10

If I were to list the books related to this course off the top of my head that affected me, I would immediately have to say Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux and Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I think the inventiveness on behalf of the author -- from DiCamillo's "unlikely hero with big ears" that made my heart swell twenty times the size of my chest a zillion times throughout the novel to Selznick's innovative method of story-telling through prose and illustrations -- is what make these stories unforgettable. Personally I am glad I have copies of these books in my possession since I hope I can share them with my children in the future.

I should also note that Judy Blundell's What I Saw and How I Lied also touched me as it made me think of the subtle and not-so-subtle power issues of anti-semitism prevalent in America even after World War II. This very adult matter (rather than the scandalous romantic entanglement[s]) struck me as unique. I've read reviews where people felt the theft from the Jews during the Holocaust was cliched, but I think anti-semitism is more than just her step-father's questionable actions. We see anti-semitism in how the Graysons are treated at the hotel and how Ruthie is treated by Evie's former best friend. By offering Evie (and the audience) that very up-close and personal encounter with anti-semitism helps shape the protagonist's future outlook.

Overall, I highly enjoyed the reading list for this course. However, if I had to name one book that left me underwhelmed, I think it would be Avi's Cross of Lead. I enjoy Avi and really enjoyed the video of him that we watched. But when it came to this particularly novel, I struggled to connect to it.

This class has helped me reconnect to a part of literary consciousness that I felt I missed out on. I was too busy reading "adult" books (Jurassic Park and the Hot Zone for example) that I missed out on such gems as these.

9

When considering cultural studies and intertextuality in regards to Sherman Alexie's Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, I cannot help but remember Alexie's acceptance speech and our class discussion regarding Alexie and African-American young adult literature. I do think that the themes presented in this novel can be appropriated toward other groups, but also that all students can feel that alienation and frustration that Arnold felt.

I also think of the concept of code-switching, where how you present yourself at home is different from how you may interact with your peers at school. I feel this has a universality to it, particularly for minorities. With Arnold's struggle to fit in but stand out, it can be a challenge to figure out how to present yourself and still feel true to yourself when in a different society.

Another thing I keep thinking about is this ableist mentality evident through prejudice shown against Arnold due to his brain damage. I haven't thought it out much more than that.