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Books that are chosen to be read in English class are not always what I would consider to be my favorite books. However, as I have progressed in years, I have begun to learn that, although a book my not appeal to me, that does not mean that the novel lacks greatness. There are all different kinds of books and naturally, different reading levels. There are the Mary Higgins Clark books, that while entertaining, may not have the depth to be considered a masterpiece.
On the other end of the spectrum are the Ernest Hemmingways that are classics because not only are the full of enriching language, style and techniques, but they also make you think. There are specific reasons why a book is chosen for a class to read. There are generally many different things going on in the story. Not necessarily all actions, but emotions and interaction between the characters. The complexity of the characters enrich the content of the book. In A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley, each character begins as your basic stock characters, but then, as layers are taken away, the reader discovers a new part of the character.
Jane Smiley uses a lot of symbolism in her work to emphasize the message. One of the very basic symbolism was the thousand acres itself, the soil and all the many deposits of that soil that went into the water, that eventually became apart of each of the characters. The trickle down effect of this cycle allowed for the great connection between the land and the people that lived on it. Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres tells a dark tale of a corrupt patriarchal society which operates through concealment. It is a story in which the characters attempt to manipulate one another through the secrets they possess and the subsequent revelation of those secrets. In her novel, Smiley gives us a very simple moral regarding this patriarchal society: women who remain financially and emotionally dependent on men decay; those able to break the economic and emotional chains develop as women and as humans.
I have never read a book that made me think as much as this book did. I did not need to have an abusive father, nor be in the same horrible relationships in order to feel as though I related. Reading about a woman with that kind of family, and life, I discovered so much about who I wanted to be, and what I wanted for my life. The main character was exactly what I wanted to avoid.
In addition, the roots of A Thousand Acres can be seen in numerous novels and plays, the most obvious of which is King Lear. I think it would be interesting to read both works and then be able to compare the two... The parallels are too great to ignore. Smiley is successful because she fills in so many of the gaps left open in the play.
She gives us new and different perspectives. In conclusion, I think this book should be taught in an AP English class not only because I enjoyed it so much and think everyone should read it, but also because it has so much merit. There is so much to be discussed. Not only the symbolism and image of the farm, but the diction and syntax are so rich throughout the novel. I think most importantly this book brought a message for the reader. I was so moved by the conviction of that underlying tone that warned me against what life can become.
Quality books that become classics are those that make you think, and A Thousand Acres falls easily into that category. Bibliography:
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Research essay sample on Thousand Acres Patriarchal Society
