The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle

Cover for the novel
Author Avi
Cover artist Janet Walsh
Country United States
Language English
Genre Historical fiction
Publisher Avon Books
Publication date
1990
Media type Novel
Pages 226.
ISBN 0-531-05893-X
OCLC 21149467

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle is a historical fiction novel by the American author Avi published in 1990. It takes place during the crossing of a ship from England to America in 1832. The book chronicles the evolution of the title character as she is pushed outside her naive existence and learns about life aboard a ship. The novel was well received and won several awards, including being named as a Newbery Honor book.

Plot synopsis

The story starts in the early summer of 1832, as thirteen-year-old Charlotte Doyle prepares to take a big voyage from Liverpool, England to her family's new home in Providence, Rhode Island. Her upper class upbringing and her education in the very proper Barrington School for Better Girls gives her a very sheltered and narrow view of life. Charlotte finds herself the only passenger and the only female on the ship, the Seahawk, as the other two families coming with her don't arrive . Repeatedly, people tell her she shouldn't be on the ship, but her escort, Mr. Grummage, insists. Mr. Grummage rushes her, saying that her father wants her on the ship.

On her first day aboard, a black sailor named Zachariah gives her a dirk for protection. He also tells Charlotte a story about what Captain Jaggery did to a crewman's arm after he couldn't tie a good knot. Blinded by her view of the captain as a gentleman, she disbelieves him. The captain and Charlotte become very close, and he says that if she ever sees anything suspicious, she must tell him.

One day she is with one of the sailors, when his needle snaps. Charlotte offers to get a new one for him from the forecastle, where the crew sleeps. While looking for the needle, she sees a pistol in the trunk, and a round robin on the table. After contemplating whether or not to tell the captain, Charlotte's fear drives her to inform him. Captain Jaggery heads off the rebellion, shooting the stowaway Mr. Cranick, who held a grudge against the captain for lashing his arm so much it had to be amputated. Charlotte is distressed as Captain Jaggery orders Zachariah, one sailor that Charlotte has very strong feelings for, whipped 50 lashes. Charlotte tries to protect Zachariah by grabbing the whip, but accidentally hits the captain's face. Jaggery is enraged and whips Zachariah mercilessly, leading to his death and funeral.

After the captain has withdrawn his protection of Charlotte, she feels compelled to replace Zachariah's place as a crew member, as she feels guilt for her naive part in revealing the crew's plans. The crew allows her to join them after she successfully climbs up and down the tallest mast, the royal yard, on the ship. To climb the ship, she must either use the ratlines or shimmy up the mainmast itself. She chooses the ratlines. While climbing down, she almost falls to her death, but she gets herself untangled. When she comes down, however, the captain is there, and Charlotte tells him she is joining the crew. Annoyed by her change of heart, he dubs her "Mister Doyle" and moves her things from her cabin to the forecastle. Captain Jaggery strikes Charlotte across the face, and she vows to reveal his cruelty to the courts after they complete their voyage and insists that her reasons are justified.

As the Seahawk enters a powerful hurricane, Charlotte falls from the ratlines and is saved by a man whom she believes is Zachariah, despite his apparent death. As she climbs back down, the crew finds the body of the first mate, Mr. Hollybrass, stabbed in the back, by the dirk Zachariah gave her. She is ordered to the brig, where she finds Zachariah, who has been hiding there since he was thrashed nearly to death. Captain Jaggery holds a trial and conveniently finds her guilty of Mr. Hollybrass' murder after accusing Charlotte of being unnatural in many aspects of her life, and comparing this to the unnatural murder of Hollybrass. Captain Jaggery tells Charlotte that he won't be the jury; instead the crew will be the jury. As Charlotte has vowed to expose his cruelty when they land, he threatens to hang her unless she will align herself with him and become a respectable young woman again.

She finds out that Zachariah is actually alive and has been living in the jail of the "Seahawk" with the help of another sailor, Keetch, who supplies him with food. With Zachariah's help, she escapes the prison and plans to usurp the captain's title. Instead, she finds the captain waiting for her. The Captain says that he has been waiting for her all along. Keetch had told him everything. Jaggery reveals that he himself had killed Hollybrass, but claims that he had been threatened and had no choice but to murder him. Not wanting to lose his title, he blames the death on Charlotte. He tells her she has three choices. She can 1) take the muskets and disrespect her family and herself by killing Captain Jaggery, 2) put on her proper clothing and wait at the docks like a proper lady, forgetting all about the fights, and begging him for mercy in front of the crew, or 3) consent to be hanged. She refuses to take any of the choices, and flees the cabin. Jaggery attempts to kill her in front of the crew, but falls off the ship's bowsprit to his death while chasing Charlotte, despite Charlotte's awkward attempt to save him. Zachariah tells the crew that a new captain must be named, and that it should be Charlotte, because she has done what they could not. She is elected by the crew, but serves primarily as a figurehead due to her lack of experience. Zachariah openly exercises the powers of the captain, after she insists on it. They land in Providence, Rhode Island, 12 hours later.

