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From: Steven Engelfried <sengelfried>
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 14:08:08 -0700 (PDT)
I hope this isn't too off the topic of wonderful teachers in literature, but I'm also interested in the opposite situations, the books where teachers play a less positive role, and the kids have to challenge that authority in some way. This can be extreme, as in Cormier's "Chocolate War" or those bullying teachers in Allmond's "Fire Eaters." Or more light-hearted: Rose from "Saffy's Angel" (McKay) paints a great picture on her first day of school, then declares she hates school when the teacher hangs it up in the classroom and won't let her take it home. She has family support though: older brother "steals" it, older sister makes a copy for the classroom, and Rose keeps the original. Family support also helps the Tillerman kids through their various school struggles in "Dicey's Song." James helps his "slow" sister find ways to progress academically (if I'm remembering right), while Dicey stubbornly stands up for herself (with backup from her new friend) against false charges of plagiarism. In "Fire Eaters," Bobby follows the lead of the new kid in defying the teachers, but it's a strong, conscious, and risky assertion of his developing independence (and he is backed up by his parents when it matters most). Poor Jerry in "The Chocolate War" has to go it alone, and pays for it. A school setting is such a rich literary environment for so many different aspects of growing up (with great teachers or less than great ones).
- Steven Engelfried
Beaverton City Library
503R6%99 sengelfried at some.place
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Received on Sat 25 Sep 2004 04:08:08 PM CDT
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 14:08:08 -0700 (PDT)
I hope this isn't too off the topic of wonderful teachers in literature, but I'm also interested in the opposite situations, the books where teachers play a less positive role, and the kids have to challenge that authority in some way. This can be extreme, as in Cormier's "Chocolate War" or those bullying teachers in Allmond's "Fire Eaters." Or more light-hearted: Rose from "Saffy's Angel" (McKay) paints a great picture on her first day of school, then declares she hates school when the teacher hangs it up in the classroom and won't let her take it home. She has family support though: older brother "steals" it, older sister makes a copy for the classroom, and Rose keeps the original. Family support also helps the Tillerman kids through their various school struggles in "Dicey's Song." James helps his "slow" sister find ways to progress academically (if I'm remembering right), while Dicey stubbornly stands up for herself (with backup from her new friend) against false charges of plagiarism. In "Fire Eaters," Bobby follows the lead of the new kid in defying the teachers, but it's a strong, conscious, and risky assertion of his developing independence (and he is backed up by his parents when it matters most). Poor Jerry in "The Chocolate War" has to go it alone, and pays for it. A school setting is such a rich literary environment for so many different aspects of growing up (with great teachers or less than great ones).
- Steven Engelfried
Beaverton City Library
503R6%99 sengelfried at some.place
--------------------------------Do you Yahoo!? vote.yahoo.com - Register online to vote today!
Received on Sat 25 Sep 2004 04:08:08 PM CDT
