Blog Partner Discussion 6: Biography
http://jamaicablogpartners.blogspot.com/
Your personal response to the book
What genre you think it might be and why
( Read Check out descriptions of genres at:
http://www.edu.uleth.ca/currlab/handouts/genres.html
Evaluate its literary quality
Evaluate its illustrations
Evaluate in terms of multicultural considerations including the credibility of the author and illustrator
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BLOG 6 : TRADITIONAL LITERATURE
ReplyDeleteThe Girl Who Lived With The Bears
Retold by Barbara Diamond Goldin
Illustrated by Andrew Plewes
Carlene says:
The book was about a girl who insulted bears and was taken in to live with them. The story appealed to me because I saw where the girl went to live in a strange place away from the culture she is accustomed to and longed to return home to see her mother and brother. Her only friend was a little rat who told her how to win the chiefs respect and allow herself not to become a slave. I. was impressed with the book as it expresses that there is little or no harmony existing between people and animals in the natural world. The idea that animals can shed their skins and allow humans to become very warm and comfortable was portrayed. I thought the book was a good book as it tell of something that could really happen and in this case the girl got her wish to unite with her family in the end she also honors her husbands wishes. The literature was simple and easily read.
What do you think about this story? Was it interesting to you your thoughts.
The book falls in the category of traditional literature. This particular book explores the beliefs and way of life of the native people of the Pacific Northwest and I found Barbara Goldin’s retelling of this oral tradition to be quite interesting. The traditional ideologies of this group of people as it relates to the balance existing between people and animals is profound. There is a lot to learn from the story about how this particular group of people viewed the role of animals. They saw them as very important to their existence, because they have the supernatuaral ability of changing their form and as such should be regarded with respect. These bear people as the natives called them were half human half animal and when they died were celestial beings who could intervene in their lives and cause mayhem or success. Even though its origins is in a distant land of which I know little about the message is one I could truly relate to. How often have we taken for granted things and people who are of paramount importance to our existence and come into that realization through situations that brought us face to face with the void that results in their absence. It does cause us to reflect and have a deeper appreciation of those things or people. I find a link between this story and the Jamaican proverb, “ Cow neva know di use a him tail till him loose it.”
ReplyDeleteCarlene , the features of the Traditional Fantsy/literature are very evident in this book. First it is a retelling of an oral story so we are not quite sure where it originated. The author who retells the story is credible though as she learnt the story of The girl Who Lived With the Bears while working with Native American children in the Pacific Northwest. We are told of a girl who is unnamed and known to us only by her rank as the cheif’s daughter, whose negative attitude towards the bears causes her to be taken by one while he is in his human form. She assumes this man has been sent by her father to help her return safely home. She is captured by them as punishment for the insult she had uttered about the bears. But the end is very integral to the story as she returns home at the death of her husband but with a deeper sense of appreciation of who he was and the culture he represented. What other features of the genre( traditional literature) do you see?
ReplyDeletet
ReplyDeleteCarlene says:
ReplyDeleteThere are other features of traditional literature that was evident in this book such as the characters were archetypes. They are meant to be symbolic; in this case the bear people are revered as good. The plot of the story has a theme of the power of love. When the girl was captured and eventually married one of the bear people, the husband gave his life for her. It was done for the greater good as he knew that in his spirit form he would be able to watch over her. The theme of bravery is also evident.
The colorful illustrations of the book also depict a cool serene and friendly environment out in native Pacific Southwest. The picture illustration helps the reader to predict the events as they happen in the story.
My earliest recollection of contact with this particular group of people (native Indians) was a vicarious one through those old western movies where native American Indians were constantly at war with white Americans over land. Do you remember those movies? I draw to mind those movies because I made a comparison of the depiction of the surrounding and environment in those movies with the illustrations in the book. I found there were many similarities. I noticed the use of mainly strong earth tones depicting the richness of the land and the general feelings of respect for the land and its natural inhabitants. The illustrator’s skillful use of smaller black and white drawings that depicted elements of forshadowing, past events, the girl’s own thoughts and reflections w. I thought the illustrations supported the plot well.
ReplyDeleteCarlene says:
ReplyDeleteI too totally agree with you that the illustrations depicted elements of foreshadowing in that it shows that something whether good or bad is about to happen and provides clues leading to timed events.
Based on the criteria for traditional fantasy the story represents a wonderful metaphor for human existence this speaks to us deeply in the sense that the
Bear people were warm and loving but they feared human because of the way they were treated. When the girl said “What a nuisance they are? Always leaving tracks, dropping eating the berries.
The book was intended for young readers and adults alike as it portrays that animals should be treated as if they are alive and it teaches us as adults to treat people and also animals the way we would want to be treated.
This book could be used as an excellent storytelling piece which could be retold to give different meaning it can also be used as a basis of research for student to find out about bears and their existence. Kimone Do you share these views your thoughts. How about the literary quality elaborate?
The literary quality is good also. As I said before even though we aren’t given names or descriptions of characters, there is enough in the plot to make you relate to them as real people. There are so many lessons that could come from the book. One of these is the importance that children need to accord to others regardless of their role, function, status or social standing, people, and even animals should be treated with respect.
ReplyDeleteI think this book could be used to teach students in primary school to learn more about animals and how they should treat animals.
ReplyDeleteOverall i thoroughly enjoyed the book.