Crabbe manages to exit the forest with the help of a driver by the name of Jack Johnson but unfortunately he ends up with a severe frostbite on his left hand. The doctors "had to amputate the two damaged fingers"(149). Crabbe was then forced to talk to his parents about his feelings and gratitude he shared within himself. He is also currently employed in "a small factory"(167).
The author resolves the novel by ending Crabbe's conflicts he had within himself. Crabbe has no problems or attitude against anyone including self at the end. William Bell has shown how crabbe has improved overtime in character throughout the novel. The author uses personification when describing the branches and trunks. "The waving trunks groaned and squeaked eerily."(140). Example of repitition is "snowy sky"(140). The use of personification makes it seem as if the trees are dangerous obstacles in Crabbe's journey back home.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Reflection
The experience of this ISU has helped me to express my feelings and thoughts towards a certain subject. Since I'm a logical thinker, I found it very hard to be creative with this project, and this assignment has helped me bring out that neccesary skill, which is important in every day life situations. Academically it has helpled dig out underlying themes in Canadian Literature and in the novel Crabbe by William Bell.
The novel Crabbe has given me a further insight on human teenagers because it focussed on the aspect of real teenage problems and went about solving Crabbe's problems in a realistic manner. Eventhough Crabbe has a wealthy family he faces teenage problems that can be compared to a normal teenager. The moral of this novel is that status or money does not necessarily make a child happy. What actually makes the child happy is the way parents treat him/her. The child can get spoiled and bored which is when bad habits start to take place, like drinking and doing drugs or they get the idea of doing something else that is exciting in a good manner. Crabbe is one of these teens. In fact when he goes to school students think that he has a "drinking problem"(Bell 26) but he never gets drunk or hungover.
My understanding and appreciation of Canadian literature has increased after reading this novel. Before reading Crabbe the only Canadian novel I read was "Broken Ground" which I did not like at all because it was confusing and hard to understand what was going on. "Crabbe" earned back my interest in reading Canadian novels because Willaim Bell used reality to create an exiting adventure of an eighteen year old teenager.
I have become a stronger reader than before because I analyzed Crabbe by using outside sources that are not within the novel to reach my goal of this project and to also get a better understanding of what a novel needs in order to be classified into any type of literature.
The novel Crabbe has given me a further insight on human teenagers because it focussed on the aspect of real teenage problems and went about solving Crabbe's problems in a realistic manner. Eventhough Crabbe has a wealthy family he faces teenage problems that can be compared to a normal teenager. The moral of this novel is that status or money does not necessarily make a child happy. What actually makes the child happy is the way parents treat him/her. The child can get spoiled and bored which is when bad habits start to take place, like drinking and doing drugs or they get the idea of doing something else that is exciting in a good manner. Crabbe is one of these teens. In fact when he goes to school students think that he has a "drinking problem"(Bell 26) but he never gets drunk or hungover.
My understanding and appreciation of Canadian literature has increased after reading this novel. Before reading Crabbe the only Canadian novel I read was "Broken Ground" which I did not like at all because it was confusing and hard to understand what was going on. "Crabbe" earned back my interest in reading Canadian novels because Willaim Bell used reality to create an exiting adventure of an eighteen year old teenager.
I have become a stronger reader than before because I analyzed Crabbe by using outside sources that are not within the novel to reach my goal of this project and to also get a better understanding of what a novel needs in order to be classified into any type of literature.
Works Cited
Bell,Willaim.Crabbe.Toronto:General Paperbacks,1989.
Canadian Encyclopedia.N/A.The Canadian Encyclopedia.22/3/2009[www.thecanadian encyclopedia.com].
Knuston,Tom. "Crabbe".CM: Canadian Review of Materials;12/22/2006.
William Bell.N/A.Greenleaf.24/3/2009[www.orilla.org].
Canadian Encyclopedia.N/A.The Canadian Encyclopedia.22/3/2009[www.thecanadian encyclopedia.com].
Knuston,Tom. "Crabbe".CM: Canadian Review of Materials;12/22/2006.
William Bell.N/A.Greenleaf.24/3/2009[www.orilla.org].
Explication
William Bell's Crabbe is based upon Polti's dramtic situation of enigma. He is faced with practical teenage problems and is unable to resolve them until he goes out in the woods and meets Mary who also is faced with a problem.
