Experience with Jacqueline Woodson Novel (11/9)

I read Miracle Boys by Jacqueline Woods, it was very easy to connect to the characters in this book. I found myself relating to all the boys. I also found myself crying or on the verge of crying through out the book. The situation that the boys are in is a real life situation that could happen to anyone, so it makes it that much easier to make an emotional connection.  After talking with classmates, it became evident that Woodson follows the theme of real life situations that usually involve dysfunctional families. Also, usually Woodson books involve multi-cultural situations.

In the article " JACQUELINE WOODSON: REAL CHARACTERS, REAL VOICES  by Rosa Casement, Rosa asks Woodson how she thinks people respond to her writing about different cultural being in social power in her books. Woodson responded with

 “Sometimes people are surprised that the relationships and situations aren’t stereotypical. I wanted to write my side of the story. I grew up reading the white side, which, surprisingly to some people, isn’t the only side.” 

I think this is extremely powerful because many people would expect her to deal with the struggle of African Americans and other races but she doesn't. In her books African Americans represent dynamic powerful characters. This is extremely evident in Miracle Boys, in which the oldest boy Ty, doesn't go to college so that he can provide for his younger brothers. Both Ty and the youngest Laf are dedicated to each other and their family. They are not into gangs or violence or any stereotypical African American activities. In fact Ty is extremely dedicated to museum and art and graduated from high school with honors. I think it is important for authors to cross the stereotypical boarders that society sets up for us otherwise people are going to continue to think that most African Americans are associated with guns, violence and gangs.