Bifocal



**__Text for Teaching Assignment__** **Allison Woollard**

**BIFOCAL by Deborah Ellis and Eric Walters**

**Summary** The novel //Bifocal//, written by authors Deborah Ellis and Eric Walters, deals with the complex issues of racism, stereotypes, and prejudice within a Brampton high school. The story is seen through the eyes of the two main characters, Jay and Haroon. The voices of these two characters are quite different, as Deborah Ellis is the author of the chapters narrated by Haroon, and Eric Walters writes the chapters narrated by Jay. The title of the book, //Bifocal// is very fitting, as this novel gives a voice to two perspectives, both told in the first person narrative. The school where this novel takes place is completely torn apart by racism, and both of the narrators are working through their reactions to the controversial events that occur within their high school. The novel opens with Jay ’ s perspective. Jay is a middle class, white male who is popular and on the football team. He has recently moved to Central High School from a smaller town, where he was not exposed to the issues he is experiencing now, such as racism, violence and danger. He is quite easily influenced by his fellow teammates, particularly by the captain, Kevin, who is often racist, angry and violent. The second narrator, Haroon, whose parents emigrated from Afghanistan several years earlier, is dedicated to his family, a member of the ‘ Reach for the Top ’ club, a twin, and a Muslim. This last characteristic comes to play a large role within the novel. Haroon is taken by the SWAT team during a school lockdown for apparent involvement with a terrorist organization. We soon find out that it was a case of mistaken identity, and a fellow teammate from the ‘ Reach from the Top ’ club, Azeem, is taken and arrested, although whether or not Azeem is actually guilty is never discussed in the book. The novel shows the ways in which the characters deal with this traumatic event, from two very different perspectives. Jay goes along with his fellow teammates from the football team, first intimidating other students, then threatening them, and finally vandalizing the houses of those who oppose them. Throughout the novel, Jay ’ s feelings towards these events and the other boys on the team that he admires are analyzed and questioned. Haroon on the other hand, is gossiped about and targeted unfairly because of the colour of his skin, his religious beliefs and his affiliation with Azeem, the supposed terrorist. Throughout the novel, these two characters both experience and perpetrate stereotypes, racism and ignorance. By the end of the novel, both Jay and Haroon come to an understanding of each other, and decide to put their differences behind them to become friends.

**Grade level / Course** After reading through the curriculum expectations of the intermediate/senior level, this text would be best suited for students in grade 9. The grade 9 applied course, ENG1P would be a great course in which to read this novel because it is quite an easy read, and the language is very accessible. The plot is fast moving, exciting and will easily both grab and keep the attention of the grade 9 applied reader. Although the text deals with many complex issues, it is written in such a way that would be easy for students of this grade level to understand, and would be an excellent text to open a dialogue within the classroom about such issues.

**Other courses for which it might also be appropriate** //Bifocal// would also be a great novel to use in an ESL classroom with English language learners because not only is the vocabulary fairly simple, but also because the students may relate to the themes, characters, and much of the references to various cultures within the text. By using this text in courses such as ESLD0 (ESL Level 4) or ESLE0 (ESL Level 5), students may be able to relate to many of the characters who are learning to find a balance between their cultural roots from their home country, and life in Canada. The cultural content of this novel also makes it suitable for courses within the subjects of social science and religion.

**Main ideas / Issues / Teaching points** **//__Social knowledge__//** **//Racism//** Racism is one of the most integral themes of the novel. This theme is seen through the acts of characters, assumptions that characters make, and the general attitude of the society. The novel sheds light on how racism works, and how it can be destructive. It is through understanding and education that racism begins to break down towards the end of the novel.

**//Authority/Power//** Within the novel, the police are portrayed as racist, manipulative and threatening. On the other hand, there are teachers within the novel, such as Ms. Singh, who act as advocates for their students and refuse to abide by societal rules that further stereotypes and racism. Within the school, it is the football team that holds all the power.

**//Stereotypes//** Many racially and culturally based stereotypes can be found within the novel. They are often deconstructed and proven to be born out of ignorance. The authors also challenge why the characters, and we as readers, often buy into stereotypes.

