Evolutio prize winners 2011 Evolutio readers
Evolutio is an enrichment reading group which aims to extend and develop pupils' appreciation of literature beyond the confines of the classroom.
Small groups of pupils from Forms II-VI.2 read and discuss a wide range of literaturein seminar-style meetings in the Library. Books studied include timeless childhood classics like Boy by Roald Dahl (Form II), Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Hardy, Things Fall Apart by Achebe (Form V) and Ibsen's Ghosts (VI.1). Each discussion is guided by a member of the English Department or the Library team, who encourage the pupils to discuss and debate their different views on the texts.
Evolutio Reviews
Form II
Wicked - Gregory Maguire
‘Wicked’ is a very interesting book as it is written alongside ‘The Wizard of Oz’, but tells a very different side to the tale. The book’s tagline is: ‘The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’ and the story is exactly that. It is split into four sections that roughly define the four different parts of her life. The first section is called Munchkinlanders and tells us of Elphaba’s birth and her childhood. The second is Gillikin, which describes her time at Shiz University. The third, City of Emeralds, describes her involvement in the conspiracy against the wizard and her relationship with Fiyero. The last, In the Vinkus, talks of her mission of guilt to Fiyero’s widow’s castle and her sister Nessarose’s rise and fall.
The book is quite long and is very densely packed with goings on. Often you will read a small section without fully understanding it, read on then, with more information, then grasp what was going on earlier. This is a slightly annoying feature of the novel as otherwise it is a very enjoyable story and maybe if some parts were removed there would be more space for making it easier to understand. However, once you have finished the book and pieced everything together the story becomes a lot clearer.
Elphaba’s character is a very interesting one and, I think, quite a likeable one. She is clearly disliked by her immediate family, although her nanny does seem to show some affection for her. This does not seem to put her off though as she becomes very independent and works hard for herself. Underneath, however, she definitely longs for the kind of love her father shows to her sister Nessarose and this is subtly indicated throughout the book. If she had had the same childhood care that her sister had had then I think she may have become a different person towards the end of the book rather than constantly looking to rebel against whatever higher power that may govern over her.
I enjoyed this book very much even if it is difficult to fully understand. I would recommend it to anyone especially if they are familiar with ‘The Wizard of Oz’ as it shines a completely new light on that familiar tale and cleverly intertwines it with what you already know.
Rory
Form III
Junk - Melvin Burgess
One thing that really impressed me about ‘Junk’ by Melvin Burgess was the way that the author plays with the reader's feelings. At the start of the book, you find yourself really sympathising with the helpless Tar who is running away from two alcoholic parents - one who emotionally abuses him and the other who physically abuses him. Gemma is a total contrast and is shown as being quite selfish and her biggest concern is to get away from two parents whose love is becoming an irritation and she's happy to use Tar as a means of getting away, giving him sex even though she knows that she doesn't love him. This all changes as the book progresses...
You see how drugs affect both characters and as Tar steals to buy his drugs and Gemma sells her body to get hers, you start to realise how selfish Tar is becoming and how Gemma is starting to realise that she can't lie to herself much longer. It's particularly interesting to see Gemma become the stronger character towards the end of the book - she's given something to work towards, even though it means having to go back to everything she thought she had escaped. There's a good contrast between Gemma and the apparently care free and happy Lily who is unable and unwilling to give up the drugs she loves so much and instead settles for living in a state of self-pity and depression.
I really enjoyed ‘Junk’ as I thought it was a very emotional and touching book. The way you varied from liking and sympathising with one character to hating them in the space of a chapter or two was ingenious. I would give Junk an 8.5 out of 10 and I would certainly recommend it.
Will
“Junk”, is a moving novel by Melvin Burgess that tells the tale of two fourteen year old lovers – Gemma and Tar. The book begins by Tar leaving home due to the behaviour of his alcoholic parents. His Mother is a desperate woman who relies so heavily on alcohol, that she claims she is unable to maintain the household, and that she needs Tar’s help. Tar immediately obliges but the situation escalates as he receives beatings from his Father, leading to his escape to the city of Bristol. Tar quickly gets taken in by a bunch of friendly squatters who provide him with plenty of attention, making him feel at home, for the first time that he can remember. The way that this opening is conducted really makes us feel for Tar and this empathy continues to the last few pages of the book.
The book meets a turning point, when the young couple move in with wild tear away and Heroin users Lily, and her boyfriend Rob, who convert Gemma and Tar over to their drug using way of life. The consequence of the pair’s decision to start using drugs starts things spiralling out of control as they do things that they never would have done. In my opinion, the best part of the book is the way that Burgess brings you so very close to the characters, meaning that you are really seeing the situation through their eyes. Many people would immediately be put off reading a book about young people on drugs, yet the novel is written in such a sensitive way, that it helps the reader understand what it was like for the characters. The use of varying narrators helps to achieve this close, reader-character relationship along with the casual language and the well positioned details.
