Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Graveyard Book
Personal Response
The Graveyard Book definitely met the expectations that I had for a fantasy book. Gaiman created an alternate world, which paralleled the world we consider traditional. Initially, I found the book difficult to visualize and it took the first few chapters for me to be comfortable with the setting of the novel.
I was extremely disturbed by the introduction of this book. It immediately exposed its dark content. I felt that it was so matter of fact that “this man called Jack” had killed a family. I initially wanted to understand the nature of this violent crime that was not portrayed as violent. I also struggled with the fact that Bod had escaped by shear luck and ended up making his way to the graveyard.
As the book continued, I realized that Bod had lost his life. He wasn’t murdered with his family, but it was unfair that he couldn’t live life. When he attends school, it becomes so apparent that he has never been exposed to anything in the world. At the end of the book, when he was set free with the world at his fingertips, I couldn’t help but wonder how he would manage with such a lack of knowledge.
Additionally, I found myself wondering why Bod was not able to be in the graveyard with his parents. At one point in the story he visited another graveyard and had a conversation with a family. I was sure that they were going to be his parents. Considering he was able to see the dead, I was frustrated that he couldn’t have spent his childhood with his parents.
There were so many elaborate things happening in the book that at the end I felt that I couldn’t remember all the details. I think it is because they were all foreign to me and I struggled to comprehend the details. For example, Bod’s initial journeys with Scarlett into the grave with the Sleer or his trip through the ghoul gates to the city of Ghulheim were both difficult to visualize.
As the book progressed, I really enjoyed seeing how all the different pieces came together. The return of Scarlett and the introduction of Mr. Frost, who I was positive would be Jack Frost (the man called Jack). I had questioned the title of the chapter called “Every Man Jack,” and I thought it was perfect that the whole society consisted of several Jacks. It was a creative play on words.
Critical Response
The detail the Gaiman provides is definitely a strength in this book. He gives incredible explanations of the dark world of the graveyard providing the ability to visualize it clearly. For example, towards the end when Bod it trying to eliminate the Jacks, the narrator states that, “Bod was aware of the dead clustered around them, watching the scene…” Additionally, when Bod and Silas left the graveyard together to have pizza, the following is described:
“The surface of the tabletop was almost mirrored, and, had anyone cared to look, they might have observed that the tall man had no reflection.”
Gaiman needed these details to allow his readers to fully understand the differences he created between his fantasy and our reality.
Using third person narration was very effective in this book. It allowed the reader to understand what was happening in every characters life. This worked well to connect Bod’s life, with Scarlett and Mr. Frost, as well as Silo simultaneously on his mission to destroy the Jack-Of-All-Trades towards the end of the book.
Gaiman’s play on words is effective as well. When the character Mr. Frost is introduced, it is obvious that he will be Jack Frost. Additionally, the organization be called “Jack of all Trades” as well as other examples, provides a light side to an otherwise dark story.
This book followed many of the stereotypical criteria of a fantasy novel. For example, the gates to the graveyard provide the gate into the fantasy world. Additionally, the main themes that surrounded this book were the concepts of good and evil and the living and the dead. Bod was given the ability to walk between the living and the dead. Furthermore, he was in a quest to defeat the evil that lurked outside the graveyard.
I felt that this was a good book and it represented what I would consider fantasy. Even though I will need to reread this book in order to appreciate it fully, I feel that it was award winning due to the incredible details that were used to create the balance between the living and the dead in the graveyard.
Skellig
Personal Response
I typically avoid reading fantasy books, as it is a genre that I have not enjoyed in the past. However, I went into this week appreciating the opportunity to read fantasy and hoping to be surprised by my reaction. Skellig didn’t meet the expectation that I had of fantasy. I expected to be launched in to a surreal world where I had to use my imagination to create my surroundings. On the surface, Skellig seemed to be the story of an average boy with an average life. However, this particular boy had a secret angel friend that he discovered in his garage. I felt that other than the existence of this angel, the setting of the story was a traditionally consistent to our understanding of reality.
