Whole Class Book Club: The Patron Saint of Nothing

4/12/2021

OVERVIEW: The Patron Saint of Nothing was nominated for a National Book Award. You can read a review of the novel by clicking here. You can read about it's nomination by clicking here. The author, Randy Ribay, is an interesting guy. His undergraduate degree is in English, but his MA is in language and literacy through Harvard's College of Education. In that way, he is uniquely suited to writing YA: he understands the literature part of YA and he also understands a point that we've been trying to make all semester long: that YA lit teaches important literacy skills. The question for today's class is how do we see this in the novel itself?

PROMPT: In roughly 300 words, this YA novel was a finalist for a National Book Award? What, in your opinion, merits that recognition for a YA novel? Considering our YA/literature discussions, (a relationship to authority/coming of age/melodrama), how does that work in this novel? As always, treat the novel as worthy of serious discussion as a piece of literature. That means you need to identify what the theme of the novel is and what in the novel makes you think that. It's fine to include your reaction to the text, but the larger point is to analyze the text as you would in any 300 level literature class whose focus was on more obviously canonical works.

REPLY: once you've posted, reply to at least one colleague. You can identify another aspect of the text that supports the theme someone wrote about it. You can disagree with someone's reading of the text and explain why. You can take issue with what someone says about why it should be or shouldn't be recognized by the National Book Award folks. In any response, be sure to not simply say "yeah I totally agree."

17 Comments

Demi Riendeau

4/12/2021 10:02:19 am

I think one of the biggest merits for a young adult book to be a finalist for the National Book Award has to do with what I call “transfer” (I am not sure what a better word for this is). We all know that many of the main characteristics of Young Adult Literature include, coming of age, growing up, authority, love, etc. but the execution of these themes is what creates differences in young adult books.
That brings me to this week’s text Patron Saints of Nothing. This text takes so many issues and tells a story not of perfect endings, which is chosen in many YA texts, but of reality and steps for action. This is what separates this text for me. This is the “transfer” that I was talking about. Many of the issues that are presented in the text are applicable to students of varied backgrounds and experiences. Students learn about drug wars, complex identities, family, grief and so much more in this novel. Learning about these topics in a more realistic and less idealistic manner is valuable for students to be able to make informed decisions later on in their life.
Another aspect of this text that I think is what separates it from other young adult texts is the nonfiction and learning aspect of it. This book is fiction, but the topics and ideas are rooted in reality. In addition to the real-life aspects of the text, there are also resources at the end of the text that help to educate readers on the issues discusses. This book incites action within young readers and discusses cross cultural topics.
Action is a large theme in this novel—inaction, the choice of when to act, resist and complicate life. Characters question their inaction, if they could have acted better, how they did act and more throughout this entire text. This is another realm of really valuable transfer that can be available to the readers of this text. There is always the mistake and question of what could have been, this text wrestles with those ideas while remaining realistic in the sense that you can’t change the past or have some “wow” literary moment where you get to alter reality. The characters in this text have to live with their actions forever.
All of this is again to focus on the transfer of the novel. This book gives students the opportunity to read a fictional text and then use that knowledge to talk about other issues and recognize some other truths. This is what makes this book outstanding.

Ashley Munoz

4/12/2021 04:29:59 pm

Hi Demi, I agree with you on the reality of the topics being covered, and how it translates well to real-world issues. This story could have easily been true, and the author put in his research to make sure it felt that way as well. However, I find it hard to say it is an outstanding book. It covers the tropes and themes it needs to, and makes for an interesting story, which of course is cause for the merit of award. However I find it to be lacking in a way that I can't quite place my finger on. It may be the fact that while I would love to see this taught in a public school classroom, I could see the struggle of some students who may not find the story enticing enough for them, as it was for me. This book I actually had as an audiobook and maybe in that way I was affected in how I experienced the text. Which I found disappointing as I have not, until this point not enjoyed listening to an audiobook. Perhaps the challenge of teaching in class would make it that much more rewarding a text.

