As the students in 7ABC are about to embark on their two-week long Compassion Project in various institutions (e.g. at the kindergarten, the nursing home, the special needs school, the hospital, The Red Cross, etc.) in and around Wels, the topics dealt with in the English lessons in the last couple of weeks have focused on preparing them for exactly that. In addition to immersing the students into the general issues on both compassion and different types of disabilities, the struggles and challenges people with special needs still face on a daily basis were also highlighted. Students vividly discussed issues which are unfortunately still often taboo in 21st-century society, as well as critically reflected their own behaviour patterns towards the socially disadvantaged.
To round it all off, the focus was put on reading and discussing the book The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. Don, the hero of the novel, has not been diagnosed with Asperger’s, but the first chapter makes it very apparent that he has autistic traits. The main character does represent more than a few stereotypes of autism. He is a white male scientist with a very ritualised existence, a genius-level memory, and seemingly poor awareness of others’ thoughts and feelings, particularly those of women. Being an Australian genetics professor, he is inspired by psychological research methodologies, and he devises a questionnaire to find his perfect wife. It is through this project that he meets Rosie, a barmaid and student, who does not meet the criteria of the questionnaire. So the fun begins…
Read some comments of the students in 7A below:
Franziska: Being socially awkward does not mean you are socially incompetent. Although Don Tillman struggles hard in fitting in, he eventually manages to build a functional relationship with Rosie. For me, it shows that you do not have to lead the perfect life, be extremely popular, or adapt your personality just to appeal to others. On the contrary, you are always able to somehow find true happiness in life, which is why I would highly recommend reading this book to those who feel they are struggling. No matter what, being who you are defines you, so do not try to change yourself.
Ana: I absolutely loved Don’s character development throughout the rom-com. The author beautifully developed the growing relationship between Rosie and Don. I highly recommend this hilarious book to anyone who is keen on being entertained. Moreover, the storyline itself is unique and therefore worth a read.
Julia, Lea & Elena: As I see it, the book was tremendously entertaining and therefore we really enjoyed reading it. We totally fell in love with the unexpected plot and the strange character Don who needed getting used to. It is not the type of book we would normally go for but The Rosie Project definitely offers an interesting storyline.
Jonas & Ivica: The Rosie Project is an amazing book that is actually not as romantic as originally thought. It really makes you think and it has been one of the few books we actually enjoyed reading as it is definitely special and inspirational.
Kalia: The novel provides an insight into the lives of some very antagonistic characters. At the end the reader finds themselves feeling empathetic towards the main characters, despite their many shortcomings. It shows that we should neither change people nor judge a book by its cover. I would recommend The Rosie Project to anyone who might relate to the main characters’ search for love and self-identity.
Mag.a Nadja Igelsböck