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From: Suzi Steffen <suzisteffen>
Date: Wed, 8 Jun 2005 14:42:06 -0700
Karen, Maia, etc.
I was the one who brought up the wealth discussion (in a post, Karen, where I noted several times the various things I liked about Block).
I read with interest the article in today's NYTimes about issues of class in U.S. novels. One thing the author mentioned was that novels tend to be read by middle-class people, so it makes sense (to him) that they are mostly concerned with the lives of middle- or upper-class folks. (John Updike keeps on hitting this point in recent NYer reviews--a point I find maddening. So what if the novel was orignially about or for the bourgeois? Does that mean a novel can't be something different now? But that's a different story.) In any case, I think that Block's work does tend to concern the lives of those who have a fair amount of material privilege and may interest YAs from similar backgrounds.
I do not think that material privilege makes being a teenager an easy task on an emotional level--the level on which Block is (or tries, or appears to be, per Maia) writing. I don't think that teenagers who come from wealthy families have fewer emotional problems or psychological or physiological traumas than other teenagers. But I am often disturbed in YA books wherein there are simple answers to problems, and, as Maia notes, Block--in her early books--often moved in that direction. I think those books can be extremely affirming, and for kids who feel like their talents as designers or artists or writers aren't noted, some of her stories/books may be quite helpful.
Maia, I would say that Block partially addresses some of the issues--with Coyote and Witch Baby, particularly--you brought up from the original series in the new novel, NECKLACE OF KISSES. Perhaps that shows a certain maturing as well, an awareness that appropriation
(as you noted) is not a helpful way to deal with sadness and the pain of living in a world affected by racism, poverty, etc. I would say that this is also a weakness of the new book; world events get telescoped into a (potentially narcissistic) view of one person's pain.
As for children taking off on their own, well, it seems like a trope of YA and even J fiction. I'm thinking of recent works, even, such as Adam Rapp's UNDER THE WOLF, UNDER THE DOG, Sarah Weeks' SO B. IT, and Brendan Halpin's (quite wonderful) DONORBOY. I find those themes completely understandable, and I can see why certain kids refuse to face challenging-to-them truths until they have some breathing space, even from wonderful parents. I also think part of this (not all of it) is a kids-of-privilege thing; I don't see many of Sharon Flake's characters, for example, thinking it's okay or good for them to head out on their own--they have responsibilities at home. Still, a journey is a central theme of almost any literature, and I can understand why some of those characters in GG#9 (the book) need to find themselves by traveling (or doing other potentially dangerous things).
All of that said, Maia, I can't read too much of Block's work at once, and it's possible that you've put your finger on why even though I'll probably continue to like her more than you will. :-)
(At least she's not a celebrity author...er, just kidding, Maia!)
Suzi Steffen Eugene OR
Suzi's YA Review Litblog: http://www.livejournal.com/users/connorgal
Received on Wed 08 Jun 2005 04:42:06 PM CDT
Date: Wed, 8 Jun 2005 14:42:06 -0700
Karen, Maia, etc.
I was the one who brought up the wealth discussion (in a post, Karen, where I noted several times the various things I liked about Block).
I read with interest the article in today's NYTimes about issues of class in U.S. novels. One thing the author mentioned was that novels tend to be read by middle-class people, so it makes sense (to him) that they are mostly concerned with the lives of middle- or upper-class folks. (John Updike keeps on hitting this point in recent NYer reviews--a point I find maddening. So what if the novel was orignially about or for the bourgeois? Does that mean a novel can't be something different now? But that's a different story.) In any case, I think that Block's work does tend to concern the lives of those who have a fair amount of material privilege and may interest YAs from similar backgrounds.
I do not think that material privilege makes being a teenager an easy task on an emotional level--the level on which Block is (or tries, or appears to be, per Maia) writing. I don't think that teenagers who come from wealthy families have fewer emotional problems or psychological or physiological traumas than other teenagers. But I am often disturbed in YA books wherein there are simple answers to problems, and, as Maia notes, Block--in her early books--often moved in that direction. I think those books can be extremely affirming, and for kids who feel like their talents as designers or artists or writers aren't noted, some of her stories/books may be quite helpful.
Maia, I would say that Block partially addresses some of the issues--with Coyote and Witch Baby, particularly--you brought up from the original series in the new novel, NECKLACE OF KISSES. Perhaps that shows a certain maturing as well, an awareness that appropriation
(as you noted) is not a helpful way to deal with sadness and the pain of living in a world affected by racism, poverty, etc. I would say that this is also a weakness of the new book; world events get telescoped into a (potentially narcissistic) view of one person's pain.
As for children taking off on their own, well, it seems like a trope of YA and even J fiction. I'm thinking of recent works, even, such as Adam Rapp's UNDER THE WOLF, UNDER THE DOG, Sarah Weeks' SO B. IT, and Brendan Halpin's (quite wonderful) DONORBOY. I find those themes completely understandable, and I can see why certain kids refuse to face challenging-to-them truths until they have some breathing space, even from wonderful parents. I also think part of this (not all of it) is a kids-of-privilege thing; I don't see many of Sharon Flake's characters, for example, thinking it's okay or good for them to head out on their own--they have responsibilities at home. Still, a journey is a central theme of almost any literature, and I can understand why some of those characters in GG#9 (the book) need to find themselves by traveling (or doing other potentially dangerous things).
All of that said, Maia, I can't read too much of Block's work at once, and it's possible that you've put your finger on why even though I'll probably continue to like her more than you will. :-)
(At least she's not a celebrity author...er, just kidding, Maia!)
Suzi Steffen Eugene OR
Suzi's YA Review Litblog: http://www.livejournal.com/users/connorgal
Received on Wed 08 Jun 2005 04:42:06 PM CDT