4/12/2021 04:20:57 pm

The Patron Saint of Nothing was a finalist for The National Book Award, in my opinion there are a few aspects of this novel that merit recognition as a YA novel. To begin with it covers a teenage first-generation Pilipino dealing with his cultural background and the secrecy surrounding the death of his cousin. Now this alone is a very powerful plotline. Processing grief and understanding who you are, are both notable things and to read it and have it be relatable to not only young people, but those of a specific culture can be very powerful. I did some research on the writer and he had his manuscript read multiple times by people of Filipino background so that he made sure what he was writing about was accurate. The trope of the fight against authority is definitely there with Jay learning about how Jun was involved with drugs and society, what his family did to try to help him, and then ultimately why even that failed due to the government’s rewards to vigilantes. Through this all however, Jay is able to learn more about the culture his family comes from, who he is and that he wants to know more about himself before moving on with the rest of his life. The author does well to make a very in-depth story of culture and belonging, as well as death and meaning. With these themes and tropes rolled into the one story we can see clearly why it won its merit in being a finalist for the award.

Maria Pestilli

4/13/2021 09:06:02 am

Hi Ashley!
It’s really cool that you did research on the process of how the book was written. It makes me love the book even more because it was looked at by people from that culture. I agree with what you say, this book 100% deserves that award. It is so beautifully written, and it tells an emotionally moving story. The author takes YA quite seriously and they do the genre justice. I also like how you brought up the subject of grief. I can’t believe I missed that theme in my own response. Grief plays a huge role in this story. It is the main driving force of the plot. Jay goes to his family in the Philippines because of his grief. The grief of the other characters is what makes them act. Good job on including that theme. I have no idea how I managed to forget about it, granted there are a lot of moving parts in this story. Overall good job on the post!

Hannah MacDonald

4/20/2021 08:31:19 pm

Hi Ashley! I completely agree that the processing of cultural identity is one of the book's most compelling tropes. Regardless of a persons' background, cultural belonging is something everyone can relate to longing for on some level- which is an important element of YA as a genre. I also gave its difficult but compelling tropes and plots as my main reason for The Patron Saints of Nothing being deserving of it being a finalist for a National Book Award, so I totally agree with your points.

4/13/2021 09:00:27 am

I think it is quite easy to see why this story was nominated for such an award. The story it tells is complicated. We the reader follow Jay as he discovers the truth behind the death of his cousin Jun. This story deals with a lot of heavy themes such as the war on drugs, death, overdoses, human trafficking, and the selling of drugs. This is by no means a childish story. YA Lit should be looked at as literature because it can tell deep and serious stories. “Parton Saints of Nothing” has really heavy subject matter, but it still manages to fit in a story about growing up and there is melodrama within the story which are two staples of YA Lit. For the growing up part we look to Jay. Jay is unsure what he should do with his life, should he go to college? Should he just go out and get a job? His adventure in the Philippines helps him answer this question. He realizes he wants to spend more time there; he wants to learn more about his roots, and he grows as a person. All of this leads him to the decision of taking a gap year to properly dedicate time to learning about the Philippines. On the melodrama front he has a crush on a girl named Mia, but it does not work out because she already has a boyfriend. This story may talk about dark subject matter, but it is still YA and it is YA that is well written. The story is cohesive with no plot holes I could find, it was also written beautifully. This story is amazing and to me it is easy to see why it was nominated for an award. I believe it deserves that award because of the fact it deals with such heavy subject matter in a respectful way and because of the fact it was quite engaging as a story.

