Judith Guest Criticism
Judith Guest gained literary acclaim with her debut novel, Ordinary People (1976), a poignant exploration of a family's emotional struggles following tragedy. The novel was praised for its authentic portrayal of a young man, Conrad, dealing with mental illness and its impact on family dynamics. As observed in Ordinary People, Guest's work is noted for avoiding melodrama and demonstrating a keen ear for dialogue, particularly among young characters. Critics such as Melvin Maddocks highlight its exploration of themes like failure and emotional repression with genuine depth.
Guest's second novel, Second Heaven (1982), continues exploring the intricate dynamics of middle-class suburbia and the emotional turmoil faced by adolescents. Although some, like Paddy Kitchen, noted moments of sentimentality, the novel is lauded for its sensitive depiction of a troubled teen's journey towards healing, as seen in Michele M. Leber's review. Norma Rosen critiques its reliance on idealized resolutions but acknowledges its insightful portrayal of familial and personal growth.
Guest’s novels are united by themes of domination, communication, and the struggle for independence, reflecting issues universal to young adults. Both works depict characters overcoming severe challenges like suicide, depression, and abuse, offering insights into the human condition. Despite criticism of Second Heaven’s idealistic elements, as noted by Priscilla Johnson, Guest's ability to blend popular appeal with artistic narrative ensures her continued relevance in discussions of contemporary literature.
Contents
- Guest, Judith
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Guest, Judith (Ann)
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Ordinary People
(summary)
The critic argues that Judith Guest's novel Ordinary People successfully communicates a poignant sense of reality, focusing on the emotional struggles of the Jarrett family after a tragic loss, without resorting to sentimentality or exaggerated dramatization.
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Suburban Furies
(summary)
In the following essay, Melvin Maddocks critiques Ordinary People by Judith Guest as a conventional but poignant exploration of middle-class American familial dynamics, arguing that the novel's themes of failure, emotional repression, and spiritual malaise are treated with both ironic cleverness and genuine emotional depth.
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Dorothea D. Braginsky
(summary)
In the following essay, Dorothea D. Braginsky analyzes Judith Guest's novel "Ordinary People," highlighting its portrayal of familial emotional struggles and the subtle complexity of character development, while critiquing the lack of depth given to the mother's perspective in the narrative.
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Sentimental Americans
(summary)
In the following essay, Paddy Kitchen examines Ordinary People by Judith Guest, arguing that while the novel skillfully uses suspense techniques to explore a family's psychological struggles following a son's suicide attempt, its resolution is somewhat sentimental due to the portrayal of an idealized therapeutic relationship.
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Characterization of the Emotionally Disturbed in Current Adolescent Fiction
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In the following essay, Janet G. Stroud argues that Judith Guest's Ordinary People is a skillfully constructed novel that explores the varied reactions of those around an emotionally disturbed individual, providing a sensitive depiction of family dynamics and societal perceptions following a mental health crisis.
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Michele M. Leber
(summary)
In the following review, Michele M. Leber critiques Judith Guest's novel Second Heaven, noting that while it may lack the polish of Ordinary People, it excels in its sensitive and insightful portrayal of a troubled teenager, despite its less conventional subject matter and narrative structure.
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Second Heaven
(summary)
The critic examines how Judith Guest's Second Heaven revisits themes of isolation and healing through the story of middle-class characters and a troubled adolescent, emphasizing Guest's ability to capture the emotional transformations of her characters, despite some melodramatic elements.
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Heaven & Earth: Judith Guest's Encore to 'Ordinary People'
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In the following essay, Jonathan Yardley argues that Judith Guest's novel "Second Heaven" successfully follows her debut "Ordinary People," highlighting her perceptive storytelling, especially in capturing domestic life's intricacies and emotional depth, despite slight contrivances and familiar themes.
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The Wounded Healing the Wounded
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In the following essay, Norma Rosen examines Judith Guest's novel "Second Heaven," highlighting its portrayal of a troubled teen's emotional journey and the themes of love and healing, while critiquing the novel's reliance on love to resolve deep-seated issues without therapeutic intervention.
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Unsweet Sixteen
(summary)
In the following essay, Prescott contends that Judith Guest skillfully blends popular and artistic elements in her novels, highlighting themes of adolescent trauma, complex relationships, and child abuse with a nuanced narrative structure and character development, exemplified in "Second Heaven."
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Second Heaven
(summary)
In the following essay, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt critiques Judith Guest's novel "Second Heaven" for its precise and controlled narrative structure while admiring its alive characters, ultimately suggesting that the novel lacks the inspired unpredictability and individuality that might elevate it beyond being merely well-crafted.
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Time
(summary)
The critic suggests that while Judith Guest's novel Second Heaven revisits themes and styles similar to her previous work, it is in her portrayal of a character's experiences outside of familiar suburban settings that her writing exhibits innovation and emotional depth.
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Fine Novel of Ordinary Lives
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In the following essay, Judith Chettle argues that Judith Guest's novel "Second Heaven" successfully occupies the literary middle ground by sympathetically portraying the struggles of ordinary people and achieving a delicate balance between moral force and narrative restraint.
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Priscilla Johnson
(summary)
In the following essay, Priscilla Johnson praises Judith Guest's novel "Second Heaven" for its insightful and sensitive portrayal of post-divorce issues and troubled youth, emphasizing how Guest effectively creates a hopeful narrative through the development of a new "family" formed by three lonely individuals.
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Second Heaven
(summary)
The critic explores how Judith Guest's Second Heaven delves into the emotional complexities and lasting trauma of abuse within three failed families, emphasizing themes of survival and self-discovery, and highlights the novel's appeal to young adult readers through the character of Gale.
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Ordinary People
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