The award-winning first novel „Vernon God Little“ by DBC Pierre
„ puts an astute, if needling, finger on the scary collusion between entertainment and law enforcement in American culture...If Huckelberry Finn were set on the Mexican-American border and written by the creators of South Park, it might read something like this“
states the San Francisco Chronicle.
Vernon Little as well as Huckleberry Finn is a coming of age story and describes the protagonist’s struggeling against society, the media and his single mother. Written in an unfiltred and sharp adolescent-boys-slang, one could be remindend of dialogues adapted from South Park.
Teaching „Vernon God Little“ in an English as a 2nd language classroom can be challenging for several reasons. Some might claim that style and language could be unappropriate in some ways for a classroom.
On the other hand the novel offers various topics interesting for teenage students and worth discussing in class as highschool massacres, mass media, US justice system or even more subtile coming of age topics as the relationship towards family, first love and sexual interests.
In this paper a short overview of the novel, its plot, its main characters and the setting is provided as a general basis.
The topic „adolescence and family as a special coming of age theme as well as „the influence of media“ as a special topic are exemplary analysed.
The main character’s relationship towards his single mother is complex and a noticable metaphore of „a knife in his back“ occurs throughout the novel. The struggle between independence and emotional and material addiction to their parents is well-known by adolescent students and might be an interesting topic they can elaborate on.
The media gains more and more influence in teenagers’ daily lifes and therefore a critical discussion of this topic might be appropriate.
As the titel of this paper refers to weblogs as a way of teaching the novel, a short overview of reading logs, blogs in general and the possible connection between those as a teaching tool is provided.
Reading logs support the student’s individual access to a novel, their transformation to the modern platform of the Internet is discussed and the explicit application of weblogs to the novel „Vernon God Little“ is discribed.
The last part offers some tasks, according to the prior introduced topics „adolescence and family“ and the „influence of media“ which can be provided in the weblog.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Presentation of the novel
- 2.1 Summary
- 2.2 Main Characters
- 2.2.1 Vernon Gregory Little
- 2.2.2 Doris Eleanor Little
- 2.3 Setting
- 2.4 Style
- 3. Topics
- 3.1 Vernon's family situation - adolescence and family
- 3.2 Media Influence
- 4. “Vernon God Little” in class
- 4.1 Reading Logs
- 4.2 Blogs in the classroom
- 4.3 Weblog “Vernon God Little”
- 4.3.1 Introduction
- 4.3.2 Tasks
- 5. Literature
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper provides an overview of DBC Pierre's novel, "Vernon God Little," focusing on its suitability for use in an English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom. The analysis examines the novel's themes, characters, and style, exploring its potential for engaging teenage students in discussions about relevant topics. The paper also explores the use of weblogs as a pedagogical tool for teaching the novel.
- Coming-of-age themes and the complexities of adolescence.
- The impact of media on teenagers and the manipulation of truth.
- Family dynamics and the challenges of dysfunctional relationships.
- The American justice system and its potential for injustice.
- The use of technology (weblogs) in language learning.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces DBC Pierre's "Vernon God Little," highlighting its satirical portrayal of the intersection between entertainment and law enforcement in American culture. It positions the novel as a coming-of-age story similar to "Huckleberry Finn" but with a contemporary, sharp, and potentially controversial style. The chapter also addresses the challenges and opportunities of teaching this novel in an ESL classroom, acknowledging its potentially inappropriate language while emphasizing its rich thematic content suitable for discussions on high school massacres, mass media, the US justice system, and adolescent issues.
2. Presentation of the novel: This section offers a general overview of the novel, providing context for the subsequent thematic analysis. The summary outlines the plot, introducing Vernon Little, a 15-year-old innocently accused of involvement in a high school massacre. It highlights the role of the media, represented by the manipulative reporter Eulalio Ledesma, and the town's collective suspicion of Vernon. The section sets the stage for a deeper dive into the novel's characters, setting, and stylistic choices.
