An Impoverished Voice

    What do you see when you look in the mirror? What if your friendships were strictly based off your skin complexion? What if you diagnosed your teacher's competence from her outer appearance? If you were intrigued to read a book answering all of these questions then I recommend reading The Skin I'm In by Sharon Flake. The Skin I'm In follows the main character Maleeka Madison, a middle schooler struggling to find who she truly is. Often deemed as the darkest girl in her grade with outdated clothing, Maleeka's outward appearance shapes her interactions with her fellow peers. Looking for acceptance, Maleeka often accepts ridicule from the school bully, who ironically feels defined by the stylish clothes she wears. Being the focus of every joke, Maleeka is a highly intelligent student who receives a break from her outward appearance as a result of the hiring of Miss Saunders.

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    Last week, as a class, we were given the obligation to read We Were Here by Matt de la Pena. Published in 2009, this novel was chosen as a YA Novel directly correlating to Multicultural Novels. As a genre, most novels written in a minorities perspective are often used to shed light and raise awareness on a given societies treatment of these individuals within their society. This may not be directly stated from the character's words however it is more than plausible for it to be implied from their reaction towards their experiences. With that being said, I believe We Were Here coincided with my depiction of the purpose for the genre in general.

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        When one looks at steps needed to be taken in order to improve our society, I believe holding everyone accountable for their actions will bridge many of the innate difference within cultures. To live in a utopian society where one's actions truly defined their contribution in society, would be ideal for a push beyond cultural progression. This notion of character's actions defying their physical experience was explored in "The Moves Make the Man" by Bruce Brooks. Originially published in 1984, Bruce Brooks does an excellent job using a metaphor to make a social critique transcending a given time period.

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 Last week, as a class, we were exposed to the genre of Literary YA Literature. Based around having the main character learn a moral lesson through plot development, most literary novels look to empower the main character by the end of the novel from their experiences. This idea was more than confirmed in the focused novel for the week, The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing by M.T. Anderson. Produced in 2006, this novel focused around the plight of our main character, Octavian. The offspring of a slave, Octavian was raised and taught by a group of scientists, who referred to themselves as Novanglian College of Lucidity. Set in Boston prior to the Revolutionary War, Octavian is a character unaware of his true identity. As a test subject for these collegiates, Octavian is taught numerous facets of the gentlemen life during his time. With this knowledge and experience, he is more than complacent from the information exposed to him. Yet, this complacency is destroyed after he enters an "Off-Limit" room within his residence. It is from this experience that Octavian began to question what it truly meant to be free. By the end of the novel, he is aware that the answer to this question is heavily based on one's experience.

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Last week in class, we were given the obligation to read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This book is an excellent example of dystopian literature. As a genre, dystopian literature has been regarded as a strict critique of current existing social conditions and political institutions. Although most authors make this critique in a futuristic society, many themes and messages are more than applicable to their society. This consistent ploy was more than prevalent in The Hunger Games. Specifically, the Hunger Games were depicted as a parellel to a more than dangerous reality TV, where the 24 contestants are thrown into a Survival of the Fittest competition through lottery. These contestants were comprised of two citizens from each district of this society. The desolate environment picked for survival was called the "arena" and the ultimate prize for the winner of this contest would be a life of ease.

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In last week's reading, we were given the obligation to read Looking for Alaska by John Green. This novel was produced in 2005 and looked at the relationships formed by a group of outsiders within a boarding school in Alabama. According to Dictionary.com, an outsider is defined as a person not belonging to a particular group. So based off of definition, our author establishes a story built on those not accepted by the norm finding a voice or deeper understanding from each other. Further, as an audience we witness a maturation in our major character, finding a group where he could truly be himself. For Miles, his interaction with Alaska not only challenges his moral viewpoints but foreshadows an outlet to his identity. Looking for Alaska addresses a major issue in our society through younger characters. This issue specifically revolves around what happens when you are different from the accepted norm. And how a cohesive unit establishes a presence among a majority's stance on a specific society. Overall, being an outsider is not always negative and I believe Looking For Alaska establishes a model of what positive actions may result after being accepted for who you truly are.

For today's entry, we will spotlight Harlem author Walter Dean Meyers. Mr. Meyers is a 20th Century, African American author of YA Literature and an excellent author that helps fill the void for African American experience in our society. The book that I decided to look for this entry was entitled "Scorpions." "Scorpions" was a book written in 1990 and depicted the life of a youth from Harlem struggling with identity. Our main character, Jamal, is the middle child of a lower class, one-parent household. With this in mind, our main character looked to other men in his community and family to shape many of his notions about society. Yet, as one was quick to see, the images that he was exposed to, reflected a cycle that many African American Men share today. For Jamal, not only was his father absent in his life, but his older brother was incarcerated. As a result of the negative father images in Jamal's immediate family, he looked to his communal friends or gang to serve as the family that he desperately needed. Being affiliated with a gang, made Jamal feel part of a unit especially after being consistently bullied by another kid looking to exert his physical power on another. Jamal's plight for freedom, a voice, and power leads him toward violence through carrying a concealed weapon. This weapon was symbolic of everything Jamal could not do and further a representation of respect that he constantly craved throughout the novel. By the end of the novel, his best friend had been deported and an individual had died as a result of this struggle for power. So, the question that I prose to the world and highlighted by this novel. What links would you take to be respected? Further, Are fear and power interchangeable?

Throughout our society, we have been given countless examples of acceptable images encompassing the realm of YA Literature. For far too long, the Twilights', Harry Potters', and The Daughters of the Moon series, have been promoted as the premier models of what many teens or young adults are thinking. Yet as the genre continues to grow, as a minority, I find less publicity for minority authors adressing similar plights in our culture. With that in mind, I have dedicated my blog toward highlighting works and authors committed to giving minorities a prevalent voice in our society. The first two works that I would like to mention that have inspired my blog are Monster by Walter Dean Myers and The Moves Make the Man by Bruce Brooks. These two works were written more than several decades apart, however have done an excellent job highlighting a minorities interaction with their white counterparts. I highly recommend both works to those looking to be introduced to this subject. Look forward to more works coming soon. Together we will reach new heights and shatter old milestones.