Sunday, April 5, 2009
Uglies
I really enjoyed this book because I felt that the message it can send to children is very powerful. I liked that the characters were intriguing and that a student could find themselves in the character. I personally liked Tally; she was unsure of herself, but as time went on, she figured out who she really was and made choices based on her, and not of what others thought about her. I think that too many younger students are already preoccupied with how they look. This surge in negative self images is unnecessary and unfortunately this is reinforced by the media. The celebrities we see in magazines have "perfect" bodies, faces and hair. The part that people forget is that these people don't wake up looking like that. It generally takes a team of stylists to put these people together. I have two younger sisters who sometimes have poor body image, and I find myself reminding them that they are perfect just the way they are. You always want something you don't have, so will we ever truly be happy? I hope that the students who read this book step back and question the way they look both at themselves and at others and realize it is our differences that make us beautiful, not the same hairstyle as thirty other girls, or the same shirt as a dozen other boys.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I also liked Tally's character because she faces a dilemma as many of us have. Choosing between something new and unknown or staying with a safe, secure choice. I think Tally was really brave for being able to turn into a pretty at the end of the story in order to save her friend.
ReplyDeleteThis book would be beneficial to middle school aged children to teach them that there is not one definition of perfection and that everyone's flaws should be embraced instead of chastised.
I really enjoyed The Uglies as well. I thought it had a powerful message that was presented in a creative way. Just as you mentioned, in our society, there is such an emphasis on being “perfect” in every way. Young children are so influential and notice everything, so it can be assumed that even kindergarteners and first graders are picking up on the negatives The Uglies tries to point out. I work at an afterschool program with four and five year olds, and there are two little girls who are already getting high lights in their hair. This makes me sad to think that they haven’t even reached the first grade, and they are already being brainwashed into thinking that their hair color could be better if they add expensive, foreign chemicals to change it. While I realize they probably have no idea how much high lights cost, and what the damage it can do to their hair is, but the fact that their parents have let them do it is sickening. I thought that this book would be wonderful to encourage positive body image and remind young readers that they should strive to be unique and think as individuals, instead of the extreme that is exemplified through Tally, Shay and the other main characters. Specifically, I thought Tally’s character could be a role model in many more ways than just eventually wanting to be an individual. She doesn’t let others dictate how she thinks or acts and goes through the same turmoil many adolescents experience. Furthermore, she stands up for what she believes in, and is willing to make personal sacrifices for the people she cares about. I liked how Gretchen mentioned her braveness and agree that it would be more appropriate for middle school aged children. These traits can are all positive and it would be beneficial for any young reader to pin point these and think about reciprocating them in their own day-to-day interactions.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this book the best out of all the books we read, because it shows the true meaning of beauty and that one person may perceive someone or something as beautiful, when someone else may perceive that thing differently. Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder and one must love them self for who they are and be thankful that God made them that way. There are a lot of people out there that have problems with parts of their body and internal problems that keep them from functioning normally. Then theres people out there that are not happy because they are normal and have all these things, but they are just not happy with themselves. I had the artistic response to this and I thought that this was truly a fun book to have it, because there were a lot of different projects and how people perceive them. I did a barbie model of the Pretty town which I think corresponds to people nowadays trying to act and look like Barbies. This of course is not particularly normal and to just work hard, make the best of yourself, be happy with yourself, and love yourself and you will be happy.
ReplyDelete