**//Bullying//** Bullying is a major issue within the novel, as many of the members of the football team take pleasure in threatening, intimidating, and fighting with other students within the school. This is also a reflection of the power dynamics within the school, as it is those without power who are the victims of bullying. It is also interesting to note, that there are no consequences for the bullies in the end, and they get away with everything they ’ ve done.

**//Parent/Child relationships//** The parent/child relationships of the two main characters in the novel are very important. It is made clear that the parents within the novel have a large influence on the way in which their children behave and treat others. These relationships are both a source of conflict within the novel, but also provide a sense of security for the children in times of distress.

**//Hatred//** This theme ties in with racism, as one of the main characters, Kevin, often expresses and demonstrates his hatred towards those that he does not understand.

**//Social Acceptance//** Social acceptance is shown in the text through the character of Jay. He struggles with trying to find his place within the school, and within the football team and has trouble finding a balance between his morals and integrity, and the decisions of the team. In the end of the novel, he finally overcomes his need to be accepted, when he abandons the captain of the football team to become friends with Haroon.

**//__Topic knowledge__//** **//Psychology//** The first person narration brings the reader inside the thoughts of the narrators, allowing the reader the opportunity to analyze how the characters think, feel, and rationalize throughout the novel.

**//Media studies//** The media plays a large role within the text, as the news stations come to the school often to cover several of the controversial events that take place within the novel. The media is looked at with a critical lens, as often what is portrayed on the news is erroneous, and contributes to stereotypes and racism.

**//Gender studies//** Gender relations are seen within the text through the relationships of both Jay and Haroon ’ s parents, and in the relationship between Haroon and his twin sister Zana. The influence that culture has in the way that gender relations are portrayed is also looked at closely within the novel. For example, the role of women within the family, or the responsibilities placed on children of different genders are both looked at and questioned by several characters within the novel.

**//__Cultural knowledge__//** **//Religion//** Through the lives of Jay and Haroon, the reader is introduced to both Christianity and the Muslim faith. Many of the rituals, sacred objects and religious observances are seen and experienced through the eyes of these two characters, creating a deeper understanding of these two religions in both the characters and the reader.

**//Setting//** One of the incredible benefits of this novel is that it takes place in both Brampton and Mississauga, which is where I ’ m from and where I will be teaching. This makes the text even more relevant, as the students reading the novel who live in these areas may be familiar with some of the places described in the text.

**//__Textual knowledge__//** **//Narration//** The novel, as mentioned in the summary, is narrated using the present tense and in the first person by two characters, Jay and Haroon. The chapters are alternately narrated by one of these two characters, and the novel begins and ends with Jay ’ s perspective.

**//Language//** Although the novel is written in English, many other languages are introduced when explaining certain dishes, garments of clothing and customs of various cultures. Language is important to //Bifocal// because this is a book that examines the subtlety and misuse of language (ex. using language to challenge authorities). In this novel, you can invite someone into your culture when you allow him or her to use your language. Detective Moffat and Kevin intimidate and discriminate using their words, demonstrating the power of language.

**//Genre//** //Bifocal// is a novel that is targeted towards a young teenage audience.

**//Chronological order//** The novel is very easy to follow, as the events unfold chronologically. It is through the change between narrators in each chapter that the reader may become confused, as often the same event is looked at twice, from two different perspectives.