4/20/2021 02:53:26 pm

Hi Maria,

I like how you talked about both how the story told complex themes and also told of growing up. I think we separate these two things in out mind many times with the utopian idea that we should be young, free, and have no worries. This is not the reality of many peoples young lives. I think this element (the intersection of both growing up and wrestling with deep social issues) is an element of this text that makes it extraordinary. Great post, this really made me consider elements of this story in a new manner,

Demi

Lauren Grisolia

4/13/2021 12:04:07 pm

This novel was very deserving of the YA National Book Award for many reasons. First of all, it surrounds the topic of culture and ethnicity which many authors may not speak about because they may think that the connection aspect of the reader will be narrowed, which is not true at all. Having an author that opens the eyes of young adults to notice different cultures and to compare their normality with their own is something that is very important for exposure today. It will let teenagers see at a young age that every character or person has something that they can connect with, even if that person is completely different than the person that they are.
The seriousness of this novel brings the readers in and makes them feel like they’re living through these events and gives them more of a chance to respect them. While Jay learns more about his family and culture and where they came from, it allows people to be more interested in their backgrounds and explore the unknown within themselves.
More stories need to take lessons from this novel and how it speaks about heavy topics and how authors shouldn’t be afraid to expand their horizons in a tasteful way because more people will appreciate it in the future.

Cora Roche

4/13/2021 01:42:24 pm

I loved the way Ribay handled culture and ethnicity as well! The fac that Jay's siblings seemed to have taken a different path in defining themselves regarding their Filipino- American identity was an interesting way to portray that there is not a wrong way to live out your identity.

Orlaith Connolly

4/13/2021 02:04:12 pm

Hey Lauren,

I like how you discussed that cultural and ethnic identity are not as common of a theme in Young Adult Literature. When I read that, I thought about books from this genre that I have read over the years, and I really can’t think of one that speaks to culture as strongly as The Patron Saint of Nothing does. I think you’re correct in saying that author’s often shy away from topics such as ethnicity because oftentimes, people think they won’t connect with the book because of their different heritage. However, this is absolutely not the case, and I think it’s important for author’s to incorporate more about cultural identity so people can realize that they can relate to a wide variety of different material.

Nicholas A Ceniseroz

4/13/2021 12:49:29 pm

As a whole it’s just a really solidly executed YA story. The characters feel very authentic the way they are written, especially the protagonist who, through his experiences are conveyed very effectively and believable making him very relatable I would imagine to many other young adults. Even if they haven’t experienced the same things he has, it’s executed well enough that you still feel like you’re there experiencing these things with him. Like when he first ate with his family in the Philippines as Manning is grilling Jay about his family, his achievements, his heritage and lack of connection, subtly talking smack about his father, Jay’s inability to say anything or fight back. Even though I haven’t personally had an experience with a relative quite like that, I really felt the pressure and could really believe someone like this exists and could vicariously feel the youthful frustrations Jay was experiencing in that moment. Of course, there’s also the whole aspect of first experiences, loss of innocence, and learning a new understanding of the world and some aspect of it as Jay experiences grieving the loss of a friend, exercising his independence going to another country without his parents, taking initiative to investigate a mystery he cares about, and uncovering uncomfortable realities. As Jay is introduced to the manner many adults react and rationalize the tragedy of Jay’s death, the drug problem in the Philippines, and more, he often struggles to accept these behaviors with a sort of naive belief in how everything ought to be more straightforward, honest, and just in the world. It’s rife with themes of refusing of the establishment and seeking truth and justice, trying to find reason in a seemingly unreasonable world. The way Jay grips with this denial of the status quo feels very real and understandable, even to the point where even he agrees that certain takes are logical, but he doesn’t like it. Again, it’s just a really well executed YA story, being relatable and understandable, tackling serious subject matter, having a gripping and interesting plot, and checking a lot of the marks of things like new experiences and refusal of authority in a very believable manner. So it’s not hard to see how this was nominated for an award.

