Jasper Jones

Jasper Jones is a 2009 novel by Fremantle-based writer Craig Silvey. It has won and been shortlisted for several major awards, and was selected by the University of Canberra as its inaugural UC Book of the Year for 2013.[1]

Plot

Protagonist Charlie Bucktin is a thirteen-year-old boy living in the rural mining town of Corrigan in Western Australia. On a summer evening in 1965, Charlie has an unexpected late night visit from fourteen-year-old Jasper Jones, an outcast in Corrigan due to his mixed White-Aboriginal heritage and rebellious lifestyle. Jasper begs for Charlie's help, and leads him to his private glade in the bush. Here Charlie is horrified to find the dead body of a young girl, Jasper's girlfriend Laura Wishart, battered and hanging from a tree. Jasper, aware that he is likely to be blamed for Laura's murder, convinces Charlie that they should hide the body, so together they throw it into a nearby pond, weighted by a large rock.

A search for the missing girl is soon organised, focused on the idea that she may have run away. Jasper is interrogated roughly by the local police, but they soon release him. Meanwhile tension builds in the town, as parents fear more disappearances, and townspeople search for someone to blame.

Charlie spends his days with his best friend Jeffrey Lu, an intelligent Vietnamese boy who shares Charlie's love of intellectual banter, and deals stoically with the constant race-hate inflicted on him and his family. Jeffrey is mad about cricket, but his attempts to join the Corrigan team are thwarted by the racism of the coach and other players. Eventually fortune goes his way, and he finds himself batting last in a game against a rival town, watched by Charlie, who has befriended Eliza, Laura Wishart's younger sister. As Jeffrey plays heroically to win the game on the last ball, Charlie and Eliza hold hands and share their first kiss.

Jasper believes that Laura's murderer is Mad Jack Lionel, a reclusive old man who is rumored to have done terrible things in the past. Jasper determines to confront Lionel, and together with Charlie, goes to his house. Lionel manages to defuse Jasper's aggression, and the truth comes out: Lionel is actually Jasper's grandfather, and when Jasper was a baby, Lionel had crashed his car while racing Jasper's mother to hospital, causing her death. The incident has left him broken, and ostracized by the townspeople.

Late one night, Eliza comes to Charlie's window, wanting to talk to him urgently. They go to Jasper's glade. Here Eliza tells Charlie what she knows of Laura's death: after a violent argument with her abusive father, Laura came looking for Jasper. Eliza followed her to the glade. Finding Jasper away, in despair Laura killed herself, and Eliza could not save her. Charlie then has to confess that he and Jasper had thrown Laura's body into the lake.

Jasper slips away from Corrigan, Charlie finds a new assertiveness that helps him overcome the local bullies, and remains close to Eliza, who exacts revenge on her father by setting fire to their house, injuring him. The secret about Laura's death remains with the three of them.

Characters

Charlie Bucktin: The 13 year old protagonist and narrator of the novel. He is intellectual rather than athletic. This makes him somewhat of an outsider in Corrigan, where sporting ability is highly valued. He aspires to become a writer, and reads notable books during the course of the novel, including Pudd'nhead Wilson and To Kill A Mockingbird. These books are the source of much of Charlie's inspiration and guidance. Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird is a father figure whom Charlie looks up to for support and encouragement when times get difficult in the struggle of Jasper's tangled web, to which Charlie is an unwilling witness.

Jasper Jones: Half Aboriginal Australian and half white, Jasper is an outcast. He is fourteen, but Charlie states that Jasper looks much older. He is the town's scapegoat, and the first person to be blamed for any kind of trouble. He hence has a bad reputation, and is blamed for crimes he does not commit. Jasper's father is physically abusive and addicted to alcohol. This prompts Jasper to steal for food, as there's no money left in the house. Jasper's mother died when he was young, and Jasper tells Charlie he doesn't remember anything about her.

