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Summary: "The Fortress that was the clearing was vulnerable."
Review: Rawlings' poingnant portrayal of settlement life in the Florida backwoods of the late 19th century is a true children's classic (Kid and Animal theme) but for adults as well. Young Jody Baxter-- only child of a gentle father and an embittered mother--longs to have a pet to love, something which belongs exclusively to him. But the family is dirt poor on their "island" in the swampy pine forest; there is no money for frills or food for pets. In fact, all human and animal folk have their appointed tasks and purpose--the battle is just staying alive. When Jody's Pa kills a doe to provide antitocsin from a snake bite, Jody feels that the family owes something to the vulnerable, orphaned fawn. Despite Ma's dire predictions and negative outlook, Pa grants him permission to raise the fawn, later named Flag. During the year the family struggles against weather and varmints--of the two-and four-legged varieties. But Flag's playful antics gradually become more serious risks to their food supply and fragile economic system. Things reach a crisis point when Flag destroys their second corn crop; someone is going to starve and Ma grimly reminds Pa that it is Not going to be her family! This novel builds in emotional tension to the inevitable crisis scene and Jody's turmoil, as he comes of age in a bitter confrontation of reality. Rawlings includes vivid scenes of the Florida flora and fauna before they were bulldozed or hunted out of existence. Privately Jody often wonders about the mysterious legend of the ghostly Conquistador--with only the swaying Spanish moss left as a reminder of his passing. Despite the difficulty navigating the homespun dialect, this book is an excellent read for the plot alone. Yet the discerning reader will appreciate this intensely personal drama of the human heart, torn between life and loyalties.
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Summary: What's The Fuss All About?
Review: I got this book for my birthday as a teenager, and it sat on my shelf unread for about ten years because I had other books I already wanted to read. Now, having read it ten years after receiving it, I can say without reservation that I wish it had stayed on my shelf. I knew it was a classic novel about a deer and a boy's coming of age, and that was it, so I had no preconceived ideas about the book. I have to say it was disappointing in the extreme. While I enjoyed the description of daily life in the Florida of the late 19th century, I found the ending to be a complete letdown. There is no purpose to the ending except to convey the idea that being an adult is lonely and that the dreams of childhood are useless once you gain adulthood. Rather than feeling that the boy had gained a sense of maturity and growth, I felt that he was now dropped on his behind and left to wander aimlessly into his adult life. There's no rhyme or reason to the pessimistic ending of this book. If I wanted to be that depressed, I'd watch "Old Yeller" a few thousand times.
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Summary: Amazing book
Review: Amazing book about the love between a boy and a deer in central Florida. The book shows how hard life was in the early 1900's and how people had to work so hard for their lives. It has a very sad ending, but a very realistic one. The Yearling is a classic that I will always remember. If you like this book, check out Where the Red Fern Grows, and The Call of the Wild.
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Summary: Life in central Florida.
Review: This classic novel was written by an author who wrote it at her home a few miles south of Gainesville (in Cross Creek, Florida) and it won the 1939 Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. It is about life in rural central Florida in the second half of the 19th century, being centered around a boy (Jody Baxter), his family, and his pet fawn (Flag). Throughout the novel, the reader sees a boy growing up and having to face some tough decisions. We also learn much about the natural history, environment, folk remedies and beliefs, and culture of rural Florida. We also learn how precarious one's existence is out in the wild. Jody's father, Penny Baxter, has to kill a doe in order to use a folk remedy for a snake bite, not knowing that there is a little fawn nearby. Jody keeps the fawn to raise and to have as a friend. But, as the fawn grows older, problems arise. The author based her main characters loosely (very loosely) on a rural family she knew living in central Florida. Contrary to most reports, this family did not live in Cross Creek. They had a small place deep in the woods in the center of what is now the Ocala National Forest. I decided to see if I could find that site in the late 1980s. It turned out not be difficult at all. Armed with a map of the National Forest, I went on a hike (on some beautiful trails) and found the place. Nothing remains of the house. However, the family burial plot is still there, as are the graves of most of the members of the family. Unfortunately, it is sad to report that a number of the headstones have been stolen. Some of the stones referred to Civil War veterans. As you probably know, such stones draw very good prices on the "black market." The Forest Service had signs posted to warn people against stealing items but, being deep in the woods, they were taken anyway. I'm certain that the people who took the stones have no idea of their literary significance. Perhaps one day the Forest Service or some historical organization will replace the stones, but with all the cutbacks in funding, it'll probably be a long time before that happens.
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Summary: A delightful book.
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book because it was
an exciting adventure. It was hard to read in one week. This book is about a young boy named Jody who wants a pet of his own in the worst way. One day while Jody is hunting with his father Penney for a bear named Slewfoot in the backwoods of Florida, his father gets bitten by a rattlesnake on his arm. Penney quickly kills a grazing doe and uses her liver to remove the poison from his wound. The boy discovers that the doe had a fawn and convinces his father to allow him to keep the yearling. Jody is forced to decide the fate of his charished pet fawn after it has grown because it continues to eat the poor family's crops. Jody
runs away from home for a short time after his mother kills his fawn "Flag" [after his white tail] because Jody believes that his mother intended to shoot it. The book has a main theme of facing difficult times and pulling through them. Jody faces the death of a neighbor friend named Fodder-wing, the death of his beloved pet, the near-death of his father and also, his own near- death experience after he runs away from home. Some men rescue him and Jody returns home and appoligizes to his mother and father. Jody agrees to stay on the farm and help his father instead of going to sea. I loved this story, every page.
