Silvey is to be praised for the ways he has been able to create a very real character that represents contemporary teenagers and their issues. This is relatable for current teenagers as broken marriages and divorce are becoming more common, even more now than when Jasper Jones was set, as divorce rates have doubled since then.įor Charlie, his parents’ expired and worn relationship was a rarity, as the belief back then was that people were ‘married for life’. With this event, he knows that nothing can go back to how it used to be. I really do”, the ‘walls’ represent Charlie’s childhood and youth. “The walls might be falling, but I feel calm. This experience is something many current teenagers would be able to relate to, there’s a certain turning point of adolescence when they know everything is changing.Īnother significant event in Charlie’s transition from childhood to adulthood was when he saw his mother having an affair. It symbolizes him being reborn as a new person, almost like he can sense that by going with Jasper Jones his life will change dramatically.
Seen as rebellious and solitary, Jasper is a distant figure of danger and intrigue to Charlie.Ĭharlie sneaking out for the first time is described as “a little like a foal being born”, which is used to portray Charlie as an innocent child experiencing the world for the first time. His visitor is Jasper Jones, the outcast of Corrigan. This novel begins with Charlie Bucktin being awoken by an urgent knock on the window of his room.
The transition from childhood to adulthood, the true darkness of humanity, and appearance vs reality are themes that recur constantly during Jasper Jones.
Throughout the novel, Charlie’s coming of age and awakening to the harsh real world is very similar to what modern-day teenagers experience. This novel deals with issues that are relevant to contemporary readers, despite being set in the 1960s.Ĭharlie Buckti n is easily the most real, relatable and important character there is. It is a significant contributor to the engaging and relevant young adult fiction that is currently available. Craig Silvey’s critically acclaimed novel Jasper Jones could have been another cliché story about the budding relationship between Charlie and Eliza, but Silvey managed to tie romance, crime and coming of age all into one.
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