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Finishing Feed turned out to be better than my first impressions of the book. Many of the issues in this book reminded me of Eleanor and Park. They both discussed inequality of wealth and not fitting in to social norms. The characters picked on Eleanor in the same way Violet became ostracized. The relationships of these two characters with a significant other defined and decided their fate at the end. What Eleanor didn’t have at home or too much at school, she had with Park, and eventually, his family, and then her aunt and uncle – support and an environment to thrive in. Eleanor had to constantly be in survival mode until she made it inside her uncle’s house in Minneapolis. Although the story doesn’t confirm what happens to Eleanor and Park’s relationship, we do know that Eleanor ends up ok in the end. In fact, Eleanor’s mom and siblings may have made it to safety, too.

Violet and Titus are a different type of couple than Eleanor and Park. Yes, they are still in a teenage romance. Violet and Titus did not have a chance at happily ever after. Violet did teach Titus more about what a relationship could mean. She also taught Titus that being outside the Feed could be ok. Other than that, Titus wanted to fit in with his friends and more saw Violet as beautiful and less as a person. Titus sometimes even agreed with his friends about Violet’s craziness. Violet’s “illness” is tough for Titus. He had expected a couple of months of fun and it scared him that she imagined them in a lifetime commitment. It scared him further when he learned that she was dying. It is tough on couples who have long-term relationships to go through one of them being terminally ill. Although I thought that Titus could have been more sympathetic, I agreed that it was not fair to assume they wanted the same future.

The missing piece is empathy. Titus finally connected to it when he took on Violet’s memories as if he were Violet. This is not out of the ordinary. As this article here shows, to thrive, humans need more relationships like Eleanor and Park. Not the sappy part. Rather, the openness and willingness to help out and care and be cared for. Without that relationship, Eleanor would have had a different fate by the end of the book. She had gained connections and trust of people on her side. Violet had her dad. When Violet tried to cultivate relationships beyond her dad, she could not connect well to anyone except for a brief time with Titus. The world today seems more like the Feed version than the Eleanor and Park version. People are more interested in connecting with their games or hiding out, for example, then connecting to each other, sappy or not. Studies have proven that there is a relationship between staying healthy to having a strong social circle. I believe we are already at risk until the trend can be reversed.

MAL-adaptive

Reading the second assigned section of Feed (M.T. Anderson), about 75 pages, went faster than the first 150 pages. More of a story developed, especially around and with Violet. It is Titus’ perspective, though, so when it is not dialogue between them the viewpoint is his thoughts and reactions. Much of the story seems to go back and forth between what society wants people to think and do, perpetuated through the feed and especially the trends portrayed by some of Titus’ female friends. 

One trend in particular that seems to be growing are the lesions. When I first read it, I thought it might be equal to acne. As the story has progressed, though, there has been mentions in news reports that lesions are not a reaction to anything. That last part makes me go “hmmmm….” 

Of course, to make it more socially acceptable, movie and TV stars begin to show their lesions, and it becomes trendy. People stop worrying and instead want to show off lesions. It doesn’t stop there. The next trend is some type of surgery to add fake lesions with real cuts. Somehow, having lesions is “sexy,” and one of the girls decides to outdo another and get them all over her body, partially in the hope of attracting a guy. They are all a part of the same social circle and the guy, Link, tends to be an attraction to all of the girls. Even Violet. 

When Violet tells Titus that she felt that attraction at first, even though Link is ugly, Titus doesn’t seem to understand. I like it when they have conversations about those types of topics. Maybe because it seems a little bit more normal than watching images in your head. Of course, that is if they are fully human. As Violet continues to break down the reader learns more about how the feed developed in the first place.

*Star Trek alert* Out of all the Star Trek TV shows, The Next Generation is my favorite. This book reminds me of Data. The difference is that Data looks human and everyone knows he is an android. He did have a brother that had an emotions chip, and that chip made the brother crazy. Data has to learn about the world similar to a child – by asking a lot of questions and then processing the answers. Computer processing, in his case. Data definitely grows as a character.

