Eleanor and Park

Although I am rereading Eleanor and Park for a second time I am uncovering so many details that I never noticed previously. The last time I read this novel I was sitting at Lake Chelan, happy and content with both my parents and my sister. My biggest struggle was thinking I was getting "fat" and didn't want to eat the cookies my mom bought as one of out many treats(let me tell you that I was thinner than I am now but still thought I was blowing up like a balloon . . . so beyond ridiculous). I was the same age as Eleanor and Park but definitely not having any of the same issues these two were having--did I notice this though as a 17 year old girl? Hell no. Rereading this novel blows me away with not only my own stupidity at the age of 17, but also astonished at all of the amazing thematic and culturally responsive pieces that this book holds.(Sorry that was not part of the assignment but I felt was a necessary tidbit and needed to be ranted about).
 Eleanor and Park reverses the social norms; Park has a happy family life and is part Korean while Eleanor has a very unhappy family life and is white. Although this is more culturally responsive than some YA books Park is still half white and his mom was brought from Korea when she met Park's dad at the age of 18. Another stereotype that is seen throughout is this belief that to be happy as a woman you must be tall, skinny, and beautiful--thus why Eleanor is having such a hard time at school (besides for Park <3 dreamy dreamy comic book hero Park). The novel also keeps the stereotype of straight couples and doesn't outright say it is bad to be gay . . . but is subtly implied via his dads reactions to Park. But, Park's dad is not seen as a hero, thus showing that his opinion shouldn't be trusted.
This book positions adolescents as love sick teens but in a different light then other YA novels. The relationship is a friendship, a romance, and a safe-place. It isn't a way for Eleanor to be rebellious or for her to be get away from her bad parents who aren't really bad. Park is a safe-place where she can be herself and where she can hide from the problems that she is having at home. It's not just a romance. They each are seeing the good, the bad and the ugly from each other--this book is most definitely not all roses and daisies. When I was a teen and read this book I felt uncomfortable after reading. It didn't make me want to keep reading because I related to the characters or because I wanted to be like them--I wanted to see if everything would end up ok. I believe Eleanor and Park relates to teens because for some they may relate, but for others it brings out their sympathies. As a teen you are so invested in what is going on in your life . . . this books transports you someplace where you can't not think and feel sympathy for the characters. As a future educator this book makes me think of my future students. None of the teachers (besides the counselors) reached out to Eleanor. How did they not realize that she was constantly being bullied and why didn't they reach out to her at all? This stuns me, and I like to believe wouldn't happen at the Middle School I want to teach at, but I also know this does happen. This novel is so important for students and for teachers to read. It shows students that you don't know what happens at home for your peers. The girl who wears weird clothes could be wearing that because that's all she has. The boy who falls asleep in class could be doing that because his family didn't have enough money for breakfast. There are so many examples that could happen and this book shows you that you don't really know what is going on with someone else. I would rate this book an A-. (the minus because it makes me feel gross--which is good that it evokes emotion-- and I can't reread it).