I really enjoyed Eden Robinson’s novel, “Monkey Beach.” Something I particular appreciated was how Robinson seamlessly integrated First Nations mythology and supernatural elements into the text. Robinson weaves elements of the Haisla culture into the book without overwhelming the reader. He makes them completely relevant to the story and the situation that Lisa finds herself in. Also, most of the supernatural elements are never completely explained. Like Lisa herself, we never fully understand the implications of what is happening with her and how she can use her gifts. These elements tie her to a culture that is slowly being lost. There is no one left to guide Lisa and the rest of the young adults in the Haisla culture. This mythology takes on a darker and dangerous tone, in most cases, because Lisa doesn’t know how to control her gifts. When discussing berries, Lisa’s grandmother explains that certain berries should only be eaten carefully and by someone who knows how to handle them. This can also be said about the supernatural in the book.
In the classroom I think there could be many different ways one could handle “Monkey Beach.” There is an opportunity, in studying this book, to not only take a look at the First Nations culture but also have the students look at their own. In our modern society how much is the past important to our students? Do we need to form a connection with our past and, if so, who are we learning our culture from? After reading “Monkey Beach” we could ask the students to research their own cultures and bring these stories into the class. The students could then utilize them to write their own and integrate them into their back-stories. How do these stories impact the students? Are there any things that they can learn from their cultural stories?
I would also like to talk about “Monkey Beach” in the context of the literary circles we are currently doing them in. I have personally never taken part in one but was first intrigued by them, as a teaching tool, when introduced to them on my practicum. Now being in the middle of one, I have noticed that, by being given a task and then reading the book, I am much more conscious and sensitive to finding things that relate to the topic I am in charge of. It has certainly pushed me to take ownership of my given section. For example, I chose the jobs of Time Tracker and Timeline Developer. I am definitely having most fun with the Time Tracker role. Location is something I probably would not have any interest in, yet I have been meticulously keeping track of it while reading. “Monkey Beach” is full of locations. Though geographically the book doesn’t take place in a small area, Robinson describes multiple sites around Kitimat.
I think using a book like “Monkey Beach” in a literary circle can assist a class in taking a more in-depth look at it. The students are being forced to take charge of aspects of the novel that may not necessarily be analyzed in a larger group discussion.
Like Brandon, I haven’t previously had a chance to explore a novel in the context of literary circles. Yet, Monkey Beach provides multi-layered meanings enabling an immensity of possible interpretations of the text. Tracing the plot alone creates divisions between past and present due to the ‘splicing’ technique of Robinson to intertwine present narration with the history of Lisamarie’s brother Jimmy. I think using literary circles to dissect this story would provide many students with alternative ideas that may have missed on a first reading. For example, a seemingly unrelated medical description of the location and dissection of a human heart periodically pops up in the text that darkens the novel, creating an ambiguous, eerie atmosphere throughout as the reader struggles to link these passages with other foreboding themes such as Sasquatch hunting, sexuality, ocean navigation, and classic rock of the seventies. The depth of content in Monkey Beach seems to make it more digestible if broken into bits of themes, which also promotes group work to penetrate the sometimes dense story.
Another strong case for Monkey Beach is the Indigenous nature of the piece. Being an emerging, hot genre in current literature, the book braids B.C. geography with Haisla mythology to put forth refreshing content fascinating for a young audience. What is more, the complexity of Robinson’s tale-telling gives the teacher a ‘little silver pistol’ in that class discussions and projects can be intensified in the case of keen or advanced learners, most of whom would likely appear in a grade 12 or lit class. Lisa’s entire sanity itself, for example, could be examined as that of a case of psychosis, somewhat throwing into question her account of events up to and including the closing passage. Does the fact that she is being reviewed by a psychologist trouble her account to the reader? Does mythologizing Lisa’s hallucinations as indigenous, sage-like qualities validate her unstable perspective? what role does mythology itself play in the plot, or interpretations of scenes?
It is also interesting to my mind, to give thought to the music mentioned throughout the text. Led Zeppelin, CCR, Elvis Presley, and ABBA area among the bands represented: how does this contextualize the novel-is it fitting for a story taking place in Northern B.C.? From my knowledge, it does work to situate its Northern tone. Other elements of pop culture surface that could be used easily or more difficult thicken the sense of location and time in the novel. If the students do not know these references, which they probably don’t not being dinosaurs (!), then it could be fun to lighten the mood for a class or two and discuss these bands or why they might ahve been chosen. Playing samples of songs, or even exploring lyrics for possible matches to thematic tones could be a nice change for students.
Unfortunately the complexity of this novel probably excludes ESL, reluctant readers, or simple learners, however this is a fantastic piece with which to teach older, more advanced readers in ways that perhaps, engages on multiple levels, be it thematically, regionally, or culturally and so on.
I am afraid that I have come to similar conclusions to my two cohorts in my reading circle. I will, nonetheless, share them here. First of all, I do think that this novel would be teachable in an English classroom, or even certainly an Aboriginal Studies classroom; but only at a grade 11 or 12 novel. There is the issue of the subject matter and language used; but also as Brandon and Mark pointed out (and which we discussed in class), the symbology of this novel was introduced and used in an understated, matter of fact manner. It is not like Life of Pi, where the author (and narrator) discuss at length what the symbols they use are and what they might mean. Readers are expected to be able to follow their use. The stories behind Monkey Beach itself, and how that particular setting is used at different points in the narrative, for example, requires reader effort to follow and understand. Therefore, it would not be an ideal book to begin studies of symbols and their use with a group of students.
Another point that might require building of context is something that Jan Hare mentioned in her talk; that the stories of different places and people play an important part in the lives of the characters. It would be useful for all readers to have this sort of background information before beginning to read the novel. This novel could certainly be taught to non – First Nations people. Young people do enjoy the challenge of deciphering texts that come from other cultures. However this would be more added difficulty in understanding the text; and therefore might discourage some younger readers.
I feel that the now dated pop culture references might be better appreciated by an older audience. Older teens might appreciate such references as a sign of the times (after all some of what they liked as preteens would now be “old”) rather than as merely “old” references that they would feel a disconnect towards. A younger audience might feel a disconnect with these references, rather than willing to examine their place in context.
In spite of the age of the protagonist and the nature of her experiences, I do not believe that this book was ever intended to be a “young adult” novel. It is not particularly short, the subject matter (difficult and otherwise) is introduced rather bluntly, there seems to be an assumed foreknowledge of how to read symbology , metaphor and the like by the author, and the novel as not advertised as “young adult” on any major online vendor. I do not think that this should discount the book at all from being taught; after all a number of more traditional texts taught in secondary schools were not written exclusively or primarily for young people, but it should certainly not be the first book studied by a class at the secondary school level.
As a final note; more interested younger students could certainly study this novel as part of a literary circle; sometimes it can be beneficial to examine a text supposedly “beyond” our ability. It is just that this novel would not make the best choice as a mandatory text at a lower grade level.