Eliza Wishart: Charlie's romantic interest. Eliza is described as intelligent and slightly resembling Audrey Hepburn. She is the younger sister of Laura.

Laura Wishart: Eliza's older sister and Jasper's love interest. She is the person who had died and they were investigating.

Jeffrey Lu: Charlie's best friend. He is a year younger than Charlie but has skipped a year in school because of his intellect. Because of his Vietnamese heritage, Jeffrey often experiences a lot racial discrimination from the other cricketers despite his grand cricket abilities. Often seen making sassy comments towards Charlie's crush towards Eliza.

Mad Jack Lionel: The town's scapegoat. Kids regularly take things from his property to prove their bravery. Taking a peach from his tree is the highest achievement. Jasper blames him for Laura's murder after discovering the word "sorry" carved into a rusted car on his property. Lionel often calls out to Jasper, trying to get his attention.

Awards and nominations

The novel is published in the UK by Windmill Books.[7]

Film adaptation

Further information: Jasper Jones (film)

The film rights for the novel were sold to producers Vincent Sheehan and David Jowsey.[8][9] Screenwriter Shaun Grant and Silvey co-wrote the script.[10][11] Director Rachel Perkins started filming in October 2015.[12] The film stars Toni Collette (as Ruth Bucktin), Levi Miller (Charlie Bucktin), Aaron McGrath (Jasper Jones), Hugo Weaving (Mad Jack Lionel), Angourie Rice (Eliza Wishart), and Dan Wyllie (Wes Bucktin).[13][14][15]

Stage adaptations

The novel has been adapted by Kate Mulvany. In 2014, Barking Gecko Theatre Company premiered the stage adaptation of Jasper Jones in Perth.[16] In early 2016, Belvoir St Theatre performed the play in Sydney.[17] In mid 2016, Melbourne Theatre Company performed the play in Melbourne.[18]

References

  1. ↑ University of Canberra, UC Book of the Year, archive
  2. ↑ Michael L. Printz Winners and Honor Books, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of American Library Association (ALA)
  3. ↑ Indie Book Awards, Australian Independent Bookseller, archive.
  4. ↑ "Australia's Mark Twain wins book of the year", Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), archived.
  5. ↑ Australian Book Industry Awards, archived
  6. ↑ Winton, Silvey on Premier's book short list”, by William Yeoman, The West Australian, August 12, 2010, archived.
  7. ↑ Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey, Windmill Books, archive
  8. ↑ ScreenDaily, archived 07 October 2015
  9. ↑ Screen NSW (the NSW government's key funding body for the NSW screen production industry), "Funding Approval Details", archived 07 October 2015
  10. ↑ "Jasper Jones (2016) Full Cast & Crew", IMDb, archived 21 January 2016
  11. ↑ Shaun Grant, "From Snowtown to Jasper Jones, an insider's view of the art of adaptation", Sydney Morning Herald, published 4 December 2015, archived 7 December 2015
  12. ↑ "Rachel Perkins' Jasper Jones is cast and ready to film in WA", SBS, archived 07 October 2015
  13. ↑ “Toni Collette Joins the Cast of Jasper Jones”, Porchlight Films, archived 07 October 2015
  14. ↑ “Incredible cast brought together for the film adaption of the iconic Australian novel, Jasper Jones”, Film Ink (Australia), archived 15 October 2015
  15. ↑ Hugo Weaving, Toni Collette join all-star cast of Jasper Jones, Sydney Morning Herald, Linda Morris, 18 October 2015, archived 24 October 2015
  16. ↑ "Jasper Jones: the stage adaptation of Craig Silvey's novel". Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 15 July 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  17. ↑ Blake, Jason (6 January 2016). "Jasper Jones review: Kate Mulvany's adaptation stands tall despite slight falter at end". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  18. ↑ Galloway, Paul (18 July 2016). "Kate Mulvany on Jasper Jones". Melbourne Theatre Company. Retrieved 30 August 2016.

External links

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