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Little Children (novel)
Encyclopedia
Little Children is a 2004
novel by American author Tom Perrotta
that interweaves the darkly comedic stories of seven main characters, all of whom live in the same suburb
an Boston
neighborhood during the middle of a hot summer. The novel received critical praise, spurring The New York Times
to declare Perrotta "an American Chekhov
whose characters even at their most ridiculous seem blessed and ennobled by a luminous human aura." The novel was featured on numerous "Best Books of 2004" lists—including those of The New York Times Book Review
, Newsweek
, National Public Radio, and People
magazine. In 2006, the novel was adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film of the same name
.
n woman which started when she was an undergrad at college and carried over into grad school (the College is never mentioned but it is hinted to be either Tufts University
or Boston University
), only to meet her again with her husband and child while working at a local Starbucks
. While working at this Starbucks she meets Richard, her husband to be. He is described as much older than Sarah and a sort of last alternative for her love life; it is even hinted that she married him only because she feared that she would be stuck in her dead-end job and life if she didn't. Sarah describes Richard as sort of "under" her expectations. She often enlists her neighbor Jean to watch Lucy so she can have time alone.
Now enters Todd, a handsome young father the neighborhood women have nicknamed the "Prom King." One of the other mothers offers a challenge to Sarah, "Five bucks if you get his phone number." While jokingly discussing the bet, Todd and Sarah engage in a kiss that becomes more passionate than the ruse called for. This leads to a convenient affair between the two who "happen" to cross each other at the local pool and "happen" to bring their children to nap together while they have sex on the living room floor.
The narration then cuts to Larry, a 33-year-old retired policeman. He left the force after shooting a black student brandishing a toy gun straight through the neck at a local shopping mall
; the guilt became so unbearable that he collected his pension
early. Larry is angry that Ronald McGorvey, a sex offender
convicted of exposing himself to children, is allowed to live in his neighborhood, and starts a one-man vendetta to drive him out. He harasses Ronald and his mother, May, going as far as to light on fire dog feces in the yard of May's home. He eventually gets in a shoving match with May, who has a stroke
that leads to her death. Bertha, a school crossing guard and May's best friend, takes Ronnie to the hospital and it is revealed that May has written him a note that reads only "Please, please be a good boy."
We cut back to Todd and find out about his wife Kathy, who is described as a gorgeous, long-legged brunette who works as a documentary filmmaker and resents being the breadwinner of their home. Kathy later finds out about Todd's illicit affair with the rather plain Sarah, and she finds herself more insulted than angry that Todd would go for someone less attractive than her.
The novel ends with Todd and Sarah planning to leave their spouses. But there is a definite catch when Sarah finds, via a phone call, that Richard has left her for an internet porn
star called "Slutty Kay", who goes by her real name, Carla, around her gentlemen callers. Sarah pushes her daughter Lucy on the swing around 9-10 p.m. while waiting for Todd, who does not show up. Just when she starts to lose hope, Ronald appears and puts his hand on her shoulder. Much to her own surprise, she finds sympathy for him — until he reveals to her that he has given in to his compulsions and killed a girl. Larry suddenly approaches, ready to kill Ronald, but finds it in his heart to offer his condolence for May's death. Sarah just sits, baffled, wondering how she will raise her daughter, whom she feels she has greatly let down.
2004 in literature
The year 2004 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* Canada Reads selects Guy Vanderhaeghe's The Last Crossing to be read across the nation....
novel by American author Tom Perrotta
Tom Perrotta
Thomas R. Perrotta is an Albanian-American/ Italian-American novelist and screenwriter best known for his novels Election and Little Children , both of which were made into critically acclaimed, Academy Award-nominated films...
that interweaves the darkly comedic stories of seven main characters, all of whom live in the same suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
neighborhood during the middle of a hot summer. The novel received critical praise, spurring The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
to declare Perrotta "an American Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
whose characters even at their most ridiculous seem blessed and ennobled by a luminous human aura." The novel was featured on numerous "Best Books of 2004" lists—including those of The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
, Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
, National Public Radio, and People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine. In 2006, the novel was adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film of the same name
Little Children (film)
Little Children is a 2006 American drama film directed by Todd Field. It is based on the novel of the same name by Tom Perrotta, who along with Field wrote the screenplay. It stars Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connelly, Jackie Earle Haley, Noah Emmerich, Gregg Edelman, Phyllis Somerville...
