About a Boy

About a Boy

• Genre: Fiction; adult contemporary realistic
• Originally Published: 1998
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 840L; college/adult
• Structure/Length: 36 chapters; approx. 278 pages; approx. 7 hours, 45 minutes on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: Will, a single man looking for more meaning in his life, attends a gathering for single people, where he meets Fiona, a single mother, and her serious and lonely 12-year-old son Marcus. With Marcus at the center, the three help each other survive family tragedy, growing up, and finding joy.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Suicide, depression, child abuse/neglect

Nick Hornby, Author

• Bio: Born in 1957 in England; earned English degree from Jesus College in Cambridge; author of essays, novels, and screenplays; taught in secondary school; worked as a journalist; incorporates music into much of his writing and collaborates with band Marah
• Other Works: Fever Pitch (1992); High Fidelity (1995); Slam (2007)
• Awards: William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award and London Award (2003); film adaptation nominated for an Oscar; television show won multiple Emmys

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• Caring and Indifference
• Boredom and Manufactured Pain
• Conformity and Masculinity

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Gain an understanding of authorial context and the cultural and geographical context of 1990s London by conducting research, having discussions, and exploring paired resources.
• Analyze various paired resources and other texts to make connections via the novel’s themes of Caring and Indifference, Conformity and Masculinity, and Boredom and Manufactured Pain.
• Utilize creative skills to express personal interpretations of Conformity in society in relation to students’ own experiences and those of the novel’s two protagonists.
• Examine and appraise the author’s purpose and techniques to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding the significance of the novel’s title, the importance of the motif of suicide, the effects of personal dissatisfaction, and other topics.