Historical Fiction: Crispin: The Cross of Lead by Avi

Avi. 2002. CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD. Waterville Maine: Thorndike Press. ISBN 0-7862-5501-3 (Large print edition)

Plot Summary: Set in the Middle Ages, this Newbery-award winning coming-of-age story chronicles the adventures of a boy known only as “son of Asta”, whose mother dies, thus making him an orphan. He had been told that his father had died prior to his birth so now he was left alone in the world, a serf, with only the kindness of the local priest, Father Quinel, to sustain him. After overhearing a conversation between the cruel steward, Aycliffe, and a stranger, the boy’s world changes forever as he is falsely accused of theft and pursued relentlessly. This leads him to leave the only world he has ever known, the estate of Lord Furnival, and go out into the world, penniless and alone.

He soon meets a mummer, a traveling entertainer, named Bear, who teaches him the trade and becomes a father figure to the nameless boy. The adventure that follows takes the two to the large town of Great Wexly where with Bear’s help, the boy discovers his true identity, his real name, and his destiny.

This fast-paced story keeps the reader enthralled and there is never a dull moment. The climactic escape from Great Wexly, however, seems contrived and unbelievable, and one must wonder why the author did not develop this scene more carefully. Otherwise, this is a fun read with an uplifting message for boys and girls alike: believe in yourself, find your passion, and claim your destiny.

Critical Analysis: The characters including Crispin, Bear, Father Quinel, and John Aycliffe are well developed and believable. The reader is compelled to fear for Crispin, respect Bear and Father Quinel and despise John Aycliffe. Dialogue is not written in the vernacular, thus making the story easy to follow and identify with. Avi’s descriptions of medieval life ring true and the reader’s imagination completes the picture. The characters are memorable while still retaining their imperfections. The cross of lead is a perfect metaphor for Crispin, plain, simple, yet malleable, representing the fact that Crispin, like many of the readers of the book, is changing. When he leaves the cross behind, the symbolism reflects leaving his old life behind and embracing his future as Crispin, free man, and apprentice of Bear.

The short chapters are perfect for the upper-elementary school reader and keep the plot moving. Just enough detail is provided to engage the reader and give them a glimpse of the period, while not overwhelming them with things they do not understand (an example is architecture: Avi describes the cathedral in simple terms without going into the detail of flying buttresses and the shift from Romanesque to Gothic).

There are no stereotypes in the book, although good and evil is clearly personified in Aycliffe and Quinel, respectively. The character of Bear is interesting in that at first, the reader is not quite sure into which category he falls. The book includes themes such as good triumphing over evil, loyalty, and self discovery. In many ways the book follows the classic journey of the hero: banishment, a quest, a talisman, and a chance encounter; and therefore is a timeless story that will appeal to many students. The lack of strong female characters should not discourage girls from reading the book, as they too can identify with the journey of Crispin and Bear.

Reviews:

Newbery Award, 2003

Publishers Weekly: “…the compellingly drawn relationship between Crispin and Bear provides the heart of this story. A page turner to delight Avi's fans, it will leave readers hoping for a sequel.”

School Library Journal: “Avi has done an excellent job of integrating background and historical information, of pacing the plot so that the book is a page-turner from beginning to end, and of creating characters for whom readers will have great empathy. The result is a meticulously crafted story, full of adventure, mystery, and action.”

Booklist: “Avi builds an impressive backdrop for his arresting characters: a tense medieval world in which hostility against the landowners and their cruelties is increasing. There's also other nail-biting tension in the story that builds to a gripping, somewhat confusing ending, which finds Crispin, once weak, now strong. Readers may not understand every nuance of the political machinations that propel the story, but they will feel the shifting winds of change beginning to blow through a feudal society.”

Connections:

Field Trip: If possible, visit a local Renaissance Fair. Although this story takes place in 1377, a transitional period between the High Middle Ages and the early Renaissance, a visit to a themed fair would expose the children to the sights, smells, and sounds of the period, thus making the story come to life. It would be best to have this field trip occur during the reading of the book. Students can follow up with a writing activity, a journal entry of their experience at the fair.

Avi has written over 50 books. After reading Crispin, allow students to choose another Avi book or another book set during the Middle Ages or Renaissance. An excellent choice for girls is The Smile by Donna Jo Napoli (2008) about the woman behind the enigmatic smile – The Mona Lisa. There is a wealth of books for boys such as The Squire’s Tale by Gerald Morris (1998).

Incorporating primary sources: Using the web site Eyewitness to History (www.eyewitnesstohistory.com), find primary source documents from this time period. Have students read these and compare them to the information presented in the book. Have them evaluate the accuracy of Avi’s research. An example is a primary source excerpt entitled “Anarchy in 12th Century England”, which describes in detail the oppression of the common people by the nobility (http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/medievalengland.htm). A graphic organizer would help the students compare and contrast the historical fiction with the historical fact. An excellent site for graphic organizers is Graphic Organizers (http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/) and these are available free of charge in PDF format.

After reading the book, have a Medieval Festival. Students can research food and entertainment during the Middle Ages. Feasts typically had 5 courses and entertainment ranged from juggling, playing the recorder, jousts, games like archery, and dancing. If possible, have a professional come in to teach all the students to juggle and/or play the recorder. The students can also research clothing of the time and come in costume. Parent participation (and permission) will be integral with this activity and much planning would be needed to make this a successful event but it has the potential to become an annual tradition. A good site for research is a site maintained by Portland State University: (http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/medieval/index.htm).