Bless the Beasts and Children (Rev. Ed) [Library Binding]

Back in the 60's when student leaders had as one of their standard chants "Don't Trust Anybody Over 30", they were specifically refereing to English teachers who, trying to relive their glory days assign insipid, heavy handed books like this that beat readers over the head with symbolism to make up for basic lack of plot or any entertainment value. The assigning of this book to students, rather than achieving the teachers of goal of trying to instill a 60's mindset in their studetns will more probably result in loathing for that teacher and in the English language as a whole for producing words that could be put together in so unappealing a form as this story.

The book is typical, misfits and bedwetters, go to camp, get picked on, see Buffalo slaughtered, sneak out, try to let them go, then of course since the author wants to make SURE that we understand the viewpoint that Group A is bad and Group B is good, has one of the children shot while trying to free the buffalo. Yeah, thats worth skipping class for.

Buy this book if you want to become a misfit bedwetting animal activist.

The 1960s and 1970s produced numerous "socially relevant" novels. One of the most popular of these was Glendon Swarthout's BLESS THE BEASTS AND THE CHILDREN, a novel that raised a number of issues re social status quos, its impact on children, and its impact on the enviroment. Few novels of this type have survived the passing years unscathed, and this one is no exception--but sadly, and particularly in light of such recent events as the Columbine shootings, the novel still has a surprising degree of relevance even today.

The story concerns a group of misfit boys who have been dumped into a summer camp by largely unconcerned parents and who find themselves ostracized and reviled by both camp instructors and the other boys. Constantly berrated and harrassed, they are designated "The Bedwetters" and are relegated to the fringe of camp activities. During a field trip, the boys are taken to see a corralled herd of buffalo--and are horrified when the buffalo are slaughtered before them. They resolve to escape the camp overnight, return to the corral, and free the remaining buffalo before they too can be killed. As the story of their trip unfolds, the novel flashes back to revel the background of each of boy and describes how they evolved into the personalities they have become--and in a real sense, the adventure they undertake ultimately validates the worth of each, as the differences that the status quo perceives as weakness actually becomes the strengths that motivate and aid them on their journey. But their determination to free the buffalo will come at a terrific price, a higher price than any of them can imagine.

As literature per se, the novel has several weaknesses. The actual story feels contrived, the symbolism is heavy handed to say the least, the shifts into flashback are a bit awkward, and the author never really achieves a good flow or a distinctive tone of voice. But even so, the book still speaks with remarkable power about the dangers of equating "being different" with "being undesirable" and of a society that has little use for anything outside the most pragmatic boundaries. It is most likely to appeal to teenagers and young adults, but more mature readers will find much food for thought within it as well. Recommended with the stated reservations.

Like a Separate Peace and Lord of the Flies, Bless the Beasts and Children is a story of growing up and human nature. The complexities of each character: John Cotton, Teft, Goodenow, Shrecker, Lally I and Lally II, are shown in flashbacks of their lives. Cotton, a scowling, tough fifteen-year-old boy who leads the "Bedwetters" through the taunts of the other tribes in the camp, adopts the other boys into his cabin and tries to teach them how to survive. Teft, the supercool car thief, fourteen, hotwires cars to solve the transportation problem that the boys face when running away. Goodenow is the mama's boy, the crybaby, the wimp. Shrecker is desperate to impress his father and recieves only his father's abuse and contempt. Lally I is a psychotic fourteen year old boy who is obsessively jealous of his younger and more innocent brother, Lally II, who makes friends with special people called Ooms who live in his parents sauna. These boys ARE the Bedwetters, the losers, the freaks at the boy's camp they are staying at. After seeing the slaughter of buffalos one day, Lally II runs away from camp and leads the boys on the adventure of their lives, which ultimately ends with the boys' rediscovery of themselves and the heroic death of Cotton, driving over the canyon edge in a blaze of glory and defiance towards the people who tried to subdue him in like the buffalo. This book is funny, touching, and very, very sad. It is not nearly as frightening as Lord of the Flies, nor as truly character descriptive as A Separate Peace-- the book makes it clear you are to form your own opinions of the boys-- but like Ralph and Phineas, Bless the Beasts & Children offers a bit of the golden boy in the tough as hell John Cotton and the metaphorical Lally II. And, like both books, the explosive events that take place are hard to forget and with the death of Cotton, you feel as liberated as you feel chained to him as he roars over the edge. I couldn't reccomend this book more and only regret that some of the characters were not brought out as clearly as Cotton and Shrecker, such as Teft and Lally I. If you did enjoy this book, A Separate Peace and Lord of the Flies are two other incredible books about the human nature and teenage boys. Bless the Beasts & Children is a tragedy and a triumph of the human spirit that should not be forgotten.