Feather is a children's historical novel by Jacqueline Woodson first published in 2007. His story of a sixth-grade girl named Frannie grew in the 70s. One day, an unexpected new student caused a lot of chaos in class because he was the only white boy in the entire school. Feathers grapple with concepts like religion, race, hope, and understanding. This book examines how it feels to grow after segregation is forbidden, how everyone is equal, and that hope is everywhere. The book was the winner of Newbery Honor in 2008.
Video Feathers (novel)
Summary
Taking place in the 1970s, at an urban school across Africa, the book highlights the hard-core racism, beliefs, hopes, and disabilities. A white boy came to school and was immediately dubbed "Jesus Boy". Its entrance as the only white student caused tension and misunderstanding. Some students believe that he is Jesus and others just wish him. She was very quiet and did not let Trevor, the class bully, hurt her. He just quietly talked to Trevor and never replied.
Jesus Boy knows sign language that tickles Frannie because she already knows sign language all her life. Frannie grew up with older elder siblings, and is very sensitive to how people treat and perceive it. He hesitates to befriend Jesus Boy because he does not understand him and wonders why he will cross the "bridge" to their side. She's torn because she knows how hard it is to be a new kid, but she does not want to stand out. Frannie's best friend, Samantha, believes that Jesus Boy really is Jesus Christ and that he has come in this time of chaos and because of war. As long as all that happens Frannie keeps thinking about the poetry she reads in a class that says "Hope is a thing with feathers".
Jesus Boy is subject to much bullying by Trevor. Trevor chose Jesus Boy because he was the only one lighter than himself. Trevor had a white dad who left his mother before Trevor was born. One day Trevor swings and decides to try to jump and land on the fence because he wants to feel like flying. He fell short and broke his arm. When he returns to school, he gets angry with Jesus Boy and tries to fight him with one hand. Jesus Boy will fight him back when Trevor falls in the snow. Classes realize that Jesus Boy is just a kid because Jesus will never fight someone. The class also realizes that Trevor is also only male and that they should not be afraid of him anymore. Jesus Boy and Frannie leave immediately and help Trevor out of the snow.
Then Samantha asked Frannie why she was helping Trevor, and Frannie did not know. Samantha later admitted that she was wrong about Jesus Boy and said she did not know what to believe anymore. Frannie tried to cheer Samantha up and said, "Maybe there's a little Jesus in all of us, maybe Jesus is just something nice or something sad or something... something that makes us do things like help Trevor even when he cursed us. maybe... maybe Jesus is the thing you had when Jesus Boy arrived here, Samantha Maybe Jesus is the hope you feel "(pp. 109).
At the end of Frannie's book reflects all that has happened in her life. She thought of her mother's baby, her brother, losing Samantha's faith, and especially, Jesus Boy. He remembered the poem he read in class and decided "Every moment, I think, is something with feathers"
Maps Feathers (novel)
Character
- Frannie (Abigal): The main character and an African American sixth grade student. He is very protective of his older brother, Sean, who is deaf. He did not go to church on Sunday because he thought people were acting fake there, but he believed in God. He struggles with what Jesus Boy means to him and his family.
- Jesus Boy: The new white boy to the sixth grade of a fully African American junior high school. He was adopted by African-American parents, which is why they moved to the other side of the bridge from the "White side." At first he did not fit because of the color, but then everything changed.
- Ms. Johnson: A sixth-grade teacher who inspired Frannie to do his writing. He supports and encourages students, and allows students to be themselves. She is tight but productive.
- Sean: Frannie's deaf brother. He's very clever, handsome, and athletic. She struggles with the fact that girls like her until they find she can not hear. He also wants to go to the other side of the bridge.
- Mom: Mother Frannie and Sean who lost many children during childbirth. She becomes pregnant again and worries about her baby.
- Dad: A truck driver who went away for a long time. She is the father of Frannie and Sean, and is always worried about their mother's health.
- Trevor: The intruder from grade six. He especially hates Jesus boys because he is the only one lighter skinned than Trevor. Because Jesus boy would not identify by being white, Trevor befell him.
- Rayray (Raymond Raysen): Trevor's partner initially chose Jesus Boy because he was afraid of Trevor. Then he realizes that he should not be afraid of Trevor and hold on to Jesus Boy.
- Maribel Bagel Tank: Maribel's parents own a grocery store in town and charge very high prices. He thinks he is above all other students because he once went to a private school that is now closed. She and Frannie did not get along because Frannie did not let Maribel walk all the time. Maribel hated Jesus Boy because he came to his shop and paid all in coins.
- Samantha: Frannie's best friend who hopes that Jesus Boy really Jesus is coming back to save them. His father was a pastor in his church, and then when he realized that Jesus Boy was just a boy he asked himself.
- Grandma: Frannie and Sean's grandmother, who is very religious... Even though she'll hit you with a bible if you say something she does not like.
Main Themes
Expectations
The title of the book, Feathers, is a metaphor that the book revolves. Woodson introduced it through poetry that Frannie read in class.
Hope is the thing with the feather
perched on the soul,
And sing the song without words,
And never stops at all
After reading this, Frannie spent the rest of the book trying to understand expectations. How does it have feathers?
Understanding
Attempts to understand each other are the sixth grade focus immediately when Jesus Boy enters their class. Through Jesus Boy they realize that even the bully, Trevor, is a normal child. After the fight, Frannie realizes "Even though she is evil all the time, the sun still stops and color it and warms it up - as happened to others" (p.Ã, 21) Jesus Boy helps the class to stop beating each other so much and Trevor is frightened of her.
Disabled
Frannie's brother is deaf and this is a source of tension throughout the story. Frannie felt she had to protect her sister in the world of people who did not understand her. One difficulty Sean faces is the girls are attracted to him until they know he is deaf. Woodson stated in an interview with NPR that he made Sean deaf to humanize the deaf. One scene in a book that does this well is when Frannie asks Sean how the guitar sounds, the games they play with each other. The signature again is Like rain. Go down softly when it's warm and you're just a little wet but not cold. Rain like that.
Reception
Feather is well received by critics and the public alike. The book won the Newberry Honor award in 2008. Robin Smith, of Book Page, said the book gave him "joy and hope." Norah Piehl, from Children's Reading, reviews the book's adage, "Contrary to music, politics and conflict in the early 1970s, Jacqueline Woodson's remarkable novel basing universal ideas at a certain time and place." Matt Berman, from Common Sense Media stated that this book is beautifully written, lyrical, wise, sometimes even wise and it will also be loved by adults. One reviewer raved about the book but said "Though the subject matter is not as controversial as some of the other Woodson people might lead a child living in the community today to have questions about race, segregation and religion".
Overall, the book is highly praised, and Jacqueline Woodson is hailed for his beautiful writing style. One fan said Woodson wrote "poetry pages" and "without manipulation or heavy manipulation".
Other books by Woodson
Jaqueline Woodson has written 29 books ranging from picture books to young adult fiction. His books have received many awards such as Caldecott Honor, Newbery Honor, and Coretta Scott King Award. Feather most closely resembles his novel Locomotion where he "overcomes sadness, trauma, death survival, and hope". all in a very short book. Feather is also short but discusses the great concept of "hope, healing, faith, and understanding". Both books have about 115 pages and just handle their difficult topics.
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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