This draft must include scholarly journals references on Young Adult Literature or Adolescent Literature by Nilsen, Chapter – Historical Fiction, to support the argument?
Revised to meet the instructions and include the 2 questions as required?
See: Text Book; Literature for Todays Young Adults, chapter8, historical fiction, Alleen Nilsen
The Aspect of Adolescent Responsibility
Lurie Anderson in her book centers on the aspect of adolescent responsibility both learned from the main characters, Matilda Cook, and Eliza, a subordinate in the coffee shop, who serves as emulation from older characters in the book. She insinuates that responsibility is the fact that one has come of age and has the capacity to make independent decisions that yield to good and helpful actions in their own lives and that of others in the society. The following are instances where the author brings out the aspect of responsibility;
Matilda cook from her tender age is responsible to the extent of taking part in the daily tasks at the coffee shop which her family owns. Mattie tends the garden from which the family and the coffee shop gets food, washes the floors of the coffee shops without having to be instructed by anybody and dusted the tables at the family enterprise (Laurie, 12). Further, the young girl cleans the benches and figures out the bills of customers at the coffee shop (Laurie, 12). Although she avoided chores in her daily life she had the ambition of making the coffee shop the best place in their little town.
Another pointer to the aspect of adolescent responsibility is where Matilda Cook learns that her mother's weakness is as a result of the fever. She is capable of now recognizing the efforts and her mother's love towards her who she silently vows to emulate in her life (Laurie, 46). She cares for her ailing mother upon realizing her value and the fact that she wished her the best in life (Laurie, 68).
When thieves came to rob their family coffee shop hitting her aged grandfather, Matilda was responsible enough to stand up for her grandfather by hitting the intruder with her grandfather's sword (Laurie, 145).
When a life-threatening fever comes, teenaged Mattie escapes from the fever infested town to some other town so as not to contract the malady. This is a seemingly difficult task for her as she has to take care of her grandfather who she flees the town with upon the insistence of her mother (Laurie, 148). Her grandfather was ailing at the time and had to be assisted to walk; Matilda was up to the task and was able to see their movement to a safer place (Laurie, 152). The worst situation is when her grandfather succumbs to the fever and Mattie has to take care of his body and bury him in a dignified way (Laurie, 154).
The aspect of responsibility is further brought clear when Mattie where Matilda advances from a child to a strong woman. Mattie was a soft young girl who always had to be fed and pushed to work all the time (Laurie, 11). As the book advances she turns out to be a strong and responsible woman who took after her mother (Laurie, 215). The difficulties and the harsh reality of life coupled with lessons from her mother had transformed her into a mature woman who could make sound personal decisions and pursue her own ways in life (Laurie, 215).
Towards the end of the novel, Matilda Cook returns to her native town once the fever had abated where she assumed even more responsible decisions. First, she resolved to continue with the family business in spite of constant attacks (Laurie, 214). What was even greater was when she took Eliza to be her partner despite Eliza being black. Blacks were treated with disregard in the times of the novel (Laurie, 215). Secondly, Mattie and Eliza embarked on helping Nell and Eliza's two nephews who had fallen sick to get better (Laurie, 226).
With regards to adolescents having people to emulate in the aspect of responsibility, the novel had three more parties that were responsible enough to be copied from. First, Mattie copied a lot from her mother, Lucile. She was a strong woman who was envisioned as hardworking and one who wished the best for her daughter (Laurie, 46). In fact, she was even plotting for her daughter's marriage to a man she believed was the best for her (Laurie, 48). She took the resolve to convince her daughter to flee the fever infected town to a town that was safer for her and her grandfather out of care and responsibility (Laurie, 65).
Another person to be emulated by adolescents when developing the aspect of responsibility was Matilda's grandfather. He had retired from the military and later worked in Bush hill hospital; these are responsibilities he had carried out with passion and diligence. The old man was mindful of the welfare of his daughter and taught her military exercises (Laurie, 79). These lessons must be the ones Mattie applied to save him from the attacking robbers in the coffee shop. He also made sure Mattie received treatment when she was taken ill.
There are two types of professionals who are responsible enough to be emulated by adolescents with respect to the aspect of responsibility. These are; (a) the workers of the town council of Pembroke who prevented immigrants into their towns who could have spread the fever to the town and, (b) Mr. Flagg, the nurse who treated Matilda until she was well again.
Works Cited
Anderson, Laurie Halse. Fever 1793. Simon and Schuster, 2011.
Hyssop2016
ANALYSISPAPERASSIGNMENTREBOOT.docx
0
