Red River Book Review
Instructions:-
The first part of this assignment will be an analysis of the author. Who is she? What is her background? How many books has she written? On what topics? Do you see a pattern? What do the critics say? Who are the critics? Anyone we should pay special attention to? Is the author faithful to the historic subject? In what ways does she succeed or fail? Can we trust what she says? Why or why not?
The second element is the writing itself. How is the story written? Is it effective? In what ways? Discuss how the author handles suspense, intrigue, humor, pathos. Does the story move fluidly? How so? Does the story lag? In what ways does the author’s writing style draw you deeper and deeper into the story? Do you care about the characters? Why or why not? If you do care about the characters, how did the author win you over? When I say care, I don’t mean do you like them. A rather repulsive character can have its attractions as well. I also want you to explore the mood of each story and whether the mood they project works. An author has to capture you within the first few chapters or the reader puts it down and never returns. I want you to explore the elements of the writing to see if it works for you. You need to look at how the author writes. First Person? Third Person? Think about the times being discussed; does the writing style reflect the times? How so?
As you read the book, I want you to look for specific themes. Themes are broad umbrellas of thought such as courage, trust, humility, forgiveness or any number of other topics. As you read the book, I want you to look for examples to back up your themes. For instance you might pick courage. In your paper you will indicate that courage is one of the major themes. You will back that up by saying “An example of courage in Red River is found on page 6 where Homer stands up to his father for the first time. You will flesh that out with information on why you felt that was courageous with a little background on who Homer is and what his relationship with his father was all about. You might give some insights into the background of his father. I want three or four examples for each theme and I want at least three themes.
Once you have discussed the themes within the book, I want you to bring those themes into the twenty-first century and discuss how those themes play out in our own current culture. You can use personal examples if you wish but make sure to use two or three examples for each theme.
Remember that this is your book review so I want to hear your voice in this paper. I want to hear your personality. Remember that this is a professional essay so slang and bad grammar has no place in this assignment but I want the paper to sound as though you are speaking to the reader. Imagine you are telling a friend about this terrific book and you want to spark their interest in the story. I also want relevance. How do the topics discussed in this story reflect situations in your own world? Then lastly I want your personal reflections on how this book changed you and your perceptions. What did you learn from this book? Did it change how you thought about the circumstances in the South? Tell about your previous assumptions or beliefs and how all of that changed. If it did not change your attitude about the subject, why do you think that is? Did the story motivate you to make changes in your own life and in the world around you? How will you make a difference?
Solution
Red River Book Review
Lalita Tademy is a renowned author who has been named among the bestselling authors of all time due to the commendable work that she did in the three historical novels that she authored. Among the books, she has authored the Cane River which has been translated into more than 11 languages and set the debut for his career. The Cane River became significantly recognized that it was picked up as the assigned reading for all first-year students as of 2015. Her second novel was Red River which is under analysis in this paper followed by her third novel Citizens Creek which was published recently in 2014. An analysis of her works clearly illustrates that she tries to bring to light the diverse challenges that have been existence over the years which are aimed at creating a perspective on how the world has evolved.
Given the fact that her books have been among the best sellers of recent times, it is inevitable to note that she has received positive critics based on the approach that she takes in addressing the diverse factors that she evaluates in her novels. Given the positive criticism that her books have received, it is correct to state that her books can be trusted since all claims that she makes are backed up by credible evidence which cannot be disputed. Based on the effort that she has put in validating her claims, it is correct to state that she has been faithful to the historical subjects addressed (Tademy, 2015).
Through an evaluation of the book, it is inevitable to state that stability is among the important themes that the author tries to reveal about the book. Based on the setting of the book, it is evident that the novel portrays a time in history where the world was in significant conflict since civilization had not taken place (Pickering, Baker & Kimberlin, 2012). To guarantee that each family was stable and that peace would be forthcoming, there was a need to significantly work together as a society to work towards a similar objective. As such, it is evident through the significant effort that the author puts in illustrating how the two families in the fiction story are determined to work together to establish a place for themselves in what is seemingly a divided nation.
Another theme that is portrayed is courage. Through analyzing the setting at the time, it is inevitable to note that member of the American community particularly the whites were determined to guarantee that the blacks did not achieve equal rights in a land that they were viewed as inferior beings. Regardless of this opposition, the African American community worked relentlessly to fight for their rights. This is because it only through rebellion that they would have acquired equal rights which would have guaranteed their participation in activities that had been restricted to the whites. Such rights included the right to own property, the right to control how they live their life, and the right to vote. Throughout the opposition that they faced, they had the courage to fight for what they believed in, and despite the failure that may be evident on their part, they significantly contributed to the equality that the modern society enjoys. Perseverance is also a theme that is exhibited through the book. Evidently, by the fact that irrespective of the lack of support that they had and the constant overwhelming of their efforts to acquire their objectives, they did not stop to fight. They are because they understood that despite the challenges they encountered, they were fighting for a cause that would determine the life that members of the black community will live in future.
Through analyzing the diverse themes that have been highlighted in the paper, it is inevitable to note that they have played a significant role in shaping the modern society. Being a diverse person, I fail to understand the logic that existed behind the hate and racism that existed at the time (Pickering, Baker & Kimberlin, 2012). I believe that despite the differences that may exist among individuals from various cultures, there is a need to guarantee that there is equal treatment. Irrespective of the various challenges that the people during the historical time that is under analysis endured, the need to fight for one’s rights is inevitable. Despite the book being fiction, it does a considerable job in evaluating the historical perspective of the diverse fights that were fought to put an end to the difference that people had during historical times as different races struggled to be superior (Tademy, 2015).
The book is also significant in the essence that it elaborates history through an interesting perspective which is easier to understand. This is unlike historical studies that may be too complex to understand resulting in the misinterpretation of information. The book has had a significant impact in my life through helping me to have a clearer perspective of the events that took place in the south (Tademy, 2015). It has also played a substantial role in giving me insight on the need to be more diverse since being reserved is what contributed to the civil wars that resulted in the death of numerous people.
References
Pickering, L. K., Baker, C. J., & Kimberlin, D. W. (2012). Red Book, (2012). American Academy of Pediatrics.
Tademy, L (2015). Red River. Headline.