One slight piece of criticism is the age that the characters are at the time. The problem that is mostly brought up by older critics is that it is not suitable for an audience of fourteen, yet I disagree. I think it is suitable for people of my own age, but I do feel that it is somewhat unrealistic that this would all happen to a girl or boy of the age fourteen. For me, this detracts from the realism of the book.
All things considered though, I think this is an excellent novel that deals with the issue sensitively (without being coy) and well. This is done through the quickening of the pace of the plot as the novel progresses as we see the lives of the youths spiralling out of control, all due to drugs. I would give this book, a rating of 9.5/10.
Jamie
Form IV
The Diary of a Young Girl - Anne Frank
‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ tells the story of a young Jewish girl, called Anne Frank, while she is hiding from the Nazis. The book is mainly set all within the one building, so not much action occurs, in fact the entire book is based on the thoughts and emotions of Anne Frank during this strenuous time. Although at first the story can seem to be nothing more than the ramblings of a young girl, the writing develops along with Anne and she begins to present more factual information about the world outside their hideout later in the novel.
This deeply emotional story evokes a deep pathos for the Jewish victims of the holocaust. Furthermore, since most people have already heard of the book and know of its ending, the knowledge of what is to happen to Anne makes the despair in the story much more powerful. As the story is a diary it allows a deep insight into Anne’s thoughts and allows the readers to empathize with the victims of the holocaust, showing the victims as people rather than six million names.
On the other hand, much of the book is written from the perspective of a young girl with no real grasp of what was happening in the wider world, this section of the book can drag as she describes how the adults she was hiding with would have their petty arguments over seemingly unimportant things. Even when she becomes more mature and knowledgeable of the outer world she focuses instead on her feelings for Peter, the boy hiding with her.
I personally feel that this book is an important memory of what happened in the holocaust and should be read by everyone at some point in their life. Anne Frank’s optimistic attitude that is maintained throughout the novel is inspirational, her positive response to the chaotic world around her is admirable, and for that she should be remembered.
Cameron
Touching the Void - Joe Simpson
Joe Simpson’s ‘Touching the Void’ is an incredible recount of his and his partner’s (Simon Yates) daring and treacherous climb of the 6,344 metre high Siula Grande within the Peruvian Andes mountain range, and also a tale of how one man’s willpower can help overcome even the most overwhelming and emotionally devastating obstacles, where death seems almost a certainty.
Joe and Simon had been experienced climbers at the start of the story, topping many a peak; eventually, they had set their eyes upon the west face of Siula Grande, a climb which had never been attempted by a person before in history and they were passionate to change that. Eventually, despite the few mishaps and flared tempers from time to time; they both managed to succeed in their goal, and after summiting they began to descend down the challenging North Edge. However, disaster struck at this moment; as Joe slipped down an ice cliff, landing awkwardly and having his tibia smash into his knee joint; causing it to break. Normally, anything even as bad as a sprained ankle would mean certain death in these conditions and at that height, and Joe even began to accept his fate; however, he persisted onwards with Simon as they desperately tried to descend to a glacier, almost 3,000 feet below them.
‘Touching the Void’ shows an almost superhuman aspect to Joe Simpson and his incredible story of survival, endurance, and resilience, and how the ‘voice’ within his head, a mental part of his subconscious, managed to drive him on despite all of the trauma and misfortunes that he suffered on their climb, giving him unbeatable willpower and almost non-human rationality in spite of the emotional and physical shock that he was in. It is an incredibly powerful story that shows the extreme lengths that people can go to, and how the subconscious can allow us to achieve superhuman feats that would seem impossible in any other circumstance. It also shows the complete emotional shock that such a disturbing event can cause on someone, to the extent that they aren’t even aware of their own feelings anymore. I would rate this book as 9/10.
George
Form V
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
That old saying “never judge a book by its cover” seems to come up again and again. To be honest, when I first picked up Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and when I had read a few pages, I was a little reluctant to read on. Why? I found it difficult to understand; because the names of both people and places were so foreign to me (the lead character’s name is Okonwonko)! To add to my troubles, many of them were similar. It was for this reason that I was confused, at least initially….
After I had finally got to grips with the unusual, long names I discovered that behind each name, lay a wide range of personalities, and it was this aspect of the novel which I truly enjoyed. Things Fall Apart is a novel which enlightens the reader into what exactly the thoughts of the African people (Nigeria in this case) were about- the sudden appearance of white colonists in their area. Indeed, not only does it do this, but it also demonstrates the clash of ideas between African and European society.
I am not going to give you a long-winded synopsis because I do want to spoil the story, and also because I believe it is up to the reader to decide what the plot of this story is to them. To put a long story short, Okonwonko, one of his tribe’s most powerful men, must cope with a basketful of bad luck and trouble. Exile and a theological split are just some of the events Okowonko must endure. But will he survive?
I feel that I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the culture that existed pre and during colonist times, provided of course, you can get to grips with the names!
Tom