The Family Under the Bridge in Never too Late to Read Classics

Apr 06, 2019 Manybooks rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-fiction, childrens-literature, christmas-themed, book-reviews, friendship, four-seasons-winter

Now I both appreciate and actively love the in Natalie Savage Carlson's Newbery Honour winning The Family Under the Bridge generally positive and uncritical, non judgmental depiction of French homelessness and that Armand is narrationally presented by the author as more than happy and content with his chosen lifestyle and that he is thus also not to be considered as an inherently problematic at best individual simply because he lives outside and deliberately chooses to do so (although I personal Now I both appreciate and actively love the in Natalie Savage Carlson's Newbery Honour winning The Family Under the Bridge generally positive and uncritical, non judgmental depiction of French homelessness and that Armand is narrationally presented by the author as more than happy and content with his chosen lifestyle and that he is thus also not to be considered as an inherently problematic at best individual simply because he lives outside and deliberately chooses to do so (although I personally would much prefer for Natalie Savage Carlson to call Armand the French term clochard, as that is a much less imbued with automatic negativity and criticism moniker than the English language terms hobo or tramp tend to be). And yes indeed, even more personally appreciated is that in The Family Under the Bridge, Armand's Gypsy friends are also not automatically considered and approached by the author as possible, as probable nasty thieves and criminals and that in fact, it is far more often Madame Calcet who faces the most (and in my opinion deserved) authorial criticism, who is negatively portrayed when she at first would rather her children remain alone and cold under a bridge, friendless and without support than having Armand (and later the Gypsies) act and function as the children's protectors and helpers (and as such, I also have to admit that I do personally rather vehemently despise those readers, those reviewers who only see and consider Armand as a homeless and lazy good-for-nothing, when on every page of The Family Under the Bridge, Armand is always and glowingly shown as a true gentleman in every way, with a heart of pure gold).

But indeed, the only reason why my rating for The Family Under the Bridge is four and not five stars, is that in fact I personally do not all that much like (and accept) how at the very end of the novel, Natalie Savage Carlson just has to turn Armand from a clochard into a working man with a home, as personally, I for one would prefer for Armand to be able to keep his outside existence on the streets of Paris, even after he has found a home and a job from home for Madame Calcet and her children (for sorry, but the ending of The Family Under the Bridge has just felt a wee bit too Protestant work ethic to and for me and kind of even to a certain extent seems to somewhat negate and denigrate the positive depiction of French clochards that is part and parcel to The Family Under the Bridge for most of the author's featured and presented textual storyline). ...more

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