The View from Her Corner

“Hattie…girl who can lift the corners of our universe."  Eleven year old Hattie, the main character in A Corner of the Universe by Ann Martin, is a curious and shy girl who lives in a world between two sides of society—her grandparents, who are strict, proper, and proud to be a noteworthy portrait of sophistication and elegance, and her parents, who live life on their own terms and with their own alternative (for the era, at least) rules. This blending of morals and expectations makes hers a great point of view into the actions of her autistic uncle, Adam, and the reactions of the people around her.

From the reactions of the children in the neighborhood to the “boarders” in her house, the author does a realistic job of showing how people are so often misunderstood and judged on sight. I particularly liked the comparison made between Adam and Leila’s family in the sideshow (and their lifestyle as traveling “carnival people”). When Hattie asks Leila if it bothers her that her family is on display as part of the sideshow, Leila replies, “I don’t know, I mean, if that’s how they want to spend their money... It’s better than staring and not paying… besides, it’s just an act.” (p 95-96) This is a beautifully natural contrast to Adam and his disability. It’s honest and relatable, without being distasteful in the slightest.

Through Hattie’s eyes, we see how people tend to react to anyone who is different; from being mentally disabled to having abnormal characteristics physically, we see her openly accepting people around her, and she grows in understanding about why people act and react toward others in various ways. Leila is very welcoming and patient about Adam because she, herself, knows what it’s like to be different or to have loved ones as such. Nancy and Janet, girls that Hattie goes to school with, portray the typical roles of people who don’t understand and are just quick to judge, and, even though they are children, this type of person or attitude can be realistically of any age. Angel, the beautiful free-living boarder that is Adam’s physical age, is shown to be understanding about the situation, but goes about her life naturally the way many people in her position would. Nana and Papa frustrate Hattie a lot because, while they can control their own actions and social character, they constantly try to hide Adam because his actions and life are the opposite of who they want everyone to think they are.

One way this novel to be so relatable to life is the overall parallel that could be pulled from Hattie’s experiences in that summer; Adam’s time in Millerton was similar to the carnival—with fanfare and excitement all the while it was there. Even in death, the town saw Adam’s exit just like the carnival—one day, it was just gone. Through Hattie’s speech at the funeral and her encounters with her grandma (as well as her vacation with her parents), though, we can see that it was more than that if you really knew what that time meant.

Overall, the message that the author seems to be saying is that there are many types of people out there that are equally important, if not more so, than the typical pinnacles of society and life. These are people Hattie is willing and eager to see, understand, and appreciate. Just as Adam had said to Hattie and also about himself, if someone could simply go beyond their own realm of societal constraints and expectations, they too can appreciate what is outside of their universe.

Work Cited

Martin, Ann M. (2002). A Corner of the Universe. NYC, NY: Scholastic Inc.

Older Does Not Always Mean Wiser

Author’s Note: The purpose of this essay is to critically analyze the theme of “adolescent heroes and ignorant adults” in the novel City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau. I also used of a few key quotes to support how the incompetence of the adults in Ember is a big reason why the kids need to be heroes in this story. I would love to hear any comments from people who have read this novel and/or other stories that share this universal theme.

People often joke that teenagers act like they know more than their parents. However, in many young adult novels, this opinion is proven true. Books like The Lightning Thief, by Rick Riordan and The Giver, by Lois Lowry focus on the children knowing vastly more than their parents--in fact, these teenagers often are the saviors of their families or society. Such is the case with teenagers Lina and Doon, the main characters in City of Ember, by Jeanne DuPrau. From the time this underground society was first created, the ignorance of adults is a major cause for the city’s current state of impending doom and complete darkness. This cause is clearly shown through the narrator’s explanation of how all of the mayors have blindly forgotten to take care of the box that held the only set of instructions out of the city until it was lost due to the greed and ignorance of the seventh mayor:. “The box ended up at the back of a closet, shoved behind some old bags and bundles. There it sat, unnoticed, year after year.” (p. 3) This quote is a great example of how, from the beginning, the adults in City of Ember have led the town toward disaster, and, without the logic and courage of the teenagers, the city would have been doomed for total darkness forever.