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Summary: The Yearling
Review: The Yearling, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, is a touching book about a boy and his fawn. I liked this book because it was neat to see the relationship between the boy and Flag (his fawn). It showed how far Jody would go to keep his pet from out of trouble. Also, it seemed that the more problems Flag created, the stronger the bond came among them. Another reason why I liked this book is because it was fun to read about life during that time period. It was interesting to read of all they had to do, especially when it came to walking long distance. If they forgot to tell someone something, they'd have to walk all the way back just to say what they needed to say. Furthermore, when they lived by "neighbors", they still lived fairly far away from each other. Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to read a great book.
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Summary: Good Book..............
Review: This is a very good book................if you're looking for one about how American life was in the late 1800's. Otherwise it can be very dull and boring. There is very little excitemement. The deer(yearling) does not come into the book until like page 250. I had to read this for school.
Let's just say that this book is not the best and not the worst.
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Summary: The Yearling
Review: My Review of the Yearling Do you enjoy reading books that involve suspense, thrilling hunting chases, conflict, and love? Then The Yearling is the right book for you. The Yearling's main characters are Jody, Ma (Ory), and Pa (Penny) Baxter. The Baxter family farms for a living and they barely get by with the meager rations they obtain from their crops and hunting.
Because life in South Central Florida is tough, Ma Baxter is very concerned about not having enough to survive. It has made her be insensitive and she is strict with Jody and does not have a good relationship with him. On the other hand Penny Baxter is more laid back and relaxed and Jody gets along wit him just fine.
The Forresters are the Baxter's neighbors. They have an easier life than the Baxters because they are wealthier and don't have to work as hard as the Baxters to survive. Jody is a friend with one of the Forresters' sons. His name is Fodder-wing and he is a cripple. Although Fodder-wing cannot do all the things other boys his age can do, he has a way with animals. Jody is also fond of animals and visits Fodder-wing and his many pets as often as he can.
Jody wishes he could have something to call his own like Fodder-wing's animals, but Ma will not allow it. When Penny shoots a doe and its fawn is left all alone, Jody cannot help to feel sorry for it. So he begs Penny to let him keep it. Penny agrees and Jody goes into the woods to find it. Finally Jody has something to call his own.
I think The Yearling is an interesting book. The author tells the account so well because she actually lived in South Central Florida for a while. She is very good writer. She uses descriptive words to make the book come alive. Although the book is very well written it is hard to understand and is annoying to read when the characters talk. They have a strong accent and use horrible grammar. Still the book is very well written.
My favorite part of the book is when Jody and Penny go hunting. It is very interesting to read and makes you want to keep reading to find out what happens next. It feels like you're right next to the Baxter's hunting dogs chasing a bear or a deer through the woods.
In this book there is conflict between families, sickness, death, and fighting to name some of the not so happy parts of the book. But on the brighter side there is Jody and his fawn that he loves so much. During the book Jody watches as his fawn becomes a yearling and Penny watches as Jody becomes a man. By: Nick Nendel
465 words
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Summary: The first book I have ever disliked
Review: ...I had never really encountered a "bad" book...until I read The Yearling. I found The Yearling to be extremely slow paced and it bored me to my wits end. The book seemed to be written for a seven year old, always taking time out of the story to interupt and explain things that didn't need to be explained, if you were following the story. (which was sometimes difficult due to the fact that I would frequently catch myself falling asleep while reading it) For example in the beginning of the book the author took seven pages to explain that the little boy,Jody,was building a flutter-mill. Now They explain along the way what a flutter-mill is, but then after they use the 7 pages to describe him building one, they also felt it was nessecary to stop and tell us yet again, what it is, just in case that we missed it the first few times. If you like slow paced books, then The Yearling is just the book for you, otherwises I would recomend that you spend your money elsewhere.
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Summary: A wonderful novel of lifetime lessons.
Review: Jody and his pet deer, Flag, grow up together in the southern Florida scrub. Jody lives with his mother, Ora Baxter, and his father, Penny Baxter. Jody and his father have a close relationship together throughout the story. They often go hunting for game to help them survive the winter, and they farm the crops on Baxter's Island (a clearing in the forest). They own several farm animals, some of which are eaten by wild scrub animals such as Ol' Slewfoot. They often visit Grandma Hutto in the more urban area of Florida and their neighbors, the Forresters, in their clearing. One day Jody's father is bitten by a rattlesnake, and his father shoots a doe to use its organs to help remove some of the deadly venim. Jody finds that the doe has a baby fawn, and he takes it home and raises it. However, the fawn causes trouble by eating many of the Baxters' crops that they need for the winter. This story involves betrayal, maturity, friendship, loyalty, love, and many other themes that are important for people to be familiar with. It is thrilling and extremely hard to put down!
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