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Hannah Klaver January 5, 2010
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Rattlebone Review
Maxine Clair’s “Rattlebone” is a collection of eleven interlocking stories taking place in Rattlebone, Kansas. These stories describe the lives of the African American people who live in Rattlebone. There are several narratives throughout the short stories though most of the collection is portrayed from Irene “Reenie” Wilson’s point of view. First and third person point of views are used throughout.
The collection goes through the timeline of Irene’s life, from her being a young child to her coming-of-age and maturing. While growing up, Irene sees and witnesses many of the mishaps that happen in life. Irene lives by her motto, “I am in this world but not of it.” From Publisher’s Weekly, additional stories in the collection talk about Irene’s competition and friend, Wanda; her father, James; her mother, Pearlean; and rooming house owners, Thomas and Lydia Pemberton.
Clair makes you see from the character’s point of view and how that certain character sees the world around them in each story. You see the inner feeling of each character. For example, in the short story “The Roomers”, Irene had thought to herself, “First I thought he looked right silly…” Irene here was expressing her true feelings about something and there are many other examples throughout. While showing everyone’s point of view and using first and third person throughout, Clair expresses the hardships and triumphs in the lives of the African American people living in Rattlebone, Kansas. Things from friendship, to young love,to secretlives.
Clair’s eleven relating short stories are relatable to the reading public. For those who cannot relate to this book, it lets you experience what these people go through and helps you better understand and know what the people who can relate go through in everyday life. This is an excellent book letting you inside the lives of others.
Rattlebone, by Maxine Clair, is a unique coming-of-age story about a girl named Irene, a young African-American, girl growing up in Rattlebone, Kansas, as well as documentation of Rattlebone’s other inhabitants whom all are connected to Irene in some way. Rattlebone is written in eleven moving, intertwined stories that end up coming together in the most unforgettable way. Each character’s final fate is told from multiple perspectives, giving the reader the benefit of observing not only how one character perceives themselves, but how others take in that person as well. Though Rattlebone may be interpreted as a collection of short stories, Maxine Clair does an undoubtedly wonderful job of telling each character’s story, in ways original ways that may be even more effective that the format of a regular novel.
ReplyDeleteBeing the main character, we hear the most stories told from Irene’s perspective as she moves through her education and matures. Irene is a fantastic character, dubbing herself as being “in this world, but not of it,” as well as having small flashes of what some would call an adult understanding of the world. The story begins with Irene beginning to loathe her young, attractive teacher, October Brown, who ultimately brings upon the downfall of her family as it is. From Irene’s skepticism of a puzzling White nun who attempts to convert her and several friends, to the death of her first crush, Nick, furthermore, the disappointment of being denied the privilege of reciting a creation story which she has prepared in the state competition, and finally, the chaotic, treacherous experience of a place crashing into Union Hall, we are able to get a look into Irene’s thoughts during some of the most dramatic years of her life.
Maxine Clair also goes into depth with the minor characters as well. Wanda, a girl unusually bright for her age whom is a friend and rival of Irene, ends up getting in trouble with her church and wanting to raise a family with Pemberton. James “Shorty” Wilson, married with children, ends up getting October Brown pregnant and thrown out of her rooming-house. Puddin’, a mentally challenged piano prodigy as well as Wanda’s brother, is thrown into and asylum. And though racism does play a role in the book, it is not the theme of the story. All these stories are intertwined by Irene’ coming of age. It begins with Irene being mad at October Brown, then to her experiences with romance throughout the book, to understanding her parents divorce, and ultimately Irene heading to college.
And so, Clairs’s originality with characters, plot, and book format all amount to a meaningful and memorable book worth reading for many audiences. Teenagers, adults, even preteens can relate to Irene and happenings in Rattlebone. For these reasons, Rattlebone, by Maxine Clair is a successful treasure of a book which is nationally adored.
Ashley Lawson
ReplyDeleteIn the little town of Rattlebone, just outside of Kansas City, Irene Wilson, a child who realizes many of the problems in her life, learns to deal throughout her journey in this novel. Rattlebone, by Maxine Clair, consist of eleven short stories including, “October Brown”, where she tells of her schoolteacher, who jeopardizes Irene’s sense of her perfect family, and “Cherry Bomb” where she tells of her first love and the terrible incidents of that summer.
This novel describes how Irene matures throughout the problems faced in the 1950’s. Most of the stories are told from Irene’s point of view. Also throughout the novel, Irene records her life in a diary, similar to her best friend, Wanda.
Finally, at the end, after the terrible plane crash, Irene learns that a happy reconciliation within her parents relationship is nearly impossible. Although the business at the cleaners brings them closer together as a family, the feelings of love between her mother and father are lost. Things start to turn around for the best though, after her shocking interview at Alpha Kappa Alpha, and her realization of how happy her family really is now.
The surprising twist in each story, from deception, to death and success, makes Maxine Clair’s, Rattlebone, an award winning fiction novel.