To understand Almond’s rational for creating this angel that entered Michael’s life with such an impact, I began to consider what the angel stood for. I decided that Skellig stood for strength and hope for Michael as he struggled with the change involved in moving to a new house and the illness of his baby sister. Michael became aware of Skellig’s existence, and he felt that he was unable to confide in anyone about the situation. His two football friends wouldn’t have understood, nor would his parents. Initially, I wondered if Michael was imagining Skellig in an effort to adjust to his new situation. After Michael befriended Mina, he began to gain a new appreciation for life. Mina allowed him to dream and experience freedom. She would understand his secret.
I wanted to visualize Skellig as a beautiful, snow-white angel. It bothered me from the beginning that Skellig was kind of a man. He was dirty and smelly. He was essentially portrayed as a homeless person in the run-down garage. However, as I continued to read I was positive that Skellig would be the baby’s angel and that if the baby survived then Skellig would die or vice versa. Eventually, I began to understand why Almond had Skellig’s character transform throughout the book and how this transformation was connected to the baby.
Critical Response
This book had many layers that the reader had to sift through in order to gain the full understanding. The depth of the book was embedded in the simple plot. Many general themes and motifs were present throughout the novel, which helped provide the deeper meaning.
The presence of birds served as a motif throughout Skellig. Mina sat in a tree by a bird nest upon there first meeting. After showing Michael the nest, he dreamt that, “…my bed was all twigs and leaves and feathers, just like a nest.” Additionally, she brought him to her grandfather’s old house to show him the owls. That theme continued as the book progressed with the explanation of the owl pellets, and later it is revealed that there were pellets in the garage that could be from Skellig. Through this Almond foreshadows that Skellig could be a type of bird.
Skellig and the baby journeyed together through the novel. At the beginning of the book Michael asks his mother what shoulder blades are supposed to be for. This becomes another motif in the novel. She responses by saying, “They say that shoulder bladed are where your wings were, when you were an angel, and they say they’re where your wings will grow again one day.” Later she states in reference to the baby, “Sometimes I think she’s never quite left Heaven and never quite made it all the way here to Earth.” Michael and Mina reveal Skellig’s wings later in the story as well.
The baby is initially weak and gradually gains strength as the novel unfolds. This is parallel to Skellig’s journey. When Michael finds first finds Skellig, he is weak and almost dying. As the novel progresses, he gains strength as the baby does.
William Blake was regularly mentioned throughout the novel and served as another motif that weaved through the plot. Mina tells Michael that her motto is “How can a bird that is born for joy/Sit in a cage and sing?” It is a quote by William Blake and the reader is initially led to believe that it signifies Mina’s attitude towards school. However, it actually symbolizes Michaels’ sister who has spent months in the hospital in a bed with tubes coming from everywhere. In the final page of the book, they finally name his sister and the name they choose is “Joy.” It is also mentioned that Blake “…saw angels in his garden.” Another example of Almond foreshadowing what kind of creature Skellig is, a question that Michael and Mina pondered regularly.
Almond uses poetic language to provide the reader with a sense of peace and tranquility. He created Mina to help Michael appreciate the little things in life. Michael gains freedom and hope from the stresses of adolescents through the experiences he has circling with Mina and Skellig as he momentarily has wings to fly.
I typically avoid reading fantasy books, as it is a genre that I have not enjoyed in the past. However, I went into this week appreciating the opportunity to read fantasy and hoping to be surprised by my reaction. Skellig didn’t meet the expectation that I had of fantasy. I expected to be launched in to a surreal world where I had to use my imagination to create my surroundings. On the surface, Skellig seemed to be the story of an average boy with an average life. However, this particular boy had a secret angel friend that he discovered in his garage. I felt that other than the existence of this angel, the setting of the story was a traditionally consistent to our understanding of reality.
