Saturday, April 16, 2016

N: Natalie Babbit & TUCK EVERLASTING

"The question of what it might be like to live forever is something that everyone thinks about. And I think you think about it more when you find out you can't do it. It's an idea that's been sitting around in my head for a lot of years."  -Natalie Babbitt

Natalie Babbit's TUCK EVERLASTING is about a 'tween girl named Winnie who meets the Tuck family and learns they have been cursed with immortality after drinking water from a magical spring near her home many years ago. The elders in the Tuck family warn Winnie about drinking the water, that not being able to die and being stuck living forever was really a wretched thing. Still, Jesse Tuck, who is forever 17, secretly asks Winnie to wait until she is his age to drink the magic water so they could be together. When the Tuck family have to go on the run, the moral dilemma Winnie encounters is whether she should drink the water. 


The epilogue shows Winnie's tombstone 60 years later. She went on to be a wife and a mother... and she didn't drink the water. It was a wise choice on Winnie's part, and possibly not an easy one to make. Sometimes wise choices are not necessarily easy choices. 

Have you read TUCK EVERLASTING? How would your life change if you found out you are immortal?

22 comments:

Random Musings said...

This sounds like a great read. In one sense, immortality sounds amazing - think of everything you could achieve. But on the other hand, it would be heart breaking watching everyone you know get old and die
Debbie

Pat Hatt said...

I'd do all kinds of things if I knew I couldn't die. But eventually it would get old and watching everyone you ever knew die would suck too.

Sunday Visitor said...

Another great read. I don't think I'd find immortality much fun.

Stephanie Faris said...

We had to read that in sixth grade...and then we watched the movie. I should go back and read it. I love the premise. It was actually visited in a variety of ways on Twilight Zone back in the day...and I suppose that's the premise of many vampire stories. Living forever seems nice but it's actually very lonely.

Optimistic Existentialist said...

I think that there are far more perils to immortality than any of us care to admit :) it may sound good on the surface...but as with most things, there is the fine print.

M.J. Fifield said...

Loved this book. One of my favorites from my younger years!

The Silver Fox said...

I'd hate to be immortal. Living to outlast all my loved ones would stink... although I supposed I could keep making friends.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I knew the story although I've not read the book. Immortal here on Earth? No thanks.

Jo said...

I'd like to live a bit longer than my probably life span, so long as I was in good health, but I wouldn't want to be immortal.

Yvonne Ventresca said...

I first read this as an adult, maybe 2-3 yrs ago. Definitely a memorable story.

Yvonne V

Elizabeth said...

I have not read Tuck Everlasting, but I've heard bits and pieces of the story. I would not want to be immortal.

Seena said...

Hello there, Thanks for coming to my blog. :) I have not read this. But love the idea. Sometimes we want moments to last forever. And death to not happen. But maybe immortality will be too much for us..
Thanks,
Seena

Lynn Proctor said...

Great question- I believe in the Christian after life but to love this life forever- very hard- yes I have heard of this but haven't read it

Lynn Proctor said...

Great question- I believe in the Christian after life but to love this life forever- very hard- yes I have heard of this but haven't read it

Doree Weller said...

I read this for the first time recently, and loved it. It was such a great book. I agree that drinking the water would be a mistake. I don't like the idea of any decision that I could never undo.
@DoreeWeller from
Doree Weller’s Blog

S.P. Bowers said...

This is one I always wanted to read but never got around to it. Now I'll have to make time.

pamlovesbooks said...

Oh i LOVE this book!!!! i turned my daughter on to it when she was young and then we watched the movie. the movie isnt as good IMO but what can you do. (crying) so many feels!

Liz A. said...

I never got around to reading this one, even though it would have been right up my alley. I did see the movie. I was fascinated by the idea of immortality when I was in my 20s. It's not so interesting to me anymore.

Claire Annette said...

I'm so glad to be reminded of this book. I'm going to reread it - after this month of blogging a-z!

Grazona said...

I read this for the first time earlier this year. I liked it but would probably have appreciated it more as a kid. I passed it on to my 10 year old niece!

Jeffrey Scott said...

This would be an interesting read. I don't think the prospect of living forever is really the bad thing. It's living forever in a world that is filled with so much crime, violence, hatred and fear. If the entire Earth was filled with kind, considerate and honest people and the world too were in a paradise condition, who wouldn't want to live forever in that? Or to stress the point, if we were eternally happy, who could point to a date on the calendar and say that was the day we wanted to die. Unfortunately, we don't live in such conditions, so living forever does not seem very attractive.

JazzFeathers said...

Never heard of this book, but it does sound a good one.
I don't think I'd like to live forever either.

@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter - Jazz Age Jazz

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