Kelisha Velarde

Engl 112B/ Spring 2011

May 9, 2011

Annotated Bibliography

�Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed�-Anonymous

The difficulties and struggles in our life cannot be avoided, but the manner in which we choose to deal with these situations is our choice. Young adults seem to feel the extent of these situations much stronger than adults; or maybe it is because they are finally old enough to understand and feel the pain and loss they were unable to as children. Whatever the reason, I remember the first time I read a dramatic novel and it impacted me was when I read The House on Mango Street. It was a simple written story with a powerful message. I remember relating to some of Esperanza�s experiences and then finding myself grateful that we did not share them all. This book stayed with me for many years until I purchased it for myself.

Dramatic novels can be a great way to establish a connection between a written work and the readers� personal life. The books offer a world similar to our own where a safe haven can be created and secrets can still be kept, while still allowing us to deal with our demons. The following books are connected in that they share a desperation, feeling of loss, and they all have a different end result. Each individual deals with life differently and it�s important to show the young readers the different ways so they know which road not to choose.

Annotated Bibliography

Asher, Jay. Thirteen Reasons Why . New York: Penguin Group, 2007. Print.

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush, who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life and Clay is one of them. The story is told by both Clay and Hannah so we are able to see Hannah�s grief and isolation; which ties into the feel of being an outcast. It allows the young readers to understand the mindset of a suicidal person, so that they may be more aware of how their actions affect others. The smallest thing can mean so much to somebody and it�s important to understand that.

Bloom, Harold, and Neil Heims. Othello. New York: Bloom's Literary Criticism, 2008. Print.

Othello is classic play of a general who marries Desdemona and becomes entangled in a jealous mans lies. Because he picked Cassio to be his successor and this angers Iago. Iago becomes enraged and uses his wife, Emilia, and Rodrigo to convince Othello his wife is cheating on him. This play is helpful because it allows the readers to see how awful jealousy and lies can be that they may go further than intended.

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Books, 1991. Print.

Young Esperanza is living on Mango Street with her family and any other relatives that fit in her home; she is ashamed of their lifestyle and is embarrassed to be poor. She describes different encounters with the people in her neighborhood and family members. All the while she never feels like she belongs in this family or that this is the lifestyle for her, she always wants more and dreams of the day she can move away from Mango Street. This book is good for young readers who grew up in these situations and feel out of place in school, it establishes a bond. Esperanza has to death with a lot of bad experiences during a time that is already hard enough. She then has to remember who she is and keep hope that she will one day leave Mango Street.

Draanen, Wendelin. Runaway. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2006. Print.

This novel is written as a diary of 12-year-old Holly, who abandons her abusive foster home and lonely existence at school. Holly's writings flip from recaps of her astounding cross-country travels to free-form poetry to musings on her future. The book allows the reader insight into what it really is like to runaway; however, Holly has good reason to run. It shows how abuse can lead to a broken heart and create a spirit yearning for belonging.

Golding, William. Lord of the flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1962. Print.

A group of school boys become stranded on an uncharted island with no adult supervision, which looks like a great vacation, until the realities of their situation become more and more apparent. Golding�s amazing writing allows us to see how savage humans can be and how an outsider, like Simon, can be misunderstood. It is a more cautionary tale of the wickedness man possesses, which should be in the back of peoples minds.

Lyga, Barry. The astonishing adventures of Fanboy & Goth Girl. Boston [Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2006. Print.

"Fanboy," is a smart and sarcastic 15-year-old who dreams of destroying the popular crowd and getting his epic graphic novel published. Along the way, he meets Kyra, a blunt and adventurous "goth girl" who helps him escape the horrors of high school. A lot more lively than some of the other books, Fanboy and Goth Girl, shows how isolation can sometimes create a bond with another outsider. The book demonstrates how sometimes a single friend can make the whole world a better place.

Meyer, Stephenie. New Moon . New York: Little, Brown and Co., 2006. Print.

The sequel to Stephanie Meyer�s Twilight, is a much denser and depressing story of solitude and the importance of a friendship. Edward leaves Bella and leads to an intense depression that seems will never end, until Jacob Black offers his companionship. This story is a great way to show teens how a broken heart or love lost may seem like the end of the world, but it�s not. There will always be someone to help you out, even if its just a simple friendship. Isolation is sometimes a choice.

Rapp, Adam. Under the wolf, under the Dog . Cambridge, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2004. Print.

A story told by Steve from inside a drug rehab institution. Steve is a Gray Grouper at Burnstone Grove, neither a drug addict nor suicidal, but someone who cracked slowly under too many stresses. He lost his mother, and then his brother; through these deaths Steve and his father became more distant. His struggle to find himself is both comical and heartfelt. Steves actions after these deaths are awful, but it allows the reader to see his desperation. This book is a good way to show how different people deal with death and that drugs are not the right way to cope with it.

West, Nathanael. Miss Lonelyhearts ; &, The day of the locust . Reset ed. New York: New Directions, 1969. Print.

An eccentric man named Tod Hackett moves to California in the time of the Great Depression and experiences the reality of Hollywood. He lives in an apartment building where several other unique personalities live and his mind proves be more twisted than normal. This book allows readers to experience the hardships of the Hollywood life and the dangers that come along with it. They can get a sense of how Hollywood lives really are, so that they do not feel bitter about their own.

Yang, Gene. American born Chinese [pbk] . New York: First Second, 2006. Print.

Three seemingly unrelated stories are merged to create an inspiring tale of self acceptance and friendship. The Monkey King, Jin Wang, and Danny all have a problem with their self image and they go to great lengths to be someone else. However, in the end being yourself is the best person you can be. This story is great for young adults who struggle with their self image and feel left out because of their race or physical traits. It allows them to see how important and wonderful it is to be yourself and how a friendship can keep you from losing yourself.