Push (novel)
Push is the 1996 debut novel of American author Sapphire. Thirteen years after its release, it was made into Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, a film that won two Academy Awards and was directed by Lee Daniels.
 | |
| Author | Sapphire |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Archie Ferguson |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
Publication date | June 11, 1996 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback, Paperback) |
| Pages | 177 (story until 140, then class book) |
| ISBN | 978-0-679-76675-9 |
Style
Critics have gone in both directions as far as their opinions of the style in which Push is written. Some consider "the harrowing story line [to be] exaggerated," saying that it doesn't seem realistic to "saddle one fictional character with so many problems straight from today's headlines" (Glenn). Others have stated that while the dialect is problematic, Precious herself is believable because she "speaks in a darting stream of consciousness of her days in an unexpectedly evocative fashion" (Mahoney).
Dialect/Voice
Precious begins the novel functionally illiterate. She spells words phonetically. She uses a "minimal English that defies the conventions of spelling and usage and dispenses all verbal decorum" (Mahoney). She employs variations such as "nuffin'" for nothing, "git" for get, "borned" for born, "wif" for with, and "chile" for child. She also uses an array of profanity and harsh details that reflect the life she has experienced. Michiko Kakutani, a book reviewer for The New York Times, states that Precious' "voice conjures up [her] gritty unforgiving world."
As the book progresses and Precious learns to read and write, there is a stark change in her voice, though the dialect remains the same.
Last week we went to the museum. A whole whale is hanging from the ceiling. Bigger than big! Ok, have you seen a Volkswagen car that's like a bug? Um huh, you know what I'm talking about. That's how big the heart of a blue whale is. I know it's not possible, but if that heart in me could I love more? Ms Rain, Rita, Abdul?" (Push, p. 138)
Sequel
In 2011, Sapphire published a semi-sequel, The Kid. It follows the life of Precious' son Abdul from the age of nine to 19. Precious herself has died following complications from HIV, but was accepted to college before her death.
See also
- Precious, the film adaptation
Sources
- Bennett, Tegan. "Sapphire shapes a gem that is Precious". The Sydney Morning Herald, January 18, 1997, late ed.: 12.
- Freeman-Greene, Suzy. "Hard beat of Harlem; Books". The Age, September 21, 1996, late ed.: 7.
- Harmon, William et al. A Handbook to Literature. 9th edn. NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003.
- Harrell, Shante' L. D. et al. "Ramona Lofton (Sapphire)". VG: Voices from the Gaps. 2006. University of Minnesota. April 16, 2009.
- Kakutani, Michiko. "BOOK OF THE TIMES; A Cruel World, Endless Until a Teacher Steps In". The New York Times, June 14, 1996, late edn: 29.
- Powers, William. "Sapphire's Raw Gem; Some Say Her Novel Exploits Suffering. She Says They're Reading It All Wrong". The Washington Post, August 6, 1996: B1.
External links
- The Official Film Website
- Interview about Precious with the cast and director, as well as Sapphire herself, at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival: