I chose this book because i thought that it would be an engaging read that I could relate to and I was right. This book displays many of the problems we see (or for some of us, do not see) on the sidelines of our society. Since Canada is known as a multicultural nation, this book provides an insight into how things such as sexism, segregation, racism and violence play out in life. Even though the book is a fictional piece, its portrayal of these issues makes sense as you read the book; you become able to relate them to real life if you have seen them yourself. For example, in this book (about werewolves) the American pack has many strict rules. It is made up of three main families and the werewolves not from these families but from others and join the Pack are shunned by Pack members and some members that come from the main families don't even bother to hide their derision and disgust at their presence. This scenario is given life in the real world. How many people are killed or shunned because they are different or don't come a specific family or have a specific status? In countries like India, although laws exist worldwide that state that people shouldn't be judged because of status or race, people are constantly hurt or shunned because of status. No status = No respect there at times. Also, in this book, it tells us that the werewolf gene only activate in the male offspring of their kind. All Pack members have children with human females. When children are female, they are allowed to stay with their mother and the father returns to the pack; but, if a boy is born, then he is removed, by force if necessary from the mother, so that there is no chance of anyone finding out about the existence of the werewolves or the supernatural world in general. The fact that only boys have the werewolf gene is a sign of sexism. In the modern world, although the law says that women have the same rights as men, women are often treated as the weaker sex. In physical strength that may be true in most cases, but there are many women who have better emotional control than men who can make decisions with calm minds and focus; and that is only one thing that women can sometimes do better than men. What we have to realize is, each sex has its own strengths and weaknesses. On the topic of segregation, as Canadians we may not see it because our country is so diverse in its culture, but there is segregation everywhere, invisible to our eyes. Take a high school for example, there are the popular kids and then there are the somewhat popular kids and then there are the students (as famously called by the rest) who are dorks or nerds. No group mixes much with the other. Each of these groups can’t help what they are, they were just born that way, yet it seems almost normal to most of us not to see that as a sign of separation. I think that because these issues and more exist in this book it would be an interesting choice of a book. One that challenges the environment we as Canadians live in.
I chose this book because i thought that it would be an engaging read that I could relate to and I was right. This book displays many of the problems we see (or for some of us, do not see) on the sidelines of our society. Since Canada is known as a multicultural nation, this book provides an insight into how things such as sexism, segregation, racism and violence play out in life. Even though the book is a fictional piece, its portrayal of these issues makes sense as you read the book; you become able to relate them to real life if you have seen them yourself.
For example, in this book (about werewolves) the American pack has many strict rules. It is made up of three main families and the werewolves not from these families but from others and join the Pack are shunned by Pack members and some members that come from the main families don't even bother to hide their derision and disgust at their presence. This scenario is given life in the real world. How many people are killed or shunned because they are different or don't come a specific family or have a specific status? In countries like India, although laws exist worldwide that state that people shouldn't be judged because of status or race, people are constantly hurt or shunned because of status. No status = No respect there at times.
Also, in this book, it tells us that the werewolf gene only activate in the male offspring of their kind. All Pack members have children with human females. When children are female, they are allowed to stay with their mother and the father returns to the pack; but, if a boy is born, then he is removed, by force if necessary from the mother, so that there is no chance of anyone finding out about the existence of the werewolves or the supernatural world in general. The fact that only boys have the werewolf gene is a sign of sexism. In the modern world, although the law says that women have the same rights as men, women are often treated as the weaker sex. In physical strength that may be true in most cases, but there are many women who have better emotional control than men who can make decisions with calm minds and focus; and that is only one thing that women can sometimes do better than men. What we have to realize is, each sex has its own strengths and weaknesses.
On the topic of segregation, as Canadians we may not see it because our country is so diverse in its culture, but there is segregation everywhere, invisible to our eyes. Take a high school for example, there are the popular kids and then there are the somewhat popular kids and then there are the students (as famously called by the rest) who are dorks or nerds. No group mixes much with the other. Each of these groups can’t help what they are, they were just born that way, yet it seems almost normal to most of us not to see that as a sign of separation.
I think that because these issues and more exist in this book it would be an interesting choice of a book. One that challenges the environment we as Canadians live in.