To Sir with Love
by E. R. Braithwaite

List Price: $6.99
Our Price: $2.50
You Save: $4.49 (64%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions

Book Summary Information

Book Reviews of To Sir with Love

Book Review: A Book Well Worth Reading
Summary: 5 Stars

Braithwaite is placed in a classroom full of rude, obnoxious children, but little does he know that these are the children who will change his life. In the beginning, he described that he wanted this job, "but it would be a job, not a labor of love." Then, after spending time with the students, Mr. Braithwaite began "learning from them as well as teaching them." The class may have problems in their home lives, but when they enter the classroom, Mr. Braithwaite joins them on a journey to adulthood. The students ask many questions, which allows them to acquire the knowledge they deserve. On occasion the questions touch upon people of different races, and Mr. Braithwaite gives mature answers, and speaks to them as adults. Braithwaite's theory is to treat his students older than they are so they will behave more grownup. With a teacher who respects his students, they, in return, accept him and honor him with the courtesy of "Sir".

An English woman, Gillian Blanchard, is also a new teacher at Greenslade, and she and Rick develop a relationship. Although they see themselves as a normal couple, no one else can agree with Rick and Gillian's relationship. Even strangers make judgments about them and treat Rick like he is worthless. Does Gillian have enough strength to keep their relationship together? Was she truly free from the virus of racial intolerance? In the end, they are confident with their love for each other, and Rick demonstrates his confidence by finally standing up for himself to Gillian's parents. Most of all he explained how much he cared for their daughter as he says, "I would not have cared if she had been blue or green." Their relationship contributes to Braithwaite's discovery of himself and how people treat him.

It is helpful to the story that the characters are real people with which we can relate. The dialect is detailed and interesting, which makes me think further about the text and my own life. I can really feel for the people in this story, especially Mr. Braithwaite. Reading history firsthand from someone's point of view is always interesting to me, and the author's use of metaphors and creative words influence me to get caught up with the story. This book truly interests me because of the issues it discusses, such as equal rights and self-discovery. For example, throughout the story, Mr. Braithwaite realizes that it was not his skin color holding him back, it was his attitude. He reflects that, "At first it was terrible, but gradually I'm learning what it means to live with dignity inside my black skin."

There are also some elements of this book that did take away from the story. First of all, I was somewhat confused in the beginning because I was overwhelmed with characters and their descriptions. It was hard to remember the characters, and I wasn't sure which ones were important or main characters. Some of Braithwaite's descriptions are also hard to decipher. For example, he would often describe the beauty and maturity of Pamela Dare, a student in his class. As the story progresses, Mr. Braithwaite's intentions with Pamela become unclear. On page 212, he describes Pamela when she arrives at the senior party. "She presented a picture of sheer beauty and I gazed at her in wonder." Lastly, because this story is based in Britain, I had a hard time following some of the conversations. Braithwaite also used words like Cockney, which is a British dialect of East End Londoners, glibness, and cheek by jowl. I discovered that glibness was used to describe the shallowness of Gillian's parents, and cheek by jowl is an expression, meaning tightly packed. I don't blame the author for this, but I felt that I missed out on the full effect of the story because I didn't read with a British accent.

To Sir, with Love is definitely a book I would recommend to someone probably high school level or older. I think anyone who reads this story will walk away with a broader view on life and how he or she lives it. The quotes Braithwaite uses will really make you think, and his words will stay engraved in your mind. I am someone who was never ridiculed for the color of my skin, or where I was from, which is why it is so interesting to read from someone who had to face prejudices on a regular basis. The most memorable and thought-provoking concept E. R. Braithwaite wrote was on page 45. "I realized at that moment that I was British, but evidently not a Briton, that fine differentiation was now very important". This was the reason he could not live normally. This quote also encourages me to reflect on whether or not I'm American. However, the difference between Braithwaite and me is that he was never really accepted as a British citizen. He had thought of himself as someone who had the same rights as anyone else in the country, but then came to find that the unwritten rules of prejudices would soon take charge of his life.

Summary of To Sir with Love

Ethnic & National Books

• Subjects > Biographies & Memoirs > Ethnic & National
• Professionals & Academics > Educators
• Literature & Fiction