I was burning up with a fever to reach the end you might say. I liked the essence of the primary sources at the beginnings of the chapters, although I am aware students may just skip those parts over. Something that I found intriguing was when I thought about the novel, it wouldn't work if the reader was going through the epidemic from a boys perspective. It is the very fact that it is a female protagonist that is having to cope with the loss of their grandfather, the absence of their mother, and their struggle to survive in a time where the world has seemed to change irrevocably that makes the reader burn through the book. Mattie does not get to grow at her own pace into adulthood, but is forced into it by the circumstances she is faced with. This can be an interesting concept all on its own, but I think especially to adolescents. Wondering where they are going, what might become of them, will I make the right choices that will lead to success - are thoughts that an adolescent might connect with in their real life to the fictitious life of Mattie.
The reading level for this is relatively smooth and easy, which aids the readers ability to burn their way through it. New twists and turns keep popping up in the plot very much like the occurrence of the fever itself. The text incorporates history, real events, and real people.
This text could be paired with some current events such as the swine flu (H1N1 virus) scare, the avian (bird) flu, or perhaps the general flu season.
Overall, I enjoyed and would recommend this book.
You're right on the mark noticing that there is something essentially feminine about this book. Being a guy, this didn't really bother me at all, surprisingly. I felt a moment of pride in Mattie when she declared she was going to keep the coffeehouse, which the context suggested would not be the expected course for a young lady to pursue. Seeing her grow and change and challenge the accepted role of a young woman in this time was an intriguing turn of events, and just as surprising as anything else in the book. I think it was at this point that the book stepped above the typical survivor narrative and became a very interesting book. I was also surprised by the introduction of racial issues as Mattie moved in with Eliza and her family. The author shied away from really pressing this topic, but it is there for all to see and might be another useful topic for conversation and learning.
ReplyDeleteComparing this epidemic with other current scares could lead to some interesting speculation. I could see an assignment encouraging speculation as to what students might choose to do if something like this happened to them. They might really run with the idea of having to try to figure out a way to survive without food or shelter or family to help them.