Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt
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Blessed with—or doomed to—eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less of a blessing than it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.
A brand-new introduction from Gregory Maguire, the author of Wicked, and additional bonus materials make this special edition of Natalie Babbitt's Tuck Everlasting a must-have for lovers of the book and a great way to introduce a new generation to a classic.
I first read Tuck Everlasting in my fifth grade classroom. It's one of those books that's stuck around through the generations for a reason--namely, that it's flipping fantastic, and mostly because the main question posed in it is one that will resonate forever (heh):
What if you could live forever?
Would you?
Honestly, most days, it sounds pretty good to me.
In the book, sheltered Winnie Foster meets the eccentric Tucks and discovers their secret: after drinking from an enchanted spring, the Tucks have gained immortality. As she falls deeper into thier family--and deeper in love with Jesse Tuck, prime Tiny Gillian book boyfriend material)--Winnie wresltes with the possibility of drinking from the spring herself and living forever.
I WILL DRINK THE LIVE-FOREVER-WATER AND RUN THROUGH FIELDS WITH YOU FOR ETERNITY JESSE PICK ME PICK ME
Okay, so even though movie Jesse was...you know, young Jonathan Jackson, Winnie has quite a few reasons as to why that might not be the greatest thing to do. Me? I know where Winnie's coming from, and where Mae and Tuck--Jesse's very weary parents--are coming from, but the moments in which I really want to live forever are when I think about all the books in the world.
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| HOW ELSE AM I GOING TO GET TO ALL OF THESE?! |
I want time to read ALL the books. Visit ALL the countries. Eat ALL the things. If I were immortal, I'd have the time and wouldn't feel pressured to go FAST and not WASTE TIME. Waste a day binge-watching Friends? it's not a waste! It's not like you've eaten that day off the end of your life, because there is no end. And if you don't have to be an indestructible, sparkling, bloodthirsty vamp with questionable morals while you do it, all the better.
You'd never have to worry about disease or car accidents or freak roller coaster derailments at Disneyland or great white sharks or sushi that smells a bit off. You're indestructible! You'd live to see a more progressive and tolerant future!
Buuuuut then you'd also live to see all the people you love die. You'll never grow old or have kids. You'll be paying rent and utilities for the rest of your life (unless you're a TVD vamp and can compel people but sadly the Tucks do not have this ability). You'd possibly lose all empathy for human kind, so hardened by time and cruelty and tragedy are you. You'd live to see the sun exploding and the end of the world.
That sounds...less fun. Maybe I don't want to live forever.
(But think of all the time for reading!)
(shut up Ron)
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Come ON Ron, butt out! Let the girl keep her messed up priorities! But I think I would want to be forever at about 22 (thanks Taylor Swift), but without the indestructible part of it. Then when the world gets to be just a biiiit too much for me, it would be easy to not live anymore (how do I phrase that without sounding so morbid?).
ReplyDeleteWow, this is such a hard topic. GAHH. I actually don't know. I mean, yes I'd love to...but would I? REALLY? Nah. I'm happy here with the one life I have, anymore than that and I'd actually have to do something. Gah.
ReplyDeleteI love that you mention having all the time in the world to read ALL OF THE BOOKS. It's actually something I thought about when I was thinking about the possibility of living forever ;)
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