ToczekYALENS1

David Toczek YA Lit Dr. Sherry Reader-as-Writer Susan Cooper’s __King of Shadows__ has a lot to offer to students from the perspective of a writer. Not only is Nat’s story accessible to readers of all ages but Cooper infuses the whole story with a sense of rich emotional appeal, vivid detail, and fantastical adventure. All of these elements are vital in the creation of intriguing and interesting writing that students will actually want to read. Even if a student never had an interest in theatre or Shakespeare in particular, anyone can sympathize with Nat’s plight and understand how he uses the theatre as a way to escape from the harsh realities of his life. Cooper’s novel encompasses a desire to make reading and writing a real, interactive, and escapist journey. Cooper achieves just this in drawing readers into her own novel of theatrical time-travel with a writing style that is reflective, real, and stimulating. One of the best parts of __King of Shadows__ is the strong connection the reader feels with Nat throughout his journey both physically and mentally. Nat experiences personal and sometimes highly emotional responses to events like being questioned about his parents or when a line from the play recalls certain memories for him. These thoughts and feelings make the reader sympathetic toward Nat and draw them in to his struggle. Nat’s point of view brings up an important point while designing a piece of text: voice. It’s vital to carefully decide who the main voice of a text will be. Not only does the voice of a text move the action along by their experiences, but it is the reader’s main source of information and reliability. As such, in __King of Shadows__ the reader not only comes to know and admire Nat, but also to trust him through his honest thoughts and personality. Cooper’s novel is also lush with lurid details. Details bring a story to life and paint the backdrop for what the reader is picturing in their mind. From seeing the events take place through the eyes of Nat himself, the reader never misses a beat. Cooper’s descriptions of 16th century England involve all of Nat’s senses, from the smells of the bustling downtown markets, to the noise of the street hustlers and bell ringers, to the horrific sights of heads placed gruesomely atop London Bridge. This type of sensory writing makes the reader feel like they are walking side by side with Nat as he and the reader are experiencing something new and exciting for the first time. I feel that another impressive part of Cooper’s story is the immersion of Shakespeare’s classic text within the original story she has created herself. This incorporation of bringing something like //A Midsummer Night’s Dream// to life through the eyes of a modern-day boy, but in a time where the play was held with such high esteem gives the story its sense of adventure and anticipation. What after all is a good book if the reader does not want to turn the next page and keep on reading? The structure of Cooper’s story adds to this eagerness. The reader wants to know what is really going on and what will happen to Nat when the performance is over. The fantastical elements like time-travel and iconic historical figures like Will Shakespeare only contribute to the excitement and anticipation inherent in Cooper’s language. A reader needs to be provoked to keep reading, if the writing isn’t interesting or thought-provoking, a reader won’t even bother to continue. Instead of having students simply read //A Midsummer Night’s Dream//, a teacher might consider having the students first read __King of Shadows__, a much more relatable piece of writing, and then move into Shakespeare, using Cooper’s novel as the launching pad for a deeper text. __King of Shadows__ offers a view of the importance that Shakespeare has from an individual perspective and a societal perspective. Maybe by experiencing the high regards Nat holds Shakespeare in, a student may be more open to try and challenge some of the tougher aspects of Shakespeare texts, which when understood make Shakespeare very rewarding. Like Shakespeare himself, Cooper creates a story filled with emotional draw, vivid details, and engaging characters and events. __King of Shadows__ could be a mentor text to me in that it encourages writing that is fun and easily relatable. Cooper shows that one should always write with an audience in mind and never write above or below them. Cooper’s text is universally understandable and appealing, two aspects that good writing should always have.