Free English Literature Essays - The Impact Of Critical Reception In The Novels Of Melvin Burgess
The critical reception of an author can have a major influence on that author's work. It can affect how and by whom that author's novels are read in a number of ways. The novel's reception by the audience for whom it is intended is of course one way of gauging a novel's success. However, there is much more involved than the reaction of the targeted audience. Critical reception is a vital part of this process, and this often has a huge impact on the novel's reception and readership, as well as its potential inclusion in educational contexts. This is particularly true with novelists whose works are highly controversial, such as Melvin Burgess.
This paper will focus on Melvin Burgess' controversial novel Doing It. Though primarily focusing on this one novel, the discussion will include additional information, including prizes won by Burgess, additional novels, critical acclaim, and inclusion in educational contexts.
About the Author
Melvin Burgess is an author whose work is widely controversial. He tends to write books which target for the most part a teenaged to young-adult audience, and he writes about subjects that are undoubtedly important to that age group, particularly sex and relationships, drug use, and violence. He writes about these topics and a frank and open way which some find refreshingand others find repulsive and disturbing.
Even the titles of his works are considered offensive, or at the very least controversial, by his critics and his fans alike. Some titles include Junk (known as Smack in the US); Lady, My Life as a Bitch; as well as the novel that is the focus of this paper: Doing It.
Burgess grew up in Bristol, England, and he has been writing all his life. Any account of his early childhood includes the fact that he has been both praised and denigrated for his writing since he first began producing stories in school. Now that he continues to receive both high praise and vitriolic scorn. His novels have been called "gritty", "filth," and "vile" as well as "honest", "hilarious," and "unpatronizing". However, the negative attitudes seem to focus more on his subject matter, which is controversial, than on his actual style of writing.
Burgess' attitude toward his critics is to ignore them and continue in his own vein. When asked why he thinks some people are so concerned about his frank approach to these divisive teen issues, his response is candid and empathetic: 'I'm a parent and I know that it is difficult letting your children grow up, you have to let them stop being kids and it can be quite scary when you've been used to them being so dependent on you. I would say these things are really an issue of trust. Adults have to trust teenagers' (HenryHolt n.d.).
Melvin Burgess' Novel Doing It
Burgess' recent book Doing It has met with a variety of reviews, as have many of Burgess' novels. It was initially published in the UK by Andersen Press. It has subsequently been published in paperback by Penguin. Additionally, it has been popular (and equally controversial) in the US.
Andersen Press, the initial publishing house, received both praise and censure for publishing Doing It. In response to the negative comments, Publishing and Managing Director Klaus Flugge commented that 'the book is specifically aimed at the 16+ age group which is quite evident from the cover'. Flugge also points out that the book clearly exhibits a warning that the novel contains 'adult treatment' of adolescent issues, as well as the fact that it contains 'explicit content'.
Flugge and Andersen also stand behind their decision to publish Doing It. Notes Flugge, 'the advance positive reactions we've had to date from highly respected critics and authors confirm our belief in both the book and the integrity of Melvin Burgess as a distinguished, prize-winning author of teenage fiction' (Flugge n.d.).
Penguin Books has also been alternately praised and criticised for publishing the paperback version of this controversial novel. Their strong stand is that Burgess writes about contemporary topics that are of vital importance to adolescents today, and that he does so in an explicit way that teenagers identify with: Doing It is about sex, they assert, 'but it is as much about not doing it as doing it - and about love in its different forms too' (Penguin n.d.).
Penguin also offers very high praise for Burgess' writing, describing it as 'warm, funny and life-affirming'. Even so, they admit that Doing It is clearly intended for an older adolescent age group. They are apparently sensitive to public reception of the book. Francesca Dow, the Managing Director at Penguin, has announced that the book will be released bearing the adult Penguin logo, not the children's Puffin logo. This will clearly indicate that the novel is not intended for children, but for a young adult/older teen-ager audience (Penguin n.d.).
