Looking at Eleanor and Park through a Youth Lens

                

Adding to the discussion of the books we are reading in class, we learned about a youth lens. The youth lens is a way to analyze the adolescent(s) in our texts. The analysis is divided into five parts: characterization, setting, plot, theme, and metaphor. For today’s post, I am going to look at the characters of Eleanor and Park, from the book with the same title, through the youth lens.

            The first question is how Eleanor and Park are positioned in relation to the adults. Both characters are not taken seriously by adults. Eleanor’s step-dad, Richie, for example, wants full control. The police officers who answer the call do not seem to completely believe Eleanor. At least the gym teacher takes Eleanor seriously when there is evidence because Eleanor’s clothes are literally in the toilet. Park does not meet his dad’s expectations, and is not allowed to get his driver’s license until he can prove he can drive a stick shift. Park’s mom finally sets up the driving test for him. Overall, Park’s parents are the most supportive adults in the story

            The second question involves the setting. Part of the control Richie has over Eleanor, for example, means that when Eleanor is at home she is confined to her bedroom and usually stays on her bed since that seems to be the safest place. Even the bathroom does not work as a relief because there is no door. Eleanor has to be selective about when she bathes, for example. The only relief Eleanor finds is after she begins to feel comfortable at Park’s house, and eventually she lives in Minneapolis with her aunt and uncle. Park is constrained, as mentioned, by his dad. Most of it has to do with the expectations of male characteristics, which is why they do not get along related to driving and when Park wears eye liner.

         

   The plot weaves a love story around the themes of bullying and poverty. The adults mostly seem to accept things as they are on individual levels, especially Eleanor’s mom. Even though she is being abused, Eleanor’s mom sees it as her life and does not even try too much to shield her children from it. What is interesting is that Tina is one of the bullies, yet when Richie is chasing down Eleanor, Tina takes Eleanor’s side. Also, Park decides to drive Eleanor to Minneapolis and he has to convince his father that he means to come back. In other words, although the teens might fight against each other, they still tend to be on the same side as each other, and separate from the adults.

            Finally, the author seems to have specific opinions of how to portray youth. She seems to contrast it most through the character of Eleanor. An example is the comments Eleanor makes about Romeo and Juliet and how silly and unrealistic they are as characters. Another example is how Eleanor tends to go with the flow as far as how she handles bullying. The two main characters seemed like realistic versions of youth, with each of their experiences allowing them to mature in that area.