Pushed To Survival

In 1996, Paula L. Woods writes the article Pushed to Survival: Push By Sapphire for the Los Angeles Times wherein she gives great praise to the novel, but also note its shortcomings. The graphic nature of Sapphire's writing is something that Woods commends as she states that it 'hits the reader like a Mack truck, and it clearly signals that the literary ride ahead won't be in your father's Oldsmobile.' This comment rings true for Push as when reading the novel, it is inevitable to feel unease. It is also an interesting comment to make considering the lack of a male role model within Precious' life.

When we meet her, 16-year-old Precious is anything but what her name implies--she's obese, illiterate and pregnant by her father for the second time.

Woods notes that criticisms may be made against Push because of the mere fact that Precious is so unlucky, and she makes it clear that she believes these criticisms will come from 'right-wingers'. However, Woods continues to argue that this novel makes it impossible for the reader to ignore Precious, and what she represents, even if they are prone to do so for 'real life Preciouses of the world'. The content of the novel, and its first person perspective, gives the narrative a heart and soul. It personifies welfare and highlights the inequality found deeply routed in the United States today. The fact that the novel is still a relevant talking point further enforces this; Push written in 1996, set in the 80s, and Precious the movie released in 2009, all reinforce the narrative as a timeless piece.. This is a story of America that has no expiration date.

However, although the message within Push is relevant and shockingly true, Woods is able to pick up some criticisms of Sapphire's writing.

As it stands, "Push" is wildly inconsistent in its narrative voice and use of language. The criticism, however, is leveled reluctantly and with much sympathy for the author's dilemma: How do you write a book about a protagonist who can barely read or write? The author's solution is to mostly write in Precious' voice, although there is a lengthy section of the first chapter that inexplicably--and annoyingly--shifts to a distant third-person narrator.

The shift from perspective within the novel is essential, some may argue, due to the fact that Precious' story can't be told if the reader can't understand it, but it also feels disjointed and out of character. It is fair to say that Sapphire's use of language is impressive in the way that the spelling improves as the book progresses (and as, presumably, Precious learns), but there are sections within the narrative that would not have as much force behind them if they were to be spoken in Precious' natural tongue.

'Regardless of the controversy that may surround the book's themes, perspective or language,' Woods sums up 'Push is an impressive yet deeply flawed debut.' This appears therefore to be a balanced critique of the novel, and favourable to Sapphire. The criticisms raised are legitimate, but Woods cannot offer an alternative solution to the dilemmas that Sapphire must have faced when writing the novel. Overall, the reaction from this critique seems to suggest that the message of the novel is vital, but could have been more successful in its presentation, a sentiment that is easy to agree with.