In Baltimore for another school year, Jeff writes Melody numerous letters, to which he receives no reply. It revolves around Jeff Greene, a boy who struggles after being abandoned by his mother at age 7. After his father, Horace, finds out the truth, he decides to make a change for Jeff's good. A Solitary Blue - Part 2, Chapter 9 Summary & Analysis. After his visit, he writes letters to Melody on the first day of each month, even though she never writes back. Jeff convinces himself to excuse Melody for ignoring him, and he continues to love her. In Charleston with his mother, where it is warm and sunny, Jeff feels loved. When Jeff was seven years old, his mother left. Last Updated on May 5, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. He finds an uninhabited island to which he can sail each day and be safe from hurtful human contact. [1] It is the third book of the Tillerman Cycle, set concurrently with Dicey's Song and Come a Stranger. His mother seems the warmer, more loving character. Repeating eighth grade at his new school, Jeff makes two good friends, Phil and Andy, gets his life back on track. Last Updated on May 7, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. A Solitary Blue (Book) : Voigt, Cynthia : Jeff's mother, who deserted the family years before, reenters his life and widens the gap between Jeff and his father, a gap that only truth, love, and friendship can heal. by Cynthia Voigt ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 9, 1983. Last Updated on May 5, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Left with his reserved father, the professor, the burgeoning Jeff fails to make human connections. That summer, Melody asks him to visit her in Charleston, South Carolina for the summer. The summer Bod is six years old, Silas goes away for a while. The setting of A Solitary Blue is integral to the story and its themes. The study of the word list will improve reading comprehension. It takes place before, during and after the events described in Dicey's Song, Voigt's 1983 Newbery Medal winner and Come a Stranger.Instead of revolving around the Tillermans, however, it revolves around Jeff Greene, a boy who accepts Dicey for who she is. Word Count: 376. In Baltimore with his father, where the weather is colder, he feels self-sufficient and reticent. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Children and Young Adult Literature portal, "Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922-Present", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Solitary_Blue&oldid=1012592171, Articles needing additional references from November 2008, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 17 March 2021, at 06:38. Melody's early abandonment of her child and her later betrayal of his trust create perhaps the most sensitive issue in A Solitary Blue. Search. Instead, she focuses on a new boyfriend, named Max. He still has bad memories, but he now can live a fuller life and treasure some good memories as well. Worry (from Jeff): that his father, like his mother will abandon him. Can anybody tell me about theme, imagery, point of view, verbal/situational irony, or foreshadowing "A Solitary Blue"? Cynthia Voigt. Series Voigt, Cynthia. Charleston and Baltimore were places where he lived or stayed; they were never home. The Professor speaks almost in monosyllables until he and Jeff come to understand and trust one another; then he shows himself to be very articulate but never chatty. Crisfield is home to Jeff. A Solitary Blue is an important, realistic novel that deals with the complex problems of family relationships. 3d. "The Triumph of the Spirit in Cynthia Voigt's Homecoming, Dicey's Song, and A Solitary Blue." A Solitary Blue is the third of six books that deal with the Tillerman family. With each passing day, Jeff perfects knowing what kind of home his father wants. Jeff survives the summer by exploring a remote island, where he identifies with the aloneness of a great blue heron. This was one for me. Hamden, CT: Shoe String Press, 1986. A Solitary Blue (1983) is a novel by Cynthia Voigt.It was a Newbery Honor book in 1984. This novel is set during about the same time as Dicey's Song, that won the Newbery Medal in 1983. This section contains 624 words (approx. This is the story of Jeff Greene, the guitar-playing high school boy Dicey Tillerman meets in Dicey's Song (1982)—but the connection isn't made until near the end. If Jeff is perfect, maybe his father won't leave like his mother. It was a Newbery Honor book in It revolves around Jeff Greene, a boy who struggles after being abandoned by his mother at age 7. Lukens, Rebecca J., ed. The note says that she loves him, but must leave him and the Professor in order to help all the people who need her - orphans and animals and hungry children. Irving, Elsie K. "Cynthia Voigt." The relationship between Jeff and his mother never improves, but he finally reaches a stage where he expresses anger toward her. A solitary blue. A Solitary Blue focuses heavily on relationships and emotions. Last Updated on May 5, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. It was published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers and has a total of 256 pages in the book. Without being unrealistic, she presents the possibility of happiness, healing, and love. She hugs him and touches him and cries to think of his unhappiness, and his heart is so happy it hurts him. Voigt, Jessica. Voigt, Cynthia. Reed, Arthea J. S. "Transition from Childhood into Adulthood." A critical survey of new realistic books and their impact on the field of children's literature. He becomes a friend to Dr. Greene, and soon, to Jeff. It tells the story of Jeff Greene from the ages of seven to sixteen. Jameson, Gloria. The house in Charleston is spacious and bright; in Baltimore, the house has small rooms and narrow halls. He connects with her and has a wonderful time, bringing joy back in his life. When he returns to Baltimore, he keeps the image of the island with him at all times but finds that he is not capable of concentrating on anything else. Voigt has been described in the New York Book Review as "a wonderful writer with powerfully moving things to say." In Triumphs of the Spirit in Children's Literature, edited by Francelia Butler and Richard Rotert. Chapter 3 Summary. Word Count: 427. Breaking this silence, with the help of Brother Thomas, and with Dr Greene's success as an author is heartening to read as the story ends. In 1984, it was a Newbery Honor book. Jeff seduces Dicey with his guitar skills, and soon bonds with Sammy through Dicey's job at a local grocery store, Maybeth when he visits Dicey's house to observe Maybeth's talent, and James through birdwatching. Voigt discusses her philosophy about quality literature for young people. "Newbery Medal Acceptance. The book begins long before that. Its protagonist, Jeff Greene, is abandoned by his free-spirit mother when he is seven years old: the novel examines the consequences of this abandonment as Jeff becomes a teenager. What are all of the locations in this book. As he reads the note his mother left for him, Jeff cries, wondering why she left. In the beginning of the book, Jeff is scared, worried, upset, and withdrawn. On his first visit to Charleston, when he sees his mother for the first time in almost five years, Jeff feels "like a man must who has been kept in a dungeon for years and years, and he steps out into the sunlight for the first time." In Reaching Adolescents: The Young Adult Book and the School. The selfishness and narcissism of Melody's love is disturbing. Focuses on how Dicey's and Jeff's spirits triumph as they struggle to survive and develop. We’ve discounted annual subscriptions by 50% for COVID-19 relief—Join Now! In sixth grade, Jeff catches the flu and tries to hide it from the professor, in hopes of it not disturbing his routine. Left with his reserved father, the professor, the burgeoning Jeff fails to make human connections. Narrator Jeff Woodman holds listeners spellbound as he narrates the teenage boy's poignant struggles to accept himself before he can really know others. Great-grandmother Gambo, who has suffered a stroke, seems annoyed by Jeff’s presence; only Opal, the aging African American housekeeper, seems not to notice Jeff at all. Imprint New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2012. As he gains confidence at home, he begins to thrive in school, realizing that he is intelligent and strong. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. He is captivated by his mother’s warm, spontaneous charm and by the music that she plays on the guitar. Word Count: 246. Jeff Greene figures in four of the six books. WorldCat Home About WorldCat Help. His father realizes, as he tells Jeff, "She's not coming back, you know."