The Loud Silence of Francine Green

Bibliography

Cushman, K. (2006). The loud silence of Francine Green. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 9780618504558

Plot Summary

There is a new scare after World War II and that is Communism. The Red Scare began promptly after the war. Americans feared Russia bomb the United States and takeover. Anyone considered a sympathizer would be blacklisted.

Francine Green is not one to speak up. She’d rather daydream about being in the movies and knowing exactly what to say. She prefers to stay under the radar, doing what she is told. But when Sophie Bowman starts going to Francine’s Catholic school, Francine begins to question everything she has been taught so far about Communism and equality and the right to speak up.

Critical Analysis

This book is split up into months of the year. It begins in August of 1949 and ends in June of 1950. Francine’s burgeoning friendship with the wild Sophie Bowman has opened her eyes to the world around her. This provides some much needed character development on Francine’s department. She is sort of a wet rag compared to her friend, wanting to only do the good thing, worrying about the repercussions if she doesn’t conform, etc. Sophie is the polar opposite of Francine. She speaks up for what she believes in. She refuses to accept what society has deemed normal if it feels unfair.

By the end of the book, Francine become bolder. Author Karen Cushman makes Francine so bold, even, that she begins to doubt her faith in the Catholic church. Francine seeks guidance, only to be told to complete Hail Mary’s and an Act of Contrition.

The author does a good job at revealing how Francine had become as docile as she is throughout much of the book. Her family often tells her to be quiet, not to question things, and force to to complete jobs around the house such as babysitting. At school, students are expected to take what they are told at face value and not to question anything. It isn’t until Sophie comes around that Francine begins to see what she has been taught all along may not be right.

Many may argue that Sophie’s disappearance was too vague or not tidy enough for their liking. However, during this time period when people were blacklisted, they often had to leave in the middle of the night. That or leave it up to more extreme measures as another character commits in the middle of the book.

Cushman offers a time period not often seen in historical fiction. Much historical fiction in young adult or middle grade literature focuses on the time during World War II and not much after. With this book, the author emphasizes the importance of speaking up during injustice. Because if you don’t then who will?    

Review Excerpt(s)
BOOKLIST - “... Sure to provoke lively class discussion, this will easily absorb independent readers in search of a rich, satisfying story about early adolescence."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - "Cushman creates another introspective female character who is planted firmly in her time and who grows in courage, self-awareness, and conviction.”

Connections

Compare Americans and their turning in of neighbors to that of German people turning in Jewish neighbors. Why did Americans think this was all right to do?

Have a blacklisting experiment in class. Decide on a factor and let everyone in class but the ones that have been blacklisted know. Have a discussion about how it felt, why did others turn so quickly, etc.

Why does Francine become disillusioned with Hollywood and the movies? What happens in the book to contribute to this change of heart?

Show students a clip of a movie with Montgomery Clift. How have celebrities/movies changed from the 1950s?

Create a pamphlet or sign like the ones Francine saw at the Flag Day celebration but promoting peace and equality.