The characters in Feed are almost more like the Borg, where they begin in one form and assimilate to the group. Violet is the one trying to break this chain, and Titus seems caught. He likes learning what Violet teaches him, yet he wants to be a part of the social norm. Titus is embarrassed or mad about Violet’s outbursts, even though he knows she is broken. Is that a dig at mental illness? Either way, the relationship cannot be perfect anymore. Will they even stay together or be friends? Is this what is meant by “coming into your own?"

To the Moon and Back

Feed, by M.T. Anderson, is the second discussion book for English 1100. The writing for Feed is much different than Eleanor and Park. First, Feed takes place in the future. What I find most interesting is how Anderson portrays the future, and that it does not seem much different from where we are today. Groups of teenagers, for example, go to the moon in the story like they might go to Florida now. Even the reason seems the same – to have a good time, however that is defined.

I found the chats the most fascinating. Communications literally took place in people’s heads. Speaking out loud had become weird, and the characters would even forget that they could speak out loud. Plus, the idea of a feed seems to be constant news and advertising, still inside heads, to complement the thoughts and sights of the characters. Facebook had not been created by the time the book published, yet the interactions reminded me of that. The difference is that the characters signed in because of a chip in their head, so computers and people combined. Does that make these characters human or maybe they are a society of artificial intelligence beings?

While reading Eleanor and Park, I could relate and remember the names of the characters. In Feed, it is more one-dimensional. Maybe because she is the focus of the narrator, the only character who stands out to me is Violet. Violet’s dad saved up for a year so she could go to the moon, and her first experience includes an incident where there is a hacker. Violet is not rich like everyone else, and it took longer for her to be on the Feed, too. Plus, she was taught school at home. Violet’s home is not in its own bubble, either. Instead, her home is with others on the same block, or maybe bigger. Violet is also the one with ideas to mess with the Feed.

The most challenging part to reading this book is that I want it to move faster. The language makes it difficult. I can figure out the context of some of the words, such as “unit,” which seems to be used like “dude.” Overall, I am curious to see how the story will play out.

Social Construction Strikes Again

Along with the final 100 pages or so of Eleanor and Park, the class began a discussion of the social construction of adolescence. According to the material we read, 13 to 19-year-old people have crazy characteristics, such as raging hormones, and it is out of their control and a part of life. The introduction to “Act your Age!” discusses that creating the adolescence category is a way to make those of that age group seem less important and not fully developed. The craziness means that they are not people to be taken seriously. This last point, especially, has been brought up several times during class in regards to Eleanor. When Eleanor calls the police after hearing gun shots, for example, the police officers’ response is to send Eleanor in the house first and not really be concerned about her safety. Also, when Eleanor makes it to her aunt and uncle’s house in Minneapolis, her uncle’s reaction to Eleanor’s story is “What if she is lying?” Although there might be other reasons for either of these examples, the theme seems to point to a 16-year-old not being important because that is not the age of an adult.

As a psychology student, I have thought about development a lot. In child psychology, we discussed puberty versus adolescence, noting that puberty is biological. More than that, though, is what happens naturally in a human’s development, such as crying, walking, or talking. Human development is also dependent on the environment – is there a parent presenting examples and feedback so the child doesn’t constantly swear or is willing to share toys? Based on the child psychology class material, most people do not mature as much as they can do. I used to believe that being a certain age equaled certain characteristics, and this is not true. Relating this to Eleanor and Park, it makes me wonder what Eleanor’s mom’s life was like growing up and why she doesn’t seem to have any family connections outside of a brother long-distance.

Overall, I loved this book and I am glad that Eleanor was able to find more support beyond Park and his parents before the end of the book. This seemed to happen because of the relationship between Eleanor and Park and the fact that there are people who can be trusted and supportive if you let them. 

Not a Girlie Girl

Similar to the first 114 pages of Eleanor and Park, I read the next one hundred pages in one sitting. In fact, I couldn’t wait to get home on Thursday just to be able to read. Books have not been that exciting in a while.