**Issues / challenges with teaching the text** As I was reading //Bifocal//, I encountered several issues within the text that I knew would come into play in my teaching. Although there are some difficult issues raised within the novel, these issues need to be examined with a critical lens. As teachers, we need to consider how our students will see themselves within the text. As I was reading, I realized that the only way in which one particular group is portrayed is through a very stereotypical and racist comment made by one of the characters. I was disgusted by the comment and saddened that it was never addressed any further. Given my reaction, I wondered how my students who would identify as belonging to this group would feel. It is definitely something to keep in mind while using the text in the classroom. I like the fact that the novel is narrated by two characters who come from very different cultures, however it is Jay, the white boy who both introduces and concludes the novel. Our own perceptions of the world, and past experiences influence how we read a text. When teaching this text, it is important to keep in mind that each of your students will have unique life experiences that may influence the way in which they read the text. I, as the teacher, must also keep in mind when teaching this text that I am a white woman, and that within the text, the white characters make the majority of the racist and ignorant comments. I have personally never experienced racist comments directed towards myself, however I have been discriminated against in many other ways. I will constantly be sensitive and understanding to the students in my classroom, and will be open to the fact that my students may have more personal experience with many of these issues than I do, and that they may in many cases be the ones who are educating me. Hopefully I will have created a sense of community in my classroom where everyone feels safe enough to share their opinions or reactions to the novel, and we can have a dialogue about the parts of the novel that my students may not understand. The class must have a level of respect for other cultures in order to read this book, as this respect will help us to appreciate our differences. Because I was raised Christian, I will need to educate myself on the various religions that are represented within the novel, so that I can answer some of the questions my students may have. I will ask students who know more on certain subjects who feel comfortable sharing to educate the class, sharing their experiences.

**Activity** **//Reflection #1//** The activity I have chosen to do for this text is for a grade 9 applied English class. As bullying and racism were two of the main themes within the novel, I will introduce the novel by showing the class articles from //People// magazine ’ s October 18, 2010 issue. The magazine dedicated 14 pages of the October 18th issue to the stories of students who have been the victims of bullying. Heartbreakingly, some of the students featured in this issue took their own lives because the bullying became impossible to handle alone. Others have reached out for help and found ways to overcome the discrimination and persecution they faced. The reasons that the students within the article were bullied range from sexual orientation, to religious beliefs, to physical appearance. I believe that giving these issues a face, and having my students hear about real life experiences is an excellent tie in to the themes of bullying and racism within the novel. Before reading the novel, the students will be asked to write a one-page reflection about their experience with bullying. They can write about a time when they themselves were bullied, a time that they witnessed bullying, or possibly even when they themselves have been a bully. This part of the assignment will not be marked, as the goal is to encourage the students to write honestly, and one way to do that is if they know it will not be read by anyone else. I will go through with the students the components of a reflection, and share one that I have written so they can have an idea of what I will eventually be looking for when they write a second reflection when they have finished reading the novel. This will also show the students that I ’ m not asking them to do anything I won ’ t do myself, and will show them that bullying can even touch the lives of adults.

**//Reflection #2//** The second reflection that the students will write will be their reaction to the novel. They will be asked to imagine themselves as any character from within the novel to see how they would react to a specific situation of racism or discrimination that took place within the text. They will be asked to pick one scene from the novel and write as though they were the main character about: - how they would have felt at the time - what they would do to stop the bullying or discrimination - how the situation could have been avoided

Once they have completed their reflections, the students will then have 2 of their fellow classmates peer-edit their work, and hand in their final, revised copy. The reflection will be marked based on the clarity of their ideas, their ability to relate their own experience to what happened within the text, and their understanding of the scene that they chose from the text.

**Curriculum expectations addressed in the activity** **//Overall Grade 9 Applied Curriculum Expectations://** //Reading and Literature Studies// Reading for Meaning: read and demonstrate an understanding of a variety of informational, literary, and graphic texts, using a range of strategies to construct meaning Understanding Form and Style: recognize a variety of text forms, text features, and stylistic elements and demonstrate understanding of how they help communicate meaning //Writing// Use Knowledge of Form and Style: draft and revise their writing, using a variety of informational, literary, and graphic forms and stylistic elements appropriate for the purpose and audience Apply Knowledge of Conventions: use editing, proofreading, and publishing skills and strategies, and knowledge of language conventions, to correct errors, refine expression, and present their work effectively

**//Specific Grade 9 Applied Curriculum Expectations://** //Reading and Literature Studies// 1.3 Demonstrating Understanding of Content: Identify the important ideas and supporting details in a few different types of texts 1.5 Extending Understanding of Texts: Extend understanding of simple texts and some teacher-selected complex texts by making basic connections between the ideas in them and personal knowledge, experience and insights; other texts; and the world around them //Writing// 1.1 Identify the topic, purpose, and audience for a few different types of writing tasks 2.4 Write complete sentences that communicate their meaning accurately, varying sentence type, structure, and length for different purposes and making logical transitions between ideas