Young Adult Literature Essay Example for Free

Young Adult Literature Essay In our experiences as teachers or media specialists, many of us have noticed the same phenomenon: adolescent males often tend to enjoy literature less than their female counterparts. Of course, as middle school and high school teachers and media specialists, we have no control over the early reading experiences or instruction a male child receives, and since the patterns of reading behavior have been established long before he reaches our classroom, it may seem impossible to help him become an avid reader. But it is not impossible. In fact, helping a male become an enthusiastic reader may be as simple as offering a kind of literature that will engage him with intriguing plots, fast-paced action, and characters who not only catch his interest, but who mirror the life that he is living. Recent critical studies of the subject matter and themes of young adult literature have included focuses on the presentation of female gender roles (Hayn Sherrill, 1996), readers responses to the portrayal of racial minorities (Chevalier Houser, 1997), and literary attention to teens struggles with spirituality (Mendt, 1997). However, little direct, specific attention has been given to writers portrayals of adolescent male characters in fiction or non-fiction. Nevertheless, the growing canon of adolescent literature has produced a rich base of fiction that both portrays and appeals to all types of males. Researchers have shown that introducing YA literature to males improves their reading ability (Ballash 1994). These findings, however, have also pointed out the bias that many teachers hold against YA literature. Since its inception, generally considered to coincide with the 1967 publication of Hintons The Outsiders and Zindels The Pigman, young adult literature has fought an uphill battle to be given some of the classroom space normally reserved for the classical canon. According to Christenbury (1995), its use is limited mostly to higher elementary and middle school grades, where it is included in curricula as an incentive for poor readers. In this case, the strongest argument for using young adult literature- its readability and high interest level- is also the strongest argument that critics use for not including it in the highest grades. It is my argument that YA literature, because of its range of authors and story types, is an appropriate literature for every adolescent male, whether he be a prepubescent fourth grader, or a college-bound senior who needs compelling material that speaks to him. Aidan Chambers, author of challenging YA fiction and a critic of childrens literature, maintains that every group needs its own literature (Chambers 1996). According to Chambers, adolescents constitute a minority in our modern society, and like any minority, adolescents need a literature to call their own. Chambers even goes so far as to consider adolescents an oppressed group that needs to shed its shackles. To help with the process, Chambers began writing thought-provoking fiction and plays for his teen students in England, even before Hinton and Zindel emerged on the scene. While not as militant in their insistence that adolescents receive special attention as Chambers, others have noted a need for young adults to identify with the protagonists in the books they read (Small 1980). In his study published in Literature In The Secondary School, Applebee (1993) notes that most of the books in the literary canon where not intended for, and do not feature, adolescents. However, the only two books of the 20th century books to crack the canonical top ten, Salingers Catcher in the Rye and Lees To Kill A Mockingbird, both feature adolescent protagonists. Literary theory and criticism have labeled these books with their stamp of approval, and their appeal, for many readers, is far greater. Why? One answer lies in the fact that the adolescent male characters, Holden Caufield and Jem, mirror social, emotional, and spiritual conflicts that our male adolescents are facing. As Hipple, Comer, and Boren (1997), Monseau (1994), and Small (1980) suggest, reading adolescent literature can play a significant role in the emotional and mental health of an adolescent. As teachers, we need to find books that help our young males become more literate. The question for teachers and media specialists is this: Which books are good choices, ones that will draw in young adult male readers? What follows is a short list of young adult novels with male protagonists, sorted by theme. It is likely that many of these books are already on the shelves of middle and high school classrooms, and in students home collections. The list is intended as a beginninga resource that might offer teachers and media specialists a glimpse at the variety of young adult books that they can recommend specifically to adolescent males. The result might be that the males become readers in todays middle and high school classrooms, and beyond. Young Adult Literature for Reluctant Male Readers Nature and