BOY MEETS BOY
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Novel Rationale: Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan (Published by Alfred A. Knopf, 2003)
Summary: Boy Meets Boy is set in a utopian town where there is no prejudice against people’s sexuality and the citizens are free to live their lives without fear of violence or hate due to their being gay, etc. The novel is centered around Paul and his group of friends, which includes Infinite Darleen—the crossdressing quarterback and homecoming queen—and Tony, a gay boy from the next town whose religious, homophobic parents keep a tight leash on their son. Paul devotes himself to his friends and their plights, while at the same time falling in love with Noah, the new kid in school. Despite misunderstandings and some tense moments, everyone ends up happy with someone to love.
Themes:
Romance
Gay
Love
Stereotypes
Religion
Death
Friendship
Homophobia
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Connection to the Curriculum: Boy Meets Boy lends itself well to a discussion of genre in that it is a modern fairy tale while simultaneously meeting the criteria for a teen romance novel. The writing style and character voice are also unique, providing a good example for students of creative writing. The mixture of music, verse, and prose also contribute to students learning about novel form as well as how in incorporate a variety of literary mediums into a story.
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A Note on the Text: (The best way to evaluate and understand a novel is to personally read the book in its entirety)
Boy Meets Boy confronts the issue of death in a positive way, as well as bringing up cultural questions concerning it.
