Critical Analysis of "Teen 2.0," Epstein

           In the book, "Teen 2.0, Saving Our Children And Families From The Torment Of Adolescence," Robert Epstein wants readers to be introduced to the idea that teenagers are being kept from meeting their true potential because they are still treated like children. Epstein discusses how childhood has been artificially extended, how capable young people truly are, and how "we" must change. Epstein seems to intend the audience for this book to be parents or at least adults who interact with kids pretty often.  Epstein is a renowned psychologist, and obviously put an incredible amount of research into writing the book.

          Epstein wants readers to think that teens are just as capable as adults, and need to be given responsibilities. One example of this is that Epstein created a test on how "adult" the test taker is.  Epstein then gave the test to a large group of both teenagers and legal adults. He included the results in the book, saying that teens tested extremely similarly to adults and that this proved their equality. Epstein uses choice vocabulary, such as calling teenagers "young people," and saying that everyone, including teenagers has specific "rights." By using this word, Epstein emphasizes a necessity on a few opinionated beliefs. Epstein also includes extremely negative quotes from adults, making the reader think that teens' negative behavior is the direct result of adults' misjudgment. Epstein also often mentions that his own son is a teenager and is more mature than even himself. However, Epstein is slightly biased towards his son's maturity.

    All in all, this book proved some ideas I had already begun to formulate or already had developed completely, before I read this book, to be right, with evidence. When reading it cover to cover, I was slightly agitated at the preposterousness of a few ideas in the book. Some of these ideas included that school should not be mandatory, and that a thirteen year old should be allowed to drive a car. However, this book was eye opening to some statistics of the capabilities to certain individuals, and was about an interesting issue.

Whose Perspective is Missing from "The Poisonwood Bible" By Barbara Kingsolver

  Although I am not very far into "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver, I am already beginning to notice characters' missing perspectives. In "The Poisonwood Bible," four sisters, their mother, and their father, move to the Belgian Congo in order for their father to preach Baptism to the Africans there. I know that the story is told by the sisters and their mother, but I have not yet read a section of the story told by the mother. I hope to still be able to draw some conclusions about the plot and characters' development. So far, I have been noticing three main perspectives missing; (broadly), the Africans', the Father's, and currently the Mother's perspective is missing. 

  In the book, there are many scenes in which the reader is intended to feel discontent and annoyed with the behavior of the sisters, specifically Rachel. Rachel thinks, "Am I the only one shocked to smithereens here?" when the family is offered a feast in their honor, but Rachel is disgusted by both the behavior and the food the Africans provide them with. Rachel also mentions how she does not understand anything that they are saying. This shows how ignorant and uncommunicative Rachel is, and also how the author purposefully does not include certain perspectives. If this book was written by one of the Africans in this text, it would tell a completely different story. By not including their perspective, Kingsolver helps us identify with and get to know the family a little more. 
  
  Another missing perspective from this story is that of the esteemed Father, Nathan Price. Although the girls obviously admire and fear  him immensely, his perspective is unknown to the reader. To an extent, it is hard for me to identify with the characters in this book. Although it is beautifully written, and the characters are extremely developed, the extreme christianity and cultural ignorance is difficult for me to understand. I don't know if this book was intended for an audience who also felt this way, but the lack of the father's perspective has positive effects on me as a reader. In certain points in the story, the Nathan Price looses composure in the company of Leah, one of his daughters. When Leah is telling the story, this is the closest the reader gets to Nathan's perspective.

  A final  missing perspective from the story (at least in the Book One section) is the mother's. It becomes extremely apparent when Nathan Price asks the daughters which one of them taught the parrot the word "damn," and all four daughters know it was their mother.It fascinated me that not one of them tattled on Orleanna. Their punishment was to copy a section of the bible. Orleanna is portrayed by the girls as frail yet motherly and warm. She is entirely dependent but her daughters also depend on her. I think that it will be interesting to read what she thinks about life in the Congo and her opinion on Nathan Price. Orleanna seems as if she may be insecure and insubstantial- maybe the author began the book with the sisters' perspectives for that reason.

  All in all, perspectives are essential in both the plot and the intended reader's mindset. I am enjoying "The Poisonwood Bible," more and more as I progress into it. I am anticipating the mother's voice. The book is extremely well written and captivating.