From: Michele Vosberg <mvosberg>
Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1999 19:58:21 -0500

I'd like to comment on Megan's question about the characters in Katherine Paterson's novels. I do see the characters as "misfits" or perhaps outsiders is a better term. In my mind, misfits denotes that something is somehow wrong with the child, her characters seem to be more like outsiders, they are in situations that are not right for them. The characters work for me because ultimately Paterson is able to make me care about them. I've had very positive reactions from students throughout the years as well. I've had many fifth graders ( and now my college students) cry at the death of Leslie, become extremly angry about the situation at the mills with Lyddie and hope desperately that Gilly gets to stay with Trotter. I felt drawn to Jip as well, and by the end of the book I really cared about his welfare. This is my personal test about characters in a book, they don't have to be good or honest or even likable as a person, but in the end, I've got to care about them for the book to work for me.

Michele Vosberg Clarke College Dubuque, Iowa

Megan Schliesman wrote:
Received on Fri 20 Aug 1999 07:58:21 PM CDT