This story begins by explaining how the incompetence of Ember’s leaders is the reason its in a disastrous situation. Set in a city underground, Ember’s history and and location are unknown to its citizens due to the miscommunication and absent-minded actions of its ancestors. Therefore, when the lights start to go out, no one knows what to do or where to turn for help. All of the adults, including the mayor, act like helpless fools, leaving the fate of the world to teenage Lina and Doon. Everyone blindly believes that the ancestors and the current mayor know all of the answers, trusting in the idea that the city’s elders (and the government) know how to fix anything. This, however, is not the case, as the mayor is quickly shown as a complete idiot, and their past mayors haphazardly lost the one key to survival for Ember: the box with instructions out.

Though it is clear from the start that the naivete of the city’s ancestors is the reason for it’s current dilemma, most of the adults they encounter, including the workers that maintain the generator for the city, certainly add to the opinion that the kids in Ember are smarter and more ambitious than their elders. When Doon first saw this contraption, which was the main reason Ember was able to function, he “wondered if anyone understood how it worked. It looked as if all they were doing was trying to keep it from falling apart.” (p. 47) This quote perpetuates the fact that the kids in the novel are skeptical of how intelligent the adults are in Ember.

While the workers underground aren’t depicted as the brightest bulbs in Ember, Lina’s family isn’t any better. After all, her grandfather was the last one to see the instructions box, and it’s been sitting lost in a junk-filled closet in her house for decades! This not only shows his stupidity, but the carelessness of her parents and Granny, as they hadn’t even bothered to keep their house clean and organized. Even when they did find it, though, no one knew what it was because the mayors never kept track of their most prized possession.

Finally, the clearest example of the adults being irresponsible is the current Mayor. Slowly throughout the novel, Mayor Cole is revealed to be one of the most selfish, daft, and ruthless people in Ember. Not only does he show no ability to do anything for Ember, he keeps resources and valuable information from the citizens for selfish reasons. To keep his secrets and naivete hidden, he even tells Lina that “curiosity [is]... a dangerous quality.” (p. 217) It is clear that he doesn’t have the intelligence to help Ember survive, yet he also is unwilling to reveal this weakness to the citizens--even if it means total darkness and death.

Blind faith and trust in experienced people isn’t always a good thing. While elders tend to have a large amount of wisdom, young adults have the gift of curiosity, seeking logic and answers more than those who unquestioningly believe in their government and traditions. In City of Ember, the idea that teenagers do, actually, know more than their parents is one of the central ideas and is proven through many encounters between Lina and Doon and the adults around them. As the description of what happened to the instructions shows, all hope was lost and forgotten, until it came into the hands of kids. And, once they finally saved Ember and found a way out, it was the kids who, once again, saved their naive elders by becoming their saviors. “Lina took aim at the heart of the city, far beneath her feet. With all her strentgh, she cast the message into the darkness...” (p. 270)

A Determined Mother Never Gives Up

Author’s Note:  Here is an example of how to use Microsoft commenting to identify and explain the purpose of a variety of figurative language and imagery. I explained the many forms of literary devices in Langston Hughes' poem "Mother to Son," and then I analyzed their impact on the tone and message.

Analysis:  The tone within the first 7 lines is one of hopelessness, sadness, and defeat.  The metaphors “tacks,” “splinters,” and “boards torn up” make it seem like life will always be a struggle filled with hard times and pain.  However, the last 13 lines begin to have a tone of hope, courage, and inspiration.  The rhythm in the mother’s voice in lines 10-12 make it seem like she’s a tough woman who wants her son to be strong, too.  She uses “set down on the steps” as a metaphor to encourage him to never give up, no matter how big his mistakes may be. The use of this imagery really make the “mother” in this piece seem strong, bold, and caring; the reader can tell that she has struggled through a lot when it comes to money, environments, and providing for her family.  However, her “survivor” status really impacts the importance of the lesson expressed (to never give up).  Without the imagery, the reader wouldn’t know anything about the speaker, and the lesson would not be as powerful.

Pleasant Pest?

Author's Note:  This is a personal metaphor about who I think I am and hope others think about me.

I am a bumblebee

I am sometimes misunderstood

defending my loved ones and beliefs

no matter what it takes

Yet I am also soft, colorful, caring, and loyal

hopefully nurturing life and beauty

into the world around me

I am a bumblebee

From The Unpredictable Diary of Mother Nature

Author's Note: I wrote this narrative as a creative piece written from a unique perspective.  I was thinking about how tortuously hot it was this summer for the people around here, and I thought it would be fun to see the heat from a different point of view.  Clearly I think that Mother Nature would interpret the heat of last July quite differently than we did for several reasons.

