HO HO HO

Woman: What do you do?
Man: Me? Oh, I write books.
Woman: How interesting! Have you sold anything recently?
Man: Why, yes. My couch, my car and my flat-screen television.

That's a dumb joke stolen from a NYT humorous piece about whether writers should be bailed out by the Feds.

And here is a venomous (and anonymous) email I received yesterday:

But 'tis the season to be jolly, so I am ho-ho-ho-ing.

Thursday night was the meeting of my "Movie Group", as we unimaginatively call ourselves, and this time we discussed the film "I've Loved You So Long." It's fair to say that we all greatly admired the acting but had interesting differences of opinion about the content.

Personally I had a problem with the denouément (aside from the obvious problem of spelling it). I don't want to spoil the film for those who perhaps have not seen it.  But there is an unanswered question throughout the movie---and an important question---but the answering of it didn't ring true for me, and seemed a cop-out, a too-easy explanation, and not credible.

Despite that, I loved the film and in additon to the remarkable acting, I admired the editing and the cinematogaphy enormously. There is a scene, I think the last scene in the movie, which is close-ups of the two women who are the main characters. The camera shifts its focus mid-scene and I found the shift dazzling.

Many, many, MANY years ago, when I was in graduate school, I had to write a paper on Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse." At the time I was studying photography in graduate school, in additon to literature, and I wrote about the photographic structure of the book: the shifts in focus, the narrowing and widening of the depth of field, the metaphor of the lighthouse itself, which illuminates something briefly and then goes on, plunging it back into darkness.

(Remembering that now, I realize I miss academics and the pondering of such things. But if I were to spend my time now on that kind of thinking, I would have to sell my couch,  my car, and my flat-screen television.  if I  had a flat-screen television.)

Comments

[Ellen B.]

Dear me. I hope that boy never reads Dickens.

One quibble: If the writer didn't have the courage to sign her name, I'm not sure she deserves even this much attention.

[liz]

I just had to comment after reading that letter. My son, who is now 12 1/2, read "The Giver" when he was 10, not for a school assignment, but on the recommendation of his (excellent) school librarian. As soon as he finished, I read it too. The story was deeply meaningful to both of us -- rich on so many levels, metaphorically but also as an engrossing page-turner. While it is legitimate to comment that some stories are too scary for some particular kids, I really feel sad for this letter-writer and her children. She seems to want to control the world in some impossible way for them, to make it safe and pretty... Anyway, I wanted to thank you for what you do, which is to write intelligent books for kids and adults that never come close to patronizing their readers.

[GirlwiththeBraids]

I read The Giver when I was that boy's age. It was one of my favorites and it still is. It wasn't "sickening", it was imaginative and I'm sure it would have been difficult to write. Now at 19 years old, I bet that boy is very embarressed that his mother wrote such letter.

[Dana]

So this post comes at perfect time for me. As I was buying gifts for the 9 year old twin girls I nanny for, I asked many people about The Giver (one of my favorite books of all time). Do you think it is age appropriate I asked many? It is mostly in young adult sections at the bookstores. I had some varied responses. But the best came from a mother standing near by when I asked one of the workers at the store. She responded with something very similar to the above email. She was very unhappy with her 5th grader being required to read it for class and said it was too scary for kids that young. But as I looked into her hand I couldn't help but chuckle because she was holding a Harry Potter series no doubt for her fifth grader given away by her reaction of bowing her head and walking away. There are days when I can not believe it is almost the year 2009 and people are still so closed minded but are so open to going along with the crowd. So in short along with my other all time favorite book, Tuck Everlasting, I bought the girls The Giver!!

[Kaylee]

Okay, yes, the society presented in _The Giver_ is twisted. And it's because this book inspires strong emotions, it never leaves us. That's why it's a classic.

[Kumar]

That email really makes me angry. I read The Giver for the first time four years ago, when I was eleven years old myself. The powerful emotions that it induced in me shocked even myself. Okay, so the society described in the book may be "sickening and twisted", but isn't that what our protagonist decides to fight against? This parent is just like those who try to ban Harry Potter, The Perks of Being a Wallflower or The Lord of the Flies from libraries. They are the ones who are shallow; they're the ones who don't really understand what these books are about.

[sandi]

I'm still trying to figure out what from the story gave the kid nightmares...

When I taught 5th grade, I read The Giver with my students. I have had several tell me it is one of their favorites and have read it several times since. Now as a 7th grade math teacher (with a fantastic classroom library, I might add) I recommend this book often.

