Book Review of "Apple: Skin to the core" by Eric Gansworth

 

1.     Bibliography

Gansworth, E. 2020. Apple: Skin to the core. Levine Querido. ISBN: 9781646140138

2.     Plot Summary

In this free verse memoir of Eric Gansworth life, we see how his life started and the hardships he faced and into his adult years.  We see Gansworth’s family history and how his grandparents were forced into residential schools where they began to lose sight of their culture.  We see how Gansworth and his family struggled to provide for him and his six other siblings.  Gansworth talks about a girl named Jaboozie and how she helped him throughout his life and later became part of his family.  We see Gansworth start working at the age of 11 doing low pay jobs and having to use half of that money on bills for the house.  Gansworth shows us how his love of drawing started and his love for the Beatles.  As he got older Gansworth finally got the opportunity to go to a community college and get his own apartment.  He became a writer and artist and finds ways to embrace his culture. 

3.     Critical Analysis

In this memoir we follow Eric Gansworth and his family hardships.  Eric is the narrator of the story and talks about how he is a member of the Onondaga Nation and refers to himself as Onondaga or Haudenosaunee rather than American.  Eric talks about his experience growing up on the Tuscarora reservation.  He also talks about his parents but doesn’t refer to them by name.  His father is mostly absent from his life, but Eric does refer to him in the poem “From Iron Man to Skywalker”.  Eric’s mother was always trying to find ways to provide for the family.  She wanted Eric to find a better life off the reservation but ultimately wanted him to come back and stay.  Jaboozie is a very influential part of Eric’s life, and they are close friends.  Jaboozie eventually moves away to college, but they remain in touch because she ends up marrying one of Eric’s cousins.  Eric’s grandparents Big Umma, Little Umma, Umps, and Willard are also mentioned in the poems and give some insight into how their lives were.  The socio-economic status of the characters in the story shows up when there is mention of limited heat, thin walls, and very little space.  The story takes place mostly in the Tuscarora Reservation in New York, close to Niagara Falls.  His childhood home was located on a street with the nickname “Dog Street”.  His home was described as small, crowded, and run-down. This story gives some historical content as well as contemporary events.  The story starts in the late 1970’s and spans over Eric’s youth, adolescence, and young adulthood.  Eric mentions how he went to mostly white schools off the reservation, and he was one of the only Native students.  The poems are filled with cultural values and insights into the Native American world.  Since Eric is from the Native American world, he can give accurate and detailed descriptions of his culture.  Eric writes about the cultural genocide and how his grandparents were even thought to believe there was shame in their culture for the way they were treated.  For this Eric wasn’t taught some of the traditions or values because his parents and grandparents were trying to save them the hardships they had to endure.  We find that the word “apple” is a racial slur for Native Americans meaning red on the outside, white on the inside, showing that they look different, but they conformed to white culture.  Eric shows respect for his elders in the story and the deep connection they have in their culture.  We also see some cultural references when Jaboozie shows Eric how to make cornhusk dolls and other crafts. This story gives the reader a lot to think and reflect on.  There are many references to the way the Native people were treated, and this shows us how we need to be better to people who may be different than us and show them that their traditions and values are important.  The illustrations in the book show accurate details about how people dressed and what their life was like.  You can see the clothes they wear resemble clothes typical to American culture and less of their own.  Eric shows us how we need to come together as a whole and not strip people of their culture or beliefs.  It should be something to be celebrated and not torn down.

4.     Review Excerpt(s)

Winner of the American Indian Youth Literature Award

Printz Honor Winner

National Book Award Longlist

"With language rich in metaphor, this is a timely and important work that begs for multiple readings." - BOOKLIST (starred review)

"Exceptional..A stirring depiction of Indigenous life likely to evoke empathy from and resonate with all who venture into Gansworth's world." - SHELF-AWARENESS (starred review)

5.     Connections

*Students would write their own free verse poem about their life in some way that resembles the way Gansworth has in the book

*I would have students interview one of their family members and ask about a family tradition and how it started.  They could present the information in a narrative or poem.