To understand Almond’s rational for creating this angel that entered Michael’s life with such an impact, I began to consider what the angel stood for. I decided that Skellig stood for strength and hope for Michael as he struggled with the change involved in moving to a new house and the illness of his baby sister. Michael became aware of Skellig’s existence, and he felt that he was unable to confide in anyone about the situation. His two football friends wouldn’t have understood, nor would his parents. Initially, I wondered if Michael was imagining Skellig in an effort to adjust to his new situation. After Michael befriended Mina, he began to gain a new appreciation for life. Mina allowed him to dream and experience freedom. She would understand his secret.
I wanted to visualize Skellig as a beautiful, snow-white angel. It bothered me from the beginning that Skellig was kind of a man. He was dirty and smelly. He was essentially portrayed as a homeless person in the run-down garage. However, as I continued to read I was positive that Skellig would be the baby’s angel and that if the baby survived then Skellig would die or vice versa. Eventually, I began to understand why Almond had Skellig’s character transform throughout the book and how this transformation was connected to the baby.
Critical Response
This book had many layers that the reader had to sift through in order to gain the full understanding. The depth of the book was embedded in the simple plot. Many general themes and motifs were present throughout the novel, which helped provide the deeper meaning.
The presence of birds served as a motif throughout Skellig. Mina sat in a tree by a bird nest upon there first meeting. After showing Michael the nest, he dreamt that, “…my bed was all twigs and leaves and feathers, just like a nest.” Additionally, she brought him to her grandfather’s old house to show him the owls. That theme continued as the book progressed with the explanation of the owl pellets, and later it is revealed that there were pellets in the garage that could be from Skellig. Through this Almond foreshadows that Skellig could be a type of bird.
Skellig and the baby journeyed together through the novel. At the beginning of the book Michael asks his mother what shoulder blades are supposed to be for. This becomes another motif in the novel. She responses by saying, “They say that shoulder bladed are where your wings were, when you were an angel, and they say they’re where your wings will grow again one day.” Later she states in reference to the baby, “Sometimes I think she’s never quite left Heaven and never quite made it all the way here to Earth.” Michael and Mina reveal Skellig’s wings later in the story as well.
The baby is initially weak and gradually gains strength as the novel unfolds. This is parallel to Skellig’s journey. When Michael finds first finds Skellig, he is weak and almost dying. As the novel progresses, he gains strength as the baby does.
William Blake was regularly mentioned throughout the novel and served as another motif that weaved through the plot. Mina tells Michael that her motto is “How can a bird that is born for joy/Sit in a cage and sing?” It is a quote by William Blake and the reader is initially led to believe that it signifies Mina’s attitude towards school. However, it actually symbolizes Michaels’ sister who has spent months in the hospital in a bed with tubes coming from everywhere. In the final page of the book, they finally name his sister and the name they choose is “Joy.” It is also mentioned that Blake “…saw angels in his garden.” Another example of Almond foreshadowing what kind of creature Skellig is, a question that Michael and Mina pondered regularly.
Almond uses poetic language to provide the reader with a sense of peace and tranquility. He created Mina to help Michael appreciate the little things in life. Michael gains freedom and hope from the stresses of adolescents through the experiences he has circling with Mina and Skellig as he momentarily has wings to fly.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Luna
Personal Response
Luna was a wonderful book that did an amazing job conveying the struggles that a transgender person would be faced with. It evoked so much empathy and emotion that I found myself torn deciding whose perspective to take. I found myself identifying with Regan more and trying to imagine having such tireless dedication to another person. She had a huge secret that she had to keep completely to herself and it continually impeded her life. She gave so much of herself to protect her brother. Peters repeatedly wove situations into the plot that forced Regan to constantly live and breathe the life she was trying to escape. For example, she had to pass on a date with Chris, so she could take Luna shopping. I thought that the perfect example of this was when Regan and Chris met by the costume room and after entering the room he put on a wig. He thought he was being humorous, but Regan had to flee the scene. It is the last straw.
Initially, I thought that Liam was very demanding and self-absorbed. I felt that he expected Regan to be there for him at every moment, and he didn’t spend any time understanding or asking about her life. However, I found myself understanding that this self-absorption was because he was living an alternate life that he wanted to escape, and it was all he could think about.
