Reading with Ricky

In the first chapter of Black Swan Green , Jason Taylor's life seems as though it's controlled by the oppressive forces of British secondary school. He seems hopeless, desperate for the approval of others yet hindered by his "posh" background and infamous stutter. By the last chapter, the tides have turned entirely as Jason is no longer trying to be submissive in an effort to "look good" to the popular kids and failing, he's acting in defiance of them -- and succeeding. As a coming-of-age novel, this massive shift in Jason's personality is quite significant, but what exactly caused this transformation? While there are certainly a plethora of life-changing events throughout the story, Jason's parents, or perhaps their absence, has a direct connection to his social behavior. Early on in the book, Jason's parents are quite present in his life. When Jason goes to play outside with Dean, his mother is right there at the door keeping her eyes on hi...

    One of the first things we noticed in our class discussions of Fun Home is that Alison has a very complex relationship with her father. She has the constant desire to improve her connection with him, and has clear insecurities in the thoughts she has about him. When she learns that he suddenly died from being hit by a truck, she is unsure how to feel. While others assure her that her father's death was an accident, Alison can't help but think that her father's death was a deliberate act of suicide. She notes that, "the truck driver described my father as jumping back into the road, 'as if he saw a snake.' And who knows. Perhaps he did." Despite her admission to the plausibility of the truck driver's statement, she still describes it with a dismissive tone that contrasts with her explanation of a possible suicide. She thinks of her father's death as suicide in an almost superstitious way, taking into account the small connections between her fa...

     Buddy Willard is a character who provokes some of Esther's strongest commentary. At first glance, her hatred and disgust for him seem overly pessimistic and critical. After all, he's such an accomplished and lauded young man who certainly has the attention of several other women. Her family and other close peers clearly view him as the ultimate boyfriend Esther could ever have, so why doesn't she? Is she being fair toward Buddy? The reason for her criticism, however, is precisely this flattering view of Buddy held by society in combination with the experiences Esther shares with him. Esther is certainly a strong social critic, and the fact that the expectations of Buddy differ from the expectations of her sits particularly poorly with her. She often uses the word "hypocrite" when describing Buddy, which initially may seem difficult to interpret, but Esther makes it clear that getting to know Buddy quickly reveals his many flaws, "Of course, I didn't ...

Chapter 22 of The Catcher in the Rye is marked by a conversation between Holden Caulfield and his younger sister Phoebe in which Holden is asked a multitude of profound questions. Among these is a question that is a centerpiece of the coming-of-age experience; Phoebe asks, "Name something you'd like to be . Like a scientist. Or a law yer or something" (223). In response to the question, Holden ventures down a rather familiar path, expressing his disinterest and distaste for these two professions that are well-respected by society, "'I couldn't be a scientist. I'm no good in science'... 'Lawyers are all right, I guess -- but it doesn't appeal to me'... 'All you do is make a lot of dough and play golf and play bridge and buy cars and drink martinis and look like a hot-shot'" (223). As Holden continues to ponder the question, an idea spontaneously enters his mind, "You know what I'd like to be? I mean if I had my goddam ...