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Transcript

The Role Chris Crutcher

Plays in Young Adult Novels

ARTISTS' SOCIETAL ROLES

ARTIST AS INTELLECTUAL

Although Crutcher is a novelist and not an artist, he can be

considered an artist as intellectual based off of his writing

and character choice, specifically in The Deep End.

In this particular novel the main character, Wilson, is a child

and adult therapist who deals mainly with abused and neglected

children and parents. This is a career that is almost identical

to the career that Crutcher had after he got into teaching

and before he started his career as a novelist. Therefore, these

two characters are almost the same as well as their

tendencies as a therapist which was shown through this novel and the

speech Crutcher did while at Chandler Gilbert Community College.

The specific tendencies that they share is how they both concentrate

on theories as to why their patients (both children and adult) act the

way that they do and they analyze those behaviors which form patterns about

each individual patient. However each child and adult is very different so

they are both constantly trying out new ways to communicate with their

patients to try to get them to open up to them.

An example of the analysis and patters they notice in their patients is on page 93 when Wilson says, "'Then let me say this. If it makes you mad it makes you mad.

I've worked with you and your kids a long time now. Almost every time I get the

feeling you're hiding something back-holding back information with silence-it turns out

you are. I'd say every time but there might be one that slipped by me. And I'm telling you now Peggy, I've got that feeling and I've got it big.'" When Wilson says this to Peggy he is completly accurate and she knows it. Wilson knows Peggy a lot better than she thinks he does.

This picture is from the Renaissance period and painted by Leonardo DaVinci. I picked this picture because I thought it depicted the relationship and the role Crutcher and Wilson plays as a therapist.

ARTIST AS SOCIAL HEALER

Crutcher can also be categorized as an artist as social

healer for the obvious reason correlating to the work

he does as a therapist. By being a therapist under this

specific role of society Crutcher and Wilson provide an

escape for their patients from their harsh realities.

With children they take them out of their dangerous homes

to put them in a safer, nicer enviorment. However with

adults they talk about their past and work to fix those

unerlying issues which have snuck there way in, and prevent

those issues for repeating themselves in the future.

Examples of this were throughout the novel but one of the child examples that really stood out to me was on page 99 when Wilson is talking about a boy who was burned by hot bath water and said, ""The one thing I know about kids' therapy," I said, "is that it's done from their point of view. I won't be specific about what Craig said and did when i saw him, but he needs to deal with this relationship in what he considers a safe plance. He said he's afraid to go home with Dr. Banner in that house and I think we need to respect that.""

This painting was painted by a child in one of the 'healing workshops' provided by an art studio that specializes in healing. I this painting stood out to me because of all the colors used and the way they were brought together.

This goes along with a childs feelings and how they view things through expression.

THE DEEP END BEING CHALLENGED AND BANNED

Since there has not been many pubic challenges or bannings on The Deep End, based off of other similar novels Crutcher has written I would say the reason this novel would be challenged is because the novel:

  • Deals with divorce (Athletic Shorts-which was challenged in SC in 1955)
  • Animal tortute and graphic sexual references (Chinese Handcuffs-callenged but retained in a high school in WI, 1998)
  • Inappropriate sexual content and graphic language (Chinese Handcuffs-retained in a high school curriculum, IN, 2009)
  • Talked about sex, chilb abuse, suicide, and drug use (Deadline-taken out of classrooms but allowed in the high school library and student book club, however teachers needed approval first. KY, 2009)
  • Discussion of sex (Running Loose (challenged school district, GA, 1986)

Although Crutcher is on of the most banned authors in the United States, he takes it as an accomplishment and not as a set back.

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN sALINGER AND cRUTCHER

Both authors write novels that teach life lessons.

Works Cited

Greenwillow Books. "Welcome to Chris Crutcher Week! @#$%^&! YES!—Day Two « Under the Green Willow." Under the Green Willow. Symon Chow, 17 Aug. 2011. Web. 9 Dec. 2011. <http://greenwillowblog.com/?p=2114>.

Leonardo DaVinci Secrets." LEONARDO DA VINCI Life, Art Inventions, Paintings, Drawings, Secret and History of Renaissance. Leonardo DaVinci Secrets, 2009. Web. 9 Dec. 2011. <http://www.leonardodavincisecrets.com/live.html>.

O'Keefe, Georgia. ""I Found That I Could Say Things with Color and Shapes That I Had No Words For." » Healing Workshops." Art & Creativity for Healing. Art4healing, 2010. Web. 9 Dec. 2011. <http://www.art4healing.org/?page_id=35>.

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