.
Plot summary
The novel begins by introducing a main character, Sarah, at the playground with her highly judgemental comrades. Sarah wonders how she allowed herself to become "one" of these women. We learn that she had once had an affair with a KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n woman which started when she was an undergrad at college and carried over into grad school (the College is never mentioned but it is hinted to be either Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
or Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
), only to meet her again with her husband and child while working at a local Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
. While working at this Starbucks she meets Richard, her husband to be. He is described as much older than Sarah and a sort of last alternative for her love life; it is even hinted that she married him only because she feared that she would be stuck in her dead-end job and life if she didn't. Sarah describes Richard as sort of "under" her expectations. She often enlists her neighbor Jean to watch Lucy so she can have time alone.
Now enters Todd, a handsome young father the neighborhood women have nicknamed the "Prom King." One of the other mothers offers a challenge to Sarah, "Five bucks if you get his phone number." While jokingly discussing the bet, Todd and Sarah engage in a kiss that becomes more passionate than the ruse called for. This leads to a convenient affair between the two who "happen" to cross each other at the local pool and "happen" to bring their children to nap together while they have sex on the living room floor.
The narration then cuts to Larry, a 33-year-old retired policeman. He left the force after shooting a black student brandishing a toy gun straight through the neck at a local shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
; the guilt became so unbearable that he collected his pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
early. Larry is angry that Ronald McGorvey, a sex offender
Sex offender
A sex offender is a person who has committed a sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and by legal jurisdiction. Most jurisdictions compile their laws into sections such as traffic, assault, sexual, etc. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crimes of a...
convicted of exposing himself to children, is allowed to live in his neighborhood, and starts a one-man vendetta to drive him out. He harasses Ronald and his mother, May, going as far as to light on fire dog feces in the yard of May's home. He eventually gets in a shoving match with May, who has a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
that leads to her death. Bertha, a school crossing guard and May's best friend, takes Ronnie to the hospital and it is revealed that May has written him a note that reads only "Please, please be a good boy."
We cut back to Todd and find out about his wife Kathy, who is described as a gorgeous, long-legged brunette who works as a documentary filmmaker and resents being the breadwinner of their home. Kathy later finds out about Todd's illicit affair with the rather plain Sarah, and she finds herself more insulted than angry that Todd would go for someone less attractive than her.
The novel ends with Todd and Sarah planning to leave their spouses. But there is a definite catch when Sarah finds, via a phone call, that Richard has left her for an internet porn
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
star called "Slutty Kay", who goes by her real name, Carla, around her gentlemen callers. Sarah pushes her daughter Lucy on the swing around 9-10 p.m. while waiting for Todd, who does not show up. Just when she starts to lose hope, Ronald appears and puts his hand on her shoulder. Much to her own surprise, she finds sympathy for him — until he reveals to her that he has given in to his compulsions and killed a girl. Larry suddenly approaches, ready to kill Ronald, but finds it in his heart to offer his condolence for May's death. Sarah just sits, baffled, wondering how she will raise her daughter, whom she feels she has greatly let down.
External links
- "TBR: Inside the List" interview with Perrotta in The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
about the minor controversy arising from the use of Pepperidge FarmPepperidge FarmPepperidge Farm is a commercial bakery in the U.S. founded in 1937 by Margaret Rudkin, who named the brand after her family's property in Fairfield, Connecticut, which in turn was named for the pepperidge tree, Nyssa sylvatica. Since 1961, the company has been owned by the Campbell Soup Company...
goldfish on the book's cover.