Adventure Stories Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet (1987). Brian is flying to Canada in a two-seater airplane. When the pilot dies mid-flight, Brian has to land the plane himself. He is then faced with surviving the wilderness using only his wits and a hatchet. Cross, Gillian. On The Edge (1985). This novel tells the dramatic story of Tug, who is kidnapped by ruthless terrorists, and whose mother is a powerful newspaper publisher. Hobbs, Will. The Big Wander (1992). Clays uncle is missing. To find him Clay embarks on a big wander into the canyons of Arizona. Rylant, Cynthia. The Islander (1998). Orphaned Daniel lives a dull life with his grandfather on an island in British Columbia- until the day a mermaid appears on the shore. Identity Stories Hinton, SE. The Outsiders (1966). This is the classic story of Pony Boy trying to find his identity while staying loyal to his gang, the Greasers. Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War (1974). Jerry Renault refuses to participate in his private schools traditional chocolate sale, turning teachers and students alike against him. Philbrick, Rodman. Freak the Mighty (1993). Max is too huge to be normal, and Kevin, though brilliant, is labeled a freak because of his physical deformity. These two outcasts form a team to go on adventures within their own hometown. Chambers, Aidan. Dance on My Grave (1982). Hal, a shy but bright kid, is arrested for dancing on the grave of his friend, Barry. As the novel unfolds, Hal reveals his reasons for performing this bizarre ritual. A challenging novel, but one that repays the readers effort. Sports Stories Crutcher, Chris. Ironman (1995). Beau is a superb athlete who rejects popular sports and his father in order to become a tri-athletic ironman. Lipsyte, Robert. The Contender (1967). To escape the drugs and thugs of his Harlem neighborhood, Alfred takes up boxing, a sport that teaches him more than how to beat up someone. Weaver, Will. Striking Out (1995). Five years after his brothers death, Billy leads his family out of mourning because of his newly discovered prowess at baseball. Myers, Walter Dean. Hoops (1981). Lonnie Jacksons basketball skills are recognized by a former pro who teaches him about the game, and about the incredible pressures that go along with it. Genre Stories Lowry, Lois. The Giver (1993). Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a futuristic world where everyone is perfectly content. So is he, until his visions lead him to be chosen as Receiver, the one person who knows the truth. Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings (1965). This is the epic tale of Frodo the hobbits quest to save Middle Earth from evil. Avi. Wolfrider (1986). Andys life is turned upside down when an anonymous caller claims to have killed someone. Cormier, Robert. Tenderness (1997). It is difficult to cause readers to sympathize with a serial murderer, but Cormier does just that when Eric Poole goes on a hunt for tenderness. Historical Stories Weisel, Elie. Night (1982). The Holocaust is seen through the eyes of young Weisel, who survived the ghettos and concentration camps as a teenager. This short book is certainly not for adolescent readers exclusively, but a powerful addition to secondary school classroom libraries. Denenberg, Barry. An American Hero : The True Story of Charles A. Lindberg (1996). Lucky Lindy was many thingsaviator, grieving parent, fighter pilot, and Nazi sympathizer. Here all aspects of this complex mans life are presented with a fair, even hand. Myers, Walter Dean. Fallen Angels (1988). When Perry cant escape Harlem by going to college, he goes off to war in Vietnam. Works Cited Applebee, A. Literature In The Secondary School. NCTE, 1993. Ballash, Karen M. Remedial High School Readers Can Recover, Too! Journal of Reading. May 1994. Chambers, Aidan. Tell Me : Children, Reading, And Talk. Stenhouse, 1993. Chevalier, M. and Houser, N. Preservice Teachers Multicultural Self-Development through Adolescent Fiction, Journal of Adolescent Adult Literacy, March, 1997. Hayn, J. and Sherrill, D. Female Protagonists in Multicultural Young Adult Literature: Sources and Strategies, The ALAN Review, Fall 1996. Hipple, T. Comer, M. and Boren, D. Twenty Recent Novels (and More) about Adolescents for Bibliotherapy, Professional School Counseling, Oct 1997. Mendt, K. L. Spiritual Themes in Young Adult Books, The ALAN Review, Spring, 1996. Monseau, Virginia R. Studying Cormiers Protagonists: Achieving Power through Young Adult Literature, The ALAN Review, Fall, 1994. Small, R. C. The Young Adult Novel as a Mirror of the Teenage World, Texas Tech Journal of Education, Winter, 1980. Young Adult Literature Cited Avi. Wolfrider. Collier Books, 1986. Cormier, R. Tenderness. Delacorte, 1997. Cormier, R. The Chocolate War. Dell, 1974. Chambers, A. Dance on My Grave. Harper and Row, 1982. Cross, G. On the Edge. Holiday House, 1985. Crutcher, Chris. Ironman. Greenwillow Books, 1995. Denenberg, Barry. An American Hero : The True Story of Charles A. Lindberg. Scholastic, 1996.