Crabbe has problems in school and with his parents. When he was telling Mary his conflicts he puts down his "teachers, my "friends," especially my parents, especially them"(Bell 79). His parents did not give him the freedom to think or express thoughts. They would always go for "another party"(Bell 29). Crabbe is isolated from his family. The only trip he made with his father was when "he had taken me camping with him a few years earlier. It was the only trip we'd ever done together. I guess it was supposed to make up for all the years when he didn't know I existed"(Bell 20).Likewise in school the teachers were not interested in Crabbe's input towards a problem or statement because he was too clever. He would "play their game and won all kinds of points and prizes and [rubbish] that I secretly hated"(Bell 32). In these two scenarios his parents and school were treating Crabbe as if he never existed in the first place. Crabbe was not given room to explore and dig into himself to really find out the true meaning of his character.
Similarly, Mary Pallas also has a problem within herself(Person vs self) because she committed euthanasia on her husband which is why she spent time wandering in the woods for one year. Her husband got injured in "an anti-nuclear demonstration"(Bell 125) and figured out that if he were to live "he would be totally paralyzed or mentally deficient"(Bell 126) or "plugged into the machines"(Bell 126) in the hospital.In those days euthanasia was illegal, but she felt that it was right thing to do so with her husband.
However Crabbe overcomes his enigma by meeting Mary. Mary "cared about me, not my clothes or my money, not my high marks at school or my father's job or where I lived-me.I never met any one who made me feel necessary. Not important:necessary. I mattered to her"(Bell 124). It is critical to note that "important" and "necessary" are different words in this situation because being "important" only signifies his/her role in society and "necessary" signifies why he/she is important, not just of their role in society but as a normal person. In contrast Mary solves her problem but by doing so she had to leave society because what she committed was an act of crime. In terms of enigma Crabbe escapes from his conflicts and Mary flees from society because she resolved her dilemma.
One thing in common with these two characters is that they have a problem with society. Mary overcomes her conflict personally but by doing so she has created another enigma which is with society. With Crabbe he is also not treated with the respect he deserves in society (school) and his parents, which is why he drinks in the first place, something exciting at least before his adventure.
After Mary passed away in the tragic incident "by her fall to the jagged rocks on the valley floor"(Bell 119) Crabbe felt that he owed Mary "a lot. Not only my life, but the way I was trying to live it. And I knew that in a way she was part of my self, and she would be long after I stopped remembering her. My Mother brought me into this world but Mary got me ready to live in it"(Bell 166). Mary was also "'Lonely? Of course. That's why I'd like you to stay for a while, if you want'"(Bell 80) before Crabbe encountered her in the woods.
All in all Crabbe by William Bell succesfully creates one of Polti's thirty-six dramatic situations, enigma,to generate a realistic novel that relates to real life situations amongst teenagers.
Crabbe has problems in school and with his parents. When he was telling Mary his conflicts he puts down his "teachers, my "friends," especially my parents, especially them"(Bell 79). His parents did not give him the freedom to think or express thoughts. They would always go for "another party"(Bell 29). Crabbe is isolated from his family. The only trip he made with his father was when "he had taken me camping with him a few years earlier. It was the only trip we'd ever done together. I guess it was supposed to make up for all the years when he didn't know I existed"(Bell 20).Likewise in school the teachers were not interested in Crabbe's input towards a problem or statement because he was too clever. He would "play their game and won all kinds of points and prizes and [rubbish] that I secretly hated"(Bell 32). In these two scenarios his parents and school were treating Crabbe as if he never existed in the first place. Crabbe was not given room to explore and dig into himself to really find out the true meaning of his character.
Similarly, Mary Pallas also has a problem within herself(Person vs self) because she committed euthanasia on her husband which is why she spent time wandering in the woods for one year. Her husband got injured in "an anti-nuclear demonstration"(Bell 125) and figured out that if he were to live "he would be totally paralyzed or mentally deficient"(Bell 126) or "plugged into the machines"(Bell 126) in the hospital.In those days euthanasia was illegal, but she felt that it was right thing to do so with her husband.
