The Light in the Forest (1953)

Date approximate ( )

Teachers should not assign classes to read certain titles. Better to set a goal of reading x number of titles every six weeks with a well written essay on what was read. Seeing the cover brings back memories I would rather leave buried in the past. ( )

This is the third time I read this book. This time around, I read it looking for the messages, images and words that the author uses in order to determine whether it is appropriate to use in the 21st century.
I found it to be a book which would best be used as a teaching tool for middle school students. In the book, both the white settlers and natives air their prejudices about the others.
In the middle of both societies is True Son/John Butler.
Taken as a young boy, he grows up loving his native families and their life in the wilderness. Once taken back to his white family, he cannot reconnect with them or their lifestyle. The only one he feels any warmth for is his younger brother, Gordie.
The ending was profoundly moving. ( )

The Light in the Forest (Conrad Richter) New York: Vintage Books:1953

Historical Fiction YA 192 pg

Summary:
A young white boy, True Son, is raised by Indians for 12 years before being returned to his home. He rejects all ways of the white people and is able to escape and return to the Natives. His tribe vows vengeance for against True Son's white village after killing a cousin who went to free True son. On their way they are stopped by True Son. He is then rejected by the tribe to return to the white man because of his betrayal.

Critique:
Setting fits the time and is written in working from the time. This book shows how different people felt about each other during the time.

Activity:(after)
How would you feel if you were sent to a foreign community to live? Would you do what True Son/Johnny did? Why or why not?

I do think this might be a bit too reverent of the Lenni Lenape and other natives, but it was a necessary counterpoint to the all-too prevalent white supremacist viewpoint of the time. I was never required to read it, but I'm not surprised that many students are, as it does have a lot of discuss-able ideas, and a fair bit of engaging drama and characterization. A bad teacher will ruin it; the students of a good teacher will benefit greatly from sharing it, and those of us reading it on our own will not regret doing so. ( )