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Re: When You Reach Me
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From: Robin Gibson <gibsonr_at_denison.edu>
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:14:45 -0500
I enjoyed When You Reach Me for a variety of reasons. I was in 5th grade in 1977, so I could really identify with the time period, though I didn't like A Wrinkle in Time very much when I first read it (heresy, I know, but I love it now, that's another story!). What resonated most for me were the friendships and interactions with classmates. My best friend of the previous four years moved away in 5th grade, so I know exactly how Miranda felt with the loss of her closest friend. The tenuous beginning of a new friendship, of coming between another close friendship, and the negotiating of that friendship triangle all were described perfectly. I've heard the concern/issue with race before, but what struck me more than race was the socio-economic status. Wasn't Julia rich? I wasn't entirely sure whether Julia was African-American or from an interracial family -- I don't think it's clear and I don't think it needs to be. Miranda didn't treat her differently because of her race, though she certainly observes others doing so. I thought it seemed more like she didn't like Julia because she acted a bit spoiled. Julia calls attention to race herself with the crayon issue, but again, this scene also plays into class/wealth to me -- she's not content with an ordinary pack of crayons. I remember clearly how big a deal a 48 pack, or the 64 pack of crayons with the built-in sharpener -- how very special they were as a child. Julia goes on vacations all over the world, lives in a much more expensive apartment (don't have the book in front of me, but this is what I recall), so I think there are multiple issues coming into play here. I love the moment when Miranda visits Julia, sees her elaborately decorated room, but then notices Julia's own, worn copy of A Wrinkle in Time. I love that the book is a bridge between the two.
I love a book that always gives you more to think about . . .
Robin
DAJ wrote: I liked, but didn't love, this book. The concept was clever, but in spots it seemed as if the novel needed one more round of plot tightening. Perhaps I was missing the significance of some of the choices, and others with a deeper appreciation of the book can offer insights.
I wondered especially why the second girl friend (whose name I've forgotten) was African American, but only that character. It seemed primarily for plot convenience, to fracture Miranda's new friendship through a misunderstanding (and possibly to make the later theft from the sandwich shop more acceptable, since the owner was racist?), rather than as a lens on the era or an insight into character. Similarly, I wasn't certain why Miranda's mother's friendliness to the friend's father received so much space; I kept expecting a subplot there that never materialized. I'd enjoy hearing more about what others liked or found especially noteworthy about the characters and character interactions, so that when I reread the book, I'll bring those perspectives to the work, too.
DAJ
19th-Century Girls Series - http://www.readseries.com
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:14:45 -0500
I enjoyed When You Reach Me for a variety of reasons. I was in 5th grade in 1977, so I could really identify with the time period, though I didn't like A Wrinkle in Time very much when I first read it (heresy, I know, but I love it now, that's another story!). What resonated most for me were the friendships and interactions with classmates. My best friend of the previous four years moved away in 5th grade, so I know exactly how Miranda felt with the loss of her closest friend. The tenuous beginning of a new friendship, of coming between another close friendship, and the negotiating of that friendship triangle all were described perfectly. I've heard the concern/issue with race before, but what struck me more than race was the socio-economic status. Wasn't Julia rich? I wasn't entirely sure whether Julia was African-American or from an interracial family -- I don't think it's clear and I don't think it needs to be. Miranda didn't treat her differently because of her race, though she certainly observes others doing so. I thought it seemed more like she didn't like Julia because she acted a bit spoiled. Julia calls attention to race herself with the crayon issue, but again, this scene also plays into class/wealth to me -- she's not content with an ordinary pack of crayons. I remember clearly how big a deal a 48 pack, or the 64 pack of crayons with the built-in sharpener -- how very special they were as a child. Julia goes on vacations all over the world, lives in a much more expensive apartment (don't have the book in front of me, but this is what I recall), so I think there are multiple issues coming into play here. I love the moment when Miranda visits Julia, sees her elaborately decorated room, but then notices Julia's own, worn copy of A Wrinkle in Time. I love that the book is a bridge between the two.
I love a book that always gives you more to think about . . .
Robin
DAJ wrote: I liked, but didn't love, this book. The concept was clever, but in spots it seemed as if the novel needed one more round of plot tightening. Perhaps I was missing the significance of some of the choices, and others with a deeper appreciation of the book can offer insights.
I wondered especially why the second girl friend (whose name I've forgotten) was African American, but only that character. It seemed primarily for plot convenience, to fracture Miranda's new friendship through a misunderstanding (and possibly to make the later theft from the sandwich shop more acceptable, since the owner was racist?), rather than as a lens on the era or an insight into character. Similarly, I wasn't certain why Miranda's mother's friendliness to the friend's father received so much space; I kept expecting a subplot there that never materialized. I'd enjoy hearing more about what others liked or found especially noteworthy about the characters and character interactions, so that when I reread the book, I'll bring those perspectives to the work, too.
DAJ
19th-Century Girls Series - http://www.readseries.com
---Received on Thu 28 Jan 2010 10:14:45 AM CST
