THE PULL OF THE OCEAN

Book Review

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mourlevat, Jean-Claude. 2006. THE PULL OF THE OCEAN. Translated by Y. Maudet. New York: Delacorte Press. ISBN: 0385733488.

B. PLOT SUMMARY

The smallest child in the family and the only boy that was not a twin, Yann convinced his brothers to flee from their overbearing and neglectful parents. The boys take an arduous journey across France and head west in the direction of the ocean. Yann communicates with his brothers through subtle gestures or his thoughts. The seven brothers have a strong connection between each other and each pair of twins have their own unique bond.

Even though Yann is a little person or described as a “dwarf” in the story, his strength comes not from his body, but from his mind. The twins take turns carrying Yann in a bag and rely on him to make the crucial decisions along their journey. After they finally reach the ocean, they enter an abandoned house only to find themselves locked inside without any food, water, or electricity. The police finally rescue all but Yann after the boys locate a phone and call their parents. Yann slips out of the house and continues his journey on a freight trip headed west.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Yann’s mother may have felt subconsciously felt guilty for Yann’s imperfections, but she demonstrated otherwise. She disliked his tiny body, love of learning, intelligence, and pretentious attitude. The three pairs of twins and Yann were forced to do the farm chores, endure their parents short tempers, and suffer the physical abuse by their father.

Each chapter in THE PULL OF THE OCEAN is told from a different point of view. This method of narration allows the reader to formulate an interpretation of the story based on diverse perspectives. For example, even though Yann did not speak, Yann’s brothers thought of him as intelligent and communicated with him through signals or thoughts. As the story progresses, the reader is able to learn how each brother views their situation and his thoughts about Yann. In each chapter, the language and manner of speaking consistently change along with the narrator.

Without being didactic, this story offers the reader a glimpse into the life of a little person. Yann had difficulty keeping up with his brothers while walking across the country. Yet he was able to use his smallness to his advantage too. Yann was able to slip the train tickets out of the man’s suitcase in order for Yann and the twins to ride the train.

The mother may be poor, uneducated, and neglectful; nevertheless, she loved her children. In the end, the parents helped to rescue their children, and Yann admitted that the father wanted to kill the kittens and not the boys. Perhaps, Yann confessed the truth about his parents’ intentions since he was not able to find his brothers another place to live. However, Yann decided to continue his journey since he did not want to return to having his studies repressed and his mind stifled.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner 2007 United States

Booklist, Dec. 1, 2006 (Vol. 103, No. 7)

Unlike his six older brothers--three sets of twins--who are all tall for their age, 10-year-old Yann is a miniature, no more than two feet tall. However, despite his diminutive stature, his youth, and the fact that he is mute, he is the cleverest of the lot and their unquestioned leader. When he wakes his brothers one dark and stormy night and convinces them that they must leave their parents' farm, they follow him unquestioningly. Sound familiar? It should; it's a retelling of "Tom Thumb."

In addition to giving his version a contemporary setting, French author Mourlevat tells the story from multiple points of view. He also invests it with some symbolic weight--Yann can be viewed as a Christ figure. The ending leaves readers a bit at sea, but the story is intriguing, and the relationship among the brothers is heartwarming.

The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2007

Yann, a ten-year-old boy the size of a two-year-old, leads his six brothers on a journey to the sea, escaping their abusive parents. This story/fable/fairy tale, told in a series of first-person accounts, builds in tension and poignancy as the lives of the seven boys are revealed. A powerful portrait of poverty and sibling solidarity. Category: Older Fiction. 2006, Delacorte, 191pp, 15.95, 17.99. Ages 12 to 14. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.

E. CONNECTIONS

Students could research twins, little people, and muteness. Students might choose to use the following websites to learn more information about those subjects.

Websites:

Twins: http://library.thinkquest.org/4210/index.htm
http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/home_family/twin_triplet.html

Muteness: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/kids/kcalpage.htm

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Peck, Robert Newton.
Title Bro : a novel / by Robert Newton Peck.
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Kelly, Tom J., 1961-
Title Finn's going / Tom Kelly.
9780061214530