Precious a book by sapphire

Recently adapted for film, precious is the fictional diary of claireece precious jones. Through preciouss character, sapphire reveals the transformation of a humans selfimage. Based on the novel push sapphire interview youtube. 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 bidisha thu 8 sep 2011 16. Claireece precious jones, the obese, hivpositive teenage protagonist of the 1996 book push and the 2009 movie precious, is an irrepressible character. Based on the novel push by sapphire, a film that won two academy awards and was directed by lee daniels. Yet that voice begs to be heard in a larger novel of more depth and complexity. In 2009 she was the recipient of a fellow award in literature from united states artists. 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 is the story of 16yearold claireece precious jones, who goes by the nickname precious. Claireece precious jones is an obese, illiterate 16yearold girl who lives in harlem with her abusive mother mary. Jan 18, 2009 an urban nightmare with a surfeit of soul, precious. Her mother, defeated by life, takes it out on her daughter. Based on the novel push by sapphire is like a diamond clear, bright, but oh so hard.

In new york citys harlem circa 1987, an overweight, abused, illiterate teen who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction. Precious is a grim yet ultimately triumphant film about abuse and innercity life, largely bolstered by exceptional performances. Sapphire s writing was the subject of an academic symposium at arizona state university in 2007. Sapphire wrote the novel push renamed precious in a fractured ghetto patois that grew out of the authors experiences as a remedial reading teacher. Push is a novel written by sapphire white about the tough life of a poor, hiv positive, african american, 16 year old girl named claireece precious jones. Precious, the film adaption of her novel, recently won the grand jury prize and the audience awards in the u. Precious jones, an illiterate sixteenyearold, has up until now been invis. Precious push movie tiein edition by sapphire, paperback. The montroseshephard family have assumed till now that charlotte was the one with the power, and trained her since. Based on the novel push by sapphire from amazons fiction books store. Nov 09, 2009 194 videos play all precious 2009 full movie captured 2018 full movie mariah carey discusses acting in precious on the record duration.

In the final scene we witness precious striding out cheerfully and purposefully with her two children, her future uncertain but her dignity triumphant. Sapphire interviewed about new book, the kid, and child. Based on the novel push by sapphire critics consensus. Precious can be easily analyzed using basic motivation and emotion theories in psychology. At 16, precious is pregnantfor the second timewith her own fathers child, and regularly beaten and ordered around by her jealous, reclusive mother. In the kid, bestselling author sapphire tells the electrifying story of abdul jones, the son of pushs unforgettable heroine, precious. Based on the novel push by sapphire by alissa wilkinson. In 2011, sapphire published a followup to push with the novel the kid, which focuses on the life of abdul jones, the son of precious. Sapphire tells michele norris that she began the book in 1993, just as she was about to leave her job as a remedial reading teacher in harlem to.

Hammed sirleaf im gonna break through or somebody gonna break through to me. Push by sapphire goodreads meet your next favorite book. The american fiction writer and poet sapphire was born ramona lofton in 1950. This is a film that left me initially feeling profoundly. The novel is a commentary by an angry precious about her down struggles. Sapphire describes her characters more by direct characterization via precious, but precious often gives short blunt physical appearance descriptions, and the reader leans more towards a characters personality to understand. Indirect characterization is definitely utilized more, especially as the book reverts into a journal type of story, in which dialogue is not very present, r. She is sexually molested by her father and despised by her mother played by comedian monique. She does see her, in fact, on one occasion, when her mother delivers yet more bad news. Based on the novel push by sapphire is a vibrant, honest and resoundingly hopeful film about the human capacity to grow and overcome.

With gabourey sidibe, monique, paula patton, mariah carey. Winner of the grand jury prize at the 2009 sundance film festival, precious. Jun 11, 1996 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. Based on the novel push by sapphire 2010 paperback paperback jan.

What is meant by this word, and how does precious respond to the. In a graduate class called storied new york last spring, one of our required texts was the book. The film stars gabourey sidibe, monique, paula patton, and mariah carey. The first edition of the novel was published in june 11th 1996, and was written by sapphire. She avoids looking at people, she hardly ever speaks, shes nearly illiterate. Sapphire herself appears briefly in the film as a daycare worker. Jun 10, 2011 precious is an adaptation by geoffrey s.

Blu rain who isnt physically described in the book is lightskinned and lovely, and in the scenes between sidibe and patton it is clear that daniels is playing with the color values of the actresses skin tones. 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. The movie is about claireece precious jones and how she becomes a strong, independent woman. Though she loves math, she can barely read or write. Abused by her mother, raped by her father, she grows up poor, angry, illiterate, fat. What is the significance of the novels title, push. The future for young people like precious seems so unremittingly bleak, the social inequities so entrenched, the cruelty that parents can inflict on their children so damaging and bewildering, that one is overwhelmed by the sheer hopelessness and awfulness of it all. Her first novel, push, was published in 1996 and a little over a decade later became the academy award winning film precious. 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. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 177 pages and is available in paperback format. 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. Push is the 1996 debut novel of american author sapphire.

I wish i had a lightskinned boyfriend with real nice hair. Enjoy these images from the film, and click the thumbnails to see larger images. Obese, illiterate and sexually abused by both her parents. Sapphire has created a remarkable heroine in precious, whose firstperson street talk is by turns blisteringly savvy, rawly lyrical, hilariously pigheaded and wrenchingly vulnerable. In new york citys harlem circa 1987, an overweight, abused, illiterate teen who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in. 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. This lesson will focus on the summary and important quotes from the. At what points in her life is precious enjoined to push. Based on the novel push by sapphire, follows precious gabourey sidibe a pregnant, 16yearold, overweight teen in 1987 harlem whos longing for a way out of her gritty, anguished life. Sapphire s first book became the oscarwinning film precious but, she says, her new novel is so dark that hollywood is unlikely to call bidisha thu 8 sep 2011 16. We meet him at age nine, on the day of his mothers funeral. Based on the novel push by sapphire is a hushed, damaged, morbidly obese 16yearold africanamerican girl.

The illiterate precious jones attends overcrowded, failing public schools. Monique was nominated for best supportingand wonfor her portrayal of as mary. After precious is raped by her father, her mother, is angry not at. Based on the novel push by sapphire is a 2009 film about an overweight, illiterate teen, pregnant with her second child, who is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction. Why do you think sapphire has chosen to end the story where she does. 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. 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. Sapphire, author of the novel push, talks about writing the book and the making of the film. Inside her lives a great hurt, and also her child, conceived in a rape. Push, her novel, won the book ofthemonth 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. Gabourey sidibe was nominated for best actress for her role as precious. Fletcher, adapted from the 1996 novel push by sapphire. On one hand, the characterization that sapphire offers in push might be seen as capitulating to cultural stereotypes about female sexuality and body image. Jan 05, 2010 sapphire blue picks up right after ruby red.

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. Mar 08, 2010 precious isnt colorist in the sense of oldfashioned, intracommunal social snobbery, but ms. Precious s narrative adheres respectfully to sapphire s 1996 novel, which is set in harlem, 1987. The main characters of this fiction, young adult story are claireece precious jones, blue rain. Themes in the book push by sapphire by hammed sirleaf on prezi. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic. 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. Claireece precious jones endures unimaginable hardships in her young life.