As the story progressed, I liked how Park’s family became more involved. When Park’s mom, Mindy, observed Eleanor with her family at the grocery store, that seemed to remind her of a personal connection. Mindy commented that she knew about having many siblings. From that point on, Park invited Eleanor over with his mom’s approval. Park also had his dad consistently inviting Eleanor to stay for dinner, and insisting that it be considered an open invitation. Park's dad invited Eleanor especially because he knew her step-dad, Richie, and knew it would probably be better to be at their house instead of her own house. I liked this because it took away some of the individual burden Eleanor felt. Eleanor even shared more with Park about her home life.

Is there a price to pay for that support? Park’s mom, Mindy, is a beautician, with their garage as her shop. It is easy to tell that Mindy enjoys what she does for the business and she also enjoys it personally. In fact, her view of females is that they present themselves with makeup on and hair done. Mindy tries to encourage Eleanor with this, promising the makeup will all wash off. Although Eleanor goes along with trying this out, to her it feels fake. This is a difference that really stands out between Eleanor and many of the female characters in the story. I am not stating that it is not fun to dress up sometimes. Society’s expectation, which has not changed much since the 1980’s, is that females be pretty to look at and be available for the male in their life. Eleanor’s mom and step-dad are like this, too. When Eleanor wears what she does, she is presenting herself, which is hard for the other characters to believe or accept. Park constantly comments that Eleanor must be trying to capture attention because of the clothes she wears and what she adds to her hair. We discussed these points regularly in a gender and women’s studies class. Although I am not certain of how to change these norms, like Eleanor, I tend to not use makeup and choose styles to wear because I feel comfortable with them. I have friends who will not walk out of the house without "putting their face on" or doing their hair. Neither are wrong or right, yet there is a social standard. How do you choose presentations of yourself?

photo credit: wickenden Dinner Sunday via photopin (license)
photo credit: S!nny DeadBeat via photopin (license)

Flashback has become Present Tense

It has been a while since I have read a book in the young adult genre. As an adult with more than 10 years past the typical intended audience of 12 to 19-year-olds, I read many books, mostly suggested by a friend who began her librarian career in the youth and teen services area. My friend belonged to committees requiring her to evaluate certain books, and she would pass her suggestions from that list to me. I am sure that " Eleanor & Park," by Rainbow Rowell, would have made it on to my friend’s list if she had remained active with those committees. Like my experience with the previous suggestions, "Eleanor & Park" has been highly engaging.

What I have liked is that Rowell writes from the point of view of both main characters. Even when the characters do not know what the other is thinking, the reader does, and that makes it engaging.

Most of the story, so far, has revolved around the school bus, which is where Eleanor and Park meet. As their relationship expands, the locations shift. However, most of the time the two are at school. Rowell does not show as much of Park’s family life compared to Eleanor’s. Eleanor also has the more protective bubble around herself. The protective bubble is about keeping Park out of Eleanor’s family life as much as keeping him in her fantasy life and giving her someone to think about at home. The bubbles begin to pop, in a sense, as the interactions expand outside of school, which also breaks some of the fantasy. Like Park, I do not know if I would have recognized what Eleanor’s clothing and reactions would have meant at the age of 16. Also, what does it state when the teenager understands more than the parent about what is happening, and yet cannot leave? How can Eleanor survive and what will be the effect on her younger siblings? I see similar signs of Eleanor’s struggle in the neighborhood kids where I live in Kalamazoo, and I wonder the same about them. The story is supposed to take place in 1986, yet in 2017, poverty is not only real, the rate in the United States has increased. I am curious how Rowell’s story will progress even though I want to keep the bubble safe, much like Eleanor does.

No laptop in class

I debated whether to carry my laptop today or not and chose to have a lighter bag. It turned out that I really did (and will) need the computer for every class. Meanwhile, I visited the University computer lab to create this blog and make my first post. This is not my first blog site, either. Thanks for visiting! I will return soon :-)

Stacy