However Crabbe overcomes his enigma by meeting Mary. Mary "cared about me, not my clothes or my money, not my high marks at school or my father's job or where I lived-me.I never met any one who made me feel necessary. Not important:necessary. I mattered to her"(Bell 124). It is critical to note that "important" and "necessary" are different words in this situation because being "important" only signifies his/her role in society and "necessary" signifies why he/she is important, not just of their role in society but as a normal person. In contrast Mary solves her problem but by doing so she had to leave society because what she committed was an act of crime. In terms of enigma Crabbe escapes from his conflicts and Mary flees from society because she resolved her dilemma.
One thing in common with these two characters is that they have a problem with society. Mary overcomes her conflict personally but by doing so she has created another enigma which is with society. With Crabbe he is also not treated with the respect he deserves in society (school) and his parents, which is why he drinks in the first place, something exciting at least before his adventure.
After Mary passed away in the tragic incident "by her fall to the jagged rocks on the valley floor"(Bell 119) Crabbe felt that he owed Mary "a lot. Not only my life, but the way I was trying to live it. And I knew that in a way she was part of my self, and she would be long after I stopped remembering her. My Mother brought me into this world but Mary got me ready to live in it"(Bell 166). Mary was also "'Lonely? Of course. That's why I'd like you to stay for a while, if you want'"(Bell 80) before Crabbe encountered her in the woods.
All in all Crabbe by William Bell succesfully creates one of Polti's thirty-six dramatic situations, enigma,to generate a realistic novel that relates to real life situations amongst teenagers.
Apologia
In Crabbe by William Bell the themes consists of survival, stress, and adventure.Willaim Bell "grew up in Toronto and attended the Ontario College of Education. He completed an MA in Literature and an MEd at the University of Toronto. Bell has taught English to high school and university students in Canada and China"(Canadian Encyclopedia).Survival is the most common theme that is present in Canadian literature as stated by Margaret Atwood "that most Canadian literature deals with victims of various types and that "grim survival" is its central theme"(Canadian Encyclopedia). Crabbe's problems can be related to everyday life especially amongst teenagers and how Crabbe seems to resolve stress "by his life as one of the wealthy, privileged people in society, the life where not one move he makes is his own choice".This book deserves to be part of Canadian literature because the story can be related to every day problems and it has the common theme, survival.
Stress is evident in the novel because Crabbe has too many conflicts within himself, people and society. He has conflicts with people like his parents,Grant,Dr.Browne, and himself even though he is "one of the wealthy, privileged people in society(Curdupkids). Crabbe "grew up in a house where I was told what I thought or how I should think"(Bell 18). This is what caused Crabbe to take up an adventure so he could find himself personally and emotionally and says that it is the "independent, creative thing I've done in my life, and the one thing I've done for me"(Bell 18).
"Crabbe" is about a "rebellious 17-year-old who runs away from home to live in the Ontario wilderness" (Canadian Encyclopedia). In school Crabbe did not want to take gym in school because he "hated phys.ed and everything about it-the swamp smell of the locker room"(Bell 23).By doing that he did not really find himself. He couldn't choose what he wanted to do in school. These circumstances are common for many teenagers because they have to make important decisions or else it may affect the rest of their lives. Crabbe was not given that opportunity to make a decision by himself. It was always his parents who made decisions for Crabbe.
Adventure is also an important theme in the novel because it helps Crabbe bring out his inner self and it becomes the one and only exiting event he has accomplished in his life so far. By taking up a challenge by himself he learns that being independent and making decisions can be fun unless the skills of that certain circumstances are low considering that he was close to death because his paddling techniques were wrong until Mary entered his life. Some elements of adventure in the novel is when Mary and Crabbe raid a "hunt camp"(Bell 102), and when Crabbe runs away from home.
When Crabbe goes to the woods his skills of survival are low, considering that the last time he went camping was with his father "a few years earlier"(Bell 20).In fact he was close to death when he went over the waterfall and remained "suspended for a split second in mid air"(Bell 63). Then Mary Pallas comes to save him, and teaches Crabbe some essential skills like "gutting the fish"(Bell 75) and following trails. Crabbe learns how to survive in the wild and society, by Mary's advice especially when she says " 'You've got a good reason to feel good about yourself-and you do-then do it. You don't need any body's permission.'"(Bell 89). Crabbe needs to believe in himself that he can do anything before he can expect society and family to believe in him.
