We are reading the book 'Eleanor and Park', by Rainbow Rowell this week in class.
This book deals with many different themes, including poverty, friendship, and struggling.
We are given two very different characters; Park, who comes from a fairly stable background- a good home, and Eleanor- who comes from a more seemingly more challenged background.
Because of the struggles of her background, Eleanor carries over many less than favorable aspects from it with her to school every day- and these make it very hard for her to make friends. They make it challenging to have any sort of social life at all. Although her home situation is in no way her fault, she is the one who is left to face the consequences of it. She is tormented.
Park is, on the other hand- while not exactly popular, is not a social outcast like Eleanor. But, even Park, who time and again later on in the book is shown to be a very kind character, has a hard time accepting Eleanor initially. It takes him a long time to get beyond the facts of what Eleanor seems to represent to others- poverty, undesirability, and all else looked down upon- and actually begin to see Eleanor as a human being. This kind of shows that- there are probably certain presumptions and stereotypes we all carry around with us that impact us in ways that we might not always really want to recognize as- unfair.
Anyways, I am enjoying the book so far. I like both of the characters and want to see where the plot- and how the relationship between Eleanor and Park continues to develop. They have a very interesting and natural feeling relationship that I am glad to see that Park proves to be very much possible. That it is possible to put down prejudice, and just judge-or recognize- a person for who they actually happen to be.
Here are some sources that describe just what prejudice is:
http://www.understandingprejudice.org/
https://gadflyonthewallblog.wordpress.com/2015/11/18/prejudice-of-poverty-why-americans-hate-the-poor-and-worship-the-rich/
http://www.simplypsychology.org/prejudice.html
I am too enjoy Eleanor and Park, It is a very interesting story! I liked your point of view in your blog, It's cool to see how as a class we can all read the same story but all have a different take on it. I agree with you many people can carry certain presumptions and stereotypes, and don't want to recognize what they really are doing.
ReplyDeleteLove the links! Thanks for providing them, Erica!
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