There's this metaphor that's often used in orientations and training. It's something that the presenter makes out to be an unknown little secret despite the fact that a good portion of the audience has probably heard it before in other trainings and other orientations and probably somewhere on their Facebook feed, and it really doesn't give any new insight into human nature. What I'm talking about is the onion metaphor, which, if for some reason you haven't heard of it before, essentially goes along the lines of "People are like onions. They show their outer layers to the world and as you peel back all their layers you see all these different sides to them. The center being so deep and so secret that it's only known by them." Me being me, I don't believe that anyone knows themselves fully, so I don't agree with that last part, but the rest of the metaphor is good for what I believe connects these four books that I'm about to introduce you to. I think oftentimes we only see people at their surface level, which is completely fine. It takes a lot of time and energy peel another's layers back and no one has time to really get know everyone they meet. However, because we don't get to see everyone else's layers it's pretty easy to forget that they're there. As a result we may be quicker to judge, not seeing or realizing the other's circumstance. Many books, however, have the potential to remind us that people are so much more than they appear to be since they can peel back the layers of their characters fast and expose their suffering in almost no time at all. As a result, they help us realize that the reason people act out may not just be because they're rude, but because they're in pain. Maybe it's just an idealistic notion, but I believe that books have the power to change us and learn how to treat others with more compassion. The following books do a splendid job of doing so.
1. "Rules" Cynthia Lord
I think the first time I read this book I was in the fourth grade, which is about the age group that this book is pointed to. Yes, this book is written for a younger audience, but its message is so loud and clear that it's a book that should be read by people of all ages. The story of "Rules" is told by a 12-year-old girl named Catherine, whose younger brother, David, is autistic. Autism Speaks, an organization promoting the awareness of Autism states that "Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both general terms for a group of complex disorders of brain development. These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors." One of the struggles that David faces with social interaction is remembering the norms and rules that society is set by, so Catherine keeps a list of them to remind him in the back of her notebook.
What I really love about this book, is how well it describes Autism and also the family structure that goes with it. Autism can be tough at times, and thus puts a lot of strain on the family structure. We hear a lot about how parents are affected, about all the therapy sessions and doctor appointments and meetings with teachers and the like, but how the siblings are affected by it is often washed out and ignored. Cynthia Lord does a beautiful job introducing her readers to this new and interesting prospective and helps us to understand that not all disabilities and disorders can be seen by the human eye and that it would do us all the better if we were to act with kindness as quick as we are to judge.
2. "Glimpse," Carol Lynch Williams
"Glimpse" is written in blank verse about a pair of sisters, Lizzie and Hope, trying to survive through their childhood. This is a book that has left me speechless and every time I try explaining it to someone I just end up handing them my copy and tell them to read it. Since it's in blank verse, it's a quick read. The text only takes up about a third of the page and the main character, Hope, tells her story in a pendantic way that sounds soothing and a bit hypnotic. You'd think that the blank verse would subtract from the dialogue, but really, it only makes it all the more real. I don't know how to explain the story without giving too much away, but essentially Lizzie is suicidal and Hope is trying to figure out why. This is a story built on Lizzie's secrets, with Hope desperately trying to unravel them in a rather destitute setting. It's definitely not a happy read, and there are darker themes such as rape, domestic violence and prostitution. All the same though, Lizzie's secrets will get you going, and make you realize how much pain someone can be hiding deep below the surface.
3. "Flowers for Algernon," Daniel Keyes
"Flowers for Algernon" is a story about Charlie Gordon, a man with an IQ of 68 who has been selected for an experiment that will enhance his intelligence. Needless to say, the experiment goes wildly well and he's turned into a genius, but whether or not the effects of the experiment will last is unclear once Algernon, the mouse who had been used in a trial before Charlie's, dies. This is a beautiful story written in the form of a diary where readers can actually see Charlie's progress, through how he spells things and his grammar. Charlie is an incredibly sweet, lovable character, and it's hard not to cheer him on as his intelligence increases. Charlie's tale is an incredibly moving one, written in this clear, simple logic that will have you reading it over and over again. What I really find amazing about it though, is the fact about how true it is when it comes to the treatment of those with mental disabilities. A lot of people say that they would show kindness and be polite towards someone with a mental disability, but as Daniel Keyes shows, more often then not, these people are going to get teased and laughed at for what they're lacking. As Charlie gains intelligence, we see people treating him with more and more respect until he receives celebrity status with his super-intelligence, and I think that's wrong. There's nothing lacking with Charlie before the experiment. What he lacks in intelligence, he certainly makes up for with kindness and I think that's something that's often overlooked. "Flowers for Algernon" is probably one of the best books I've ever read and really has a lot to say about humanity and our intelligence, kindness, and above all, love. If you were to ask me to just pick one book out of this list to read, then it would be this one, because this one is by far the best. If Charlie is an onion, then this book goes way beyond its initial layers and deep into the ones that only he himself has access to, something that not many books have the power to do.