The entire family situation saddened me. They were not living the lives they wanted to live. As Regan states, “I don’t think the American dream quite lived up to their expectations.” Their father had definite gender expectation that he tried to uphold. Whether they were expectations of sports, household roles, etc., it was clearly exemplified throughout the book. An example that stood out to me was in the beginning of the book when Patrice didn’t have time to cook dinner, and she asked Regan to be responsible for dinner. Peters used this scene as an opportunity to solidify the reality of the gender expectations in their lives. This theme continued throughout the book.
“Pretty. A word for girls. The way handsome described boys. Liam was right; people did use boy and girl language. They expected different behaviors. When kids acted “out of role,” as Liam put it, they were labeled tomboys or sissies.”
“The way people viewed Liam, as a boy, meant that he had to play to their expectations. Dress the part. Act the role. And Liam was good at it, expert.”
Both of these quotes prove and state that as a society we have gender expectations that are nearly impossible to break through. Peters showed us how damaging that can be and allowed us to empathize with Liam as he struggled to become Luna.
When Liam finally revealed Luna to the family, I was shocked to see how her mother reacted. Patrice was characterized as breaking through the gender role. She was constantly pre-occupied with her career and almost absent in their home. Throughout the book, she was portrayed as an unstable character that was always “popping pills.” I initially thought that she just didn’t have time to deal with this reality, but her behavior became clearer after it was revealed that she had known Liam’s secret for years and was possibly helping him by “not noticing” her estrogen pills were missing.
Critical Response
The theme of self-identity is revealed through the character development in Luna. Each character was looking for something that they didn’t have. Dad wanted a “true” son, Mom wanted a riveting career, Alyson wanted her lifelong love - Liam, Liam wanted to transform into Luna, and Regan wanted to be her own person free of her brother. The parallel plots of Liam and Regan in conjunction with Regan and Chris provided a good balance. I thought that Peters successfully portrayed how Regan’s life was totally intertwined with Liam’s life since every time Regan had the opportunity to be with Chris Liam needed something, which took priority. Her loyalty to Liam ran deep.
The flashbacks that Peters used to introduce the reader to events in the past were helpful in completing the plot. They allowed the reader to understand pieces of the past that led up to events in the future. They showed that there were signs throughout Liam’s childhood that everyone chose to ignore even though they seemed obvious. Peters provided smooth transitions between the text and the flashbacks. For example,
“There was that time at the mall with Mom. She was looking for purses. Liam was, too. He loops a purse over his arm, copying Mom.”
Additionally, the pronoun transitions added a lot to the book. When Liam transitioned into Luna, Peters immediately switched the pronouns from “he” to “she.” This was very effective since it wasn’t only during a physical transition; it was every time Luna slightly revealed herself. This helped the reader grasp the emotion that was felt by Liam.
The language that was used throughout Luna added to the beauty and emotion of the book. There were several examples, but this one stood out as an example that conveyed the trauma that Liam experienced daily by comparing his life to that of a butterfly that reverts into its cocoon every day – like Luna had to revert herself into the “role” of Liam everyday.
“Like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, I thought. An exquisite and delicate creature, unfolding her wings and flying away. Except in Luna’s case, the butterfly is forced to rein in her wings and reinsert herself into the cocoon every day. Every single day, she has to become this shell of a person.”
As Regan continued to carry the burden of Liam’s secret life, she expressed relief in the last lines of the book as Liam left in search of a permanent transition into Luna,
“I felt it land, a brush of butterfly wings against my cheek. It lifted me up, away. All at once the weight of the world dissolved and I felt myself expand, grow. The same way Luna must feel to be free, I realized. She’s freed us both.”
“Good-bye, Liam,”
“Hello, Regan.”
It is in these words that Peters frees them both and allows them each to pursue their dreams.
