Copper Sun: Great for Adolescents, but not Great Literature

Copper Sun. I thought the book did a good job of showcasing the hardships of slavery without making it difficult for young readers to understand and relate to; however, I felt like I was reading an uplifting novel that should be prescribed to kids who need help with getting through the troubles of their teenage years. As a novel geared toward adolescents it did its job well, but I really disliked the sense of hope and (as was brought up in class) the idea of this mother figure always there to help her along. I took a Holocaust literature class last year and a memorable quote that Lawrence Langer wrote was, "The best Holocaust literature gazes into the depths without flinching. If its pages are seared with the heat of a nether world where, unlike Dante’s, pain has no link to sin and hope, no bond with virtue, this is only to confirm the dismissal of safe props that such an encounter requires." Copper Sun reminded me of this quote because I feel like the Holocaust is very similar to slavery in many ways and I think that, like Langer, the best representation of such a horrible event is not to sugar coat it but to look at it as it really happened and to remember what was overcome by those who faced tremendous pain and suffering. I feel that it actually does a disservice to those who had to suffer through slavery to create a book that doesn't acurately represent the sense of hopelessness and vunerability that would have had to accompany such an experience. I will say, however, that I learned more about some of the horrors that owners inflicted upon slaves from this book. I am not saying that the book doesn't have merit in its reflection on slavery, just that I think there is a better way to do it. The book angered me for precisely the reasons I have stated above, but I think that adolescents would relate well to the novel and the idea of overcoming the unknown that faces them in the adult world. Because it preaches hope and perseverance it is a good way to uplift teens.