Ruel Galinato

ENGL112B

Dr. Mary Warner

May 10, 2011

Annotated Bibliography: Bildungsroman in Sports Novels

The study of the Bildungsroman genre is a great study for adolescents in high school because it extends far beyond academic applications. A bildungsroman novel, or a �coming of age� novel,� offers insight for adolescents because it offers lessons that benefit the them in ways that can be applied further in life. One way for adolescents to grow into successful adults is through the books they read. Sometimes, however, the novels that they are required to be read in school are difficult to understand and directly relate to.

High school students have access to many novels that deal with the bildungsroman genre. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, for example, is a classic canonical work that demonstrates many of the features of the Bildungsroman. The reader follows the story of Jane Eyre and her journey to adulthood. She struggles with her concepts of love, religion, social class structures, gender roles, and more. These concepts are not foreign to young adults today, but the depictions of her particular struggles may be a bit difficult for today�s young adults to directly relate to. To give students a better understanding of the bildungsroman genre, sports novels help to facilitate the learning process. Sports, by nature, are very structured and formal. The bildungsroman genre explore many different topics that can vary greatly between different novels, making it difficult to understand the genre fully. Combing the two can help the reader structure the bildungsroman genre and follow along with the different topics, such as love and social class structure, more easily.

For my unit of study, I will be matching up the canonical work Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte with several different sports novels that follow along the bildungsroman genre.

Crutcher, Chris. Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes. New York, NY: Greenwillow, 1993. Print.

This novel follows the story of two protagonists, Sarah Byrnes and Eric Calhoune, who are deemed as �terminal uglies� due to their outward appearances. Once Eric joins swimming and begins to lose weight, however, he fears that he will also lose Sarah Byrnes in the process. Eric struggles with his feelings of friendship and social acceptance. This novel is a great exploration into the mind of individuals who feel ostracized from society by their situations. Their growth from this offer a unique portrayal of the coming-of-age story.

Crutcher, Chris. Whale Talk. New York: Greenwillow, 2001. Print.

T.J Jones is capable of being anything he wants, either scholastically or athletically. When he chooses to pursue his talents in the world of swimming, however, he faces tough scrutiny from his peers as well as his superiors. With this in mind, he struggles to get him and his swim team letterman jackets in order to gain respect as a sport as well as people. This novel explores the ideas of something physical representing something greater. It is all about overcoming adversity, an often necessary step in the coming-of-age process.

Deuker, Carl. On the Devil's Court. Boston: Joy Street, 1988. Print.

After having moved from Boston to Seattle, Joe is put into a private school. His brilliant father wants him to become a scientist, but Joe wants for nothing more than to play basketball. He discovers that he is very good at the story, but soon realizes that this may be due to an inadvertent bargain he made to the devil: his soul for a perfect basketball season. Regardless of the fantastical themes in this novel, the story still deals with the real issue of an adolescent trying to become his own person. The relationship with his father also adds to the effect of his coming-of-age.

Jones, V. M. Juggling with Mandarins. Auckland, NZ: HarperCollins 2003. Print.

Philip Mcleod is a young boy who feels inferior in every way: his height, his appearance, and especially his performance in soccer. His father wants for nothing more than for him to be a great soccer player, but Philip soon discovers the possibility of being great in another sport: rock climbing. Now Philip must decide how he will manage pursuing his desire to be a great rock climber and his resentment towards his father�s sport. This is another great novel that exemplifies the struggles adolescents often face with parental expectations. Philip�s journey to self-discovery in the sport of rock climbing is a great demonstration of the coming-of-age genre.

Klass, David. A Different Season. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1988. Print.

Jim Roark is Oakdale High�s top-pitcher on his baseball team. Things are easy for him in that respect. Life becomes complicated, though, once the girl he likes, Jennifer Douglas, joins the men�s baseball team, as well as his mix-up with drugs and alcohol. He must now deal with his relationship with Jennifer as well as common problems for adolescents and substance abuse. This novel not only explores general concepts of relationships and gender roles, but some more controversial issues such as drugs and other substances.

Klass, David. Wrestling with Honor. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1989. Print.

Ron Woods is the best wrestler on his high school team. As per requirement, the team must undergo drug tests, but Ron feels this to be an invasion of privacy. Complications arise when Ron tests positive for drug use, even though he does not do drugs. This novel explores the concepts of drug-use and personal beliefs that it should remain private within the person, regardless of whether or not the individual actually does drugs.

Miklowitz, Gloria D. Anything to Win. New York, NY: Delacorte, 1989. Print.

Cam Potter is on his way to a football scholarship, but faces tough moral dilemma when his coach pressures him to take steroids. He is also faced with familial crisis as well as problems in his personal relationships. This novel explores the complexities of teenage life, and the tough decisions that need to be made in order to see that a dream becomes fulfilled--or not. Coming-of-age stories are often times laced with dilemmas and crisis.

Simpson, Holly. To Be the Best. New York: Fawcett Girls Only, 1989. Print.

Jo dreams of becoming the best gymnast. Opportunity arises when she is given the opportunity to train with the best gymnastic coach in the nation, though she will have to leave her family to do so. Once she decides to leave, she is faced with self-consciousness, living with another gymnast who has more natural talent than her, and her homesickness. This novel explores the avenues teenagers often must take in order to fulfill dreams. Overcoming yourself and your obstacles is a prevalent theme in this novel, which leads to a growth that would strongly classify this novel as a bildungsroman novel.

Weesner, Theodore. Winning the City. New York: Summit, 1990. Print.

Dale Wheeler is the co-captain of his high school basketball team. His motivation for becoming great include turning his own life around as well as the life of his alcoholic father. Complications arise, however, when a former basketball star sponsors the team and gives Dale�s position to his own son. This novel explores the ideas of overcoming adversity in order to grow as an individual. Dale must figure out what he will do in order to achieve his goals while at the same time staying above his opponents� tactics.