Doing It: Critical Reception
Critical reception of Doing It has run the gamut from glowing reviews to thoughtful commentary to angry, even vituperative insults.
Kit Spring wrote in The Observer that in the novel Doing It Burgess has 'gone and done it again' by outraging 'society's moral guardians' (Spring 2003). Anne Fine, the child laureate of The Guardian, took a much harsher tone, however, criticising not just Burgess himself, but also the publishers who put his book out: 'What are three separate children's publishers thinking of, peddling this grubby book, which demeans both young women and young men? It will prove as effective a form of sexual bullying as any hardcore porno mag passed round' (Fine 2003).
Fine's contention is that warnings on the cover of the book are essentially useless:
'Make no mistake, the publishers may slap a warning and a picture of a condom on the front and substitute a grown-up penguin for a puffin, but it was the children's publisher Andersen Press that commissioned this novel'.
She has similarly harsh words for both Penguin Press, and deplores the advertising campaign that resulted in widely publicized excerpts from Burgess' novel Lady: My Life as a Bitch. The excerpts were particularly offensive, Fine said, because they appeared in large letters on the sides of London buses. Fine sees this as irresponsible behavior, believing it will negatively impact impressionable adolescents and young adults.
In response to Penguin's assertion that publishing books such as Doing It will encourage young boys to read, Fine asserts that teachers 'won't be handing it out, once they've got to the bit where the lad brags "I sucked Miss's tits and know what colour pubes she has"' (Fine 2003).
A stark contrast to this is Dinah Hall's comments in The Sunday Telegraph:
'This is Burgess on top form - punchy, provocative, on the edge and in your face. Doing It sizzles and crackles with life from beginning to end. Teenagers will love this honest, irreverent and frequently hilarious study of their awakening sexuality.' Doing It: The Book Cover
The comments on the back of Doing It come from an excerpt from Scotland's national newspaper, The Scotsman. Using an excerpt from a respected newspaper is a decision that clearly reflects respect for the regard of 'mainstream' society. The excerpt also addresses head-on the controversial nature of the book. 'Anybody who takes the trouble to read the book rather than just recoil from the smutty quotes, will find that it is a genuinely moral work of fiction about a subject' reads the selection. It is an interesting choice of words. 'Smutty' has a range of connotations, and certainly will attract the attention of readers of all ages and backgrounds. The word 'moral' follows closely, however, and serves to lend a sense of self-awareness and respectability.
The excerpt goes on to state that the book is about 'the confusions, joys and terrors of adolescent male sexualityrarely addressed with such comprehension and sympathy'. These words also clearly appeal to a wide audience, including the adolescents for whom the book has been written, as well as the parents of these adolescents and the educators who are charged with their academic and social development.
These comments certainly stimulate readers' desires to continue reading and/or purchase the book. Even if readers have never heard of Melvin Burgess, this statement clearly implies the fact that his work is a controversial commodity. The very mention of 'smutty quotes', as stated earlier, serves to pique one's curiosity; it implies that Burgess' work is important enough to have elicited strong, opinionated comments from respectable sources. Furthermore, it suggests that his work is not only well known, and it also invites readers to join in the debate by reading the book themselves and forming their own opinions.
The excerpt from The Scotsman will probably make readers who are already familiar with Burgess' works curious about this particular novel. This would appeal to those who dislike his work as well as those who like it. It will also encourage readers who are not familiar with Burgess' work to want to read it, because the comment makes it sound as though everyone should be familiar with Burgess' work. The implied suggestion is that 'everyone' knows Burgess' reputationand if they are not, they should be.
There is also the artwork on the cover. It is an artistic comment, and it has a visual appeal that is designed to catch the reader's eye. Different editions of the book have different artistic representations, but it is clear that each is designed to be visually appealing. The Andersen edition of the novel is simple and dramatic, with the author's name in bold white letters against a dark background. The book's suggestive title, Doing It, is downplayed: it appears in much smaller print in a standard font against a patch of white and is located towards the bottom of the front cover.
