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what's in a name? I have been following with great interest the
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From: Claudia Backus <cbackus>
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 1995 14:14:41 -0600
discussion of- The Midwife's Apprentice-, particularly the thoughts on the significance of the naming of Brat, Beetle Alyce. I recently read the extraordinary - Rule of the Bone- by Russell Banks, an adult book of interest to mature young adults, so perhaps not strictly within the scope of CCBC-Net discussion. Chappie is a confused, alienated, 14 year old kid of the nineties on the edge of self?struction - at first glance not at all like Alyce. But Chappie, like Alyce, is struggling to find himself, evolving from a self described criminal with no sense of self worth to a young man of perception, sensitivity and confidence (which the reader recognizes long before the character does). Chappie rejects those who have named him - his father , who left when he was a young child and his mother who has betrayed him in her marriage to a man who molests him. For Chappie, naming himself ("the Bone") is, as in Midwife, an impowering act. I've been trying to think of other coming of age books where naming has great significance. Anyone interested in exploring this further? I'd also love to hear more comments on Rule of the Bone and it's suitability for YA's. My seventeen year old devoured it!
Claudia Backus Waukesha County Fed. Lib. Sys. cbackus at omnifest.uwm.edu Rz (Zj%
Received on Mon 04 Dec 1995 02:14:41 PM CST
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 1995 14:14:41 -0600
discussion of- The Midwife's Apprentice-, particularly the thoughts on the significance of the naming of Brat, Beetle Alyce. I recently read the extraordinary - Rule of the Bone- by Russell Banks, an adult book of interest to mature young adults, so perhaps not strictly within the scope of CCBC-Net discussion. Chappie is a confused, alienated, 14 year old kid of the nineties on the edge of self?struction - at first glance not at all like Alyce. But Chappie, like Alyce, is struggling to find himself, evolving from a self described criminal with no sense of self worth to a young man of perception, sensitivity and confidence (which the reader recognizes long before the character does). Chappie rejects those who have named him - his father , who left when he was a young child and his mother who has betrayed him in her marriage to a man who molests him. For Chappie, naming himself ("the Bone") is, as in Midwife, an impowering act. I've been trying to think of other coming of age books where naming has great significance. Anyone interested in exploring this further? I'd also love to hear more comments on Rule of the Bone and it's suitability for YA's. My seventeen year old devoured it!
Claudia Backus Waukesha County Fed. Lib. Sys. cbackus at omnifest.uwm.edu Rz (Zj%
Received on Mon 04 Dec 1995 02:14:41 PM CST