Luna was a wonderful book that did an amazing job conveying the struggles that a transgender person would be faced with. It evoked so much empathy and emotion that I found myself torn deciding whose perspective to take. I found myself identifying with Regan more and trying to imagine having such tireless dedication to another person. She had a huge secret that she had to keep completely to herself and it continually impeded her life. She gave so much of herself to protect her brother. Peters repeatedly wove situations into the plot that forced Regan to constantly live and breathe the life she was trying to escape. For example, she had to pass on a date with Chris, so she could take Luna shopping. I thought that the perfect example of this was when Regan and Chris met by the costume room and after entering the room he put on a wig. He thought he was being humorous, but Regan had to flee the scene. It is the last straw.
Initially, I thought that Liam was very demanding and self-absorbed. I felt that he expected Regan to be there for him at every moment, and he didn’t spend any time understanding or asking about her life. However, I found myself understanding that this self-absorption was because he was living an alternate life that he wanted to escape, and it was all he could think about.
The entire family situation saddened me. They were not living the lives they wanted to live. As Regan states, “I don’t think the American dream quite lived up to their expectations.” Their father had definite gender expectation that he tried to uphold. Whether they were expectations of sports, household roles, etc., it was clearly exemplified throughout the book. An example that stood out to me was in the beginning of the book when Patrice didn’t have time to cook dinner, and she asked Regan to be responsible for dinner. Peters used this scene as an opportunity to solidify the reality of the gender expectations in their lives. This theme continued throughout the book.
“Pretty. A word for girls. The way handsome described boys. Liam was right; people did use boy and girl language. They expected different behaviors. When kids acted “out of role,” as Liam put it, they were labeled tomboys or sissies.”
“The way people viewed Liam, as a boy, meant that he had to play to their expectations. Dress the part. Act the role. And Liam was good at it, expert.”
Both of these quotes prove and state that as a society we have gender expectations that are nearly impossible to break through. Peters showed us how damaging that can be and allowed us to empathize with Liam as he struggled to become Luna.
When Liam finally revealed Luna to the family, I was shocked to see how her mother reacted. Patrice was characterized as breaking through the gender role. She was constantly pre-occupied with her career and almost absent in their home. Throughout the book, she was portrayed as an unstable character that was always “popping pills.” I initially thought that she just didn’t have time to deal with this reality, but her behavior became clearer after it was revealed that she had known Liam’s secret for years and was possibly helping him by “not noticing” her estrogen pills were missing.
Critical Response
The theme of self-identity is revealed through the character development in Luna. Each character was looking for something that they didn’t have. Dad wanted a “true” son, Mom wanted a riveting career, Alyson wanted her lifelong love - Liam, Liam wanted to transform into Luna, and Regan wanted to be her own person free of her brother. The parallel plots of Liam and Regan in conjunction with Regan and Chris provided a good balance. I thought that Peters successfully portrayed how Regan’s life was totally intertwined with Liam’s life since every time Regan had the opportunity to be with Chris Liam needed something, which took priority. Her loyalty to Liam ran deep.
The flashbacks that Peters used to introduce the reader to events in the past were helpful in completing the plot. They allowed the reader to understand pieces of the past that led up to events in the future. They showed that there were signs throughout Liam’s childhood that everyone chose to ignore even though they seemed obvious. Peters provided smooth transitions between the text and the flashbacks. For example,
“There was that time at the mall with Mom. She was looking for purses. Liam was, too. He loops a purse over his arm, copying Mom.”
Additionally, the pronoun transitions added a lot to the book. When Liam transitioned into Luna, Peters immediately switched the pronouns from “he” to “she.” This was very effective since it wasn’t only during a physical transition; it was every time Luna slightly revealed herself. This helped the reader grasp the emotion that was felt by Liam.
The language that was used throughout Luna added to the beauty and emotion of the book. There were several examples, but this one stood out as an example that conveyed the trauma that Liam experienced daily by comparing his life to that of a butterfly that reverts into its cocoon every day – like Luna had to revert herself into the “role” of Liam everyday.