July 4, 2012

Today started out like it had every day for the past few weeks. My sun came out strong, emitting scorching hot rays across a cloudless sky and frying the last of any possible moisture from the shriveling, brown fields. I felt confident that I would show those Wisconsinites the true meaning of drought in the hopes that they would, for once, celebrate the holiday indoors instead of scarring my earth with fireworks and filling my air with grill smoke. I never would have guessed how determined those Northerners are at having a good time, even in record-breaking heat.

As I cast my gaze across a seemingly lethargic morning, I heard a low hum coming from the small towns west of Milwaukee.

“Huh?” I gasped in bewilderment. I assumed that these blue-collared town folk would certainly be the least of my concerns today. Knowing so many of them work outside, I figured these people would relish the opportunity to soak up the AC on their day off. Oh, how wrong I was.

As I leaned in closer, I noticed a buzz of movement going on, particularly in my beautiful waters that dotted the area. Boats were covering my lakes like ants on their hills! Furious, I ordered my sun to crank up the heat, pushing the weather to triple digits and turning the humidity to unforeseen heights.

“That’ll show them!” I thought, watching ice cream and popsicles melting quicker than ice on hot coffee. I could hear murmurs from people curing my name, and I thought that they certainly would be heading indoors for some salads or cold cuts. That’s when I saw the smoke.

“What in the world…” I shrieked. “GRILLS?!”

Sure enough, those crazy Wisconsinites had started up grills on their boats, wafting the smells of burgers and brats into my precious ozone.

“How DARE they!”

In a fury, I tried to summon all of the biggest nuisances I possessed. But it didn’t take me long to realize that, in my vein attempt to save myself, I was torturing my other creatures and forces of nature as well.

The wasps and bees kept shaded, starving from the lack of nutrient-rich foliage.

Mosquitoes and flies hung out in what barely remained of the dwindling swamps and mud ponds.

And I had pushed the rainclouds so far south that there was no way that any of them would make it back up here in time today.

I slumped slowly into one of the few, cheery white clouds that floated next to my sun feeling sad and regretful. My selfishness over a few harmless grills had made all of my creatures miserable. And, as my sun began to set, I saw the people in my hot lakes swimming happily next to my very sullen fish who were not used to the temperatures I have been subjecting them to for so long.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I saw something explode in the air. Then again. And again.

“Fireworks?! My poor, arid land can’t possibly handle that! What are they thinking?!”

I approached the site and felt the defeat before I saw it. Those crafty creatures were shooting those explosives off in the lakes, far from the dangers of field fires!

At that point, I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself and, for once, decided to enjoy the rainbows of color that twinkled off of my waters.

I guess they don’t call this area Lake Country for nothing.

Literary Analysis Page (Reminder)

If you click on my page titled "Literary Analysis," you will see that I have a number of critical responses I have written to novels. Though these are not all "new" writing pieces, I wanted to remind anyone who is looking for ideas regarding analyzing literature that these are here.

The purpose of these pieces (for the graduate class I wrote these for) was to discuss my analysis of these novels as they relate to young adults and specific weekly class topics.  We also read articles throughout this class that related to each novel through a controversial topic.  The ones I have chosen to post are some of the pieces that solely analyzed the novels and did not include teaching extensions.

I posted these to show examples of ideas for making inferences and analyzing texts in many ways as well as show how to use text evidence and support for opinions. While I think my writings did a great job discussing unique ideas and analyses, as I reread them, I can definitely tell that some still need work on conclusions and interesting introductions.  You will find, however, that each of my responses tends to relate the novel to a number of different aspects of society, my own life, and other stories; these connections are important elements in critical analysis of literature.  I hope you enjoy them and can find some ideas for writing about the novel you are reading!

A Sense That Is Not Always Common

Author's Note: I wrote this personal narrative with the topic of "travel" in mind.  While I have a lot of wonderful traveling memories, I chose this one because it was my first.  As you will see, it's the kind of story my family still talks about today.  I tried to make sure that it has a great sense of word choice/imagery so that the reader can really feel and see what I did back then.

