Review: "Will Grayson, WIll Grayson"
“Will Grayson, Will Grayson” is a novel by David Levathin and John Green. I must admit, I was hoping for “Looking for Alaska 2: Bloody Ice”, nonetheless, I was pleased by this text.
My classmate Heather Olson already provided an excellent description of the plot. I found the idea that catalyzes and propels the plot, two individuals with the same name living in different places sharing similar experiences, to be riveting. Moreover, I think that this is something students will grapple onto, I can picture a student excitedly reflecting on, “if there’s another Johnny/Jane Doe, somewhere far away, [and] what their life is like; who are they; etc.”. As the novel unfolds, we learn more about each Will Grayson, one whose friend Tiny is a subject in his own right, and another who is exploring the dangerous world of online relationships. As these two experience a complicated modern world, and find themselves in relation to their and others understanding of sexuality, we watch as these two draw closer—emotionally, psychologically, metaphorically, and geographically.
The text meets most of the criteria. The YA viewpoint(s) is preserved throughout and paramount to the novel. Moreover, the YA’s are themselves the focus of the novel, parents and adults are predominantly absent. The pacing, themes, mise-en-scène, and vernacular are all indicative of and authentic to a YA audience. While the use of vulgarity may attract students, at first for the wring reasons, it often succeeds both in showing them the ridiculousness of YA’s overabundant swearing, and provide a sense of authenticity and believability to the characters’ dialogue.
The novel takes the reader into the mind and/or world of the LGBTQ young adult. While I have read texts with similar themes, few succeed in illustrating the relationship between our ever-advancing society and the LGBTQ community. Specifically, the novels use of Internet communication to elaborate on and, at times, emphasize how the Internet serves to offer both a place of solace for these individuals and an opportunity for deceit, manipulation, and tragedy.
The novel does, however, present the usual problems. Not all parents may want their child reading this novel for a variety of reasons. The themes of homosexuality, sexual practice and curiosity, vulgarity, etc. are each a point of contention in their own right. However, I will only say that without education about diversity, individuals become bigoted and biased toward anything different. Ignorance is the father of prejudice.
The character “Tiny” does, as my classmate noted, present the personification of the archetypal homosexual-male stereotype. In many ways, I saw “Tiny” as an adaptation and/or repackaging of the gay, male character Damien from Tina Fey’s film “Mean Girls”. While this individual does reflect the usual stereotypes, these stereotypes are based on tropes and commonalities that do exist in said community; that is, most stereotypes have at least a minimal degree of truthful basis. Not all, or most, Gay men are effeminate, or musical lovers. However, I have met multiple Gay men who are effeminate and many of my school’s Drama department staff and students are openly homosexual—does this make them any less individualistic; does this mean stereotypes should be accepted; are they merely casting themselves as stereotypes? I’m not sure. However, the novel presents an opportunity to explore the issue of stereotypes, prejudice, etc. in the best possible environment—a classroom.
My classmate Heather Olson already provided an excellent description of the plot. I found the idea that catalyzes and propels the plot, two individuals with the same name living in different places sharing similar experiences, to be riveting. Moreover, I think that this is something students will grapple onto, I can picture a student excitedly reflecting on, “if there’s another Johnny/Jane Doe, somewhere far away, [and] what their life is like; who are they; etc.”. As the novel unfolds, we learn more about each Will Grayson, one whose friend Tiny is a subject in his own right, and another who is exploring the dangerous world of online relationships. As these two experience a complicated modern world, and find themselves in relation to their and others understanding of sexuality, we watch as these two draw closer—emotionally, psychologically, metaphorically, and geographically.
The text meets most of the criteria. The YA viewpoint(s) is preserved throughout and paramount to the novel. Moreover, the YA’s are themselves the focus of the novel, parents and adults are predominantly absent. The pacing, themes, mise-en-scène, and vernacular are all indicative of and authentic to a YA audience. While the use of vulgarity may attract students, at first for the wring reasons, it often succeeds both in showing them the ridiculousness of YA’s overabundant swearing, and provide a sense of authenticity and believability to the characters’ dialogue.
The novel takes the reader into the mind and/or world of the LGBTQ young adult. While I have read texts with similar themes, few succeed in illustrating the relationship between our ever-advancing society and the LGBTQ community. Specifically, the novels use of Internet communication to elaborate on and, at times, emphasize how the Internet serves to offer both a place of solace for these individuals and an opportunity for deceit, manipulation, and tragedy.
The novel does, however, present the usual problems. Not all parents may want their child reading this novel for a variety of reasons. The themes of homosexuality, sexual practice and curiosity, vulgarity, etc. are each a point of contention in their own right. However, I will only say that without education about diversity, individuals become bigoted and biased toward anything different. Ignorance is the father of prejudice.
The character “Tiny” does, as my classmate noted, present the personification of the archetypal homosexual-male stereotype. In many ways, I saw “Tiny” as an adaptation and/or repackaging of the gay, male character Damien from Tina Fey’s film “Mean Girls”. While this individual does reflect the usual stereotypes, these stereotypes are based on tropes and commonalities that do exist in said community; that is, most stereotypes have at least a minimal degree of truthful basis. Not all, or most, Gay men are effeminate, or musical lovers. However, I have met multiple Gay men who are effeminate and many of my school’s Drama department staff and students are openly homosexual—does this make them any less individualistic; does this mean stereotypes should be accepted; are they merely casting themselves as stereotypes? I’m not sure. However, the novel presents an opportunity to explore the issue of stereotypes, prejudice, etc. in the best possible environment—a classroom.
Here is a website of individuals responses to the novel, especially the character Tiny--http://willgraysonwillgrayson.tumblr.com/
An interesting interview with the authors--
http://shelf-life.ew.com/2010/04/19/qa-will-grayson-will-grayson-authors-john-green-and-david-levithan/
An interesting interview with the authors--
http://shelf-life.ew.com/2010/04/19/qa-will-grayson-will-grayson-authors-john-green-and-david-levithan/
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