Thoughts on YA Literature: The Wednesday Wars (Gary D. Schmidt)

I was excited to be starting The Wednesday Wars. I thought it was going to be a very interesting read since I had finished many of the other texts that were brought about in the classroom. Though the content itself brought new perspectives and new light for me, it was very difficult to get through the pages. I believe I may have skipped a few scenes that may or may not have been important to the plot. I would oftentimes have to re-read the passages to make sure that I was not missing anything for later parts of the book. Even through my attempts in keeping this novel satisfactory for me; I decided that it was just not a novel that I could digest as quickly with understanding like the other novels that I have thoroughly enjoyed.

I believe that this novel cannot be understood without reading it from front to back multiple times. It is very important that the reader decides to take another look if he or she does not understand it the first time. Because of this, I would perhaps like to read this novel again. I do not believe that Schmidt's concepts in this novel are immediate to interpret. One must be able to critically think once the events are introduced in order for them to be pieced together. I know as a first-time reader of The Wednesday Wars, that I would often find myself wondering how Holling Hoodhood is feeling as a young boy literally being separated from the rest of his class on Wednesday afternoons with a teacher that does not seem to like him. I was thoroughly surprised when I found that the two characters were getting along as time progressed. It reminded me of the possibilities I forming a better teacher-student relationship with my future students. Oftentimes, I would see that some relationships in the classrooms that I have entered, the teacher may or may not show much of an interest with the student, or the student just does not care much to be cooperative and/or willing to do better in the class.

I like the way the author manages to have a background story for each of his characters. Each individual within the novel had an actual part to being at Camilo Junior High. I did not feel as if the characters were merely created to fill a gap. I have read novels where some characters did not have an actual role at all; they are merely cameos that usually end up non-existent after a while.

If I were Holling Hoodhood, I would have perhaps been so stressed with the amount of things that are happening around me. The seventh grader is not only dealing with the Vietnam War happening right outside his neighborhood, but he is also dealing with tension that is a part of his family and school life. I found his parents to be especially translucent to his needs. They did not seem to be fully interested in what he has to say or do. His father especially had his eyes on his business-- in which his son will inherit once he retires and/or passes away. I wonder why the author made the story of Holling Hoodhood this way?