If it wasn’t for my innate attention to details, I never would have made it to Disney World on my family vacation in second grade.  However, if I was blessed with a better sense of direction, I never would have gotten lost in the Atlanta airport in the first place.

My family’s flight from Milwaukee to Orlando in 1990 included an hour layover in the Atlanta airport.  As it was my sister and my first trip in an airplane, we were overly stimulated by the new sights and sounds that surrounded us in this unfamiliar place.   We wandered through the terminal with our mother, bound for snacks and drinks before boarding our flight to Florida.  At the young age of seven, the people who rushed around us dragging suitcases of all sizes and colors looked humongous, and the voices on the intercoms boomed loudly in our tiny ears.  We were mystified, clinging to our mom tightly as she led us toward the nearest newsstand.

Mouths watering, we watched as our mom stuffed popcorn into a large bag and grabbed cans of Pepsi.  As she walked up to the cashier to pay, her voice trailed behind her, “Jodi, you hold on to the popcorn, and we’ll eat it when we get back to our gate.”

Already obsessed with the buttery, salty snack, I warbled “okay!” with the popcorn spouting from inside my tiny, but stuffed, cheeks. 

I looked at my sister, smiled a kernel-filled smile, and said “come on! I know where our gate is, let’s find Dad and Jason!”

I started heading toward the busy terminal walkway, only to hear my sister say “Jodi, no, that’s not the right way! Wait for Mommy!!”

Already stern in my opinions, particularly with my younger twin sister, I stated firmly “no, I’m right, just follow me!” and turned a quick left into the crazed flood of travelers.

With the large bag of popcorn bouncing in my small arms, I darted through the terminal for what seemed like forever with nothing familiar in sight. I slowed to a stop and turned to who I thought was my sister behind me.

A large, strange woman stood gaping at me instead, and a panic started to rise from my stomach to my lungs.

“Jaime?” I stated in a meek voice, my eyes trying to find familiarity in every face that passed me.

“Mommy?” I cried, louder now, my cheeks beginning to turn warm and red.

“MOMMMMY!!” I shouted, louder still, and twirled back toward the place I thought I had come from.

Tears streaming down my cheeks and onto my neck, I suddenly saw a golf cart rolling down the walkway.  It stopped with a screech of gears, and the driver, a large man in an orange vest, stared sympathetically down at me.

“Honey, are you lost?” He asked in a strange accent, and, although I knew I shouldn’t talk to strangers, he seemed honestly kind, and had a nametag like he worked there.

“Yes, I’m going to Disney World.  I don’t know where my family is.”

He motioned me to get into the cart, which couldn’t be a golf cart because it was filled with suitcases, and, as I began to climb up, he asked me if I knew anything about my flight.  His eyes widened in shock when I began rambling off the airline and gate number.

“Well darlin,’ you sure have a good memory! I know just where that is, and I think it’s boarding now,” he smiled, and we headed quickly to my gate—which was in the opposite direction I had been headed the entire time.

When we approached our destination, I heard the words “last call for flight….to Orlando!” followed by my Mom’s voice screaming “JODI!!”

Suddenly, my Mom’s face appeared in the sea of strangers, followed by my Dad’s, brother’s, and sister’s.

“You almost missed the flight! We thought someone took you!!” My mom screamed with a combination of desperation and joy in her voice. I jumped off of the cart like a rabbit, and ran up to hug her, the popcorn bag dropping rapidly to the hard, carpeted ground.

“Come on sweetie, let’s get on the plane,” she said, and motioned me to the gate door, her soft hand never leaving my still-shuddering shoulder.

Strapped into our seats, I finally began to feel safe.  And, as the plane lifted into the air, my parents were both doing their best to calm me with soothing sentiments of how proud they were that I remembered the flight information.  It was clear, however, that my emotions were still not in sync with my body.  Not five minutes after take-off, I experienced something I had only heard about—airsickness—and filled two vomit bags before falling fast asleep for the rest of the flight.

I awoke to the bump of the plane’s wheels as we landed on the runway.

“Well honey, we’re here! Time to get up,” Mom cooed in my ear.

My memory of what happened slowly came back to me, and a mixture of embarrassment and relief filled my mind.  I spent the rest of the day clinging to my parents’ hands, never wanting to leave their sides ever again.