Sapphires the kid is haunting in the same way that her bestselling novel push was. Push, her novel, won the bookofthemonth clubs stephen crane award for first. Study guide for push precious push also known as precious in its film version study guide contains a biography of sapphire, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Push by sapphire, first edition abebooks passion for books. In the book push, by sapphire, precious is trapped in two different worlds, one world of hurt and pain while the other is a world that consists of encouragement, and enlightenment. It is told through the voice of a girl, who has already had a child at the age of 12, and is pregnant with another at the age of 16 from her father.
Sep 08, 2011 sapphire s first book became the oscarwinning film precious but, she says, her new novel is so dark that hollywood is unlikely to call. In the kid, bestselling author sapphire tells the electrifying story of abdul jones, the son of push s unforgettable heroine, precious. Sapphire tells michele norris that she began the book in 1993, just as she. At what points in her life is precious enjoined to push. Sapphire herself appears briefly in the film as a daycare worker. Sapphire wrote the novel push renamed precious in a fractured. Based on the novel by sapphire, directed by lee daniels and written by damien paul grand. This study guide consists of approximately 35 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of push. Sapphire has 19 books on goodreads with 94756 ratings. Fifteen years after the heralded publication of her first novel, push the basis for the 2009 film precious sapphire has written a new novel, the kid, which traces the. Winner of the 1996 mind book of the year award, push was later made into the film precious, winner of two academy awards. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Themes in the book push by sapphire by hammed sirleaf on prezi.
A novel by sapphire and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Nov 20, 2009 precious lives with her mother mary, who abuses precious both physically and emotionally. Sapphires first book became the oscarwinning film precious but, she says, her new novel is so dark that hollywood is unlikely to call. The story gives detailed accounts of the physical, sexual and mental abuse precious faces from her father, mother, and the strangers she encounters on a daily basis. A mother, who disowns her and continuously abuses her at home. Push, her novel, won the bookofthemonth clubs stephen crane award for first fiction, the black caucus of more about sapphire. Study guide for push precious push also known as precious in its film version study guide contains a biography of sapphire, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and. Based on the novel push by sapphire, often shortened as precious, is a 2009 american drama film directed by lee daniels shadowboxer, monsters ball.
Push precious symbols, allegory and motifs gradesaver. Push by sapphire push is the story of claireece precious jones and her heartbreaking account of her life for two years. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 177 pages and is available in paperback format. With this much anticipated first novel, told from the point of view of an illiterate, brutalized harlem teenager, sapphire american dreams, a writer affiliated with the nuyorican poets, charts the p. She tells her disturbing story in the most graphic ways so that we, the reader,s could feel her pain. Jul 31, 2011 fifteen years after the heralded publication of her first novel, push the basis for the 2009 film precious sapphire has written a new novel, the kid, which traces the. Push, now known as the book that inspired last years muchrenowned hit film precious, is the firstperson account of the teenage life of claireece precious jones, a harlem teenager who as of writing this account has given birth to two children, a boy and a girl, both products of her rape at the hands of her biological father. Books by sapphire author of push goodreads share book. I made myself read it because i know there are women in this world who suffer fates as bad asor worse thanthat of precious jones. Sapphire was approached about turning the book into a. Sapphire author this study guide consists of approximately 35 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of push. She is conflicted and confused because of the suffering and trauma caused by her father, carl.
Sapphire is the author of american dreams, a collection of poetry that was cited by publishers weekly as one of the strongest debut collections of the nineties. We meet him at age nine, on the day of his mothers funeral. For precious jones, 16 and pregnant with her fathers child, miraculous hope appears and the world begins to open up for her when a courageous. Push, her novel, won the bookofthemonth club stephen crane award for first fiction, the black caucus of the american library associations first novelist award, and, in great britain, the mind book of the year award. It has a heavy topic that may not be suitable for all readers. Precious has never experienced love in her life only abuse, physical and sexual from her parents. Thirteen years after its release, it was made into precious. With this much anticipated first novel, told from the point of view of an illiterate, brutalized harlem teenager, sapphire american dreams, a writer affiliated with.
Push by sapphire and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. And yet, this remarkable book by sapphire is an uplifting revelation that will fascinate and surprise you. The kid is the sequel to sapphires 1996 novel push, about a girl called precious who is routinely sexually abused by both her mother and father. Sapphires first book became the oscarwinning film precious but, she. Jul 06, 2011 sapphire releases graphic sequel to push more than a decade after the novel push was published, audiences can learn about the son of push s heroine, precious. What is the significance of the novels title, push. The book was published in 1996 by vintage publishing and has since sold hundreds of thousands of copies.
Why do you think sapphire has chosen to end the story where she does. What is meant by this word, and how does precious respond to the. As a young six year old she sits in class and doesnt. Push, told almost entirely in the first person, is brutally frank. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the authors best ideas. The first edition of the novel was published in june 11th 1996, and was written by sapphire. Claireece precious jones is an obese, illiterate 16yearold girl who lives in harlem with her abusive mother mary. Sapphire releases graphic sequel to push more than a decade after the novel push was published, audiences can learn about the son of pushs heroine, precious. New york public library books for the teen age winner. Sapphire s writing was the subject of an academic symposium at arizona state university in 2007. The american fiction writer and poet sapphire was born ramona lofton in 1950.
Mary does nothing but smoke, watch television and collect welfare through fraud as she doesnt ever look for a job and believes that education does nothing for precious, who she would rather also collect welfare if only to bring money into the household. How push became precious the gritty realism of the film precious is even more intense in the novel push, upon which the film is based. This lesson will focus on the summary and important quotes from the novel push. This novel is far from vapid, taking its audience through the mind of a rape victim named precious. Her first novel, push, was published in 1996 and a little over a decade later became the academy award winning film precious. Push by sapphire is the story of 16yearold claireece precious jones, who goes by the nickname precious.
Sapphire, author of the novel push, talks about writing the book and the making of the film. The main characters of this fiction, young adult story are claireece precious jones, blue rain. I see the pink faces in suits look over top of my head. Sapphire is the author of american dreams, a collection of poetry which was cited by publishers weekly as, one of the strongest debut collections of the nineties.
Precious jones, an illiterate sixteenyearold, has up until now been invis. Push by sapphire teaching childrens and adolescent. Based on the novel push by sapphire, a film that won two academy awards and was directed by lee daniels. A story of body and spirit, rooted in the hungers of flesh and of the soul, the kid brings us deep into the interior life of abdul jones.
Sapphires writing was the subject of an academic symposium at arizona state university in 2007. Push rips you from your safe little cozy life and drops you into a concrete jungle that forces you to feel and experience life alongside precious whose life, when we meet her, has been truly destroyed. Precious lives with her mother mary, who abuses precious both physically and emotionally. Sapphire, quote from push i wanna say i am somebody. Jun 11, 1996 this book is packed with a heavy message that sapphire drives home superbly. In 2009 she was the recipient of a fellow award in literature from united states artists. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library. Push is the 1996 debut novel of american author sapphire.
The book push by sapphire is unlike any other book on the ap novel list. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Push is an emotionally powerful, disturbing novel written from the perspective of a young and poor black woman whose life. Aug 19, 2011 the kid is the sequel to sapphire s 1996 novel push, about a girl called precious who is routinely sexually abused by both her mother and father. The story of an abused young black girl, mixing vibrant prose and poetry. I made myself read it because i know there are women in this world who suffer fates as bad asor worse than.