Hooked on YA books 2015 discussion

Ellen, the protagonist in "Ellen Foster," experiences tension in her friendship with Starletta. This tension, albeit a function of the culture of the 1970s, is twofold for Ellen: her own racial prejudice stultifies the growth of her friendship with Starletta and continues to render Ellen alone. In the beginning of the novel, Ellen really does want to be friends with Starletta, but the entrenched racism of her family and her community do not allow for such occurrences. I think that Ellen subconsciously blames her family for preventing the cultivation of a friendship with someone to whom she felt a true closeness, which then contributes to her feelings of acute oppression and misfortune. By the end of the novel, though, after reconnecting with Starletta, Ellen is able to step outside of the stronghold of her own bleak narrative that governed her conception of Starletta. The closing sentences of the book read: "I came a long way to get here but when you think about it real hard you will see that old Starletta came even farther ... And all this time I thought I had the hardest row to hoe." Ellen's friendship with Starletta began as a tension of its very own - a conflict, an act of defiance - and ended not only with insightful resolve and introspection, but as a microcosmic example of Ellen's optimism for her future after her emergence from a heretofore tragic life.

Ellen Foster tells the story of a young woman who, after the death of her mother from an overdose of her medication, and abuse at the hands of her alcoholic father, goes to live with her grandmother (her mama’s mama) where she is subject to psychological and physical abuse. She then goes to live with her Aunt and cousin who continue the cycle of emotional abuse. Ellen is faced with having to handle imposed social situations (namely, who has a right to govern her and where she lives) that are beyond her control. Her lack of autonomy over her guardianship situation conflicts with our (the reader’s) desire for her to know that she is loved, valued, and wanted. This is a heartbreaking read so far!