I read it as a 5th grader, hated it, then gave it another chance as an adult, and hated it more. Can someone explain the appeal to me?
My main problem is that
A- Large amounts of time will randomly pass and the author will just breeze by it. At several points, it will say things like "She set out the leaves to dry and when she checked on them four moons later, they were dry and she could use them for her house." Like, what? In a survival story especially, where emotions are high and can be a big part of the story it seems like bad writing for the author to just skim by it like it was nothing. What did she do in that time? What were her emotions like? Literally years pass like it's nothing. It seems weird.
B- it talks to little about the main characters actual feelings, at least not in a normal human way. In the beginning, her younger brother brutally dies and she seems unaffected by it, or like the grief was simply badly written. Like nothing bad had ever happened to the author. Is this just bad writing or what? I don't get it, even taking into account the style and time period.
C- The plot is empty and unexciting. For a survival story, it's not gripping AT ALL. It's bland and uncoordinated and just… empty. I don't get the point.
So I guess, in conclusion, I just don't understand why it is regarded as such a classic and a must-read. The writing style is not that great and there are so many other better books out there. I don't even really know what the book is supposed to teach people. I'm open-minded, so explain to me why I'm wrong or why you agree.
by RayeMcLaughlin
6 Comments
It’s not meant to be a thrilling adventure tale.
It’s a tale of isolation and resignation for a woman who ultimately died alone with no one left who spoke her language.
It’s a quiet, contemplative reflection on memory.
It’s meant to be an emotionally subdued.
Naturally, there are valid criticisms of it given that its a 1960s book about Indigenous life. People sometimes debate how authentically it represents Nicoleño culture. However, there are plenty of books that I don’t like, but I don’t write them off as bad writing because the stylistics don’t resonate with me.
It’s partially written to reflect Indigenous oral traditions and timekeeping…
So yes, time would often be organized by lunar cycles or “when the salmon return” or “after the winter storms”.
P.S. She lived on that island for 18 years and it’s a short, simple book. In that context, time skips and seasons melting into years makes sense to me.
Well, first of all, its a childrens book.
Also, all books don’t have to appeal to everyone!
It’s not an adventure or survival story really. It’s more of a reflection taking place in a remote location.
It’s a children’s book man
It’s okay not to like books, sometimes the story structure, (sub)genre, prose, etc., is just not for us.
This book is meant to appeal to kids, not even young-adult level. So the impact of trauma, survival, etc., is going to be somewhat subdued if for no other reason than thinking about how to promote those ideas while keeping the reading level very low (both in terms of vocab, but also the ideas themselves).
Misc Thoughts:
I think my biggest “ah ha” moment as I’ve gotten older is differentiating between something that is “bad” and something that does not appeal to me.
Like, I’m not a huge fan of sex scenes in books, particularly graphic ones. It just ends up being distracting. But that doesn’t mean that an entire genre of writing is “bad” just because it has those things. Similarly, I love weird fiction, which often leaves major plot elements ambiguous, if not a total mystery. I can see how that would be frustrating for folks who prefer mysteries (or mysterious elements) be wrapped up more, but again, that doesn’t make that genre bad, it just doesn’t appeal to them.
I’ve also noticed, in myself and others, that our enjoyment (or lack) in art so often stems from mismatched expectations. If you got into this expecting a somewhat realistically portrayed tale of survival, you were going to be disappointed.
Finally, stealing from YouTube god Big Joel, “Beautiful Mountain Syndrome.” The idea that “all art would be better with more beautiful mountains*, but that doesn’t mean art without them is “bad” or worse as a result.
*in this case, referring to something you wish was in the story but was not; even if it’s something that would be more or less objectively considered good by people, it’s absense is not necessarily a failing of the art.
It’s a story about someone living totally alone. Not all stories are exciting plot driven adventures. It is also a fictionalized account of a real woman, told in a way that children can understand. It is about survival, yes, but not like shipwreck or plane crash survival. Survival of someone who knew the land but now has to do the work of life alone. The little adaptations, the danger of other people, and the small amount of animals on the island.
A- I don’t really understand the complaint here. It’s not Bear Grylls style story about surviving a couple of overnights. I’m not sure why your subjective preference for a granular narrative should be what determines whether or alter atives are good or not.
B- Maybe not having a strong emotional reaction is a survival skill. She’d already lost everyone else in her life. She may have been prepared for the inevitability of Ramo’s (?) death. The grief may just be obvious to you but maybe reread the section where she wants to kill the wild dog pack leader and what happens afterwards.
C- well, ok then. I don’t know that any book is a “must read”. Not all classics are for everyone. There are plenty of excellent books out there that I’ve read but haven’t particularly liked.
To you the plot is empty and unexciting. I disagree. I think quite a bit happens, and the main character (forget her name, it’s been probably 30 years) changes significantly. She’s constantly forced to learn new skills and respond to new challenges. After she figures out day to day survival, she still faces disaster events, the return of humans, and retain some sense of self.
There’s no rule that survival fiction needs to do things you’re asking for to be “good”. Those are simply your preferences.