The Outsiders, The Giver, Crazy Rich Asians

the outsiders by s.e. hinton [moe approved]

The Outsiders is a coming of age story about teenagers on the wrong side of a social divide: between the 'greasers', who are poor, marginalised and hauled into juvenile prison, and the socials, rich, popular and loved by the community. The protagonist, Ponyboy Curtis, is a greaser and an orphan, raised by his two older brothers who also belong to the greaser clan. When Pony and his friend Johnny run into some Socs (socials) in the park, they get into a fight and end up killing the leader of the Socs. They decide to run away and stay in an abandoned barn, contemplating the consequences of their actions while thinking deeply about their own marginal positions in society. Towards the end, they end up selflessly saving someone's life although - spoiler - Johnny dies because of it, and Pony does not get convicted for the murder. Pony becomes more interested in the writing assignment his teacher has given to him, and by the end of the novel we find that it is Pony who has written 'The Outsiders'.

Hinton is so amazing at writing in the voice of these 'greaser' boys. The Outsiders is an incredibly moving tale of outcasts attempting to overcome the stigma/stereotypes assigned to them.


the giver by lois lowry [ya fiction]

The Giver is about a dystopian society where people are assigned jobs by the time they turn 12. Every aspect of childhood is celebrated yearly in a ceremony, where each child is given a special toy or assignment when they reach a certain age. Jonas, the protagonist, is 12 when the elders have selected for him the position of The Giver. As the novel progresses, we learn that The Giver is one who is privy to the memories and history of the past, of the world before and beyond that which they now live in. The current Giver passes these memories to Jonas by physical contact, showing him difficult emotions like anger, hatred, pain, while also exposing him to joyous ones - love, happiness, Christmas. Jonas begins to see through the cracks in the system that the Elders have in place - and he is particularly frustrated when his father brings home an infant, telling him that if he does not improve in his health, the baby will be 'let go', which Jonas has come to realise is a euphemism for 'killed'. Jonas, having now learnt compassion and love from the Giver, refuses to let Gabe (the infant) die. They both escape from their community - although what happens to them is left unsaid... until the next book.

Lowry's writing is compelling to a fault: I personally felt moved by Jonas' bravery and his own determination as a 12 year old. The rich world she creates is achieved by letting us discover, through Jonas' eyes, the little flaws and nuances about it - for example, we don't realise that the inhabitants can't see colour until Jonas is shown the colour 'red' through memory. There is so much to talk about in this text: the erasure of colour and its implications on racial diversity, the way the past, history, pain and joy are all confined to a singular individual in the community and who is used as a referent for when the elders wish to make decisions. I am unapologetically in love with this novel.

crazy rich asians by kevin kwan [other]

I only picked up Crazy Rich Asians because a friend of mine recommended it to me, saying it was a hilarious take on filthy rich Singaporeans who also happen to be crazy in more ways than one. Kwan's novel follows a handful of rich, powerful fictional families whose lives revolve around: 1) not speaking about money, 2) having a hell lot of money, 3) being skeptical that people could love them for themselves and not their money, 4) being extremely kiasu about... money, 5) love (and money).

I really enjoyed the novelty of reading Singlish in print, in this full-fledged novel. I found myself laughing, reading aloud the phrases and thinking, "oh my goodness, that is something my mother/father/Prime Minister would say!". Kwan does an excellent job of propagating (while also redeeming, I think) the stereotype of the Singaporean.


which book would I recommend?

I think it's clear that I love The Giver, and it would be my choice for leisurely reading or for use in the classroom. Its themes are clear and the big questions are easy to figure out. I think one way we can discuss The Giver is by asking students to put themselves in the place of the Elders - as the governing body of a post-apocalyptic world, what elements would you choose to save, and which would you discard or put away? We could ask whether they agree with the choices that the community made, and get them to think about how the people in the community aren't necessarily suffering but are, interestingly, very content with their lives. Does order and peace necessarily validate human existence? These are questions that would really contextualise the book for students and would get them to think about the broader issues that relate to them as they, like Jonas, come of age and begin to see more of the world and its good/bad sides.