E350 Review Essay -- Product Review

Introduction Two door coupe with a V6 engine that can change the thinking of a person. Wasn’t that a confusing and a technical sentence to digest, let it be a bit easier to understand that can put some adrenaline in your thinking? The all new E350 two door car is here which has a power turbine of 6 cylinders in V Formation. Well that’s the converted one, we humans are always in search of showing the other person that you are not worth in this game. The E350 is with the same tag line as mentioned and to hell with other car manufacturers. The E350 is designed with new specifications and listed above all coupes in the Indian auto industry. Well this is a fact which cannot be changed even with the use of some technical jargons to fill up the gap. The E350 is one of the aggressive looking coupe models in the list of the Mercedes Benz. The E350 does not have any collaboration with AMG or Brabus. It is one of the sleek looking cars which have the capacity to do wonders in every possible ma nner. Step inside the E350 and get a feel of true German sports car. Having the E350 in your hands The new car has lots of space which can accommodate 4 adults in ease. Well it’s a two door car and the front seats need to be pulled ahead with force. A cup holder is present between the front and rear seats which gives the passenger some leg room. The cup holder box separates the front and rear seat area where the passenger can stretch his legs. An automatic belt feeder is present in the E350 which straps the passenger and driver. The centre console is present on the steering wheel where the belt feeder button can be activated. Electronic seats are given to the E350 which make it easy to drive the car. You can adjust them according to your needs... ...nt in the car which is activated when there is pressure in the front of the car. Bump sensors are present in the E350 which are activated when there is pressure due to mishap. Automatically doors are unlocked when an accident takes place. This is one of the wonders of enhanced engineering inventions. Cutting points are marked inside the car which is highlighted if the rescuers need to cut the vehicle. Emergency lights are activated when the car has stopped. If the accident has greater impact on the body its engine and petrol supply is cut off. Verdict The E350 is a good deal when it comes to sport driving in India. It has features which are seen in European cars. The E350 is smooth and elegant to drive. You can sense comfort and luxury right when you step inside the vehicle. Cost of the E350 is also perfect as a V6 engine delivers close output to other cars.

Neoclassical Age

The 18th century is a distinguishing period in British literature. It is a timeline in which classical literary conventions in terms of the literary techniques in different genres are revived. After the Renaissance–a period of exploration and expansiveness–came a reaction in the direction of order and restraint. Generally speaking, this reaction developed in France in the mid-seventeenth century and in England thirty years later; and it dominated European literature until the last part of the eighteenth century.It is a period where counterfeiting and facades are very important; in some ways the country was trying to act like the Interregnum and English civil wars had not happened, and there is both a willful suppression of the immediate past and a glorification of the more distant, classical Roman past–which is why it is called the Neoclassical period. Neoclassical writers, such as Samuel Johnson, Moliere and Alexander Pope, sought clear, precise language.They st andardized spelling and grammar, shifted away from the complex metaphors employed by Shakespeare and simplified literary structures. Neoclassical writers often adopted a rigid view toward society. Although Renaissance writers were fascinated by rebels and the Romantics later idealized them, neoclassical writers felt that the individual should conform to social norms. Although society was probably corrupt, individual views could not stand against the truths found in the consensus of society.Principals of Neoclassic Age in Alexander Pope’s â€Å"essay on man† There are many concepts regarding literary criticism that are instantiated in the first part of Pope’s Essay: the problem of bad writing and criticism, and the greater danger of the latter to the public; the rarity of genius and taste in poets and critics respectively; the impairing of the capacity of critical judgment by unsound education; the causes for the multitude of literary critics (those who canâ€⠄¢t write, judge! ; and the critics need to know the limits of his genius, taste, and learning in the exercise of criticism. What is the basis for literary composition and the practice of criticism? What provides the common ground and gives guidance for both? For Pope, the answer was found in a specific eighteenth century understanding of the honorific term and concept of NATURE. First follow Nature and your judgment frame By her just standard, which is still the same: Unerring NATURE, still divinely bright,One clear, unchanged, and universal light, Life, force, beauty, must to all impart, At once the source, and end, and test of Art. (Lines 68-73) Nature is the ultimate authority (Williams 219) in Pope’s Essay, and is presented here as that canon or standard to which both with (creative poetic and literary expression) and critical judgment are to conform. Authors and critics are to write and to judge according to the clear, unchanged, and universal light just standards of in errant Nature.In literature and criticism, Nature is all-significant as its source, as its aim, and as its test. Art is from Nature, unto Nature, and by Nature. But