Bridge to terabithia
Critical Analysis: What techniques have been used by these books' creators to engage their audiences - and did they succeed?
Bridge to Terabithia:
The novel, Bridge to Terabithia, written by Katherine Paterson (1977) is an intriguing story about friendship. Paterson's novel is about two children who together use each other’s strength to overcome each of their own weaknesses. Paterson's uses a range of techniques to engage her audience, this including the setting, language, characters and themes. Bridge to Terabithia is an outstanding novel, most suited for children aged from nine till twelve. This is because it deals with situations which children that age may encounter; Paterson was applauded by critics as she created a realistic boy-girl friendship, as people put it "so curiously unsung in literature" Christian Science Monitor (1978, p. B2.)
Bridge to Terabithia is set in countryside Virginia in mid- 1970's. This already is an important factor to take into account. This period of time the social structure of this country was not great. The Vietnam War was close to an end, the nation was slowly dividing with war protest, the civil rights movements, and uncertain economic times.
Themes played a big role in the novel. Such as imagination, friendship and death. Every time Jess and Leslie encounter difficulties in their day to day lives, they run away to their imaginary world of Terabithia. But rather than using this fantasy to get away, they use it to work through their problems. “We need a place," she said, "just for us. It would be so secret that we would never tell anyone in the whole world about it." Jess came swinging back and dragged his feet to stop. She lowered her voice almost to a whisper. "It might be a whole secret country," she continued, "and you and I would be the rulers of it." Paterson (p. 98).
In this novel, friendship is established by the act of giving. It is an important part of Jess and Leslie’s friendship. Friendship in this
Bridge to Terabithia:
The novel, Bridge to Terabithia, written by Katherine Paterson (1977) is an intriguing story about friendship. Paterson's novel is about two children who together use each other’s strength to overcome each of their own weaknesses. Paterson's uses a range of techniques to engage her audience, this including the setting, language, characters and themes. Bridge to Terabithia is an outstanding novel, most suited for children aged from nine till twelve. This is because it deals with situations which children that age may encounter; Paterson was applauded by critics as she created a realistic boy-girl friendship, as people put it "so curiously unsung in literature" Christian Science Monitor (1978, p. B2.)
Bridge to Terabithia is set in countryside Virginia in mid- 1970's. This already is an important factor to take into account. This period of time the social structure of this country was not great. The Vietnam War was close to an end, the nation was slowly dividing with war protest, the civil rights movements, and uncertain economic times.
Themes played a big role in the novel. Such as imagination, friendship and death. Every time Jess and Leslie encounter difficulties in their day to day lives, they run away to their imaginary world of Terabithia. But rather than using this fantasy to get away, they use it to work through their problems. “We need a place," she said, "just for us. It would be so secret that we would never tell anyone in the whole world about it." Jess came swinging back and dragged his feet to stop. She lowered her voice almost to a whisper. "It might be a whole secret country," she continued, "and you and I would be the rulers of it." Paterson (p. 98).
In this novel, friendship is established by the act of giving. It is an important part of Jess and Leslie’s friendship. Friendship in this