Brooklyn's Journal Entry #1

There are many social issues, values and ethics explored throughout this book. Such as, people living in poverty, teenage pregnancy, and people living in trailer parks. Many social stereotypes are also talked about or revealed to be untrue in this novel. Most of these stereotypes are about people living in trailer residence, sometimes referred to as "trailer trash"

The issue of teenage pregnancy and its affects on the mother is heavily explored throughout this novel because Novalee has a teenage pregnancy. This novel shows teenage pregnancy up close and really reveals the effects it can have on someone's life. The common stereotype about teenage pregnancies is that they will ruin your life. And that's what the pregnancy seems to do to Novalee in the beginning, but as the novel progresses it is proven that this stereotype does not appeal to all cases. Novalee makes a better life for herself after she has Americus in her life and she becomes a stronger and happier person.

Another social issue explored in this book was poverty and all the stereotypes of people living in trailer homes. Novalee lives in poverty and trailer residences and not all of society is too accepting towards her. For example, she receives some hat mail after the birth of Americus from people telling her she was trash and should have died giving birth. Society can be very cruel and judgemental to certain groups in society, such as people living in trailer homes. There are many stereotypes about these people, such as they are "white trash" or "trailer trash" or just plain "worthless" just because they live in these residences. People also say that people from the trailer parks are all rude and all in all not good people to be around. But all these stereotypes are proved to be wrong in the novel. The novel shows close up how life really is in the trailer parks, and how the people there are really like. They are genuinely good people. They are all extremely loving, gentle and caring people, who are just as great as the rest of society, if not better.

So throughout the novel, many social issues are explored and explained, and many stereotypes are explored, explained and for the most part proven wrong.