“Like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, I thought. An exquisite and delicate creature, unfolding her wings and flying away. Except in Luna’s case, the butterfly is forced to rein in her wings and reinsert herself into the cocoon every day. Every single day, she has to become this shell of a person.”
As Regan continued to carry the burden of Liam’s secret life, she expressed relief in the last lines of the book as Liam left in search of a permanent transition into Luna,
“I felt it land, a brush of butterfly wings against my cheek. It lifted me up, away. All at once the weight of the world dissolved and I felt myself expand, grow. The same way Luna must feel to be free, I realized. She’s freed us both.”
“Good-bye, Liam,”
“Hello, Regan.”
It is in these words that Peters frees them both and allows them each to pursue their dreams.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The People Could Fly
Personal Response
Folklore is a genre that I have had limited exposure to and therefore I wasn't sure what to expect upon reading this book. What I found the most fascinating in The People Could Fly was the introduction that provided the background of how African American folktales originated. I read the introduction again after I finished the book and it seemed to clarify my understanding more. For example, knowing that, “To the slaves, the rabbit came to be identified with themselves…,” allowed me to interpret these folktales more precisely. Additionally, understanding that “John” represented a slave character who tricked his Master to win his freedom created a deeper understanding of the significance of these tales.
Hamilton captures the essence of the oral reading tradition with her use of dialect that “reflects the expressiveness of the original slave teller.” As a reader, I initially struggled with this dialect. I found it the most difficult in the animal tales. For example, in the folktale “Tappin, the Land Turtle” she writes, “Tappin commence fallin in the water. He fallin fast when Eagle go catch him and put him under his wing.” This dialect with its short, choppy sentence structure and misuse of pronouns made for a slow read at the beginning. However, as the book continued my pace seemed to pick up as I started to get use to this writing style.
As a classroom teacher, I began to think that this collection of folktales would be a great introduction to a historical fiction novel that took place during the time of slavery. I think that reading these stories aloud as choral reading would benefit the students, allowing them to hear the voices of the past. As Hamilton states in her introduction when she is referring to her stories, “For they are told in my own voice, echoing the voices of slaves and fugitives, some of whom are my ancestors.”
Critical Response
Hamilton’s folktales follow the typical folktale criteria very closely. Her stories all contain precise language, a simple plot, flat characters, as well as reflecting the values and customs of the culture. They all contain an initial conflict which, in several instances, seems to be resolved in a horrible, yet very matter-of-fact manner. For example, in “The Beautiful Girl of the Moon Tower,” Anton very matter-of-factly kills the hog stating, “As soon as he began to fight, the father of the girl became sick” and “Finally, Anton killed the hog….and the father died.” He then returns to the girl and marries her. Additionally, in “Wolf and Birds and the Fish-Horse” the Fish-Horse finds revenge to the death after the wolf steals her milk.
Throughout the stories, a trickster character is regularly present as the antagonist of the story. For example, in “Bruh Alligator Meets Trouble,” Bruh Rabbit tricks Bruh Alligator into coming to the broom field to meet Trouble. Also, in “Doc Rabbit, Bruh Fox, and Tar Baby,” Doc Rabbit keeps sneaking off to drink the crock of cream. Eventually, when Bruh Fox realizes what he was doing, he constructs a baby bunny out a tar. When Doc Rabbit returns, he is intrigued by the presence of this “Tar Baby.” Bruh Fox later finds Doc Rabbit trapped in the tar.
Another motif in this collection of folktales is the repeated reference to the number three. In “Manual Had a Riddle,” the king gave Manual three rabbits to take into the woods and “fatten up.” He then sent three people to try and sway Manual from his task. Similarly, in “Wiley, His Mama, and the Hairy Man,” Wiley fooled the Hairy Man three times, so he would now be safe.
The repeated elements of magic and supernatural events are woven throughout these folktales as well. In “The Beautiful Girl of the Moon” Anton is able to transform himself into various different creatures to accomplish his task. Similarly, Jim finds his freedom by revealing the hidden talents of the “talking cooter” in the folktale “The Talking Cooter.” Lastly, Toby releases Sarah, so she can fly away to freedom in “The People Can Fly.”
