Like Kilroy, the Schwa Was Here!

The novel The Schwa Was Here takes an entertaining, but sincere look at a kid who is so often overlooked that he's almost invisible, kind of like the schwa pronunciation vowel. Maybe you've noticed this 'schwa type' in class? "The Schwa" or Calvin Schwa is noticed by the narrator, Antsy (short for Anthony, it's set in Brooklyn by the way) Bonano, who begins a series of "Schwa Effect" experiments and then moves on to profitable wager/dares involving Calvin. The final dare involves sneaking into the mysterious and reclusive Old Man Crawley's apartment and stealing one of his 14 dogs' bowls. Crawley catches them, but calls off the police when Antsy and Calvin agree walk the dogs every day for twelve weeks. When Crawley's blind granddaughter, Lexie, arrives, Crawley hires Calvin to escort Lexie around town. Being blind, Lexie doesn't overlook Calvin like other people do. Lexie, who's 'on to' her grandfather's scheme, breaks up with Antsy, who doesn't catch on to her intentions and is replaced in the escort department by Calvin. The triangle of awkward tensions and expected male roles is formed and things get interesting, but saying more would spoil some decent surprises in the plot.

Plugging the male characters into the Lord of the Flies model from the Khan and Wachholz article, the Schwa most resembles Piggy in his lack of influence. Antsy's friends (moronic video gaming versions of Jack and Roger) want nothing to do with the Schwa and try to force Antsy to choose between them. The Schwa desperately wants to be noticed and I suppose feels manlier when he misguidedly believes he's won Lexie's attention and then affection. Antsy resembles Ralph in that he's sympathetic to the Schwa and can identify with him somewhat because of his overlooked position in his own family and at school. Antsy enjoys some temporarily empowerment while profiting from the Schwa, but that power disappears when they're no longer able to make the bets (too busy walking dogs). The temporary empowerment/influence reminds me of Ralph gaining attention by participating in the hunts. Of course, Lexie's attention helps Antsy's manliness as well.

Antsy's parents are possibly a bit more developed than typical adult characters in YA novels, especially with regards to socially determined roles. Antsy's mother is a terrible cook, but owns the kitchen; while his father is a genius of Italian cooking, but is only allowed to cook occasionally. During what Antsy describes as a typical stupid, yet monumental fight, he's put on the spot and tells it like it is, which crushes his mother and in fall-out sets his father adrift as well. Antsy's vocalizing of the truth, newly establishes him as a majorly noticeable part of the family. They begin calling him Anthony and have heavier conversations that they've never had before with Anthony about his future and the future of the family. In a resolution that would make Postmodern Feminists and Masculinists happy, mom takes French cooking classes and with her husband opens a French/Italian place named 'Paris, Capisce?'. Hee, hee, hee!

I only have one half-cooked idea left over, and I'm going to serve it on the blog tonight because I'm sure I'll forget it if I don't. I'm wondering if girls could be repelled by the masculine in the same way that boys are supposedly repelled by the feminine? Again I'm thinking of Kahn and Wachholz here, and I think this might apply to lesbian themes in a book like M.E. Kerr's Deliver Us From Evie that was discussed in last week's course pack. I really haven't thought this through, but I lean towards a goose/gander organization of ideas. It's late… this goose is cooked. I'm going to bed. Hopefully I'll see you all, weather permitting, on Tuesday.