Bridge to Terabithia (novel): Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 04:09, 21 January 2008
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| File:Bridge to Terabithia.gif 1987 Reprint Edition | |
| Author | Katherine Paterson |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Donna Diamond |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | 1977-10-21 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 144 pp (hardcover edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-690-01359-0 (hardback edition) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
Bridge to Terabithia is a work of children's literature about two lonely children who create a magical forest kingdom. Written by Katherine Paterson, it was first published in 1977, and won the Newbery Medal in 1978. It tells the story of fifth grader Jesse Aarons, who befriends a new girl Leslie Burke when he loses a race to her.
Plot summary
Jesse Aarons Jr., the only boy in a family of five children, is a middle child, living in rural southwest Virginia. His mother favors his sisters Brenda, Ellie, May Belle, and Joyce Ann, while his father works in Washington D.C. and doesn't have much time for him. May Belle, the second youngest sister, adores Jesse and admires him. Leslie Burke is an only child who moves from a city in Virginia near Washington to the area along with her wealthy parents who are both writers.
The two soon become close friends. Jesse shares his secret love of drawing with Leslie; Leslie shares with Jesse her love of fantasy stories. With this new friendship, the two children create an imaginary kingdom in the woods near their homes, accessible only by a rope swing over a creek. They create the imaginary kingdom of Terabithia together, and name themselves King and Queen where they spend every day after school. In Terabithia they are able to work out their fears of the real world: fears such as the 8th grade bully Janice Avery.
Jesse has a crush on his young music teacher, Miss Edmunds, and would do anything to be with her. The central crisis occurs when Jesse accompanies Miss Edmunds to the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., and Leslie goes to Terabithia alone. The rope breaks as she is swinging over the rain-swollen creek. Though a good swimmer, Leslie falls into the creek and drowns. Jesse can overcome his grief only with the strength and courage that his friendship with Leslie has given him.
Jesse attempts to deal with his grief by going back to Terabithia, and making a memorial wreath for Leslie. He worries that Leslie will not enter Heaven, because she does not believe in Jesus. He hears a cry for help and finds his younger sister, May Belle, calling for help. She was trying to get to Terabithia too by climbing on a tree bridge over the river but got stuck in the middle. He helps her out.
Leslie's grief-stricken parents decide to move away. As Mr. and Mrs. Burke are leaving, Jesse asks if he can take some of their wooden planks by their shed. They say he may have anything left over from the house, and he goes down to Terabithia to build a bridge. After he finishes the bridge he takes May Belle over it with him to tell her about Terabithia and makes her the new Queen of Terabithia.
Characters
- Jesse Oliver Aarons Jr. - An artistic boy, fearful of doing courageous things. But through Terabithia, Leslie gives him courage. Jesse is extremely angry and depressed before Leslie comes into his life. Even when they are together, he is still distressed. By the end of the book, he learns to let go of his frustration. He has a crush on his music teacher.
- Leslie Burke - A smart, talented, outgoing tomboy. Her talents include gymnastics, creativity, swimming, and running. Jesse Aarons thinks highly of her, and they are best friends. She is not socially accepted by the other students in Jesse's school, to which she is a newcomer. It is possible that she has a crush on Jesse, although nothing romantic happens between them.
- Joyce Ann - Jesse's bratty four-year-old sister.
- May Belle Aarons - Jesse's seven year old sister who thinks highly of Jesse to the point of worshiping him. She is the only one of Jesse's four sisters who he can seem to stand; later in the book Jess blackmails her in order to keep her from telling everyone about Terabithia, at the end she becomes the new Queen of Terabithia.
- Brenda & Ellie Aarons - These are Jesse's older obnoxious sisters. They attend the local high school and are very stuck up. They usually manage to avoid work yet still spend money on unnecessary things such as expensive clothes and makeup. They like to pick on Jesse, often making fun of his artistic abilities. Brenda in particular is pudgy and has trouble knowing when to stop complaining. They both insist on referring to Leslie as Jesse's girlfriend even though he constantly objects.
