The realistic fiction novel, Bud, Not Buddy apprises the life of a ten year old orphan boy living during the Great Depression. Bud Caldwell, who faces numerous hardships along his journey in order to unveil the true identity of his father, treks across Michigan without losing sight of his beloved flyers advertising Herman E. Calloway and his band. The story takes place in 1936, four years after Bud’s mother’s death. Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis is an enjoyable read for not only sixth grade students, but for children and adults of various ages. For instance, the novel conveys many factors that make it such a recommendable book. Such as, compelling characters, superior use of symbolism, and extraordinary themes.
To begin with, the characters in Bud, Not Buddy also make the novel such an engaging read for students of multiple ages. The dynamic characters are what create such an …show more content…
As an example, when Bud heads for Flint Hooverville in order to catch a train out west he sits near a campfire that illuminates the skin of people of multiple races making them all appear orange near the fire. Bud notes that, “They were all the colors you could think of, black, white and brown, but the fire made everyone look like they were different shades of orange. Their were dark orange folks sitting next to medium orange folks sitting next to light orange folks”(68). The author symbolizes the campfire as a melting pot of diversity that unites the people by erasing their skin color. This use of symbolism established the idea that everyone in Hooperville is in the same situation; they’re all hungry, poor, homeless, and struggling to survive. Symbolism makes Bud, Not Buddy great for students because it engages the reader’s own imagination and adds complexity and multiple layers of meaning to a single
To begin with, the characters in Bud, Not Buddy also make the novel such an engaging read for students of multiple ages. The dynamic characters are what create such an …show more content…
As an example, when Bud heads for Flint Hooverville in order to catch a train out west he sits near a campfire that illuminates the skin of people of multiple races making them all appear orange near the fire. Bud notes that, “They were all the colors you could think of, black, white and brown, but the fire made everyone look like they were different shades of orange. Their were dark orange folks sitting next to medium orange folks sitting next to light orange folks”(68). The author symbolizes the campfire as a melting pot of diversity that unites the people by erasing their skin color. This use of symbolism established the idea that everyone in Hooperville is in the same situation; they’re all hungry, poor, homeless, and struggling to survive. Symbolism makes Bud, Not Buddy great for students because it engages the reader’s own imagination and adds complexity and multiple layers of meaning to a single