When the Seahawk arrives in Rhode Island, Charlotte returns to her old "proper" behavior and dress. She intends to hide what happened from her family, but her father reads her journal of the voyage. He is appalled by what he sees as "lies" and defamation of Captain Jaggery. He burns the diary and tells Charlotte that she will be punished and reformed. Charlotte finally decides to escape from her home one night, and returns to the Seahawk to be a sailor with Zachariah and the crew.

Main characters

Reception

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle received a positive critical reaction when it was published. In its starred review of the book, Kirkus Reviews called it "tautly plotted, vividly narrated, carefully researched: a thrilling tale deepened by its sober look at attitudes that may have been more exaggerated in the past but that still persist".[1] The Five Owls review journal noted the "innovative mixture of history and fiction" and said the book was "expertly crafted and consistently involving, it is sure to excite, enthrall, and challenge readers."[2] Horn Book, giving it its highest rating of outstanding, said the book was "a rousing adventure story".[3] Booklist contended it was not just an adventure story, saying the dynamic between Charlotte and Zachariah "allows the story to rise above swashbuckling adventure, though that element is there too. From its riveting opening line...to its surprise ending, this is a story harder to forget."[4] The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle has been listed in several books as a best book or core collection book for children.[5][6][7]

Awards

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle was a Newbery Honor Book in 1991.[8] A member of the Newbery committee that year felt the book deserved to win the Newbery Medal and described the book as being about "a spunky young lady goes from polite idealist impressed by good manners and gallantry to a realistic young woman who comes to terms with the complexity of the 19th-century society in which she lives".[9] It won several other critical awards including the Golden Kite Award, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, and the Judy Lopez Award.[10] The book also appeared on several notable or best-of book lists, including the ALA's Notable Children's Book, ALA's Best Book for Young Adults,[10] and School Library Journal's Books That Shaped a Century.[11] The book was not only popular with adult critics, but also children, winning several children's choice awards including the Evergreen Award, Massachusetts Children's Book Award, the Sunshine State Young Readers Award, and the Beehive Award.[10]

Film

A film adaptation of the book was in development. It was written and would have been directed by Danny DeVito, starring Morgan Freeman as Zachariah and Pierce Brosnan as Jaggery.[12][13] Dakota Fanning was originally cast as Charlotte Doyle, but had to drop out as production was continually halted and she eventually grew too old for the part. Saoirse Ronan was later cast, but she also grew too old. Locations were being scouted in Ireland and shooting had been going on since July 2014.[14][15] The film was permanently halted because Morgan Freeman was seriously injured in a car accident two weeks before filming was scheduled to commence.[16]

References

  1. "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle". Kirkus Reviews. September 15, 1990.
  2. Mercier, Cathryn (January–February 1991). "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle". Five Owls 5 (3).
  3. "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle". The Horn Book Magazine. 1990.
  4. Elleman, Barbara (September 1990). "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle". BookList.
  5. Gillespie, John T.; Barr, Catherine (May 30, 2004). Best Books for Middle School and Junior High Readers: Grades 6–9. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. p. 156. ISBN 1-59158-083-8.
  6. Price, Anne (October 2005). Middle And Junior High School Library Catalog (9 ed.). H. W. Wilson. ISBN 0-8242-1053-0.
  7. Price, Anne; Yaakov, Juliette (September 30, 1991). Children's Catalog. H.W. Wilson. ISBN 0-8242-1009-3.
  8. "Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922–Present". American Library Association. 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-31.
  9. "Choosing the Newbery Winner". Washington Post. May 12, 1991. p. X16, Book World.
  10. 1 2 3 "The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle". HarperCollins Children's. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  11. "One Hundred Books that Shaped the Century". School Library Journal. January 1, 2000. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  12. http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/426617/The-True-Confessions-of-Charlotte-Doyle/cast New York Times Archived December 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  13. BROUWER, Julie (June 7, 2009). "LAWSUIT A BLOW TO TRUE CONFESSIONS". Sunday Mirror (London). p. 26. Retrieved 2010-01-01.
  14. "Danny DeVito on scouting movie locations in Ireland | Late Late Show". 24 February 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  15. "Danny DeVito wants to cast rising star actress". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  16. Avi (September 9, 2014). "Movie option". Wordcraft. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
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