Book review
In the autobiographical novel, To Sir, with Love, by E. R. Braithwaite, Mr. Braithwaite talked about his experiences working at an East London high school. He wanted to find a job once he got back from his trip in the United States. He did not have a job at the time, so he thought to himself, “why not go to a high school and help out some kids.” At first this does not sound like a bad idea until he figures out what kind of kids this school houses. This school is full of many teens from broken lives and homes. The authors purpose of reflective these kids in this way is to show people they should not judge a book by their cover. As the book continues, you can see the students have a good relationship with their teacher.
The theme that Braithwaite is trying to get across to his readers is that you can always give help to someone in need. He has shown us this when he takes away their textbooks because he thinks they are useless. He is teaching them how to be an adult, which is the most help these kids have gotten in their whole life. He sets specific guidelines on how to be successful in life while being happy with the decisions that you have made to get to the position you are in. This theme is indirectly spoken to the readers, but with many of the things he tells the students, it becomes easy to understand. “My business here is to teach you, and I shall do my best to make my teaching as interesting as possible. If at any time I say anything which you do not understand or with which you do not agree, I would be pleased if you would let me know. Most of you will be leaving school within six months or so; that means that in a short while you will be embarked on the very adult business of earning a living. Bearing that in mind, I have decided that from now on you will be treated, not as children, but as young men and women, by me and each other” (Braithwaite 72). Mr. Braithwaite is no longer holding them back, not because they do not listen to him, but because he figured out that if he gives them what they want then they will not misbehave as much. He made them feel equal; if he made them feel like they were lower than dirt and that he was the man in charge, then no one would have any respect for him nor listen to what he tells them.
This book is a narrative because this is an autobiography and these events actually happened to E. R. Braithwaite. This is effective because the things that he writes about are only things that you would expect a teacher in the 1950’s to care about. Now teachers are always trying to get you to do your homework and get good grades because you need to go to college. Back then you did not need a college degree to have any sort of job you wanted; however now you need a degree to do almost anything. He is trying to encourage the students to have a better life by setting a good example of how you should treat people.
I thought that this book was amazing. It teaches you things that you never seem to notice anymore in our society. Braithwaite is a person that you can tell really cared about these teens and gave them a sense of love that they might not have all the time. This book was also turned into a movie in 1967, “To Sir, with Love.” In the song at the end of the movie by LuLu, she tells, “A friend who taught me right from wrong, and weak from strong, that’s a lot to learn, what can I give you in return?” She went so far as calling him a friend, most teachers are not viewed as a friend especially under these circumstances. The one thing that I did not like was when he lost his temper. This was the one thing he did not want to do, and I felt just as bad as he did when he yelled at the kids. Thankfully this triggers him to stop teaching verbatim from the textbooks, but to teach them the necessities of life. I do not think I would change anything because everything in this book as a purpose and a certain way it fits in. I would recommend this to just about anyone because it is just such a great book, and it teaches you many life lessons. I have not read any of E. R. Braithwaite’s other books, but after reading this one I think I would give it a try.
- Goodreads rating – 4.18
- REVIEW – Ian Figurski