Rule of the Bone (2/5/10)

In the style of Salinger's Catcher in the Rye, Russell Banks' Rule of the Bone narrates the story of a disillusioned teenager, having suffered from abuse and bad influences. The narrator and main character, 14 year old Chappie aka "Bone", wants to be free from those problems and be independent. The environment in which he lives permits that in a very negative way. Drugs are a very real part of his life, as is sexual abuse. The kids he grows up with are just street thugs, hustling and not really caring about his safety, save one. As the story progresses, he is called bone more and more often, based on the tattoo that he gets. This maybe symbolic of the loss of a part of him and the evolution of another side. He eventually takes up residence with a Jamaican Rastafarian named Russ and gets advice from him. This is the second part of the story, when he lives in Jamaica. Bone becomes more and more of a leading figure rather than a follower, and Russ eventually abandons him. Bone doesn't really care, and finds another friend, Rose. Bone continues on his adventures, and matures along the way. He is now very capable of taking care of himself. This novel reflects on the desire of teenagers to be independent and free from their problems. Yet it also highlights the fact that we teenagers still need friends to talk to; not necessarily depending on them though. THis was a great book, and continues the themes that J.D. Salinger started.