Angry Management: Three Novellas by Chris Crutcher

ISBN: 978-0-06-050247-8
Publisher: Greenwillow books (2009)

246 pages

Grades 9 and up, but younger tweens would enjoy these stories as well.

Summary:

Crutcher spins three stories about six different people who all cross the path of Mr. Nak, a counselor at Global Community Health. He is to evaluate and help these children, if he can. The first story deals with Sarah Byrnes and Angus Bethune who meet during group sessions and embark on a trip toward loss and despair to finally finding love and acceptance. The second story revolves around Montana and Trey, telling a tale of a daughter who needs to stand up for what is just and right, even if it means alienating the foster parents who have raised her. Finally, and in the most heartbreaking segment, readers will find a truly devout Christian, Matt, who cares about his fellow man and attempts to make a difference in the life of Marcus, a young and bright African-American. Marcus comes under fire from his white schoolmates for being black and gay, and Matt attempts to bring justice to an event so horrible that it echoes throughout the community. Although these stories are at times painful to read because of the subject matters this novel tackles, the characters still resonate with hope and endurance.

Critical Evaluation:

Many points of view run through Crutcher’s novels, but they are always the voice of the teenage protagonist, and the use of language is always realistic and truthful. It might be inferred that, due to Crutcher’s background in therapy and working with troubled youth, his realistic stories often take their flavor from what he has encountered in life. His piercing narratives are often counterbalanced with moments of humor or levity that will give readers a small reprieve when reading about such topics as sexual abuse, violence, racism, prejudice, and personal fears and expectations.

All of the stories are the focus of the therapist, Nak, whom we meet at the beginning. We, as readers, feel that he is reading their cases as we experience them through Crutcher’s clear and evocative writing style. At times, anger may be the most honest emotion that can carry us through such experiences, but there also always needs to be someone like Nak to help young people navigate the hostile terrain of their lives. The last lines of this novel read, “It feels so good to be back with the young ones, he thinks. Watchin’ them on the front end of things, with a chance to manage it all. ‘Not a good chance, maybe. But a chance.’ All those stories.” (p. 246). Crutcher never sugarcoats the lives of teens, but in his raw honesty gives them a chance to be true to themselves.

Reader’s Annotation:

Enter the world of Chris Crutcher’s teenagers as they battle anger and prejudice and sometimes find a bit of love and freedom. Three stories you won’t be able to put down, and you’ll be wishing for more when they end.

Author Biography:

Chris Crutcher was born and raised in Ohio. He grew up surrounded by sports and the family business, owning and operating a service station. His parents, especially his father, had a tremendous impact on him. As Crutcher’s biography says, “With logic and common sense as his guideposts, Crutch tutored his youngest son on everything from religion to the physics of relativity to political ideals.” (Retrieved from http://www.chriscrutcher.com/biography.html)

As an adult, Crutcher, armed with a BA in sociology and psychology, got his teaching credential and taught in Washington State and Northern California. In 1981, he applied for and accepted a position with the Spokane Community Health Center and Child Protection team and became a child and family therapist. As his biography also mentions, his fiction is “heavily influenced by his vast experience as a child and family therapist and child protection advocate -- is known for its expert balance of comedy and tragedy, as well as its unflinching honesty and authentic voice.” (Retrieved from http://www.chriscrutcher.com/biography.html). Children across the country devour his realistic portrayals of young people and “controversial” subjects, making him a highly-sought-out speaker and author.

Genre: Realistic Fiction - Short story.

Curriculum Ties:

Chris Crutcher’s novels, but especially his short stories, could be used in a creative writing class or for reluctant readers. Their ease of reading and fast-paced narratives would engage even the most bored readers. The stories all deal with ethics and morals and their many different manifestations. From freedom of speech and publishing to freedom of standing up for what is right and speaking one’s mind, students will see examples of what it is to practice one’s beliefs.

Booktalking Ideas:

-What decisions and actions would teens make if they were Sarah Byrnes,
Marcus James, or Matt Miller?

-How far would you go to stand up for someone’s rights and to do the right thing,
no matter what the cost?

Read-Alikes:

-Misfits by James Howe.
-Chris Crutcher’s Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, Whale Talk and Stotan!

Challenge Issue:

This is another book that treats teens with respect and uses realistic language to convey sentiments. For example, after knowing what Sarah Byrnes has gone through, Angus—who himself has been bullied and ridiculed for his size all his life—thinks, “I’ve eaten some shit in my life, but compared to what Sarah has tasted, my shit tasted like angel food cake” (p. 41). I would tell a parent that using such realistic language is imperative when writing for teens about teens, for they will not fall for a whitewashed story of love and forgiveness where everything has a happy ending. A teen’s life can be full of pain, struggle, and heartbreak, and an honest writer needs to display these truths as best he can. Teens flock to Crutcher’s novels, as they do to those of Judy Blume. Without true realism, teens will be lost reading novels that do not portray their lives, making them feel even more lost and alone. The librarian and teacher’s job is to explain that books are for all teens and that, if teens see their images reflected in contemporary novels, they will have more self-esteem and not feel so alone. Any parent not wanting their children to read about sexuality, sexual abuse, racism, and profanity should be directed to the author’s website where he explains his reasons for writing about his chosen subjects.

Reason to include in blog:

Before this class, I had not heard of Chris Crutcher, and he seemed like an author I should know and read. I picked up this series of short stories first. Although I’m going to also blog on Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes, I ended up reading this book first. I would recommend reading his books in order or at least reading the books where his characters make additional appearances, since the story threads that have been started in his past books recur and continue here.

References:

Crutcher, C. (n.d.) Author & Consultant Chris Crutcher.
     Retrieved from http://www.chriscrutcher.com/biography.html

Crutcher, C. (n.d.) Censorship. Retrieved from

     http://www.chriscrutcher.com/censorship.html

Crutcher, C. (2009). Angry management: Three novellas. New York: Greenwillow Books.