Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Bridge to Teribithia
Starting out this book seemed to be just another book about a child's growing relationships with family members as well as peers and adults away from home. Leslie's character was a refreshing addition to the environment in which Jess and his family lived, and the reader delights in imagining what types of rapport will be built with Leslie's parents and the townspeople considering how unique that family is characterized to be in the book. I was surprised with how quickly Jess acquiesced to Leslie's strong skill with running and outrunning him at school. Jess must have needed the friend that Leslie became so quickly for him. Their relationship seemed indomitable even in the face of their peers unaccepatance of Leslie's unique character. Jess and Leslie seemed to have some memorable and special times together just living simply and enjoying being with each other. The coming-around of Jancie Avery after her bullying acts seemed to highlight Leslie's goodness even more. Throughout the first two thirds of the book I did not think much of the affinity Jess perceived for Miss Edmunds, and when he impulsively seemed to agree to go with her to Washington D. C. I was left wondering how he could make such a quick decision. There seemed to be so much detail left out when he left his house to leave with Miss Edmunds, and I was left hanging at this point. I can't even imagine the horror and guilt and remorse that must have welled up inside of Jess when he returned home only to learn that Leslie had died a tragic death at their special spot in the woods. At the end of the book, though Jess seemed to be healing from the loss of his best friend, and the love and caring for May Belle was so beautifully and touchingly restored at the bridge that Jess planned to memorialize Leslie. The highlight of the book for me was the end where Leslie's spirit seemed to live on in Jess through his heroic saving of May Belle and in his continuing his imaginative dream of Teribithia. Jess indeed characterized an inspiration to push on in the face of tragedy and to live more strongly towards considering others.
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2 comments:
I too noted how quickly Jesse went off with his teacher to D.C. - and how careful he was to make sure his mother was only half-awake when he asked her permission. Can you imagine calling a student today and suggesting such a thing? Your teaching days would be over!
-Kim
I, too, felt as if I were left hanging when Jess went to the museum with Miss Edmonds. It's almost as if Paterson just needed a reason for Jess to be away, so she wrote a more prominent plot for Miss Edmonds. Perhaps it's also a sign of the times that teachers could call up students and go on personal day trips together. And you're right, Jess does push on in the face of tragedy. He doesn't blame anyone but himself for that day, when I myself would be asking a million questions. What a mature kid!
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