Out of all these themes the one that appeals the most in Canadian Literature and this novel is survival because Crabbe learns not only to survive in the woods but he also learns how to survive in society. By going out for an adventure in the wild, he has gained survival skills, which can help solve problems within himself and society, therefore reducing stress, by the advice and help of Mary Pallas.So the themes adventure and stress are connected by one theme, survival, which is why I think that survival is the main theme of the novel. Crabbe has difficulty "explaining myself"(Bell 18). Crabbe was "brought to this hospital extremely run down-physically-and on the verge of emotional disturbance"(Bell 15). In conclusion this book deserves to be recognized in Canadian literature because the main theme in the novel, survival, is common in Canadian literature, and the book resolves Crabbe's problems in a very realistic manner that can be compared to everyday teenage problems.
Stress is evident in the novel because Crabbe has too many conflicts within himself, people and society. He has conflicts with people like his parents,Grant,Dr.Browne, and himself even though he is "one of the wealthy, privileged people in society(Curdupkids). Crabbe "grew up in a house where I was told what I thought or how I should think"(Bell 18). This is what caused Crabbe to take up an adventure so he could find himself personally and emotionally and says that it is the "independent, creative thing I've done in my life, and the one thing I've done for me"(Bell 18).
"Crabbe" is about a "rebellious 17-year-old who runs away from home to live in the Ontario wilderness" (Canadian Encyclopedia). In school Crabbe did not want to take gym in school because he "hated phys.ed and everything about it-the swamp smell of the locker room"(Bell 23).By doing that he did not really find himself. He couldn't choose what he wanted to do in school. These circumstances are common for many teenagers because they have to make important decisions or else it may affect the rest of their lives. Crabbe was not given that opportunity to make a decision by himself. It was always his parents who made decisions for Crabbe.
Adventure is also an important theme in the novel because it helps Crabbe bring out his inner self and it becomes the one and only exiting event he has accomplished in his life so far. By taking up a challenge by himself he learns that being independent and making decisions can be fun unless the skills of that certain circumstances are low considering that he was close to death because his paddling techniques were wrong until Mary entered his life. Some elements of adventure in the novel is when Mary and Crabbe raid a "hunt camp"(Bell 102), and when Crabbe runs away from home.
When Crabbe goes to the woods his skills of survival are low, considering that the last time he went camping was with his father "a few years earlier"(Bell 20).In fact he was close to death when he went over the waterfall and remained "suspended for a split second in mid air"(Bell 63). Then Mary Pallas comes to save him, and teaches Crabbe some essential skills like "gutting the fish"(Bell 75) and following trails. Crabbe learns how to survive in the wild and society, by Mary's advice especially when she says " 'You've got a good reason to feel good about yourself-and you do-then do it. You don't need any body's permission.'"(Bell 89). Crabbe needs to believe in himself that he can do anything before he can expect society and family to believe in him.
Out of all these themes the one that appeals the most in Canadian Literature and this novel is survival because Crabbe learns not only to survive in the woods but he also learns how to survive in society. By going out for an adventure in the wild, he has gained survival skills, which can help solve problems within himself and society, therefore reducing stress, by the advice and help of Mary Pallas.So the themes adventure and stress are connected by one theme, survival, which is why I think that survival is the main theme of the novel. Crabbe has difficulty "explaining myself"(Bell 18). Crabbe was "brought to this hospital extremely run down-physically-and on the verge of emotional disturbance"(Bell 15). In conclusion this book deserves to be recognized in Canadian literature because the main theme in the novel, survival, is common in Canadian literature, and the book resolves Crabbe's problems in a very realistic manner that can be compared to everyday teenage problems.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Crabbe part 3
This part starts of with Crabbe having not just ordinary feelings but love for Mary. "Because I realized one sunny day as I sat on the shore watching her swim, gracefully moving her long, golden limbs through the clear water, I loved her" (96).
She was the only person who made Crabbe "feel necessary. Not important: necessary. I mattered to her"(124). After that Mary said that " 'it's time we planned your re-entry into civilization' "(97). Crabbe then expresses his love to her but knows that he will have to leave the woods someday.
They planned their "last trek together"(99) to Ithbaca Lake. Unfortunately Mary passed away. "She lay on her back, twisted and broken by her fall to the jagged rocks on the valley floor."(119). Crabbe then starts to find out why Mary was spending time in the forest for a long time. It turned out that she committed euthanasia on her husband. Since the law was against euthanasia she escaped hence in the forest.
