Adolescence is often a determining time when it comes to one’s appreciation of literature. This is why youth authors are so important! Among the major novelists that give our children the love of books, we find the very influential Judy Blume, who is a trailblazer in children literature. But why is she such a leading figure? We believe it is Judy Blume’s choice of themes and use of narration, as well as her alternation between narrative sequences and Margaret’s prayers that make her books classics for teenagers.
First of all, Judy Blume’s use of first person narration keeps the young readers involved and interested in the progression of the book, making them feel as if they were Margaret’s confidant. Indeed, having the main character interact directly with the readers simplifies the comprehension, since there is no intermediary between what the characters feel and what the reader is told. Accessibility to the young public is an important aspect of Blume’s success, because discouragement due to incomprehension is often an obstacle to children’s interest in literature. Also, since the main character, Margaret, is eleven years-old, she uses simple – but accurate – vocabulary. The simplicity of the terminology compensates for the heaviness of the themes Blume tackles. These elements help the readers, who are more than often beginners, follow the development of the story.
Second of all, the alternation between narrative sequences and Margaret’s prayers give an interesting rhythm to the novel. It keeps the young readers interested by not stretching descriptive passages and rather dividing them into short, succinct fragments. Here is an example of a prayer that can be found at the very beginning of the book:
Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret. We’re moving today. I’m so scared God. I’ve never lived anywhere but here. Suppose I hate my new school? Suppose everybody there hates me? Please help me God. Don’t let New Jersey be too horrible.
As you can see in that extract, Margaret addresses God directly. It makes it easier for the reader to understand her relationship with God, which could be qualified of dear friendship. Also, prayers are often used, at the end of chapters, to summarize the recent action. It’s another aspect of Blume’s writing that makes it accessible to young readers, her targeted public.
Third of all, Judy Blume’s use of taboo themes captures the young reader’s attention. The main theme in the novel is religion. In Blume’s book, religion creates conflicts between characters and confuses Margaret. For instance, Margaret’s paternal and maternal side do not get along, since the two families do not share the same religion. The families do not want to be in contact because Margaret’s christian mom and jewish dad got married even if their families disagreed. Sadly for Margaret, she does not get see both sides of her family because of the religion conflict. Therefore, she decided to not have any religion at all. The only member of her family who wants to see her is her Jewish grandmother, Silvia. Silvia is the only one who accepts Margaret for who she is and her decision for not having a religion. Her grandmother still teaches her about her jewish heritage, but doesn’t expect Margaret to become Jewish. She just thinks that it is important for her grandchild to know about her paternal side of the family. Unfortunately for Margaret, she has no one to teach her about her christian heritage although some of her new friends in New Jersey are Christian. Also, Margaret’s teacher wants the students to choose their own subject for their special year-long project. Margaret takes advantage of this opportunity to do a project on people’s beliefs. She can now discover about all the religions and maybe eventually choose one. Margaret thought that this project would help her make a decision, but it only made things more complicated. In the end, Margaret doesn’t choose a religion and she thinks that it is best for her.
The other theme approached in Judy Blume’s book is puberty. Blume makes puberty seem like a hard step for teenagers. The theme is represented through Margaret’s reactions. First, when Margaret moves to New Jersey, she makes new friends and they are all concerned about the stages of puberty. They all think that wearing a bra, having your period or even kissing a boy, makes you popular. All these things stress Margaret because she wants to be like her friends. Margaret is so desperate that she asks God: “Please help me grow God. You know where. I want to be like everyone else”, meaning that she wants to grow bigger breasts. Also, Margaret’s friend Nancy tells all the girls that she got her period and Margaret feels left out. She is scared that her friends will judge her since she is taking more time. She prays again to God for him to help her one more time. Finally, Margaret gets what she wished for and thanks God for giving her what she asked for.
In conclusion, Judy Blume’s choice of themes and use of narration, as well as her alternation between narrative sequences and Margaret’s prayers are the factors that make her books classics for teenagers. First, teenagers really appreciate the novel because it is written at the first person. When they read the book they can picture themselves being the one telling the story since the themes touch them both directly and indirectly. They can relate themselves to the book. The confusion that Margaret feels towards religion is an example of the confusion that teens feel in their adolescence. Teenage years are the years where you struggle to find who you are as well as what you like and dislike. Also, puberty directly touches young teens. The novel can help young girls understand that everyone goes through puberty differently and at their own rhythm.
WORD COUNT: 973
by Eszter Badacsonyi-Marcotte
and Sarah Williams (http://www.williamssarah.blogspot.com/)
