Realism

Curtis, Christopher Paul. 2004. Bucking the sarge. New York: Wendy Lamb Books.

Summary: Luther lives with his mother (called “the Sarge) in Flint, Michigan. The Sarge is a slum lord and the owner of the Happy Neighborhood Group Home for Men. Luther is only fifteen but he has been working for his mother running the home since he was thirteen. His mother is an unethical person who tries to cheat the system any way she can. Luther considers himself a philosopher and is looking forward to the day when he can break free and attend university, but for now he is just part of Sarge’s machine. The one thing that keeps him going is the thought that Sarge is putting money away for his college education. At least that’s what he thinks. When he realizes that she has no intention of giving him any money for college, as she has promised, he decides to get even. He begins to work on a plan that will get him free of his bondage to the Sarge and give him the life he wants.

Analysis/Impressions: This humorous realistic novel, is set in Flint, Michigan. Flint is significant because it has a reputation of being a place where people tend to have a poverty mentality. Luther and his mother don’t fit this stereotype because they are both hard workers. The main difference between them is that the Sarge is working for herself and doesn’t really care about anyone else. Luther’s friend Sparky blames Flint for all of his problems, but according to Luther “Flint ain’t nothing but a place or a state of mind, and I think a place or a state of mind is all about what you make it to be.” (Curtis 2004, 9)

The story is told from the perspective of Luther in the first person point of view. This helps us to see the heart and soul of a young man who has a dream. It also helps us to see what he is up against emotionally. Sarge, his own mother is the antagonist and is the major obstacle in his life. Even so, he is willing to work for her if it will help him achieve his goals.

We see some the major real teen challenges that Luther faces. He is growing through the process of learning to accept his body and its physical changes. Like most teen boys he worries about acne but as he says “if that Clearasil really works it won’t be too much longer before I’ll be handsome in a more normal sense of the word.” (Curtis 2004, 8) Luther is starting to develop a sexual identity. He has a secret crush on Shayla Patrick, but doesn’t let her know it because she is his rival in the science fair. Like a lot of teen boys he would like to be sexually active and carries an old condom around in his wallet. It’s been in his wallet so long that he’s given it a name: Chauncy.

Luther is also thinking about his future career plans. He says he has found a “home in science and a haven in philosophy” (2004, 19) and wants to attend university. It will be his escape from his money grubbing, unethical mother. He has already started to form his own ideology and ethical standards and they aren’t the same as the Sarges’. Early in the book, we see that Luther is beginning to achieve his emotional independence from his mother. At the end of the book this reaches full bloom as he is finally able to break free from her control.

This book is an exemplary example of a coming of age novel because of Luther’s emotional growth and development. While it would have been easy for him to get sucked up into the same kind of mentality as the Sarge, he chooses another way. He forms his own identity. He is a courageous young man who will take a stand against wrong, even if that wrong is being committed by his own mother. His compassion for the men in the group home shows that he has high standards.

The characters in the book may be humorous at times, and the situation may be slightly unrealistic, but certainly within the realm of possibility. While, this book has mostly African American characters, Luther is one of those characters who can be a role model for young adults living in any community.

This book is an easy read and has enough action and humor to keep the reader interested. The ending is satisfying and gives us a sense of justice. It is recommended for ages 9-12.

Review Excerpts:
"Luther is a vintage Curtis hero, with a keen eye for human inconsistencies, a self-deprecating sense of humor, and a genuine inner sweetness that never slips into self-righteousness. Luther triumphs perhaps too easily and thoroughly over the Sarge . . .” (The Horn Book, Sept/Oct 2004, vol. 80, no. 5)

“Curtis tells the teen's story with his usual combination of goofy humor, tongue-in-cheek corniness, and honest emotion. Accordingly, Luther narrates the absurd, embarrassing details of his life with both adult sensitivity and teen crassness.” (School Library Journal, Sept 2004, vol. 50, no. 9)