21st Century Literature discussion

Here is for a discussion of the entire book. A few questions to hopefully spur discussion below, but please bring up any aspects of the book you thought were interesting.

What did people think of Dawn and her journey? What did you think of her family and other characters? Throughout the book there's a "marriage plot" thread involving Willett, which comes to the front toward the end. Willett comes from a place that's very different from Dawn's rural background, what do you think Willett's purpose was in the book?

Regarding Trampoline, Gipe said

"The sound of people telling one another stories is the most precious sound in the world. Trying to catch that sound on the page is my favorite part of writing. Most of my favorite writing—Flannery O'Connor's stories, the novels of Richard Price and Charles Portis—seems to me written by ear."

The influence of these writers is clear in Tampoline. Did the book seem "written by ear"? Did his style, or Dawn's character, remind you of any other writers?

I wasn't sure what to expect of this book going into it, but I found Dawn utterly charming and believable. The voice reminded me a little bit of George Saunders, but that may just be because I've read him more recently than O'Connor. Really wonderful balance between humor and absolute horror/tragedy in this book. I also went into it with a little concern over the balance between drawing and text--would it become overly reliant on one over the other, or would one take away from the other. This concern proved entirely unfounded. How did others feel about both the artwork itself and how it was woven into the narrative?

I was pretty taken with dawn as well. I can see the resemblance to some Saunders, maybe it's the somewhat faux light-hearted way characters describe things that really aren't so light-hearted.

I could certainly see some of Mattie from True Grit in her character. And some O'Connor-like speech, especially in the way characters interject the laconic "Do what?" when something shocking is expressed. I haven't read enough Richard Price to comment, but this makes me want to read more.

I agree with Mark that Dawn has some Mattie from True Grit (one of my favorite books) in her. I loved Dawn's spunk, but wished she was less driven by her emotions. She does better when she takes time to think. I like the illustrations and how the dialogue in them has to be read or you miss something.

LindaJ^ wrote: "She does better when she takes time to think. ..."

Are there any teenagers this doesn't apply to? (Well, maybe not Mattie).

Compared to the actions of her family and school friends, Dawn kept it together better than most would. I think she needed her lapses to stay sane. It seemed most of her outrageous behavior was related to escape - stealing cars, jumping off cliffs, even punching her brother. It's certainly no accident that the first illustration is Dawn declaring "I had had my fill of Canard County".

What did you think of her more supportive family members? Her Grandmother certainly tried to push her in particular directions, especially when Dawn started working for Hubert, but everyone else went more with just being there for her. Even so, I thought her family's love for Dawn showed clearly through their typical laconicism.

How do you think Dawn, or her family, could have done better for her?

No doubt Dawn's family loved her. Her Grandmother was certainly the person with the clearest thinking. Dawn's mother may have loved her but she certainly did not act in Dawn's or even her own best interests. Aren't mothers supposed to think of their children first? Dawn did act like a teenager but her life wasn't one that left space for that. Her mother's sister tried to help her but Dawn insisted she had to go back but why? Who did it help for her to return home?

We often talk about education being a possible vehicle for reducing poverty, but I think we underestimate the kind of gravitational pull families have, even if it's most negative and the people trying to escape know that. There comfort in the known even when it's bad and dysfunctional families not only harm certain members, but they seem to act like extra weight for any member who might experience minor success or be making inroads toward a better life--this novel seems to illustrate such circumstances brilliantly. Not all the family is bad, but there are a lot of obstacles to overcome and the biggest one is often one's own self.

I read the one negative interview and I did actually feel while I was reading the book that certain stereotypes that I held in my head were being confirmed, but I didn't feel like that's all the book presented--it's like a different country almost when Dawn stays with her aunt.

Marc you are right about it being a different world with June. She may be the most positive role model. She got away but still remains part of the family. Education alone cannot break the bonds except for a very few for all the reasons you say and probably a few more. Dawn has two positive role models - her grandmother and her aunt - and she's smart and she still cannot move on. Kids that can break out of the cycle seem rare.

We still talk about he idea of people bootstrapping themselves out of poverty, but the fact is that society doesn't always allow for that movement. The US has seen a steady decline in upward mobiliity since the 40's, and has the highest economic inequality and lowest social mobility of countries with comparative wealth. I think if you asked most economists what the barrier to improvement was today, they would point to economic and societal barriers, not lack of individual determination (despite what social Darwinists and Objectivists may claim).

There's always stories of determined people managing to go from dirt poor to successful, but those are the rare exceptions, and becoming rarer. Advice like "stay in school and don't do drugs" isn't really a viable escape plan any more. In addition, as you both pointed out, bonds to family aren't always easy or desirable, to cast off.

I agree that upward mobility has become harder and that the economic inequality in the US is astounding. But I'm not talking about economic upward mobility, although I suspect it has a connection. It seems to me that Dawn's immediate family had a healthier lifestyle before her father was killed on the job. I'm curious about why Dawn's mother seems to have just given up when that happened, with little apparent thought to want that was doing to her children. How does a mother fall so far as to steal her child's first pay to buy drugs?

I've known enough addicts to know that while they feel bad about stealing from friends, family, and strangers, the pull of the addiction is stronger than other bonds.

There's more than a passing connection between income inequality and how addiction is dealt with as well. We tend to treat addiction in poor communities as a moral failing, while in wealthier ones its more likely to be seen as the disease it is, and more resources are available for treatment.

Environment certainly plays a role in addiction. My guess for how Dawn's mother would fall so low would be Hubert playing a large part in her life after Dawn's father died.