4/13/2021 01:38:46 pm

I think the overall theme within Patron Saint of Nothing is identity and hybridity. Jay, a biracial young man, is struggling with the middle grounds of many opposites. He is struggling with being American and Filipino, white and a man of color, a child and an adult, and Jun’s ‘good’ or ‘bad’ life. Jay struggles with major things like loss, death, his own identify and independence, and family drama. When dealing with things like ‘good’ and ‘bad’ or American and Filipino on a spectrum for Jay, he pursues a journey to recognize the fluidity and coexistence of the middle ground of these spectrums. One example of this middle ground is Grace’s reaction to finding out that Jun was actually struggling with addiction and selling drugs before his death. She did not excuse his actions but recognized that there wasn’t a need to define Jun as good or bad, just that he was a human with struggles, and she loved him through it all. Another example of the fluidity of the middle ground was when Jay returned to the United States and divulged the whole story of his time away in the Philippines. Jay was so determined to separate himself from his parents and become an independent adult. He disliked being treated like a child and struggled with his relationship with his parents. But the ending of the book after he had learned and traveled so much, had actually gained wisdom and experience in the world as an independent young adult, he actually grew closer to his father. He thought that growing up meant outgrowing your parents, but he learned that his parents were also not ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Jay’s parents were just people who did their best. Once he recognized that, he was actually able to live within the middle ground of being an adult while always maintaining the identity of being his parents’ child.

4/13/2021 01:59:28 pm

In my opinion, one of the primary reasons why The Patron Saint of Nothing was nominated for the National Book Award is because of the issues and themes that are represented in the story. The audience follows Jay, the protagonist of the story, as he navigates difficult yet unfortunately realistic situations such as drug wars, human trafficking and death. Through the hardship he endures however, Jay learns more about his cultural background and his Filipino identity, and gains a stronger understanding of his family and where they came from. The themes in this story carry a lot of weight and speak to several troupes that are common in young adult literature; resistance to authority, finding your identity, and melodramatic relationships are issues that are relevant to almost everyone who is or once was a teenager. Although the events that take place in this story are dark and intense, they speak to real-life issues that are portrayed with relative accuracy rather than idealize or romanticize Jay’s struggle with society. Many books in Young Adult literature often portray these kinds of societal issues in such a way that they are almost praised or seen as a noble fault, but The Patron Saint of Nothing represents the influence of their effects in a blunt and direct fashion. I believe that the story’s realism was a key element in its nomination for the National Book Award; many readers of this story can relate to one or more of the struggles depicted in the plot, and because it is described realistically, it becomes more poignant and meaningful to those who have experienced these hardships. Like we discussed in last week's Pecha Kucha assignments, emotional connection is key in a reader’s relation to a text, and because of how impactful yet insightful The Patron Saint of Nothing, it was received with praise by many.

Brittany Ann Oppenheimer

4/13/2021 04:27:53 pm

When reading this novel, there were a couple of themes that came into my mind. These themes were "Justice," "Truth" "Heritage" and and "Healing." During the story, it is believed that Jun was murdered by the police, which is why Jay decided to travel to the Philippines to get justice for his death. However, when Jay realizes that Jun did die from selling and taking drugs, it gave Jay this sense of hopelessness that maybe, just maybe, Jun was never a good person. Though, the good memories of him still linger, the fact that this journey to the Philippines not only gave Jay a look at what his heritage is about, but it also helps him to heal the relationship between him and his father.

The reason why I feel this novel merits it's award is because of the idea that not everyone of color deserves justice. I'm going to try to explain this as best as I can, though I don't really know how it's going to sound. I think the book was really trying to say that there are both good and bad people of any race in this world. When you think about what has happened with George Floyd, I still remember the footage of protests happening in the streets at real time not only across America, but in other countries as well! It was a movement that showed the world that police brutality against people of color still exists. Hell, there was a news story that came out recently about a lieutenant of African American decent that got pulled over and pepper sprayed by the police and the cops told him that if he didn't sue them, that he wouldn't lose his job as a lieutenant. Even now, police brutality against people of color is still happening, but I think the YA novel is trying to show us too that, yes, people of color are being brutalized, but there are some people of color that still want to pursue bad things. It's not because of there race, it's just because it's something they want to do. Jun wanted to sell and take meth, and, in the end, it got him killed. Jay was quick to defend him and believed that someone else had killed him instead. Whenever we hear stories like this, especially after last year, it's easy to rush to the defense of a person of color because of how blatant these brutalities have been. However, we must consider too that not everyone is perfect or good, no matter the race. I think this author was trying super hard to make us remember that, thought knowing that these police brutalities are happening is also important. That search for justice and a way to heal past relations because of ones heritage I feel is the main reason why this book got an award.

