Final Class Thoughts

This class was recommended to me by one of my closest friends at Pitt, and I must say the materials and our resulting discussions taught me more than I could have imagined. This class reinvigorated my love of reading and helped me expand the ways that I thought about literature as a whole. Our discussions … Continue reading Final Class Thoughts →

Reflections on Anya’s Ghost

This was the first book that I’ve read as an “adult” (I do hate to use that term because I don’t feel like one) that was combined with cartoon type pictures instead of just text. The comic style was a little intimidating to me, as I was not used to it. I thought I might … Continue reading Reflections on Anya’s Ghost →

How does mental illness shape adolescence?

From ‘If I Ever Get Out of Here, ’ we witnessed how Louis’s uncle Albert struggled with PTSD and how that influenced his behaviors. In ‘Charlotte Temple,’ we learned how severe trauma and emotional abuse could cause a mental and physical breakdown to the point of death. ‘The Lowell Offering’ showed a young woman in … Continue reading How does mental illness shape adolescence? →

Balancing Feminism and ‘Charlotte Temple’

Feminism, like for many college-educated women in suburban to urban environments, is a highly vital ideology for me. Powerful women came and went before us, broke ceilings, and opened doors so that other women and girls can follow in their steps. We venerate women who have turned a patriarchal system on its head like Judge … Continue reading Balancing Feminism and ‘Charlotte Temple’ →

The Fascinating, but Unfortunate Life, of Uncle Albert

After finishing the novel, ‘If I Ever Get Out of Here’ by Eric Gansworth, I found myself a little bit disappointed that we didn’t get to learn more about Louis’s uncle, Albert. It was clear that he played a very intimate role in Louis’s and his Ma’s life, as he lived with them, helped … Continue reading The Fascinating, but Unfortunate Life, of Uncle Albert →

How Do Experiences During Adolescence Shape Us As Adults?

A question about adolescence in literature that I pose is how would the adolescent characters in the literature be represented as adults? How would they be shown maturing into adults and how would their experiences as an adolescent help shape them? As we know, adolescence is a time for a person to figure out who … Continue reading How Do Experiences During Adolescence Shape Us As Adults? →

Who Deserves Our Compassion?

Adolescence is often seen as the transition from childhood to adulthood. But tragedy strikes and some adolescents do not make it to adulthood. There are many examples of stories adolescents or children who passed away before reaching their adult years. There is almost an obsession with these types of heart wrenching stories. In this class, … Continue reading Who Deserves Our Compassion? →

Defining Adolescence

Julien Gruber Through this semester, we have read texts that depict the passage of girls growing up and becoming young women in a variety of contexts and time periods. We have seen Charlotte Temple in the 18th century, the girls of the Lowell Offering in the early 19th century, Jane McKeene in the post civil … Continue reading Defining Adolescence →

I Dreamed a Dream: Adolescent Girls and Abandonment

When reading Charlotte Temple, I noticed how familiar it seemed to me to the musical Les Miserables. The musical takes place during various points in time in the 18th century, including the French Revolution. The main character is Jean Valjan, a former prisoner who is seeking redemption for his former life of crime. Another main … Continue reading I Dreamed a Dream: Adolescent Girls and Abandonment →

Sexuality & Beauty of the Teen Girl

Looking back on the books we have read this semester, I noticed that idea of sexuality being what the introduction into womanhood is, specifically in Anya’s Ghost and The Lowell Offering: Writings by New England Mill Women. This is definitely a theme we see in the media with the sexualization of teenage girls, which leads … Continue reading Sexuality & Beauty of the Teen Girl →