What constitutes racism? Jodi Picoult’s latest novel Great Small Things is perhaps her most controversial novel to date. The characters pull us into the story with such force that I finished the novel in two days.
The novel is told from the point of view of Kennedy, Ruth, and and Turk, who represent vastly different segments of the nation. Yet Jodi’s writing brings their voices to life and entrances the reader. Their lives become intertwined in unforgettable drama.
The twists and turns in the novel are typical Jodi Picoult, yet several of them surprised me. I won’t add any spoilers here so you will discover them in your own reading journey. Just when you think you have pigon-holed a character, something happens that proves you wrong.
I was horrified by the nights wilding that Brit and Turk, and other white supremacists, committed without any thought or conscience. I don’t think I have ever known a Neo-Nazi personally (I am white), so the notion that they have gone underground on the internet and set up silent cells ready to call into action at will scared me to death. The media is always talking about terrorist ISIS cells across the world and the idea that we also have racist based cells in our country inspires great fear in my soul. Who can I really trust?
High school students reading this novel will be able to examine their views about racism and compare/contrast their opinions. Picoult has given them many examples of metaphors and situations to discuss. The resources listed at the end of the novel will be helpful to anyone studying or writing about this topic. I have used eye color to help discuss racism, with hypothetical scenarios in which the blue-eyed children are allowed to go to lunch first. The green-eyed students receive extra homework, and the brown-eyed youths receive a homework pass for the week. It’s easier to see life actions in metaphors, and random examples. Yet real life issues are described vividly in the word descriptions. In that respect, this may be her most important novel. (Seventeen Minutes is still my favorite and the one I recommend for all people involved in schools.)
I will explain that, in my opinion, color is not the only basis for racism. Yes, individuals may be judged because they are white, or people of color, but I believe that economics has a lot to do with opportunities in life regardless of color. There are rich and poor families in all sides of the segments of society. It is not all white people who have the most money and power; Afro-American, Chinese, Japanese, and Asian families all fit into the pie. There are plenty of poor white homeless children who would find the idea that all white people have money and power ludicrous. The stigma I see is how we treat the haves and the have nots, no matter what color they are.
You must read this novel and weigh in honestly on where you fall in the race spectrum. Great, small actions do make a difference and we can change the world one person at a time.
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