Bibliography:
Farmer, Nancy. 2002. The House of the Scorpion. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 0689852223.
Plot Summary:
Matteo Alacran is definitely not like other kids. He spends the first part of his childhood hidden away and cared for by a housekeeper named Celia. Once he is discovered by children from the “Big House”, he spends the next few years living lavishly and doted on because he is the mirror of El Patron, the most powerful man in the country. Matt’s life is full of ups and downs, but his true human spirit shines when he is tested inside and outside of his home country.
Critical Analysis:
In House of the Scorpion Nancy Farmer tells a science fiction tale that transcends time and place. The setting is the futuristic border country of Opium or “Dreamland”, which physically divides the United States and Aztlan (Mexico). Farmer incorporates a lot of imagery in native plants, animals, and other geographic descriptions. The futuristic, fictional elements, such as hovercrafts, cloning, and implants are intentionally woven in between descriptions of commonplace non-fictional elements, such as farming and slave labor.
The story delves into the concept of cloning and the implications that kind of science would have on a culture. Matt has to deal with the rollercoaster of emotions when he finds out that he is a clone and then subsequently realizes his fate in regards to El Patron. Matt just wants to be a normal kid, but at the same time he is firmly accepting of his irreversable fortune. A common motif in young adult literature comes up in this book – Matt is able to keep a few close friends, who turn out to help him at crucial moments. Farmer also leaves a lot to the readers’ imagination, and provides eloquent lessons about what makes us human.
The e-audiobook (available through NetLibrary) is also a great way to enjoy this book. The narrator is Robert Ramirez, a Mexican-American whose accent provides the perfect dialogue for the characters in the story. Also, Ramirez makes sure to distinguish Tam Lin from the rest of the cast by giving a Scottish accent, a detail that can be overlooked in the novel.
Awards:
National Book Award winner – 2002
Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book - 2003
Newbery Honor – 2003
Review Excerpts:
Publisher’s Weekly: “The novel’s close may be rushed, and Tam Lin’s fate may be confusing to readers, but Farmer grippingly demonstrates that there are no easy answers. The questions she raises will haunt readers long after the final page.” – Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Booklist starred review: “This is a powerful, ultimately hopeful story that builds on today’s sociopolitical, ethical, and scientific issues and prognosticates a compelling picture of what the future could bring. All of these serious issues are held together by a remarkable coming-of-age story.” – Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved.
Connections:
- Read other award winning novels by Nancy Farmer including: Girl Named Disaster, and The Ear, the Eye and the Arm.
- Have students draw comparisons between books with similar thematic elements: The Giver and Holes.