On the front cover of the Penguin edition is clearly sexually provocative: a photograph of the lower half of a young woman's legs; the woman is clearly in a state of undress. The letters of the title are in a pale yellow that neither overpowers nor diminishes this jarring and clearly sexually suggestive image.
The Henry Holt edition (released in the US) has more austere colors. It consists of a drawing attributed to Istvan Banyal, and it portrays a young woman with her legs wrapped around a young man. The man is seen from the backside. He appears to be dressed in contemporary teenage attire: a pair of trousers with rolled-up cuffs, tennis shoes, socks, and tee shirt. His hair is short, and his build gives the illusion of height and health.
The young woman has wrapped her legs around him so that they cross at the ankles. She is wearing high-heeled, strapped sandals, and is dressed in what appears to be a short skirt and a short-sleeved (or sleeveless top). The drawing shows a partial view of the young woman's face: her eyes are closed, and her lips are straight and unexpressive. It is difficult to tell if she is happy from her facial expression, although her body language unambiguously indicates a high level of interest. Her left arm is clasped about her partner's neck, and her right hand rests clingingly on his back.
The art on the back cover appears to be a drawing of the same couple, only from a different perspective. This time we see the backside of the young woman. From this angle it is clear that she is wearing a shirt with a deep v-cut in the back, and it appears that she is not wearing a bra (or a bra is not visible). It is also clear from this perspective that her partner is supporting her weight with his right hand around her waist; his left hand is cupped around her buttocks. His eyes are closed as well.
The title is written in small letters, in red and black against a stark white background. The letters alternate in color, except for the first two letters, which are both in red: doing it. This draws the reader's attention to the first two letters: do. The letters on the back repeat the title and the author's name, but the letters appear backwards, as though looking at a mirrored reflection. This is not only eye-catching but also symbolic. It suggests the confusion and ambivalence of adolescence. This is something that may appeal to both contemporary teenagers, who will certainly identify with this sense of confusion. It may also appeal to older generations, who may remember the turmoil of teenage years, as well as to parents who have adolescent or pre-adolescent children of their own.
Thus, the book jacket is designed to offer visual appeal. The stark yet simple color scheme of black and red on white is certainly eye-catching. The cartoon characters on the front and back may seem simple at first, but upon further inspection, it is clear that these, too, are skillfully designed to attract and maintain interest.
Other Works
Several others of Burgess' novels have had a mix of critical receptions. Junk (in the US, Smack) won both the Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Award. Junk is a disturbing and dark tale about two runaway teens whose use of heroin destroys their lives.
Bloodtide has also stirred up considerable controversy among the reading public and critics alike. This novel, like Doing It, bridges the age group between adolescence and young adulthood. Even those critics who have positive things to say about Bloodtide have questioned its appropriateness for a young adult readership. The setting is a future London, a ravaged and disturbing setting in which violent, ruthless ganglords battle each other for control of the city. Though based on the epic Icelandic tale Volsunga, this affiliation has not affected the novel's reception in a positive way.
It is significant to note that Bloodtide was marketed as a science fiction novel. Because of this, readers looking for books by Burgess will have to go out of their way to find this title in bookstores and libraries (White 2005).
Prizes Awarded: The Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is a prestigious award. It is awarded annually to an author of an outstanding book for children. The award was established in 1936 by The Library Association. It is named for Andrew Carnegie, who was a great philanthropist and industrialist. Born in Scotland, Carnegie was a self-made man who lived from 1835-1919. He made a great deal of money in the steel industry in the US.
As a child, Carnegie found the library a great resource, and he decided early on that if he ever amassed a great deal of wealth, he would donate it to a fund, which would help to establish and maintain libraries that would be available to the public. He eventually accomplished this goal, and is credited with establishing over 2800 libraries in Great Britain, the US, and other English-speaking areas across the globe.
