Bridge to Terabithia (novel)
| File:Bridge to Terabithia.gif 1987 Reprint Edition | |
| Author | Katherine Paterson |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Donna Diamond |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | 1977-10-21 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 144 pp (hardcover edition) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-690-01359-0 (hardback edition) Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
Bridge to Terabithia is a work of children's literature about two lonely children who create a magical forest kingdom. Written by Katherine Paterson, it was first published in 1977, and won the Newbery Medal in 1978. It tells the story of fifth grader Jesse Aarons, who befriends new girl Leslie Burke when he loses a race to her. In 2007, a film with the same name, based upon the book, was released.
Plot summary
Template:Spoiler Jesse Aarons Jr., the only boy in a family of five children, is a middle child, living in rural southwest Virginia. His mother favors his sisters Brenda, Ellie, May Belle, and Joyce Ann, while his father works in Washington D.C. and doesn't have much time for him. May Belle, the second youngest sister, looks up to Jesse and admires him. Leslie Burke, an only child along with her wealthy parents who are both writers, just moved to this area in an attempt to start a new life.
Jesse has been training all summer for a race, but the race is won by Leslie, despite the fact that the race is for "boys only." Both children are loners who don't fit in with their peers at school; Jesse is intensely interested in art but his father disapproves, and Leslie's family does not practice a religion or own a television set. The two soon become close friends. Jesse shares his secret love of drawing with Leslie; Leslie shares with Jesse her love of fantasy stories. With this new friendship, the two children create an imaginary kingdom in the woods near their homes, accessible only by a rope swing over a creek. They create the imaginary kingdom of Terabithia together, and name themselves King and Queen where they spend every day after school. In Terabithia they are able to work out their fears of the real world: fears such as the 7th grade bully Janice Avery.
Jesse has a crush on his young music teacher, Ms. Edmunds, and would do anything to be with her. The central crisis occurs when Jess accompanies Ms. Edmunds to the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., and Leslie goes to Terabithia alone. The rope breaks as she is swinging over the rain-swollen creek, and she hits her head on a rock. Though a good swimmer, Leslie falls into the creek and drowns. Jesse can overcome his grief only with the strength and courage that his friendship with Leslie has given him.
Jesse attempts to deal with his grief by going back to Terabithia and traveling over the tree bridge to search for Leslie. As he is searching, he hears a cry for help and thinks [hopes] that it is "Leslie" and that she is still alive. However, he finds his younger sister, May Belle, calling for help. She was trying to get to Terabithia too by climbing on the tree bridge over the river but got stuck in the middle. He helps her out.
As Mr. and Mrs. Burke are leaving, Jesse asks if he can take some of their wooden planks by their shed. They say he may have anything left over from the house and he goes down to Terabithia to build a bridge. After he finishes the bridge he takes May Belle over it with him to tell her about Terabithia and makes her the new princess of Terabithia. Template:Endspoiler
Characters
- Jesse Oliver Aarons Jr. - An artistic boy, fearful of doing courageous things. But through Terabithia, Leslie gives him courage. Jesse is extremely angry and depressed before Leslie comes into his life. Even when they are together, he is still distressed. By the end of the book, he learns to let go of his frustration.
- Leslie Burke - A smart, talented, and outgoing girl. Her talents include gymnastics, creativity, swimming, cheerleading, and running. Jesse Aarons thinks highly of her, and they are best friends. She is not socially accepted by the other students in the new school she is attending.
- May Belle Aarons - Jesse's seven year old sister who worships Jesse and thinks very highly of him. She is the only one of Jess's four sisters who he can seem to stand.
- Brenda & Ellie Aarons - These are Jesse's older obnoxious sisters, they attend the local high school and are very stuck up. They usually manage to avoid work and getting money for unnecessary things. They often like to pick on Jesse. Brenda and Ellie make fun of Jesse's artistic abilities. Brenda in particular is pudgy and has trouble knowing when to stop complaining.
