Over the past few weeks, the books that we have focused on all have one particular likeness. They all focus on children and their individual and unique characteristics.
In Dicey's Song, Cynthia Voight is able to capture the unique qualities in a family of four children. While the story about the Tillerman children is unique itself, Voight is able to follow the lives of the children and share their differences and the challenges and triumphs that they face along the way. While the main character is Dicey, the oldest sister, and she has her own unique qualities, I would like to focus on a less likely character, her little sister.
Maybeth, the youngest sister in the Tillerman family, is introduced as a sweet and quiet child but not long into the story, the reader discovers that she is slow in school and that her teacher and the children in her classroom lack belief that she will ever fully understand how to read.
One part in the novel focuses on a time when Maybeth is made to read in front of her class. She gets nervous and stumbles over her words and loses track, she is not able to make out the words on the page. The children in her class start to laugh at her. It seems that it is one of the first realizations that Maybeth has that she is not like the other children.
While Voight is blunt with the weaknesses of Maybeth, she also takes great strides in developing Maybeth's ability to play the piano. She introduces Maybeth's piano teacher that eventually becomes like family to the Tillermans because of his passion to give Maybeth all of the education in music that she needs.
Voight shows children that even though they might be different or bad at something, they are sure to be good at something else. She is celebrating individuality.
Purpose for Imaginative Literature
14 years ago
One of the research articles I read for my author study on Elizabeth George Speare talked briefly about the importance of Matt teaching Attean to read in The Sign of the Beaver, and noted that children teaching other children to read is a recurring theme in children's literature. I agree that Voigt celebrates May Beth's individuality, and argues for the recognition of multiple intelligences, but I also think that it's interesting to see the portrayal of a child who struggles with reading in particular embedded in a complex novel written for children. I think Voigt is reaching out, in a way, to struggling readers, recognizing their struggle and inviting them to participate in this story alongside "gifted" children like James. I feel that a lot of novels speak only to one particular kind or set of children (the ones who already enjoy reading), but Voigt attempts to expand possibilities for characters and audience alike.
ReplyDeleteI also think it’s interesting that Voigt has Maybeth struggle so much with reading. Today in my group, we had little Sarah (little as opposed to myself, ha!) there and I asked her if it was weird to her that a character her own age was struggling so much with reading, especially considering what a great readers she (Sarah) is. She did think it was really weird, and I think she may have found it hard to comprehend in a sense. We think of a nine-year-old’s reading level (or at least I do), and I forget how long I had been reading by that point, so it doesn’t seem too shocking that Maybeth can’t read at her age, but for Sarah, she knows what she and her peers are capable of. Aimee, I think it’s interesting what you said as well, about children teaching other children to read and how this makes struggling readers feel less alone. In two of my books for my author study on Sharon Creech, (Love That Dog and Hate That Cat), the main character, Jack, also struggles with reading and understanding the poetry his teacher makes him read, but he gradually learns to love poetry, and even imagine himself as a poet when he grows up. I know many people can relate to being confused by poetry, myself included at times!
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree with the last sentence of your blog. I feel like this book's message as a whole was about perseverance. The fact that if your not good at one thing, try something else is a prime example. I feel like children who read this can easily relate. Many children have not found a special talent and are still discovering what things they are good at and what things they need help with. It is rewarding to read that someone, just like them, has found what they are good at so I must be able to also. I think this book encourages children to not get dishartened by the situations they have been thrown into but to grow and mature from them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment about celebrating individuality. Voigt has the ability to highlight certain flaws of a character and then shine a light on features that makes that character stand out. This is an important message for children. Not every child will be great at everything, so it is to every child's advantage to hear a story like Dicey's Song. This type of books would help a child understand that differences are what make us unique.
ReplyDeleteVoigt is also showing the different ways people learn. She goes out of her way to create characters with different learning styles and different intellectual strengths. She gives us Millie's whole story to show us how no one ever tried different methods to teach Millie how to read and she never learned. James is gifted, but Dicey is also gifted in different ways from him. James learns from reading, but Dicey learns from trying things on her own. Maybeth struggles with reading, but her acquisition of music shows her learning something in a different way. Her music is a talent, but it is also a learned skill. Voigt shows that people's different skills, talents, and brains require material to be presented in different formats.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your statement about individuality. Voight makes the bridge between the characters and the reader. When reading about a character who struggles with the same issues as others, it makes her more accessible. Also I agree with you, Andi, it does help for children to understand that each person has a special talent and not everyone will be perfect at everything. The most interesting aspect of this story is the difference in views, whether from the time period or in general, I'm not sure. But in my hometown it was far better to be efficient or specialize in a skill such as Maybeth's, intelligence is not valued because it is not tangible. Music, however is especially valued because of the culture.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I liked how Voigt does not simply develop one character in her novel. Instead, we are able to see the struggles of all the characters, and develop a closer connection with them throughout the story. This is something I enjoyed because as a reader I was able to see the development not only of Dicey, but the development of her whole family throughout the story. By developing Maybeth in the story, Voigt is showing readers that every person has something special about themselves, even if they are flawed at first. This can be something that teaches children an important lesson about life. Even if you are not good at one particular aspect of life, you can always excel at something, and are blessed with an incredible gift if you are willing to work hard to gain it!
ReplyDeleteI love the last sentence of your post. The words "celebrating individuality" go really great together and also helped me realize that this book is an uplifting book, instead of just sad as I saw it. You're right - it is a celebration, and thinking about it this way really helps me interpret my thoughts differently. I also like how you used Maybeth with this when you said "she realized she is different from the other children." I think we all realize at some point that we are unique in some way (and Maybeth is sort of extreme), and that is when we realize our individuality.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It is important to recognize and celebrate all children's individuality. Instead of focusing on their struggles, encourage children in what they are good at. Just succeding in one thing can give children confidence in other things as well. I think this approach would be useful for both parents and teachers.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to note Voigt's use of Maybeth's strengths and weaknesses as vital aspects of what children's lives must all encounter. The relationship of positive and negative components within Maybeth's character reveal a real truth that children of all ages must become aware of. Not only would children look to Maybeth's situation as something that they themselves can pinpoint as parallels for their own strengths and weaknesses but also for them to realize this about their friends and other children around them. For many children, the insecurities that they individually face surface through their interactions with other children. This being said, I would agree that Voigt is emphasizing the importance of individuality along with a common idea that children are individual components of a much larger whole that embodies a universal tension between strengths and weaknesses.
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