The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
ISBN: 0-689-85222-3
Farmer, N. (2002). The house of the scorpion. New York: Atheneum Books.
Plot Summary
Matt is a six-year-old boy who lives in a small house with a woman named Celia. He is isolated and not allowed to go outside. One day some children come to visit him, and Matt is immediately attracted to Maria. When they go to leave, Matt is afraid a monster will eat Maria, so he jumps out the window to save her. The broken glass hurts him, so the children take him to El Patron’s house. El Patron owns an opium-producing estate employed by eejits, humans with computer chips implanted who are essentially zombies. Matt is protected and pampered until the others discover he is a clone. El Patron is 148-years-old, and has stayed alive for so long because he has clones made, and uses their organs when his own fail. Matt is then put into a dirty room and hardly fed because of the stigma of being a clone. Finally, El Patron finds out, and commands respect for Matt. The next seven years pass as Matt is tutored and pampered, until the day he finds out he is a clone, and El Patron will eventually need his organs.
Critical Evaluation
The House of the Scorpion is a thrilling, well-written novel about a fallen world in the perhaps not-so distant future. In a time where animal cloning is possible, Farmer takes this one step further into the realm of human cloning. Is it acceptable to clone humans? Do human clones have rights, or are they simply a copy of the original? The novel ultimately goes into the idea of the haves and have-nots. Those who have money are allowed to do as they wish, oftentimes to the detriment of those beneath them without anything. As a clone, Matt faces an interesting problem. Just as he is coming of age and beginning to learn about his self-identity, he finds out he may not be anyone. How does a boy who is a copy of another person learn to become his own person? Or will be just become an evil man determined to have his way? The setting adds to the notion that this situation may be possible. Situated between the Mexican and United States border, the fields of poppies filled with eejits, humans with computer chips implanted, does not sound like an impossibility. Could drug lords today find ways to do this? The implications are frightening. The ending feels rushed, especially after the descriptions of life at Opium and in the orphanage, but readers will be happy to know a sequel is to be released later in 2013.
Reader’s Annotation
Matt finds out he is a clone, created for his organs. When it becomes time for Matt to be used, he will do all he can to prevent his death.
About the Author
Nancy Farmer began to write when she was 40, after the birth of her son. She was accustomed to working and keeping busy, but as a parent, no longer worked. As she was reading to her son, Farmer realized she could write her own stories. She then began reading and rereading Edgar Rice Burroughs and Stephen King for plot, pace, and characterization. It was easy to get her work published in Africa, but she wanted to become an author in the United States too. She won an award from the Writers of the Future and with the award money moved back to California. Farmer worked at Standford in the genetics department, but when she was awarded $20,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts for her first children’s book, Farmer knew she was going to be an author. She has been named a Newbery Honor for three of her books, and House of the Scorpion was a National Book Award Winner.
Nancy Farmer was born in Arizona to parents who did not have much time for a younger daughter. Farmer’s brother and sister were several years older, and already in college by the time she started middle school. Her sister Mary doted on her, and Farmer developed a strong sense of self because of this. Though Farmer was an excellent reader, she could not write properly which teachers believed was due to her stubbornness. Now she realizes she has dyslexia. Farmer’s parents ran a hotel, and often had a young Farmer work the front desk. Again, she realizes now that it probably was not a good idea. She attended Reed College, and then went to India in the Peace Corps. Then she attended UC Berkeley, and lived in Zimbabwe after graduation. She met her husband in Zimbabwe and they have a son in the military. Farmer and her husband live in Menlo Park, California.
Genre
Science Fiction/Dystopian
Curriculum Ties
Cloning/Ethics
Booktalking
If you were wealthy, would you want to live to 150?
Debate the merits and evils of cloning from the viewpoints of El Patron and El Viejo.
Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 5th grade
IL: 8th grade and up
Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include cloning, the downfall of the United States, and the various ethical issues presented.
In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.
Why Included
I enjoyed the book as a child, and it is my mother’s second favorite young adult novel. I felt it was time to reread the book as an adult. Additionally, with the sequel coming out, I wanted to reread and remember what had happened.
Others in the Series
The Lord of Opium (Book #2 Released September 2013)
References
Farmer, N. (2013). Bio. Retrieved from http://www.nancyfarmerwebsite.com/bio.html.