Mary and Crabbe have person vs self conflicts. Euthanasia is definetly a person vs self conflict because she faces hard decisions on her husband's life. Crabbe also has person vs self conflicts because he is fighting with himself to express his love towards Mary, and going back to his parents or staying in the forest.
She was the only person who made Crabbe "feel necessary. Not important: necessary. I mattered to her"(124). After that Mary said that " 'it's time we planned your re-entry into civilization' "(97). Crabbe then expresses his love to her but knows that he will have to leave the woods someday.
They planned their "last trek together"(99) to Ithbaca Lake. Unfortunately Mary passed away. "She lay on her back, twisted and broken by her fall to the jagged rocks on the valley floor."(119). Crabbe then starts to find out why Mary was spending time in the forest for a long time. It turned out that she committed euthanasia on her husband. Since the law was against euthanasia she escaped hence in the forest.
Mary and Crabbe have person vs self conflicts. Euthanasia is definetly a person vs self conflict because she faces hard decisions on her husband's life. Crabbe also has person vs self conflicts because he is fighting with himself to express his love towards Mary, and going back to his parents or staying in the forest.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Crabbe part two
The second part of the story starts out with Crabbe paddling in the river and going over the waterfall. " And there the water just disappeared. I was confused-for about five seconds. Then I got close enough to be shrouded in mist, spray, and the hellish roar of falls. Over I went. And as I was suspended for a split second in mid air, you know what I thought? I thought Christ, Crabbe, I'll bet you look ridiculous! For that microsecond before a very likely death I felt embarrassed!"(63). After that incident a lady named Mary Pallas saved his life. If it were not for Mary then Crabbe would have passed away.
Mary becomes the second important character in this book because she also joins in with Crabbe on his adventure, except she has been wandering around in the forest for too long. " 'How come you want to store all the food?' I asked her one day as I went slicing up more rabbit./ 'For the winter. Can't rely on snares to keep me in grub. I also have to dry some berries and tubers so-'/'Winter?' I interrupted. 'You're going to stay all winter?'/'Stayed last winter.'"(77-78).
Mary becomes the second important character in this book because she also joins in with Crabbe on his adventure, except she has been wandering around in the forest for too long. " 'How come you want to store all the food?' I asked her one day as I went slicing up more rabbit./ 'For the winter. Can't rely on snares to keep me in grub. I also have to dry some berries and tubers so-'/'Winter?' I interrupted. 'You're going to stay all winter?'/'Stayed last winter.'"(77-78).
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Crabbe part 1
The novel starts out with Franklin Crabbe in St Bartholemew's General Hospital talking to his doctor, Dr.Browne. He got admitted to the hospital because he was "extremely run down-physically and on the verge of emotional disturbance"(15).After Dr. Browne leaves Crabbe's ward,Crabbe reads his journal/diary.
Crabbe wants to be an individual who has accomplished something " intelligent, independent, creative thing I've done in my life, and the only thing I've done for me"(18). By keeping this in mind he "planned the escape carefully. It was to be the one perfect act I'd perform in my life, pure, clean, like the edge of a razor."(19).
He planned his escape on the day he got in trouble for bringing alcohol to school. When his parents were gone out during the night, he drove himself to Ithaca, a camping place and then canoed himself to "a narrow, rocky peninsula about fifty feet acroos the base and twice as long covered with pines" (48)which was not within Ithaca Camp.
In this part of the book Crabbe has person vs person conflicts. Examples of Person vs person conflicts is when his gym teacher, Dr.Browne, and his parents argue with him.
Crabbe wants to be an individual who has accomplished something " intelligent, independent, creative thing I've done in my life, and the only thing I've done for me"(18). By keeping this in mind he "planned the escape carefully. It was to be the one perfect act I'd perform in my life, pure, clean, like the edge of a razor."(19).
He planned his escape on the day he got in trouble for bringing alcohol to school. When his parents were gone out during the night, he drove himself to Ithaca, a camping place and then canoed himself to "a narrow, rocky peninsula about fifty feet acroos the base and twice as long covered with pines" (48)which was not within Ithaca Camp.
In this part of the book Crabbe has person vs person conflicts. Examples of Person vs person conflicts is when his gym teacher, Dr.Browne, and his parents argue with him.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)