All these folktales provide a rich understanding of our history and of the hardships that African American slaves were faced with throughout their lives. These folktales provided them with hope and dreams of their freedom. The addition of this book of folktales will enrich my current curriculum and I plan to use it as a teaching tool in the future.
Folklore is a genre that I have had limited exposure to and therefore I wasn't sure what to expect upon reading this book. What I found the most fascinating in The People Could Fly was the introduction that provided the background of how African American folktales originated. I read the introduction again after I finished the book and it seemed to clarify my understanding more. For example, knowing that, “To the slaves, the rabbit came to be identified with themselves…,” allowed me to interpret these folktales more precisely. Additionally, understanding that “John” represented a slave character who tricked his Master to win his freedom created a deeper understanding of the significance of these tales.
Hamilton captures the essence of the oral reading tradition with her use of dialect that “reflects the expressiveness of the original slave teller.” As a reader, I initially struggled with this dialect. I found it the most difficult in the animal tales. For example, in the folktale “Tappin, the Land Turtle” she writes, “Tappin commence fallin in the water. He fallin fast when Eagle go catch him and put him under his wing.” This dialect with its short, choppy sentence structure and misuse of pronouns made for a slow read at the beginning. However, as the book continued my pace seemed to pick up as I started to get use to this writing style.
As a classroom teacher, I began to think that this collection of folktales would be a great introduction to a historical fiction novel that took place during the time of slavery. I think that reading these stories aloud as choral reading would benefit the students, allowing them to hear the voices of the past. As Hamilton states in her introduction when she is referring to her stories, “For they are told in my own voice, echoing the voices of slaves and fugitives, some of whom are my ancestors.”
Critical Response
Hamilton’s folktales follow the typical folktale criteria very closely. Her stories all contain precise language, a simple plot, flat characters, as well as reflecting the values and customs of the culture. They all contain an initial conflict which, in several instances, seems to be resolved in a horrible, yet very matter-of-fact manner. For example, in “The Beautiful Girl of the Moon Tower,” Anton very matter-of-factly kills the hog stating, “As soon as he began to fight, the father of the girl became sick” and “Finally, Anton killed the hog….and the father died.” He then returns to the girl and marries her. Additionally, in “Wolf and Birds and the Fish-Horse” the Fish-Horse finds revenge to the death after the wolf steals her milk.
Throughout the stories, a trickster character is regularly present as the antagonist of the story. For example, in “Bruh Alligator Meets Trouble,” Bruh Rabbit tricks Bruh Alligator into coming to the broom field to meet Trouble. Also, in “Doc Rabbit, Bruh Fox, and Tar Baby,” Doc Rabbit keeps sneaking off to drink the crock of cream. Eventually, when Bruh Fox realizes what he was doing, he constructs a baby bunny out a tar. When Doc Rabbit returns, he is intrigued by the presence of this “Tar Baby.” Bruh Fox later finds Doc Rabbit trapped in the tar.
Another motif in this collection of folktales is the repeated reference to the number three. In “Manual Had a Riddle,” the king gave Manual three rabbits to take into the woods and “fatten up.” He then sent three people to try and sway Manual from his task. Similarly, in “Wiley, His Mama, and the Hairy Man,” Wiley fooled the Hairy Man three times, so he would now be safe.
The repeated elements of magic and supernatural events are woven throughout these folktales as well. In “The Beautiful Girl of the Moon” Anton is able to transform himself into various different creatures to accomplish his task. Similarly, Jim finds his freedom by revealing the hidden talents of the “talking cooter” in the folktale “The Talking Cooter.” Lastly, Toby releases Sarah, so she can fly away to freedom in “The People Can Fly.”
All these folktales provide a rich understanding of our history and of the hardships that African American slaves were faced with throughout their lives. These folktales provided them with hope and dreams of their freedom. The addition of this book of folktales will enrich my current curriculum and I plan to use it as a teaching tool in the future.
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