Saturday, February 11, 2012

'Push' by Sapphire

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,293209,00.html

This review is found on Entertainement Weekly online in 1996. The review is overall quite positive, however their are some aspects of the novel that Margot Mifflin does criticise. Mifflin says 'Push — the poet Sapphire's debut novel — is only partially successful: Precious' phonetic dialect and stunted vocabulary inevitably flatten segments of her story.' I don't agree with this at all as the dialect Precious has represents who she is and where she is from. I don't see how someone's speech and language can 'flatten segments of the story.' In my opinion it adds effect to the story. Althoug i agree at first it is hard to adjust to the way in which Precious speaks, it doesn't take long to understand with ease what she is saying.
Mifflin continues in a positve manner by saying 'its sad to watch her revert to frustrated illiteracy when, after progressing by leaps and bounds, she's thrown a tragic, unexpected curveball.' I completely agree with this. As a reader you get to know Precious, and seeing her develop and improve through the novel, only to find out she is HIV positive is frustrating and upsetting.
Margot Mifflin ends by saying 'Precious gains control of her life through writing.' I however believe that Precious always had control of her life, and always seemed to know what she was going to do. Even through having two children, Precious always came across as someone with a big heart and for the circumstances she was in, was a very positive person and knew how to behave in certain situations.
However I don't think that Sapphire as an author received enough credit for tackling such a strong issue in such a brilliant manner that is not only disturbing and sad at times, but with the aspect of comedy.

No comments:

Post a Comment