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Books with upstanding main characters who overcome obstacles, etc...


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I had a great time teaching a group of young teens through Amos Fortune, Free Man and Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, because I thought there were a lot of lessons for them in staying strong in the face of life's trials.

 

I'm trying to put together a book list at a bit higher level along the same theme. The works can be poetry, plays, novels, etc. and any time period or place. I'd like to offer some role models, some examples of high moral character and strength while facing less than ideal circumstances, but nothing too saccharine.

 

Any suggestions?

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While it's not about a specific person, I think the theme of the poem goes perfectly with the underlying theme of the books you mentioned:

 

The poem If by Rudyard Kipling. It is about the meaning of maturity and manhood (and, in this day and age Kipling would probably have added womanhood, too).

 

It is the source of the quote "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs..."

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For a different choices: What about A Tale of Two Cities?

Sydey Carton starts out as an undesirable character, but then chooses to do something important with his life by making the ultimate sacrifice. Also a study in how revenge can blacken someone's heart ( Madame Defarge).

 

To Kill a Mockingbird

Atticus Finch is an admirable man who chooses to defend a black man in the South.

 

 

It is hard to find upstanding characters in modern fiction.

 

Christine

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Here are two that are a little more contemporary:

 

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank -- an apocalypic story about how a small FL town copes after an atomic attack. From the topic, it sounds depressing, but most of the story is about how ordinary folks band together to survive and how they recognize the gifts of everyone in their community.

 

Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton -- a story that takes place in South Africa in the 1940s. The main character goes in search of his wayward son.

 

HTH,

Brenda

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What immediately comes to mind is The Chosen by Chaim Potok. It was an amazing book. I am still wrestling with some of the questions it brought to light.

 

Otherwise .....

 

How Green Was My Valley by Richard Lllewellyn

Once and Future King (The Sword in the Stone) by T.H. White

Brady by Jean Fritz

I Am David by Anne Holm

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (if you think they are ready for mature themes)

Christy by Katherine Marshall

Sir Gawain and the Green Knight

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I had a great time teaching a group of young teens through Amos Fortune, Free Man and Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, because I thought there were a lot of lessons for them in staying strong in the face of life's trials.

 

I'm trying to put together a book list at a bit higher level along the same theme. The works can be poetry, plays, novels, etc. and any time period or place. I'd like to offer some role models, some examples of high moral character and strength while facing less than ideal circumstances, but nothing too saccharine.

 

Any suggestions?

 

Island of the World fits your criteria and so much more. It's probably not for very young teens. It gets intense in its descriptions of the atrocities. I will be having my teens reading it.

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"An Old-Fashioned Girl" by Louisa May Alcott

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe

"The Lord of the Rings" by Tolkein

Harry Potter, actually. The theme grows strongest in the last two books.

"Antigone"

"Dohaschtida" (hard to find, but very good. Christian content big time)

"Christy" by Catherine Marshall

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