I'LL GET THERE. IT BETTER BE WORTH THE TRIP
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Novel Rationale: I’ll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip. by John Donovan (Published by Dell Publishing Company, 1969.)
Summary: This novel follows the growth of 13-year-old Davy Ross, who is sent to live with his divorced, alcoholic mother after the painful death of his grandmother. Initially, his only friend is his dog Fred, but he slowly starts fitting in with the students at his new private school. There he meets Douglas Altschular, who eventually accepts him as a friend. One day, alone in Davy’s apartment, they “sort of kiss” and from then on their relationship is strained. Neither boy thinks of himself as “queer,” but their feelings seem to go beyond friendship. After finally reconciling, they accidentally fall asleep together and Davy’s homophobic mother finds them. In the following chaos, Fred is run over by a car and Davy blames his relationship with Altschular for Fred’s death. Altschuler tried to convince him what they did was not wrong and novel ends ambiguously as the boys determine to “respect” one another.
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Themes:
Bildungsroman/ Coming of Age
Family
Death
Gay/ Questioning
Homophobic
History
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Connection to the Curriculum: I’ll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip. is famously the first young adult novel that portrayed homosexual actions between teenage characters. Written in 1969, its publication coincided with the Stonewall Riots in New York and the beginning of the gay rights movement. Reading this book from a historical as well as contemporary critical perspective will enable students to track the changes in literary portrayals of homosexuality from 1969 to present. This novel is also an exemplary coming of age novel; it portrays the growth and development of a young boy as he navigates the trials in his family life while at the same time struggling to quantify his relationships with his friends, Altschuler in particular.
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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.)
In order to stimulate character growth and development, Davy must face a number of trials as a teenager, including the deaths of his grandmother and dog, the emotional abuse of his alcoholic mother, and the lack of a strong father figure. This novel also includes non-explicit sexual situations and instances of underage drinking.
