April Raintree is a book about two sisters who are trying to find their place in the world. The book explores themes of identity, family, and belonging. April and her sister Cheryl go through many challenges as they try to figure out who they are and where they belong. April Raintree is a powerful story that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
One of the themes that is explored in April Raintree is identity. April and Cheryl are both trying to figure out who they are and where they belong. They both have different ideas about who they want to be, and this leads to some conflicts between them. April wants to rebel against her family’s traditions, while Cheryl wants to follow them. They eventually come to understand each other better and discover that they don’t have to be exactly like each other in order to be sisters.
The theme of family is also explored in April Raintree. April and Cheryl have a complicated relationship with their parents. April feels like she can’t relate to them, while Cheryl feels like she has to protect them. They eventually come to realize that they need each other and that their family is worth fighting for.
The theme of belonging is also explored in April Raintree. April and Cheryl feel like they don’t belong anywhere. They both want to find a place where they feel accepted and supported, but they eventually realize that this place doesn’t exist. They have to create their own sense of belonging by building relationships with the people around them. April Raintree is a powerful story about sisterhood, identity, and belonging. It will leave you feeling inspired to find your place in the world.
April Raintree describes her father, Henry, as being “a little of this, a bit of that and a lot of Indian,” while Alice is described as “part Irish and part Ojibway” by Cheryl with April possessing pale skin. April and her sister who is eighteen months younger than she has been watching their parents have a “medicine problem” since they were children.
April’s father is an alcoholic and April’s mother has left him. April and Cheryl have different reactions to this situation; April decides that she wants to grow up and take care of her dad while Cheryl decides that she wants nothing to do with their father. April tells us that “we all have our own medicine inside us, but it can be hard to find or understand what it is. Sometimes we need help from somebody else to see it in us” (p. 11). This theme of personal journey, self-discovery and identity is one that pervades the novel.
April Raintree tells the story of a young girl who is growing up in a world where she doesn’t quite fit in. April is biracial, which means she is of two races, and she struggles with her identity throughout the novel. April’s journey to find her place in the world is a difficult one, but ultimately it is a rewarding one. April learns to love herself for who she is and to be proud of her heritage.
Themes of family, friendship, and love are also prevalent in April Raintree. April’s relationships with her sisters, parents, and friends are all important parts of her journey. April learns to appreciate the people who are closest to her and to value their relationships. Ultimately, April Raintree is a novel about finding oneself and learning to love oneself for who they are.
The protagonist, April, is a young girl struggling against being obese. She begins to lose weight following the death of her mother and gains hope that she might become less heavy in the future. However, as soon as she leaves home after receiving treatment for overeating by her doctor, it becomes apparent that something has changed about her behaviors around food.
For most of their relationship, this new friend shared some similarities with Theresa Sholl from John Irving’s The Fourth Angel (2001). A critical aspect of growing older is realizing how your own life experiences have influenced you for the rest of your life—the lessons you’ve learned along the way.
April, not able to take care of herself yet, moves in with her aunt Edna who April barely knows. April is angry and resentful at the world, feeling as though she has been dealt another injustice. It’s not until April is raped that she understands how much anger can hurt someone else.
One theme April Raintree explores is the power of anger. April is constantly angry throughout the novel, directed towards her family, the foster system, and men in general. This anger leads to a lot of hurt for herself and others around her. For example, when April finds out about her mother’s affair, she reacts by vandalizing her family home. This only causes more pain for her family and does nothing to help April deal with her anger. April’s anger also leads to her being raped. The rapist takes advantage of her anger and uses it to control her. April eventually realizes that her anger is hurting herself and others, and she learns to control it.
Another theme in April Raintree is the importance of family. April’s family is dysfunctional, but they are still her family. April loves her mother, even though she is often angry at her. Cheryl is April’s best friend, and April loves her deeply. April also has a strong relationship with her aunt Edna. April goes to Edna for guidance when she is struggling. April realizes that her family is not perfect, but they are still there for her.
April Raintree is an important book because it tells the story of a young girl who is struggling to find her place in the world. April is angry and resentful, but she also has a lot of love inside of her. April Raintree explores the power of anger and the importance of family. It is a powerful novel that will stay with readers long after they finish reading it.