Synopsis:
Big Mouth & Ugly Girl is the story of Ursula Riggs and Matt Donaghy as they struggle to find their way through high school in their judgmental town. Both Matt and Ursula will be challenged to "forgive and forget" or "forget and forgive" in the wake of their own personal and public dilemmas.
Idea for Lesson Plan:
This novel could be used to facilitate a discussion of the pressures of high school and how students react to them. As a teacher using this novel in my curriculum, I would have my students act this novel out as a play. Assigning students to the various characters would help them go deeper into the text and really navigate around the feelings of the characters.
Critique:
In Joyce Carol Oates' first young adult novel, she creates two main characters who are both quite multi-dimensional. In the beginning of the novel, Oates contrasts the popular, smart, and witty Matt Donaghy with the sullen, "ugly," angry Ursula Riggs. However, by the end of the novel, the reader knows Matt and Ursula as more compassionate and tolerant. As evident in the end of the novel, Ursula cries two times: once when she realizes that her Dad really does love her, and the other, when Matt and she hug on the last page. This shows Ursula is tapping into her softer side.
Both Ursula and Matt are challenged to remain true to themselves throughout the novel. Beginning with Matt's ability to cope with the drama that surrounds the "bomb threat" accusation. Because of the situation Matt is in, Ursula is introduced into Matt's life. Together Ursula and Matt form a bond that defies the social standing of their "elite" East Coast town. As Matt discovers what it means to be independent of societal pressures, Ursula learns to let her guard down.
Various high school issues and themes are rampant in Big Mouth & Ugly Girl. Oates has captured the clique infested, judging, small minded world of high school by chronicling four months in the life of 11th graders Ursula and Matt. Emerging themes such as, school shootings, individuality, and maintaining true friendships are a few of the themes Oates touches on. As Matt and Ursula navigate through their young lives, they are both tested by the people who surround them, and are both challenged to remain their authentic selves and true to their character.
Big Mouth & Ugly Girl is written in both 1st person and 3rd person, and is told in narration and email form. By using these techniques, the reader can get into the mind of Ursula, and know what Matt is doing. Both characters come together to create a well crafted story.
Big Mouth & Ugly Girl. ISBN 0-06-623756-4. Joyce Carol Oates. 2002. ALA Best Book for Young Adults. Age 14 & up. Young Adult Fiction.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Natalie, I really enjoyed your analysis of Big Mount.... Joyce Carol Oates is one of my favorite authors, partly because she crafts her work so tightly as you've atested to in your detailed discussion of the character development of Matt and Ursula. As you note: remaining true to one's character is especially difficult during the teen years, but Oates does not go for the cliche: while anyone would agree that Ursula would be left out of typical high school social groups, few think about how challenged a "popular" boy may be to even KNOW his own nature and power..as is revealed in Matt's character.
ReplyDelete