The process of deciding to whom the Carnegie Medal should be given is now decided by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, known as CILIP. CILIP was formed in 2002 by the Unification of the Institute of Information Scientists and The Library Association. The winner receives not only the prestige affiliated with this well-respected award, but also a golden medal and 500 worth of books. The books are donated to a library that the author chooses.
Burgess has been short-listed for The Carnegie Medal several times in the 1990s: The Cry of the Wolf (1990); An Angel for May (1992); The Baby and Fly Pie (1993); Junk (1996); and The Ghost Behind the Wall (2000).
Additional Prizes Awarded:
Lancashire County Library Children's Book of the Year Award (joint winner): Bloodtide (2001)
Lancashire County Library Children's Book of the Year Award (shortlist): Billy Elliot (2002)
Guardian Children's Fiction Prize: Junk (1997)
LA Times Book Prize for Young Adult Fiction: Doing It
Jugendliteraturpreis in Germany (shortlist): Doing It
Educational Context
There is much debate about inclusion of Burgess' books in educational settings, and the controversy is far from resolved. His novels are often thought to be 'cross-over' books, since they bridge that delicate age between childhood and adulthood. Because of this, as discussed earlier, it is often difficult to classify his books. The appeal of much of his work is wide-ranging, but the controversial nature of his works ensures that bitter debate will always be present in educational settings.
Conclusion
As shown in this paper, the critical reception of an author can have a major influence on that author's work. Melvin Burgess' novels are often a source of bitter controversy because they deal with delicate topics in not-so-delicate ways. No one will dispute that these issues are of vital importance to young adults and teenagers; however, most people have strong opinions about how these topics should be introduced and dealt with, not only in educational contexts but in the larger framework of mainstream society as well.
A novel's reception by the audience for whom it is intended is of course one way of gauging a novel's success. However, there is much more involved than the reaction of the targeted audience. Critical reception is a vital part of this process, and this often has a huge impact on the novel's reception and readership, as well as its potential inclusion in educational contexts. There is no doubt that the controversy stirred by Burgess' divisive novels will continue for years to come.
Reference List
'Authors A to Z: Melvin Burgess'. (n.d.) Retrieved August 25, 2005, from BBC Big Toe Radio Show. Web site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbc7/bigtoe/books/authors.
British Council Arts. 'Contemporary Writers in the UK'. (n.d.) Retrieved August 25, 2005. Web site: http://www.contemporarywriters.com.
Burgess, Melvin. 1990. The Cry of the Wolf. New York, NY: Tambourine Books.
Burgess, Melvin. 2003. Doing It. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company, LLC.
Burgess, Melvin. 1996. Smack. New York, NY: Harper Collins.
CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Children's Book Awards. (n.d.)Retrieved August 25, 2005. Web site: http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/carnegie/carn.
'Doing It: Reviews and Comments. (n.d.)Retrieved August 24, 2005. Web site: http://web.onetel.com/~melvinburgess.
Fine, Anne. 2003. 'Filth, which ever way you look at it.' The Guardian, March 29, 2003.
Flugge, Klaus. 'Melvin Burgess'. (n.d.) Retrieved August 24, 2005, from Andersen Press Biographies. Web site: http://www.andersenpress.co.uk.
'Henry Holt and Company. 'Books for Young Readers'. (n.d.) Retrieved August 25, 2005. Web site: http://www.henryholtchildrensbooks.com.
LA Times Events. (n.d.) Retrieved August 24, 2005, from LA Times Online. Web site: http://www.latimes.com/extras/bookprizes.
'Reading Matters: Melvin Burgess'. (n.d.) Retrieved August 24, 2005. Web site: http://www.readingmatters.co.uk.
Scotsman Online. (n.d.) Retrieved August 25, 2005. Web site:http://thescotsman.scotsman.com.
Spring, Kit. 'The Beastly Boys.' The Observer. April 13, 2003.
White, Donna R. 'Reading Themes: The British Invasion'. (n.d.) Retrieved August 26, 2005. Web site: http://www.fiveowls.com/british.htm.
