These 5 books are pictured and described in chronological order of when I read them, as each one created a step in the staircase leading to who I am today. From fantasy to humor to stories of racism, these texts led to the accumulation of my respect for literature and my understanding of the world. Each book led to a more heightened perspective.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
This was the first difficult read I tackled. My dad prompted me to start the Narnia series when I was in third grade, and the rest of my elementary school reading experience centered around Narnia. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the most famous book in the series, and captured my interest in literature. The wardrobe acts as a portal to an alternate world in which things are seen in a different light, and the opportunity of discovering new things in Narnia is endless. A reason we read is to escape our own world and discover another. These are themes we have seen in our course through magical realism, and have translated into my life since I read the novel a decade ago.
Flush
Transitioning into middle school, I saw my dad reading Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen. He told me I would like the author because he's funny and writes about Florida, so I borrowed Flush from a friend. I've read many of Hiaasen's books since Flush, but that was my first experience with one of my favorite authors. A couple kids take it upon themselves to expose a ship for dumping their waste in the water illegally by "flushing" dye in their drains to prove where the waste was coming from. This book explores deception, greed, and the bringing to justice of these moral infringements. Through humor and mystery, all of Hiaasen's books are fun reads, and enjoyment is a big reason why we read literature.
![Image result for flush carl hiaasen](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fMuvK7m7a3o/UV3xbjkubII/AAAAAAAAAv8/tdej-I5puQs/w1200-h630-p-k-no-nu/flush.jpg)
The Old Man and the Sea
This is another book that my dad told me to read one summer in high school. We had visited the Hemingway house in the Keys on vacation and he brought up The Old Man and the Sea. The theme of this book that resonated with me is perseverance and the respect for mother nature. An old man fights a fish alone in the open ocean, and the battle between the two is out of respect for their equal but opposing efforts. It's a short book, but it thematically very deep and led to introspection on my part as the reader. Perseverance is a huge theme of the literature in this class, as pushing through obstacles strengthens a character as they go through struggles in life. Hemingway, as an author, writes to convey moral messages, and as the reader we read his literature to take away life lessons.
![Image result for the old man and the sea](https://i.pinimg.com/236x/bc/96/e6/bc96e652aac2d2d8d392b3b65906d050--fish-tales-wood-engraving.jpg)
The Poisonwood Bible
I read this book for my AP Literature class my senior year, and it became my favorite book I had read to date. Racism, prejudice, and privilege are all examined when a southern Baptist family from Georgia moves to the Congo. The moral symbols and the development of each character were so striking to me, I remember the whole 546-page book vividly. There were thematic parallels between this book and Beloved, where white supremacy and brutality is challenged. Barbara Kingsolver writes to highlight racial injustice, which is one of my favorite things to read about. Reading stories of the horrors of colonialism and slavery is important. Bringing light to an issue raises awareness and puts things into perspective that we as a society need to grow and learn from our blemishes in history. Although it can be difficult and sad to read, this leads to healing and understanding of other perspectives.
![Image result for poisonwood bible](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tuCvpRRzM8m1ufEmXMlcMzaK_1LD1KkMqDvLMndzMdyuF4AiONRQq1tHJL2H-qCjI3w2h9Xemw93iX_Bt1XUkuGoc1VskMgXZZMn9SPoHjSAqjOv8=s0-d)
Beloved
As soon as I read the short summary of this book, I was excited because it seemed similar to The Poisonwood Bible. Like Barbara Kingsolver, Toni Morrison speaks to injustices that morally challenge the audience. Morrison also writes literature as a healing process for her, as writing is an outlet for her to grow and enjoy life. Not only does Beloved have thematic weight, but Morrison had internal motives to be a writer. The importance of Beloved to the audience and to the author make it a source of reflection for me, that literature can serve many purposes in enriching our lives, including healing and consideration for others.
![Image result for beloved book illustration](https://randomnerds.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/BelovedTombstone.jpg)
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lS3czJjiO-o/WhuMcQRY3JI/AAAAAAAAADc/d-3RM1vtrlsyFPiwPGlnJ1k0NG7H5XUywCEwYBhgL/s640/cloudd.jpeg)
![Image result for beloved book illustration](https://randomnerds.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/BelovedTombstone.jpg)
![](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lS3czJjiO-o/WhuMcQRY3JI/AAAAAAAAADc/d-3RM1vtrlsyFPiwPGlnJ1k0NG7H5XUywCEwYBhgL/s640/cloudd.jpeg)
Hey Madison,
ReplyDeleteThis bookshelf is awesome. I am very interested in "The Old Man and the Sea". I loved how you tied it in with the theme of perseverance as well as mentioning something like respect for mother nature. The way you described it makes the book seem very down to Earth and appealing. I also chose 'Beloved' as my class work. Choosing to describe Morrison's desire to write this book as a "healing process" was spot on. I saw it as a way to express how we all must be sensitive to others as we know not of the longterm traumas they have endured. In addition to this, how it is an emotional way for her to explain her opinions on slavery. Overall, this is awesome and absolutely influencing my next read. Great job!
I really enjoyed following the progression from the first piece that influenced you to the last. I also loved how it was family who introduced you to certain pieces of literature which allowed your love for it to grow. My parents as well influenced what literature I read, most of it being influential. What's interesting is that I actually have the same story concerning why I read The Old Man and the Sea! My family and I were on vacation in the keys and my mom made it a point to stop by Hemingway's house to take a picture (he's one of her favorite authors). She then began listing off her favorite books by him, and the Old Man and the Sea was of course her favorite. My interest in Hemingway was then sparked, and I knew I had to read this novel.
ReplyDeleteI liked the structure of your blog post going from you as a young kid to how you look at novels now in college. You were able to connect some of the themes and styles between Beloved and The Poisonwood Bible, which both highlight racial injustice and gave you a new perspective on these ideas. Between escaping our own world and going through a healing process, literature provides a number of opportunities that we cannot get from another form of media. The authors of these novels each had a purpose in writing their works, whether it be a source of entertainment, a moral message to the readers, or a reason to reflect on the past. I really enjoyed your ability to connect these books to your own personal life and come up with your own ideas of why literature is important.
ReplyDeleteI will second everyone else's comments that they like that you went in chronological order. I find that books we read when we are young stick with us perhaps moreso than books we read in adulthood. I am interested to check out The Poisonwood Bible.
ReplyDelete