- Janice Avery''' - The school bully at Lark Creek. Janice is very overweight and tends to become very offended when people tease her for being so. She has a crush on Willard Hughes.
- Miss Edmunds - The somewhat unconventional and controversial music teacher whom Jesse greatly admires.
- Prince Terrian - The "clown prince" of Terabithia, actually a puppy Jesse gave Leslie as a Christmas present.
- Gary Fulcher - A very cocky kid, Jesse and Gary see each other as bitter rivals; how long this has been is unknown, but it is said that it seem to have started when they came up with the races. He also lost to Leslie in the race.
- Mrs. Myers - Jesse and Leslie's teacher who is given the nickname Monster Mouth Myers. She thinks highly of Leslie.
Origin
Katherine Paterson spent a period of her life living in Takoma Park, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C.[1][2]. The inspiration for the novel draws from a tragic event that occurred on August 1974 when Lisa Hill, a friend of Paterson's son David, was struck by lightning at a beach and killed[3][1][2].
A tree dedicated to the girl who died is planted in memorial outside of Takoma park Elementary School, a local elementary school for Pre-K to 2nd grade. A creek that runs through Takoma Park, Sligo Creek, possibly served as further inspiration[1][2].
Controversy
Because of the novel's content it has been the frequent target of censors and appears on the American Library Association list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 at number nine.[4]
The censorship attempts stem from death being a part of the plot,[5][6] Jess' frequent use of the word "lord" outside of prayer,[7] and concerns that the book promotes secular humanism and New Age religions, occultism, Satanism,[8][7] and for accusations of sexual content.[9]
The book is studied in English studies classes in Australia, Canada,[10] United Kingdom[11], Panama, and the United States.
Naming
The name of Terabithia, the imaginary kingdom, sounds very much like {{#invoke:List_of_places_in_The_Chronicles_of_Narnia|T|Terebinthia}}, a Narnian island, created by C. S. Lewis for both Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Katherine Paterson acknowledges that Terabithia is likely derived from Terebinthia.
- "I thought I had made it up. Then, rereading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis, I realized that I had probably gotten it from the island of Terebinthia in that book. However, Lewis probably got that name from the Terebinth tree in the Bible, so both of us pinched from somewhere else, probably unconsciously."[12]
Bridge to Terabithia makes a direct reference to The Chronicles of Narnia, with Leslie lending the stories to Jess so that he can learn to behave like a king.
Film adaptations
There have been two films made based on this book. One was a PBS TV movie made in 1985 starring Annette O'Toole, Julian Coutts and Julie Beaulieu. A theatrical film version starring Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb and Zooey Deschanel, was released on February 16, 2007.
References
- ^ a b c Our History: Takoma Archive June 2005 story Link does not work 14 Feb 2007 Cite error: The named reference "tak" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c Internet Archive version of June 2005 story Lisa Hill and the Bridge to Terabithia Retrieved 14 Feb 2007
- ^ Question & Answer from Katherine Paterson's official website Retrieved 08 feb 2007
- ^
"The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–2000".
{{cite web}}: Text "American Library Association 2001" ignored (help) - ^ The National Council of English Teachers' curriculum report including section "Why Bridge To Terabithia Should Not Be Banned" which discusses the death issue Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ "Opinion: What Have Other People Thought About Bridge to Terabithia?" by Scholastic Books Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ a b Annotated list from "Ten Most Challenged Books of 2003" Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ American Booksellers Association "Connecticut Residents Seek to Ban Two Newbery Medal Winners from School " (2002) Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ Annotated list from "Ten Most Challenged Books of 2002” Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ British Columbia Ministry of Education Grade 5 Reading List Retrieved 08 Feb 2007,
- ^ National Strategy Literacy and Learning in Religious Education "Year 9 curriculum" Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ Bridge to Terabithia, 2005 Harper Trophy edition, section "Questions for Katherine Paterson"
- Bridge to Terabithia, Hardcover edition (ISBN 0-690-01359-0)
External links
An on-line newspaper called The Takoma Voice has an article called "Lisa Hill and the Bridge to Terabithia by Diana Kohn" at "Our History:Takoma Archives".