Stuck In Neutral
Encyclopedia
Stuck in Neutral is a young adult novel by Terry Trueman. It focuses deeply on the subject of cerebral palsy
, quality of life
, and euthanasia
, the first of which afflicts the main character Shawn McDainel. Along with his brother, sister, and mother, indirectly, and his father, directly.It received recognition as an Honor Book for the Michael L. Printz Award
in 2001.
Trueman wrote the novel because his own son suffers from cerebral palsy, and he wanted to educate young readers both about the condition and about showing tolerance
for those with severe disabilities.
In the first few chapters, Shawn explains more about his condition, including what he feels to be, positive sides of his condition, including perfect memory
; he also "introduces" his family to the reader. His family includes his father, Sydney McDaniel, who is a writer who has won a Pulitzer Prize
for a poem about Shawn.
Shawn frequently expresses that he dislikes being talked down to as if he was a baby. He stresses throughout the novel that he is just as (if not more) intelligent than others around him.
The book mainly follows a plot that "My dad is trying to kill me"; Sydney McDaniel constantly talks about euthanasia, and on an interview during a Jerry Springer
-style show, shows interest in, and displays a video interview with a man named Earl Detraux, who smothered
his two-year-old son Colin with a pillow, in an attempt to "ease his pain" (Colin had a severe seizure
disorder).
The book ends in a cliffhanger
. Shawn is in his modified crib for the night, and Sydney visits the house while it is under the watch of a babysitter (the mother and the rest of the family are away), and sits next to Shawn with a pillow. He tells Shawn that he loves him, repeatedly, trying his best not to cry. The book comes to an end when Shawn feels the warnings of a seizure, ending with "I can't see what he is doing now, but whatever he does, I'll be soaring".Stuck in Neutral is a wonderful compelling story about a boy named Shawn McDaniel. Shawn McDaniel's life is not what it may seem to anyone looking at him. He is glued to his wheelchair, unable to voluntarily move a muscle-he can't even move his eyes. However, we meet a side of him that is imprisoned in a useless body. No one has ever seen this person that is rich beyond imagining, breathing whit life. To the world, Shawn's senses seem dead but in reality there is a living growing person jest tying to each out. See Shawn McDaniel has Cerebral palsy or CP. A birth defect that traps thousands of kids every day some cases are less sever then other. But in Shawn’s case it as bad as it gets. However that’s not the worst of his problems, for all Shawn knows father is planning on killing him. He thinks that his son may be suffering, while this is true, Shawn tell us he doesn’t want to die, “I’m only fourteen I don’t want die.” His dad feels Shawn may want a release and the only way to do this is by killing him. And as long as he is unable to communicate his true feelings to his father, Shawn's life is in danger.
Sydney, Shawn’s dad is not jest a potential killer. Sydney is a very successfully writer. In the book he has wrote many great works, even winning a national rewarded. Sydney is in no way a simple mindless killer. Shawn thinks his dad is going to kill him mainly because of; one of his new projects. Sydney is doing research for one of his new books. The book covers children and parents that have to deal with CP, and their daily struggles in life.
. At a school in Evansville, Wisconsin
, teachers assigned the book to their students, and many parents complained, saying the book was too sad and violent. Trueman strongly defended the book. Most school officials in Wisconsin eventually agreed with him, and allowed teachers to continue assigning the book to their students.
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term encompassing a group of non-progressive, non-contagious motor conditions that cause physical disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement....
, quality of life
Quality of life (healthcare)
Quality of Life is a phrase used to refer to an individual’s total wellbeing. This includes all emotional, social, and physical aspects of the individual’s life. However, when the phrase is used in reference to medicine and healthcare as Health Related Quality of Life, it refers to how the...
, and euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
, the first of which afflicts the main character Shawn McDainel. Along with his brother, sister, and mother, indirectly, and his father, directly.It received recognition as an Honor Book for the Michael L. Printz Award
Michael L. Printz Award
The Michael L. Printz Award is an annual award in the United States for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a school librarian from Topeka, Kansas, who was a long-time active member of the Young Adult Library Services Association...
in 2001.
