, prim young miss, and Richard a decent, mediocre sort of fellow without ambition. They almost blend into the background amid the demanding presence of the other characters. Esther is the sort of self-deprecating, plain Jane that deserves more credit than she is willing to admit, but her voice is one of the liveliest ones and her accounts the most enjoyable (or so I find).

The Bleak House Read-Along is hosted by Amanda at The Zen Leaf.

Blathering on about Bleak House, Part 1.

24 Aug

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

Chapters 1-7

Sending a suit to Chancery is on par with sending it into limbo–it will stay there for an age and a half, it will be talked of, looked over, but left unresolved until the Judgment Day.

Jarndyce and Jarndyce is a Chancery suit, long discussed and ever unresolved. It has become a blight to those connected with the original parties involved in the suit, long dead but still present in the lives of those who cannot rid themselves of the suit’s infernal legacy. A trio of young adults, Miss Ada, Richard, and Esther are involved in the suit, though the how of it remains a mystery.

Esther, an orphan raised by her godmother (whose true relation she only learns after that lady’s death), is taken in by Mr. Jarndyce of Bleak House to serve as companion to his young cousin Ada, another orphan and a ward in the case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce. Richard, also cousin to Ada, is also taken into the care of Mr. Jarndyce, whose goodness and affability must never be mentioned for fear of stirring up an ill wind.

Several parties, both high and low, follow the progress (or lack thereof) of the Jarndyce case. Among these is a slightly batty, lady whose interest remains unclear, but who will attend upon the case until the Great Seal should be opened. Her landlord, Mr. Krook, an illiterate, rag and bone shop-keeper, also maintains a keen interest in the affairs of Jarndyce. Sir Leicester Dedlock of Chesney Wold is unwittingly connected to the suit through marriage to his Lady Dedlock. Then there are all of Mr. Jarndyce’s dear friends, who are interested in the suit for the sake of their friend.

While Ada, Richard, and Esther remain mostly ignorant of the case, they are deeply involved in the suit…

I did vow to give Dickens another try one day, though I never imagined it would be so soon after my aborted attempt to read A Tale of Two Cities… Bleak House is proving much more captivating than my previous Dickensian run-ins, so I am very pleased to be part of Amanda’s Read-along :) .

Dickens has this way of making even the smallest, most inconsequential teacup appear vividly in the reader’s mind. His are some of the longest descriptive passages I have read (with the exception of Hawthorne and possibly Anne Rice), which could be a bit off-putting if I weren’t so interested in knowing what the description is leading up to–a kooky character, generally.

The novel opens with a lengthy description of fog, a mighty, dense pea-souper, so I could very well have tossed it at the wall in frustration and given the whole effort up then, but I read on and was intrigued by the difficulties of Jarndyce and Jarndyce, the endless suit that lies at the heart of the story and connects the lives of several unwitting players.

In these first chapters, the reader is introduced to several characters, each more curious than the last. Dickens certainly plays with grotesques in his characterization, strange appearances and personality quirks playing a significant role. The virtuous, young orphans stand out all the more for their youth and innocence. The relationship between Ada, Esther, and Richard almost reminds me of that between Marian, Laura, and Hartright in The Woman in White… Esther and Ada serving as doubles, Richard as their Hartwright, and Esther’s narrative giving voice to past events in much the same way that Marian does in TWinW… plus, there are several characters that can serve as the “madwoman” in the case.

So why (and WHEN) is Esther relating these events? And how are they connected to the dealings in Chancery? More to come…

The Bleak House Read-Along is hosted by Amanda at The Zen Leaf.

This is a sort of retro-post, as I’ve been reading ahead of schedule to avoid class/work/blogging timing catastrophes… but I am really enjoying the experience of a group read :)

Multicultural Materials for Children and YA book project

24 Aug

Now that the Summer semester is well and truly over, I can post the book evaluations that I wrote for the Multicultural Materials class without fear of self-plagiarism issues. What I am going to do is post each evaluation as an entry and link to them all here for easy access.

Part of the assignment required that I consider ways to incorporate the books in a library or media center collection, and design activities using the texts.

These are the books that I selected for the written part of the assignment. Though I read many great selections, these were the ones that I most enjoyed.

  1. The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox
  2. An Amish Paradox: Diversity and Change in the World’s Largest Amish Community by Charles E. Hurst, David L. McConnell
  3. The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin and David Shannon
  4. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
  5. Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa
  6. Goy Crazy by Melissa Schorr
  7. Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah
  8. Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
  9. Wild Orchid by Beverley Brenna
  10. April and the Dragon Lady by Lensey Namioka

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Annie on my Mind are two of the best YAs I’ve read in a while :)

Multicultural Books for Children and YA: Book 10

24 Aug

Book 10
Culture: Asian-American
Title: April and the Dragon Lady
Author: Lensey Namioka
Publisher: Browndeer Press
Published: 1994
Genre: YA fiction, realistic fiction, Chinese-American families
Recommended Age: Young Adult

Summary: April has always been a dutiful granddaughter, though she knows that she comes last in her traditional Chinese-American family. It’s April’s brother Harry who is the apple of their grandmother’s eye, the honored grandson who will carry on the family name and honor his Chinese ancestors. When April starts to date Steve, an all-American classmate who shares her love of geology and is brave enough to try even the most exotic traditional Chinese food, she begins to realize how difficult it is to be stay true to her family’s traditional views while trying to become independent. While April has always considered herself an American, she finds herself having trouble reconciling her American ideals with her grandmother’s Chinese views. She wants to be the best granddaughter she can be but she also wants more than the strict roles laid out for Chinese girls.