Alex Mitchell

4/15/2021 09:35:29 am

In my opinion, Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay warrants merit as a YA novel because of it’s “well-roundedness”. There are many award worthy characteristics within Patron Saints of Nothing’s pages, but I think what sets this YA novel apart is the attention to writing. Ribay’s educational background in combination with his writing style makes reading his novel Patron Saints of Nothing very much comprehensible, captivating, and life-like. I’d go so far as to argue that when reading this book, I was transported into the mind and life of Jay. Typically, I find it more difficult to really relate with male characters and especially teenage boys. However, I felt like I could connect easily with Jay despite having seemingly nothing in common with him. Sometimes YA literature can get a bit corny in my opinion, but Patron Saints of Nothing touches on some meaningful themes in a realistic way. Jay finds himself starting to question his life after losing a family member. The loss of his cousin is an eye-opening experience and catalyst for Jay’s “coming-of-age” process. He begins to uncover life’s truths and just how little he knows about life outside of his own. There’s an important lesson for Jay and readers, as he starts to develop empathy and an awareness of others, on an individual scale as well as a societal scale. Experiencing loss in his family encourages Jay to value connecting with his father, mother, and other family members before it's too late. Some of the other important themes throughout this novel include culture, social issues, justice, and loss. Regardless of being YA literature, Patron Saints of Nothing has a teachable moment for any age. It gets you to pause as the reader and kind of evaluate your own life and priorities. When a book can get you to think and feel something I think that’s where a good book becomes an award-worthy book.

Katy Bedig

4/16/2021 01:41:44 pm

The qualities that make a Young Adult book worthy of a book award are that the book has good character development throughout the story and creates characters and a plot that readers can relate to and actually care about. Other traits YA books should have if they want to be considered for a book award is having an original plot, a distinctive writing style with characters who change and grow, and realistic dialogue. The novel fits best with the coming of age genre because when Jay goes to the Philippines he finds his identity and what is important to him as a person. At the beginning of the story Jay doesn’t know what he wants for his life and appeases his family because of this. He applies to Ivy League schools and when he gets accepted into Michigan he is lost, feeling like a disappointment to his family and not knowing what to major in. When he finds out that his cousin Jun has died (I am guessing that he feels a lost connection to his Phillipino side because he, as Seth says, is basically white). Jay visits his family in the Philippines to try to find out what happened to his cousin. He also finds a reconnection to the Filipino half of his identity. When he leaves the Philippines, he discovers what he truly values as a person and is able to have a more honest relationship with his father.
Some of the themes in Patron Saint of Nothing include belonging and culture. Belonging is a theme because Jay being half Filipino and white and doesn’t really feel like he belongs at school because according to Seth his best friend he acts white and basically is erasing his Filipino side, but when Jay goes to the Philippines he is thrown into a new way of life very different than his own but he feels like he doesn’t belong there either. He cannot speak the language causing a language barrier between him and his family. Culture is another theme that is seen through when Jay goes to the Philippines to go find justice for his cousin, he keeps getting told he does not understand the situation and culture of the country and won’t be able to understand because he grew up in the United States. Pointing out the differences in their backgrounds is frustrating for Jay because he is seeking the truth and he feels that he is doing the right thing and it should not be an American thing but should transcend nationalities.

4/20/2021 08:27:09 pm

I think this novel is very deserving of its award. One of the greatest strengths this book had is its ability to tackle difficult subjects. Putting sex trafficking, drug addiction, and death in a young adult novel can seem inappropriate to some, but these are all subjects that many teens can relate to on some level, or see in their own lives. This is why it is so important to make a book that discusses these subjects, to help young adults navigate through these difficult conversations, and it can also be cathartic hearing a story about someone their age dealing with the same things as them. Grief and addiction are all things that can make someone feel very alone, so writing novels meant for young adults talking about this is very important. Ribay never patronizes his audience, despite it being meant for young adults, and in my opinion, this quality is what makes it such a successful, well executed novel.

Whole Class Book Club: The Patron Saint of Nothing

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