Trueman wrote the novel because his own son suffers from cerebral palsy, and he wanted to educate young readers both about the condition and about showing tolerance
Toleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
for those with severe disabilities.
Plot Summary
The book follows a first-person point of view, following Shawn McDaniel, a 14-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, a brain condition. In Shawn's case, his entire body is affected; he has absolutely no control over any of his bodily functions. Shawn's condition is a major part of the story.In the first few chapters, Shawn explains more about his condition, including what he feels to be, positive sides of his condition, including perfect memory
Memory
In psychology, memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and recall information and experiences. Traditional studies of memory began in the fields of philosophy, including techniques of artificially enhancing memory....
; he also "introduces" his family to the reader. His family includes his father, Sydney McDaniel, who is a writer who has won a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for a poem about Shawn.
Shawn frequently expresses that he dislikes being talked down to as if he was a baby. He stresses throughout the novel that he is just as (if not more) intelligent than others around him.
The book mainly follows a plot that "My dad is trying to kill me"; Sydney McDaniel constantly talks about euthanasia, and on an interview during a Jerry Springer
Jerry Springer
Gerald Norman "Jerry" Springer is a British-born American television presenter, best known as host of the tabloid talk show The Jerry Springer Show since its debut in 1991...
-style show, shows interest in, and displays a video interview with a man named Earl Detraux, who smothered
Asphyxia
Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body that arises from being unable to breathe normally. An example of asphyxia is choking. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which primarily affects the tissues and organs...
his two-year-old son Colin with a pillow, in an attempt to "ease his pain" (Colin had a severe seizure
Seizure
An epileptic seizure, occasionally referred to as a fit, is defined as a transient symptom of "abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain". The outward effect can be as dramatic as a wild thrashing movement or as mild as a brief loss of awareness...
disorder).
The book ends in a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
. Shawn is in his modified crib for the night, and Sydney visits the house while it is under the watch of a babysitter (the mother and the rest of the family are away), and sits next to Shawn with a pillow. He tells Shawn that he loves him, repeatedly, trying his best not to cry. The book comes to an end when Shawn feels the warnings of a seizure, ending with "I can't see what he is doing now, but whatever he does, I'll be soaring".Stuck in Neutral is a wonderful compelling story about a boy named Shawn McDaniel. Shawn McDaniel's life is not what it may seem to anyone looking at him. He is glued to his wheelchair, unable to voluntarily move a muscle-he can't even move his eyes. However, we meet a side of him that is imprisoned in a useless body. No one has ever seen this person that is rich beyond imagining, breathing whit life. To the world, Shawn's senses seem dead but in reality there is a living growing person jest tying to each out. See Shawn McDaniel has Cerebral palsy or CP. A birth defect that traps thousands of kids every day some cases are less sever then other. But in Shawn’s case it as bad as it gets. However that’s not the worst of his problems, for all Shawn knows father is planning on killing him. He thinks that his son may be suffering, while this is true, Shawn tell us he doesn’t want to die, “I’m only fourteen I don’t want die.” His dad feels Shawn may want a release and the only way to do this is by killing him. And as long as he is unable to communicate his true feelings to his father, Shawn's life is in danger.
Sydney, Shawn’s dad is not jest a potential killer. Sydney is a very successfully writer. In the book he has wrote many great works, even winning a national rewarded. Sydney is in no way a simple mindless killer. Shawn thinks his dad is going to kill him mainly because of; one of his new projects. Sydney is doing research for one of his new books. The book covers children and parents that have to deal with CP, and their daily struggles in life.
Reception
Stuck in Neutral has caused controversyControversy
Controversy is a state of prolonged public dispute or debate, usually concerning a matter of opinion. The word was coined from the Latin controversia, as a composite of controversus – "turned in an opposite direction," from contra – "against" – and vertere – to turn, or versus , hence, "to turn...
. At a school in Evansville, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, teachers assigned the book to their students, and many parents complained, saying the book was too sad and violent. Trueman strongly defended the book. Most school officials in Wisconsin eventually agreed with him, and allowed teachers to continue assigning the book to their students.