Evaluation: This novel is an authentic representation of the tensions experienced by teens navigating the border between two cultures. In addition, the novel provides an excellent portrayal of the gendered roles associated with boys and girls in Chinese culture, as well as the ideals of filial piety and reverence of age. Grandmother Chen represents a powerful force in the family; her position in the family highlights the bonds between the generations in Chinese families and the emphasis on honoring one’s elders and caring for them in their old age. The novel’s depiction of family, traditional values and gender illustrates the challenges faced by Chinese-American girls who want to stay true to their culture while striving for the American ideal of independence.

Personal Response: I felt that the novel accurately portrays the experience of being a bicultural teen who wants to stay true to the family’s culture while also identifying with the dominant culture. April’s difficulties with her grandmother resonated with my own experience as a granddaughter. Hispanic families often look after their elders and live in multi-generational homes, so the Chen’s experience of living with a somewhat difficult elder reminded me of my relationship with my grandmother. I think this is a book that will appeal to many teens who find themselves in similar situations.

Suggested Extension Activities: One of the main themes in April and the Dragon Lady is balancing bi-cultural identity, making it a great selection for a program on multiculturalism and “hyphenated” Americans. The book can be part of a reading list featuring a selection of YA works that raise awareness of hyphenated, bi-cultural lives in the United States (Asian-American, Hispanic-American, etc.).
To encourage awareness of bicultural identity, the library can also select a month to celebrate biculturalism and feature programs, such as movie viewings and book clubs, to support understanding of the experience of being part of more than one culture.

Multicultural Books for Children and YA: Book 9

24 Aug

Book 9
Disabilities -Asperger’s
Title: Wild Orchid
Author: Beverley Brenna
Publisher: Red Deer Press
Published: 2005
Genre: YA fiction, realistic fiction, disabilities, fiction about Asperger’s Syndrome
Recommended Age: Young Adult

Summary: Taylor just graduated from high school and feels the threat of The Future looming before her, and it certainly doesn’t help that her mom is forcing her to go on a visit to Waskesiu for the summer. Taylor is worried that things will be too unfamiliar if she leaves her home; how will she know what to expect? For Taylor, uncertainty is a real threat; she has a form of Autism known as Asperger’s Syndrome and has difficulty dealing with change and social situations that would seem inconsequential to others. However, Taylor manages to surprise herself when she finds herself enjoying the predictable pattern that she manages to establish in Waskesiu. She walks the beach seven times in the morning, goes to the nature center, looks for plants, talks to Paul and the others who work at the center, and returns home for pancakes, fries, or pizza before going to bed with her wind-up clock set. Soon enough, things start to change for Taylor, but she finds that she is stronger than she imagined when she takes on a job at the nature center and makes three friends in the process.

Evaluation: Brenna takes the reader into the mind of a girl with Asperger’s Syndrome, allowing the reader to imagine the anxiety, worry, and confusion that Taylor experiences when she encounters unknown situations and finds herself in social situations that she does not know how to navigate. Taylor’s coping mechanisms are portrayed in detail as she tries to reassure herself by counting to the number seven, sharing information about gerbils, and looking for wild orchids on Waskesiu’s nature trail. Brenna provides an excellent depiction of the repetitive tasks that individuals with Autism often demonstrate, while the diary format of the novel provides a first-hand account of Taylor’s experience rather than rely on an omniscient narrator. This is a hard to find book (it is a Canadian publication), but its honest portrayal of Autism makes it a worthy addition to a YA library collection.

Personal Response: At times, this is a difficult book to read. Taylor’s condition makes her dwell on small things, like the number of words that a person uses to construct a sentence, her nervous tics and worries are numerous often making it a challenge for the reader to understand her actions. I felt as if I was experiencing the events from Taylor’s perspective, but found myself feeling sympathetic towards her mother. Taylor’s mother often appears selfish to Taylor, who cannot understand why her mother would want to change any aspect of their lives. The reader is able to understand the challenges faced by a parent who wants the best for their autistic child but also wants their child to understand that sometimes change is inevitable. I felt frustrated by Taylor, but I also felt frustrated for her; I imagine this is what her mother must feel.

Suggested Extension Activities: This novel can be used as part of a special school media program to promote awareness of emotional and psychological disabilities among teens. The program can present information on disabilities such as Asperger’s, autism, depression, eating disorders, etc. to encourage understanding and awareness of the effect of these “silent” disabilities on teens. Students who have experience with these disabilities (whether first-hand, or through a friend or relative) can be encouraged to share their thoughts in writing. Poems, essays, and short stories on living with disabilities can be printed in the school newspaper or on a library blog. Students can choose to remain anonymous.
Posters and bulletins can be created and posted around the media center and around school common areas to help students learn more about these conditions.
A display of relevant materials can be set up in the library in a prominent area and teachers can be encouraged to incorporate information about disabilities into the class curriculum.

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.