[Jennifer Elliott]

How awful for someone to write that email to you! As a teacher myself, I can say that you can never make every student or parent happy when it comes to books. I might add, though, that this book has enticed even my "non-readers" or "book haters" and made them want to read again.

I had a grandmother once call me after flipping to a random page in The Giver, saying that she could not believe I was promoting a book that was pro-infanticide. I assured her that was not the case at all-- in fact, that it was completely opposite. I told her to read the book from front to back and then call me if she still had a problem. Of course, I didn't hear from her again.

I agree with another blog responder. Yes, this mother is trying to keep her child "safe" and paint a picture of a society where everyone is happy and never gets hurt, etc.--exactly as the government of The Giver's society did. And... eventually, he, too, will learn that the world is not as perfect as he first thought it was.

After the chapter where Jonas has watched the release of the twin, I ask for my students' reactions. Of course, they are shocked. I then say, "You are shocked at that, but there are things in our own world-- perhaps even in our own society-- past and present that bare shocking similarities to this." I then have them brainstorm in groups, coming up with instances where innocent human beings are killed or where language is used to cover up what is really taking place. I've heard some great responses: the Holocaust, the death penalty (for those later declared innocent), abortion, euthanasia, terrorist attacks, etc. We discuss how often we tend to ignore it if it doesn't affect us directly (and since we are all connected- it really does affect us). And then we discuss how, though they may not be able to stop things like terrorist attacks, there are things they can do on their own level that will, somehow, have a positive effect on the world. They can stand up for another child who is being victimized by a bully, they can donate money or time to help those in need during the holidays or anytime of the year, etc.

It really does shock me that some parents are so unaware of what a great book this is and what wonderful life lessons it can teach children.

[Deborah]

First of all, in defense of your book, I regularly assign The Giver to my 6th-grade students and every last one has been touched by it and loved it. What a sad thing to deprive this child of such a wonderful piece of literature!

I just hope that this kid doesn't ever have to read Tuck Everlasting, Charlotte's Web, Bridge to Terabithia, Where the Red Fern Grows, Jacob Have I Loved, House of the Scorpion, Higher Power of Lucky, or The Devil's Arithmetic, due to the kidnapping, manslaughter, death, drug-dealing, alcoholism, and genocide contained therein. Though I suppose A Wrinkle in Time is ok, unless he's scared by weird, furry space-creatures, which he probably is, so I guess that's out too. . .

In any case, don't let it get to you. The Giver is an amazing book, and that's all there is to it.

[Jes]

As an eighth grade teacher who teaches The Giver yearly, I sometimes encounter those parents in the flesh (scary, I know). When I ask them why, they come up with some sort of answer - the Stirrings, the bringing up of reproduction, etc. These are almost always the same parents who won't let their kids read Holocaust literature but will gladly hand them the remote or keyboard to navigate their way isolated throughout the universe. For the life of me, I can't understand why a parent who objects to the material their child is reading - whatever that may be - will not take a moment and explain to the child why the parent finds it inappropriate. Worse yet, I don't know why they think that a book inappropriate for their child as deemed by their religion/personal values also means that it is entirely inappropriate for ALL. But, every society has it's dissenters, right?

[Haddayr]

It's very, very hard for me to take people that dumb very seriously. I hope she didn't upset you too much.

[Betty Birney]

I find it ironic that the mother is trying to remove anything unpleasant (or thought-provoking) from her child's life. You illustrated the consequences of such behavior in The Giver. Powerful writing stirs up powerful emotions. If some people can't handle that, so be it. Even very young children feel the evil and injustice of society and feel powerless to do anything about it - even more so if their parents don't allow them the tools to think and grow and make intelligent decisions.

[ivy alvarado]

i really really love your book NUMBER THE STARS and i really got inspired by what you wrote and i just want you to write me a book of a broken love and how that girl has a hard life every step of the way but she falls in love with a boy that she still cant trust thank you if you can and xoxo ur my hero

[Annie]

I have no idea what this parent might find "sickening" or "twisted." Certainly, 'The Giver' deals with serious issues, but everything is handled with sensitivity and care. (Also, has this boy only encountered books about happy puppies so far?) I read 'The Giver' when I was 12 and adored it, even though it left me with lots of questions about life and society. My mom read it along with me and loved it, too. It's still a favorite for me. I hope this kid grows up to accept more literature; otherwise he's in for a shock when he gets to high school.