ISBN: 0-689-85222-3
Farmer, N. (2002). The house of the scorpion. New York: Atheneum Books.
Plot Summary
Matt is a six-year-old boy who lives in a small house with a woman named Celia. He is isolated and not allowed to go outside. One day some children come to visit him, and Matt is immediately attracted to Maria. When they go to leave, Matt is afraid a monster will eat Maria, so he jumps out the window to save her. The broken glass hurts him, so the children take him to El Patron’s house. El Patron owns an opium-producing estate employed by eejits, humans with computer chips implanted who are essentially zombies. Matt is protected and pampered until the others discover he is a clone. El Patron is 148-years-old, and has stayed alive for so long because he has clones made, and uses their organs when his own fail. Matt is then put into a dirty room and hardly fed because of the stigma of being a clone. Finally, El Patron finds out, and commands respect for Matt. The next seven years pass as Matt is tutored and pampered, until the day he finds out he is a clone, and El Patron will eventually need his organs.
Critical Evaluation
The House of the Scorpion is a thrilling, well-written novel about a fallen world in the perhaps not-so distant future. In a time where animal cloning is possible, Farmer takes this one step further into the realm of human cloning. Is it acceptable to clone humans? Do human clones have rights, or are they simply a copy of the original? The novel ultimately goes into the idea of the haves and have-nots. Those who have money are allowed to do as they wish, oftentimes to the detriment of those beneath them without anything. As a clone, Matt faces an interesting problem. Just as he is coming of age and beginning to learn about his self-identity, he finds out he may not be anyone. How does a boy who is a copy of another person learn to become his own person? Or will be just become an evil man determined to have his way? The setting adds to the notion that this situation may be possible. Situated between the Mexican and United States border, the fields of poppies filled with eejits, humans with computer chips implanted, does not sound like an impossibility. Could drug lords today find ways to do this? The implications are frightening. The ending feels rushed, especially after the descriptions of life at Opium and in the orphanage, but readers will be happy to know a sequel is to be released later in 2013.
Reader’s Annotation
Matt finds out he is a clone, created for his organs. When it becomes time for Matt to be used, he will do all he can to prevent his death.
About the Author
Nancy Farmer began to write when she was 40, after the birth of her son. She was accustomed to working and keeping busy, but as a parent, no longer worked. As she was reading to her son, Farmer realized she could write her own stories. She then began reading and rereading Edgar Rice Burroughs and Stephen King for plot, pace, and characterization. It was easy to get her work published in Africa, but she wanted to become an author in the United States too. She won an award from the Writers of the Future and with the award money moved back to California. Farmer worked at Standford in the genetics department, but when she was awarded $20,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts for her first children’s book, Farmer knew she was going to be an author. She has been named a Newbery Honor for three of her books, and House of the Scorpion was a National Book Award Winner.
Nancy Farmer was born in Arizona to parents who did not have much time for a younger daughter. Farmer’s brother and sister were several years older, and already in college by the time she started middle school. Her sister Mary doted on her, and Farmer developed a strong sense of self because of this. Though Farmer was an excellent reader, she could not write properly which teachers believed was due to her stubbornness. Now she realizes she has dyslexia. Farmer’s parents ran a hotel, and often had a young Farmer work the front desk. Again, she realizes now that it probably was not a good idea. She attended Reed College, and then went to India in the Peace Corps. Then she attended UC Berkeley, and lived in Zimbabwe after graduation. She met her husband in Zimbabwe and they have a son in the military. Farmer and her husband live in Menlo Park, California.
Genre
Science Fiction/Dystopian
Curriculum Ties
Cloning/Ethics
Booktalking
If you were wealthy, would you want to live to 150?
Debate the merits and evils of cloning from the viewpoints of El Patron and El Viejo.
Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 5th grade
IL: 8th grade and up
Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include cloning, the downfall of the United States, and the various ethical issues presented.
In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.
Why Included
I enjoyed the book as a child, and it is my mother’s second favorite young adult novel. I felt it was time to reread the book as an adult. Additionally, with the sequel coming out, I wanted to reread and remember what had happened.
Others in the Series
The Lord of Opium (Book #2 Released September 2013)
References
Farmer, N. (2013). Bio. Retrieved from http://www.nancyfarmerwebsite.com/bio.html.
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