The Author: Biography and Allusion
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"Memories of My Father"Robert Cormier was a very prolific author who lived from 1925 to 2000. He was born and grew up in Massachusetts, and his home town of Leominster is recognizable as the fictional town of Monument, the setting of some of his books. He wrote over 15 novels as well as collections of stories and essays. He started out writing radio commercials and later worked as a newspaper reporter. In this video, Robert Cormier's son pays tribute to his dad not only for being a great writer, but also for being a great father.
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"The emotions of being a teenager are timeless . . ."In this interview near the end of his life, Robert Cormier talks about his insights into his young adult audience. He reveals his deep respect and appreciation for his readers and the challenges they face. In many ways, he could be considered the inventor of the young adult fiction genre.
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The History of Dancing BearsThe title of our novel is never really explained anywhere in the text. It is alluded to in the epigraph, but to appreciate the allusion, we must know some background. The practice of capturing and abusing bears for entertainment reaches back to ancient times in several cultures (mostly throughout Asia and Eastern Europe). The following article explains some of this sad history. (Click on the title to link.) As we read the novel, look for connections within the text.
"The Cruel History of Dancing Bears." "The Dancing Bears of India" In parts of Eastern Europe today, people wear bear costumes and perform dances at winter festivals. Participants say that the dance is meant to chase away evil spirits. "Romanian's Revere the Hunt with 'Dancing Bears' Ritual" |
The Novel: Scanned Chapters for Online Work
The Theme: Henry's Dilemma
"Deliver Us from Evil"
The second epigraph of the novel is this petition from the Lord's Prayer. At key moments the main character, Henry, prays for God's grace as he senses that others are tempting him to do the wrong thing. This temptation comes from unexpected places and people, and he struggles to find out what is true and good. God does answer his prayer.
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