Customer Reviews

The Water Is Wide

5 star:		(46)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Pat Conroy's teaching experience on an impoverished South Carolina island in 1969 is reminiscent of Eliot Wigginton's situation in Rabun County, Georgia, during the same time period. (Read Wigginton's book, _Sometimes a Shining Moment: A Foxfire Experience_, if you can locate it.) In each instance, a well-meaning and hopeful young teacher was dropped into what seemed to be an almost impossible educational situation -- an isolated community with seemingly backward students, nonexistent funds for decent materials, and goals and textbooks that didn't come close to meeting students' needs. In Conroy's case, the added strains of regional racism and administrative power games were too much to overcome, and he had to leave after serving a little more than a year there.

And yet, _The Water is Wide_ is a humorous book. We laugh at the white teacher's ignorance of the Gullah children's lifestyles, and we laugh at the children's reactions to the facts he tries to teach them. It's one "fish out of water" gag after another, so to speak. We applaud Conroy's dismissal of the educational chain of command and we cross our fingers that field trips to the mainland will come off without a hitch. We hope that the students will be better off than they ever were before his arrival; for this commentary on one year at one small elementary school stands for all the rest of us, across time, at all the other schools in the nation.

The most disturbing fact here is that those of us working in public education today can easily recognize practices that we still have to deal with: superintendents as dictators; ineffective or intimidating school boards; administrators who rule from afar and never set foot in any classroom. Most of us squeeze the living daylights out of the scantiest of budgets and rebel against the pressure to see the kids as testing statistics rather than human beings. It's all right there, in Conroy's book, and it's still in our schools today. So you can read his words and say to yourself, "Geez, at least we don't have it THAT bad," or you can find yourself commiserating with him and saying, "Wow. We're not that different. I hear you, Pat. Go for it."

"Conrack" may not have made as much of a difference in his students' lives as he would have liked. (Who among us does?) But Pat Conroy has given teachers an inspirational, impactful story: one we can learn much from.

In Pat Conroy's first book, The Water is Wide, he writes of a universal theme: young idealistic man sets out to change the world and runs into a brick wall. But while this story has been told by other writers, nobody writes with the passion and emotion of Conroy.

The Water is Wide is based on Conroy's experiences of teaching on Daufuskie Island in the late 1960's (thinly disguised as Wamacraw Island in the book). After his application was turned down for the Peace Corps, Conroy applied for a job teaching black children on this isolated sea island off the South Carolina coast. His 18 charges were from the upper elementary grades. What he discovered was an unbelievable shock. These 18 students did not know what country they lived in, the name of their president, or what ocean lapped their beach. Some couldn't read or write, recognize the alphabet, write their names or count to ten. Also, none of these children who lived surrounded by water could swim. Everything Conroy had learned about teaching was obsolete on Daufuskie, and he had to be flexible in his methodology in teaching his students to learn. Unfortunately, he hits one roadblock after another from supervisors, the superintendent, the school board, his only colleague and even the parents (who liked what Conroy was doing, but didn't want their children leaving the island for trips). He also runs into hypocrisy, inertia, prejudice, and jealousy.

While Conroy is trying to teach his students, they are giving him an education as well. While the kids from nearby Beaufort are worrying about the homecoming dance, what costume to wear for Halloween, dating, and a host of other non-serious topics, the Daufuskie kids have to deal with poverty, substandard levels of education, alcoholic parents, violence and a host of very serious issues for children so young. Yet, his students are honest to a fault and very endearing. Conroy is amazed and enlightened to see the world through their eyes.

But Conroy wasn't fated to remain at Daufuskie very long, and not all endings are happy. He claims to have not made much of an impact on his students (most readers will disagree). Much of the pristine Daufuskie Island has been turned into a golfing resort. Many of the same problems still plague the islanders. Yet, his short-lived career as a teacher gave him the story that really began his literary career. Not many young writers can boast that their first commercial effort not only became a major bestseller, but also a major motion picture (Conrack with Jon Voight). Conroy's agent, Julian Bach, first read The Water is Wide and told him that he was a natural writer and would write many more successful books. Bach's crystal ball was certainly working well that day as Conroy has since published The Lords of Discipline, The Great Santini, The Prince of Tides, My Losing Season and Beach Music. It doesn't get any better than that.

