Module 5: CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Avi. 2002. CRISPIN. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786826479.

PLOT SUMMARY
To his knowledge, he was born “Asta’s son”—no proper name or identity. He and his mother were trapped in a life of poverty and servitude. When his mother dies, Crispin’s life is torn apart. He is declared a “wolf’s head” by the village steward for crimes he did not commit. A wolf’s head is a person who is no longer considered human and can be killed on sight. All he has ever known is questioned. The priest who promises an explanation is killed, Crispin stands accused, and the chase is on.
Following this turn of events, Crispin escapes into the arms of an unlikely hero named Bear. Bear forces Crispin to be his servant but trains him, and the two form a special relationship. As the two enter the village of Great Wexly there is a foreboding feeling. While Bear meets and plans a peasant revolution, Crispin learns about the city and about his true heritage and identity. Crispin is the son of the Lord of the villages. His would be captors have located him in the city and capture Bear in an effort to lure Crispin out of hiding so that one of the rightful heirs of Lord Furnival’s estate could be disposed of. Crispin cleverly barters with the Steward for the life of Bear and for their safe escape into anonymity. The Steward encourages the townspeople to kill Crispin. When they do not, his attempt to take matters into his own hands leads to his own death. Crispin and Bear walk out of the village and into the countryside of England.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
CRISPIN is a coming of age, adventure story. Crispin is a thirteen year old boy who has not had a true identity his entire life. He has been referred to as “Asta’s Son”. His mother’s death thrusts him into new realms and he learns about his own strength and abilities. This makes it easy for the reader to relate to Crispin. Although all young people have a name they are identified by, how many truly feel like they have no name just “_____’s son/daughter.” A profound change may not happen in all young people’s lives to force them to become more independent; small changes can be just as great an impact. The life Crispin lead with his mother and the life he sees many of the people he encounters is true to the details known about the 14th century. The poverty and chasm between the haves and the have not’s are historical aspects of that time period. One learns about the future planning of a peasant revolt. But this planning does not overshadow the main action in the book.
The language used is historical but not true Old English. The vocabulary is not contemporary but this book does not read in English from a Shakespearian play. Avi wanted the book to have credibility and authenticity by using certain vocabulary words for example “lad” when referring to a boy. However, he did not want his young readers to be turned off or unable to understand the story due to use of Old English.
The plot of the story is filled with adventure. The reader is not laden with details about feelings and descriptions. One must use the events and actions of the characters to infer traits and other information about the characters. This keeps the text fast-paced. The only twist in the plot is that Crispin is a son of Lord Furnival. However, there is a great deal of foreshadowing for this discovery throughout the book.
The story is set in 14th century England. The villages’ names sound authentic. Stromford and Great Wexly do not sound like town names from recent American communities. The class system that is established at the start of the book is very true to the time period. The clothing described is also an important aspect of historical accuracy.
In conclusion, this book creates a simple picture of life in the 14th century while following the adventure and mystery of a young boy’s birthright and identity. The only suggestion this reviewer has is that “historical maps” of the travels of Crispin and Bear could have been helpful in following the action and understanding why it took so many days to travel to certain locations on foot.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Winner of John Newberry Medal 2002

From PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY “Avi's plot is engineered for maximum thrills, with twists, turns and treachery aplenty, but it's the compellingly drawn relationship between Crispin and Bear that provides the heart of this story. A page turner to delight Avi's fans, it will leave readers hoping for a sequel.”

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Avi has done an excellent job of integrating background and historical information, of pacing the plot so that the book is a page-turner from beginning to end, and of creating characters for whom readers will have great empathy. The result is a meticulously crafted story, full of adventure, mystery, and action.”

CONNECTIONS
Avi website
Avi

Information about the 14th Century
14th century: Information from Answers.com
14th century - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Crispin – Information and Teaching Resources
Newbery Medal winner - Crispin: the Cross of Lead by Avi, Integrated Curriculum from Kids' Wings

Peasants’ Revolt of 1381
Britannia: Sources of British History

Black Death –information
The Black Death: Bubonic Plague
Black Death - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia