Ironman (novel)
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| File:Ironmancrutcher.jpg | |
| Author | Chris Crutcher |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Chris Crutcher |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | 1995 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 228 pp |
| ISBN | 0-06-059840-9 |
| OCLC | 56725458 |
| Preceded by | Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes |
| Followed by | Whale Talk |
Ironman is a 1995 novel by young adult writer Chris Crutcher who studied art and literature at the University of Notre Dame in his twenties. He created the novel's cover image himself using the medium of oil pastel. The novel is the story of Bo Brewster, a high school student training for a triathlon while also in disputes with his father and English teacher, both of whom exhibit portentous views of masculine authority. The book is written as a combination of traditional third person narrative and epistolary novel through a series of informal letters written by the protagonist to CNN personality Larry King. The novel has received numerous accolades including being recognized by the American Library Association as a Best Book for Young Adults.[1]
Plot summary
The story takes place in Spokane, Washington where Beauregard (Bo) Brewster lives with his mother and younger brother Jordan. Motivated by years of power struggles with his father, the teenager trains vigorously for the Yukon Jack Ironman Triathlon while attending anger management sessions and writing letters to Larry King about his experiences.
Characters
- Beauregard "Bo" Brewster is the narrator and protagonist. Bo is humorous with his father and has been forced to join anger management. Bo attempts to deal with his feelings by training to become a triathlete. Works hard to understand himself through Mr. Nak's class, because his life at home isn't the best and in school isn't great with Mr. Redmond and Wyrack at the swim team.
- Mr. Nakatani is a teacher who is in charge of the school's anger management group. Mr. Nak is calm and patient with his "eclectic mix of hard-edged students." Some of the "truants'" names are Elvis, Shuja, and Hedgie. Of Asian descent, Mr. Nak has a Texas accent, a cowboy attitude, and the determination of a martial artist.
- Shelly is Bo's girlfriend and another member of the Anger Management group. She is an athlete like Bo, training to be an American Gladiator, and she encourages Bo to train for his triathlon and to stand up to Ian Wyrack. Her past is as fraught with conflict and tragedy as the other members of Anger Management, but unlike them, she is there by choice because she wants to avoid repeating the past.
- Ian Wyrack is a college student who trains under Mr. Serbousek, and who comes into conflict with Bo when Bo joins the team's workouts. Wyrack resents the fact that Bo is faster than he, and later bets Bo's girlfriend 500 dollars that his relay team can beat Bo in the Yukon Jack triathlon.
- Lucas Brewster is Bo's father and the main antagonist. He is controlling and authoritarian, and Bo comes into frequent conflict with him. He is divorced from Bo's mother, but although Bo and his brother live with their mom, they still see their dad frequently.
Awards and honors
External links
- Articles with short description
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Articles lacking in-text citations from January 2015
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- 1995 American novels
- American young adult novels
- Epistolary novels
- Novels by Chris Crutcher
- American sports novels
- Novels set in Washington (state)
- Culture of Spokane, Washington