Set on a small island off the Carolina shores, where Conroy spent a year teaching a small group of black children, who were so lost in time that the name of the ocean that surrounds their island was unknown to them. This colorful and delightful memoir will warm your heart and open your eyes to a system that has not delivered on its promises. Those promises being, the right to an education funded by taxes and delivered in the appropriate manner by someone who can get the job done.

Ever upbeat we find the protagonist working his way into the lives of the children on this all but forgotten island. We watch them attempt to bloom like so many different flowers, and enjoy their trials and tribulations as well as their ability to conquer their ignorance when given half a chance. Different than his novels, PRINCE OF TIDES and BEACH MUSIC, but none the less just as good, this is an endearing and sweet taste of a champion among the children. Kelsana 7/24/01

Before Pat Conroy became a successful author he was a teacher. This book chronicles the one year he spent teaching in a two-room schoolhouse on Yamacraw Island off the coast of South Carolina. It is a moving and often funny story of one man's attempt to bring education to eighteen mostly-forgotten black children. Children who didn't know the name of the ocean at their front door, didn't know who was their President, didn't even know the name of the country they lived in. However the story never becomes maudlin and the tone is upbeat throughout. Many times I found myself laughing out loud. Mr. Conroy is an excellent writer. I recommend this book highly.

I am sure that if every teacher was also an incredibly talented writer, there would be hundreds, or even thousands, of great books like this one. As it stands, this is one of those rare opportunities when the world gets to read an exciting example of what happens in one classroom in the circus-like world of education. This book happens around the time of desegration, and is a true story about the author's venture into teaching on a small island of black families off the coast of South Carolina.

This is a great book for teachers, aspiring teachers, and people interested in education. It reminds you of all of the roadblocks--political, cultural, financial, familial--that a teacher deals with; then it shows you that despite these barriers, there is a way to make a difference.

Pat Conroy is in top form on this book. I highly recommend it.

This is a true account of Pat Conroy's year of teaching on an island he calls Yamacraw which actually is the island of Daufuskie, one of the coastal islands of South Carolina. Daufuskie is close to Hilton Head, but the difference between them is night and day. While Hilton Head is completely modern and developed, Daufuskie is still natural, beautiful, serene, quiet and tranquil. Because the 20th century basically ignored this small island, time seems to have stood still. The students he taught, cut off from modern society, knew almost nothing of events outside their narrow and impoverished life. Conroy attempted to expose the students to a world outside of the island. While the main theme is education, a secondary and strong theme is life on the island. This book is well written. It was read after my visit to Daufuskie where I saw the school he taught in, and experiencing that really brought the book to life.

This is a great book for many reasons. One of my favorite parts of this book is the dialogue between Conroy and the kids of the Island. It is hilarious! I laughed out loud on quite a few occasions. The personalities of the students come alive. Conroy's descriptive writing is mesmerizing, and the deeper themes are also emotionally captivating. Anyone who has been a teacher will be able to relate to Conroy's idealistic dreams and his frustrations about teaching a difficult population of students. This is definately worth your time!

The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy is a great book. The Book is about a white school teacher going to Yamacraw Island to teach the deprived black children. The book touches your heart and makes you think how well you have it. You will learn many things from this book like what it is not to have a house, electric, and even a good education. I think that all teachers should read this to understand how much some people love their job and this book can help you improve the way you teach. This book is also shows how if you want something so bad and you work at it you can achieve your goals.

The Water is Wide is my second favorite Conroy--Prince of Tides being the first. Both books are excellent with great characters, situations, and bold ideas. Highly recommended.

Also recommended: The Great Santini,Prince of Tides, Bark of the Dogwood, To Kill a Mockingbird

I am surprised that this book is not mandatory reading for all education students. I had the pleaseure of reading Beach music this summer and chose this becauce I had enjoyed his other book so much. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Conroy had an early career in education.

As an 8th grade teacher I enjoy reading books about others in education, but quality teaching stories are hard to find.

I loved this lyrical tale of Conroy's year spent teaching on a remote South Carlina island. He faced immense challenges in this primative school, but loved his students and made a great impact on these young lives.

I found his stories both tragic and humorous. Aternatley lauging and crying. Conroy is a gifted story teller capturing the children, the island and himself woth poignancy and clarity. This was delightful to read!