3. Topics: This chapter delves into specific themes within "Vernon God Little," focusing on Vernon's family situation and the influence of media. The analysis of Vernon's relationship with his single mother explores the complexities of adolescence and the struggle for independence. The discussion on media influence examines how the media shapes Vernon's worldview and becomes a tool for manipulation and scapegoating. These analyses provide specific examples from the text to support the argument.
4. “Vernon God Little” in class: This chapter shifts focus to pedagogical approaches, proposing the use of reading logs and weblogs as teaching tools for "Vernon God Little" in an ESL classroom. It explores how these tools facilitate individual engagement with the text and allow students to engage with the novel's themes in a modern, digital context. The chapter suggests specific tasks that can be integrated into a weblog-based learning environment, connecting back to the previously discussed themes of adolescence and media influence.
Keywords
Vernon God Little, DBC Pierre, coming-of-age, media influence, family dynamics, American justice system, high school massacre, ESL classroom, weblogs, reading logs, adolescent themes, satire.
Vernon God Little: A Comprehensive Guide - Frequently Asked Questions
What is this document about?
This document is a comprehensive preview of a paper analyzing DBC Pierre's novel, "Vernon God Little," for its suitability in an ESL classroom setting. It covers the novel's content, key themes, and suggests pedagogical approaches using weblogs and reading logs.
What are the key themes explored in "Vernon God Little"?
The novel explores several key themes, including coming-of-age experiences, the impact of media manipulation, dysfunctional family dynamics, the complexities of the American justice system, and the role of high school massacres in shaping public perception. The analysis also considers the use of technology in language learning.
What aspects of the novel are analyzed in this document?
The analysis covers a range of aspects, including a summary of the plot, character analysis (specifically Vernon and Doris Little), setting, and writing style. Furthermore, it delves into specific thematic areas such as Vernon's family situation and the pervasive influence of media.
How is the novel structured in the document?
The document is structured into several sections: an introduction, a presentation of the novel (including summary, character analysis, setting, and style), a thematic analysis focusing on family dynamics and media influence, a section on using the novel in the classroom (including reading logs and weblogs), and finally, a list of keywords.
What pedagogical approaches are suggested for teaching "Vernon God Little" in an ESL classroom?
The document suggests using reading logs and weblogs as pedagogical tools. Weblogs are proposed as a platform for student engagement with the novel's themes and provide opportunities for collaborative learning and discussion in a digital context. Specific tasks for weblog activities are also suggested.
What are the main characters in "Vernon God Little"?
The main characters analyzed are Vernon Gregory Little, a fifteen-year-old boy wrongly accused of involvement in a high school massacre, and Doris Eleanor Little, Vernon's mother. The influence of reporter Eulalio Ledesma is also discussed as a major media force shaping the narrative.
What is the setting of "Vernon God Little"?
While the specific location isn't explicitly detailed, the novel's setting is presented as a small American town, where the events surrounding the high school massacre and the subsequent trial of Vernon unfold. The setting contributes to the novel's overall atmosphere and themes.
What is the writing style of "Vernon God Little"?
The document describes the novel's style as satirical and sharp, potentially controversial due to its language and subject matter. It draws comparisons to classic coming-of-age stories like "Huckleberry Finn," highlighting the contemporary relevance of the themes despite its potentially challenging aspects for ESL learners.
What are the potential challenges and opportunities of using "Vernon God Little" in an ESL classroom?
The document acknowledges potential challenges related to the novel's potentially inappropriate language. However, it emphasizes the rich thematic content as an opportunity to engage students in discussions about high school massacres, mass media, the American justice system, and adolescent issues, highlighting the potential for stimulating classroom discourse.
What keywords are associated with this analysis of "Vernon God Little"?
Keywords include: Vernon God Little, DBC Pierre, coming-of-age, media influence, family dynamics, American justice system, high school massacre, ESL classroom, weblogs, reading logs, adolescent themes, satire.
- Quote paper
- Catharina Belinghausen (Author), 2008, Teaching with Weblogs: Vernon God Little, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/136424