- Janice Avery - The school bully at Lark Creek. Is obese in appearance and very offended when people tease her of it. She also has a crush on Willard Hughes.
- Miss Edmunds - The somewhat unconventional music teacher whom Jesse fancies very much.
Origin
Katherine Paterson spent a period of her life living in Takoma Park, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C.[1][2]. The inspiration for the novel draws from a tragic event that occurred on August 1974 when a friend of Paterson's son David, Lisa Hill, was struck by lightning at a beach and killed[3][1][2].
A tree dedicated to the girl who died is planted in memorial outside of Takoma Park Elementary School, a local elementary school for Pre-K to 2nd grade. A creek that runs through Takoma Park, Sligo Creek, possibly served as further inspiration[1][2].
Controversy
Because of the novel's content it has been the frequent target of censors and appears on the American Library Association list of the 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000 at number nine.[4]
The censorship attempts stem from death being a part of the plot,[5][6] Jess' frequent use of the word "lord" outside of prayer,[7] and concerns that the book promotes secular humanism and New Age religions, occultism, Satanism,[8][7] and for accusations of sexual content.[9]
The book is studied in English studies classes in Australia, Canada,[10] United Kingdom[11] and the United States.
Terabithia
The name of Terabithia, the imaginary kingdom, sounds very much like Terebinthia, a Narnian island, created by C. S. Lewis for both Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Katherine Paterson acknowledges that Terabithia is likely derived from Terebinthia.
- "I thought I had made it up. Then, rereading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis, I realized that I had probably gotten it from the island of Terebinthia in that book. However, Lewis probably got that name from the Terebinth tree in the Bible, so both of us pinched from somewhere else, probably unconsciously."[12]
Bridge to Terabithia makes a direct reference to The Chronicles of Narnia, with Leslie lending the stories to Jess so that he can learn to behave like a king.
In film
There have been two films made based on this book. One was a PBS TV movie made in 1985 starring Annette O'Toole, Julian Coutts and Julie Beaulieu. A theatrical film version starring AnnaSophia Robb, Josh Hutcherson and Zooey Deschanel, was released on February 16, 2007.
In music
There was a song written by Toronto band Magneta Lane on their 2005 album Dancing with Daggers using the title Bridge To Terabithia.
References
- Bridge to Terabithia, Hardcover edition (ISBN 0-690-01359-0)
- ^ a b c Our History: Takoma Archive June 2005 story Link does not work 14 Feb 2007 Cite error: The named reference "tak" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c Internet Archive version of June 2005 story Lisa Hill and the Bridge to Terabithia Retrieved 14 Feb 2007
- ^ Question & Answer from Katherine Paterson's official website Retrieved 08 feb 2007
- ^
"The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–2000".
{{cite web}}: Text "American Library Association 2001" ignored (help) - ^ The National Council of English Teachers' curriculum report including section "Why Bridge To Terabithia Should Not Be Banned" which discusses the death issue Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ "Opinion: What Have Other People Thought About Bridge to Terabithia?" by Scholastic Books Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ a b Annotated list from "Ten Most Challenged Books of 2003" Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ American Booksellers Association "Connecticut Residents Seek to Ban Two Newbery Medal Winners from School " (2002) Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ Annotated list from "Ten Most Challenged Books of 2002” Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ British Columbia Ministry of Education Grade 5 Reading List Retrieved 08 Feb 2007,
- ^ National Strategy Literacy and Learning in Religious Education "Year 9 curriculum" Retrieved 08 Feb 2007
- ^ Bridge to Terabithia, 2005 Harper Trophy edition, section "Questions for Katherine Paterson"
External Links
An on-line newspaper called The Takoma Voice has an article called "Lisa Hill and the Bridge to Terabithia by Diana Kohn" at "Our History:Takoma Archives". Unfortunately, the article does not seem to be accessible (attempted to retrieve 14 Feb 2007). However, the Internet Archive link does work. "Lisa Hill and the Bridge to Terabithia by Diana Kohn"