what, exactly, does Pope mean by this all-encompassing concept? Williams expresses the eighteenth-century, neo-classical understanding of this doctrine in these terms. Fundamental to neo-classical thought about Nature is the conception of a cosmos which, in its order and regularity and harmony, reflects the order and harmony of the Divine Mind of its Creator. . . Man can perceive this order and rule in Nature because he has a rational soul made in the image of that Nature’s Creator. . . . In the view which prevails in the period Nature is the manifestation in the visible creation of the Order and Reason behind all things, a reflection of the medieval view that the likeness of God is imprinted in the very matter and organization of the universe (219-20). In concluding Part One of his Essay, Pope is so taken with th e natural goodness of the primeval authors that he has difficulty restraining himself in declaring their praise.The religious nature of their veneration is not only transparent, but also significant literarily. Here in worship before a common altar, divisions and sects and quarrels in criticism are forgotten as men unite in a single congregation. The learned from all climes and ages bring . . . their incense to a common shrine . . . . Pope’s verse . . . rises in full response to the inspiration his age received from a glorious past, a past which was both an inspiration, and a reproach, to the present (Williams 229).Creation, fall, redemption: this basic biblical schema provides the paradigm for Alexander Pope’s An Essay on Criticism. Just as the focus of the biblical narrative is on the salvaging of a sin-wrecked creation, so the movement of Alexander Pope’s Essay on Criticism is toward the restoration of a fallen classical poetics for eighteenth century England . This parallel supplies substance and shape to the Essay’s grand purpose and 13 design. And in both the Scriptures and in Pope, the goals of cosmic and poetic restoration are ones for which we can and must give thanks.Neoclassicism replaced the Renaissance view of man as an inherently good being capable of astounding intellectual growth by the image of man as a sinful and presumptuous creature with a limited intellectual capacity. Whereas the Renaissance had emphasized imagination and mysticism, Neoclasscisim emphasized order, reason, common sense, and conservatism. The  widely used prose literary forms were the essay, the letter, the satire, the parody, the burlesque, and the moral fable; and  in poetry, the  most renown  verse form was the rhymed couplet.Pope's heroic couplets are a prime example of this form. As reason should guide human individuals and societies, it should also direct artistic creation. Neoclassical art is not meant to seem a spontaneous outpouri ng of emotion or imagination. Emotion appears, of course; but it is consciously controlled. A work of art should be logically organized and should advocate rational norms. The Misanthrope, for example, is focused on its theme more consistently than are any of Shakespeare's plays.Its hero and his society are judged according to their conformity or lack of conformity to Reason, and its ideal, voiced by Philinte, is the reasonable one of the golden mean. The cool rationality and control characteristic of neoclassical art fostered wit, equally evident in the regular couplets of Moliere and the balanced sentences of Austen. Sharp and brilliant wit, produced within the clearly defined ideals of neoclassical art, and focused on people in their social context, make this perhaps the world's greatest age of comedy and satire.

One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest Critical Analysis

Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest, is the narrative of a former psychiatric patient who looks back at the events leading up to his freedom, the novel shows the true rebellious nature of man against tyrannical rule, and man’s never ending yearning for freedom and inner peace. The narrator Chief Bromden goes through a long period of silence and oppression, until Randall McMurphy is committed to the ward, and brings about a change in attitudes from the oppressed patients. Bromden has been alone for a majority of his time in the ward, and does not see himself as a strong individual, although his large stature and overarching strength over all other patients. Chief Bromden does not wish to ever stand up for himself against Nurse†¦show more content†¦Freud also listed the following results from his studies, dreams can have multiple layers of meaning, nearly all dreams are wish-fulfilling, and all dreams have a unifying motive that accounts for all random i mages and events. Freud concluded that dreams are the way an individual s unconscious mind tries to express itself and that dreams â€Å"may only have a chance of reaching our consciousness if they are somewhat disguised†. Which explains the sometimes absurd and bizarre dreams that someone can get. Sigmund Freud uses the following analogy to explain his theory, â€Å"a political writer may criticize a ruler, but in doing so may endanger himself. The writer therefore has to fear the ruler’s censorship, and in doing so â€Å"moderates and distorts the expression of his opinion†. The writer serves to represent the unconscious mind, while the ruler is the conscious mind that stops an individual from doing certain things. Dreams and daydreams are practically synonymous, except dreams occur when an individual sleeps, and daydreams are when the person is awake, but both allow for the mind to wander, so the theory can apply to both, but Freud mainly focuses on the asp ects of dreams. Chief Bromden has a troubled time in the ward, especially opening up to other patients, he only does so to McMurphy. Early on in the novel he states It wasn t me that started acting deaf, it was people that first started acting like I was too dumb to hear or see or sayShow MoreRelatedOne Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest Critical Analysis1211 Words   |  5 Pages Kenneth Elton â€Å"Ken† Kesey, the author of One Flew Over a Cuckoo’s Nest, was an American novelist, essayist, and countercultural figure. He considered himself a link between the Beat Generation of the 1950’s and the hippies of the 1960’s Kesey was born on September 17, 1935 in La Junta, Colorado; he grew up in Springfield, Oregon and graduated from University of Oregon in 1957. In 1950, he began writing One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest following the completion of a graduate fellowship in creativeRead MoreCritical Analysis Of One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest1542 Words   |  7 Pagesperspective of a stranger whom we’ve never met nor seen, but only heard of through the mouth of the enemy’s opinion, will inevitably align with the only version of the story we’ve heard. This sort of bias is found in Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, with Nurse Ratched’s depiction through the narration b y Chief Bromden. The reliability of Bromden’s perspective is questionable, as it is his interpretation of the world, rather than what it actually is. Chief Bromden displays characteristicsRead MoreOne Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest And 1984 Critical Analysis1216 Words   |  5 PagesThe two texts studied, 1984 and One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, both teach the viewer essential lessons about the importance of freedom and the dangers of despotism. They do this by showing the viewer how awful life is in the absence of freedom, the constant abuse of power by authoritarian forces, and the elimination of love. The film 1984, directed by Michael Radford, is based on the highly acclaimed novel, 1984, written by George Orwell. The film follows the life of a man called Winston livingRead MoreKen Kesey s One Flew Over The Cuckoo s Nest1629 Words   |  7 PagesKesey’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is a timeless classic. This novel has been subject to analysis through many different literary lenses: feminist, Marxist, and of course, psychoanalytic. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest provides a plethora of evidence when it co mes to using the psychoanalytic lens. The lens in question deals with the teaching of Sigmund Freud. When reading this novel, the audience sees quite clearly that the world of psychology plays an impactful role in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’sRead MoreOne Flew over the Cuckoos Nest: the Power of Laughter1592 Words   |  7 Pagesof himself. This happens when a greater authority has the power to deny a person of their laughter; which, inevitably, denies him of his freedom. Ken Kesey conveys the idea that laughter and freedom go hand in hand throughout his novel One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest. Kesey portrays laughter as a parallel to freedom through various literary symbols and imagery in order to illustrate how the power of laughter can free a man who is under the control of an unjust authority. Through the characterizationRead MoreOne Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest Speech Act Theory Essay1281 Words   |  6 PagesKen Kesey forms the intricate relationships among the characters in the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by the unique use of perspective and speech. Throughout the novel, Kesey depicts this connection between the public world and the seemingly closed off society inside the mental institution. This creates two separate spheres separated by a few walls and doors. Kesey goes on to form a unique perspective in the novel, told by a paranoid schizophrenic, with the narrator’s caricature-likeRead MoreOne Flew over the Cuckoos Nest Research Paper1764 Words   |  8 PagesDrugs and Insanity Against Society The author of the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Ken Keasey, received his inspiration for the book while volunteering at a veterans hospital. This is where he was first introduced to LSD. The moment he tried it, he became addicted, and began experimenting on himself with the drugs, observing the effects. The novel deals with the tyrannical rule of head Nurse Ratched in a mental hospital somewhere in Oregon. She runs all business and daily life in the asylumRead MoreThe Characters of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest in Film and Novel935 Words   |  4 PagesThe Characters of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest in Film and Novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was a critically acclaimed novel written by Ken Kesey and later on a movie adaptation, directed by Milos Forman, which was similarly critically acclaimed earning itself an extremely high 96% on rotten tomatoes. However said appraisal of both works, does not excuse the gleaming errors and artistic licensing seen throughout the entirety of the film. Granted there were no major plot holes and alterationsRead MoreThe Sociology Of Health And Mental Illness3181 Words   |  13 Pagesmental illness. Word count: 3,132 John Goulder! 1 ï ¿ ¼Introduction: Mental Health as Disparate Social Object Antipsychiatry was as much a cultural phenomenon as an academic or institutional one. Whilst the work of Laing (1960) and Szasz (1960) can be rooted in the Fruedo-Marxist ‘methodological individualism’ of critical theory (Rogers Pilgrim, 2010: 14), or even a broader constructionist critique of medical truth, it just as easily lends itself to a more limited historicist Libertarian reading: mental