A novel by Hassan (2013) titled Crash and Burn can be categorized as one of the recent epic novels ever written in the modern life. This book revolves around a heroic story from the exodus to the ultimate end. Michael Hassan draws two main characters in this book; that is, Stephen Crashinsky (Crash) and David Burnett (Burn). The author gives a brief background of the two characters in the novel. It is evident that both school at the same institution. They do not type of best of friends, but the two can be described as frenemies as they share a lot in common and on several occasion, their paths have crossed. Both Crash and Burn have social problems, the crash is that poor performer in school with ‘below sea level’ l grades at school and Burn is that evil genius overcome by young life’s intrigues. Both Crash and Burn have been together since elementary problems. The author further portrays that the two teens have almost a common life’s problem. One can discover that Crash’s parents divorced and Burn had lost her mother.
The author here sacrificed his literary skills to voice; the book is in a storytelling format. The story is told in Crashinsky's perspective. A quick preview on the two main characters, we discover that Crash has been diagnosed with ADHD and he openly states it in the prologue that, "….My name is Stephen Crashinsky, and I have an attention deficit hyperactive disorder. ADHD to you…” A condition that also affects Burn, HASSAN depicts Burn as that Brilliant character, and smart, their paths cross again but on Burn's ruined sister, Roxanne, having affectionate relation with Crashinsky. As the novel proceeds, it can note that Crashinsky appears that is a normal adolescent challenged the young man who barely gets along with school work. However, he is not as dumb as life has made him appear, he is a genius, but unfortunately, no one notices, not even his father; such a frustrating encounter especially when he says "…I was a genius in my way. It didn't matter whether anyone ever noticed." .on the same plane, Burn also suffers the same fate, Hassan posits him as rather a misunderstood genius, paranoid, scares everyone including fellow students and is unpredictable.
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Fundamentally, the climax of this book is captured when the characters meet again. A situation has occurred; Burn is holding the whole Meadows High school hostage. This is a real-life obtained by the other, and as told by Crashinsky himself, the state of affairs is horrific. David Burnett has literary taken his high school hostage and is not only armed with high caliber assault weaponry but on him is a full round high powered explosives/bombs. Initially something has to give, but unfortunately, no one is courageous enough to handle the situation, not even the administration or the authorities. Interestingly, Crash is that hero who steps forth, talks out to Burn and significantly manages to stop him from killing innocent lives and burning down the whole school in a Columbine-like siege.
The occurrence of crisis like situation makes Crashinsky appear a hero throughout the novel's narration, of course, he is; the damage Burnt would have caused would have been an insurmountable loss. This heroic act was valor itself; Crash is now a TV personality family known as he has appeared in several television shows. Captivatingly, this occurrence made him secure a position he in college a thing he would have managed, he did not have spectacular SAT like other students and his GPA was pathetic. That not being the least, Crash managed and achieved to get a book deal, the essence was to narrate what he told Burn on that fateful day that kept him engaged and distracted until the police arrived and took him away. Again this juncture, the author is also attempting to depict how teenagers in the present modern life attempt to cope with challenges and responsibilities as adolescents.
In Crash and Burn, a lot of vices are captured in one story throughout its theme aspect. Primarily, there are irresponsible parents, sadistic teachers at meadows high school, several suicidal attempts, unnecessary deaths (Roxanne’s death). Similarly, their cruel parents are also epitomized, prevalent family meltdown and breaking/divorce, drug and substance abuse by the youths, pot smoking. Worst of them all is the existence of the rampant fornication, pornography and teen sex videos circulating and guns being pulled at the parking lot (Hassan, 2013). Interestingly, Crash and Burn novel is the modern day society’s mirror. The book captures and reflects the challenges teens, youth and the adolescents undergo. This ranges from dealing with general life challenges, handling unexpected heroism, handling disorders such as ADHD, coping with divorced and broken families. In the same lanes, being able to control trauma that comes with sudden death and loss of loved ones, similarly, able to handle peer pressure, prejudice, drug and substance abuse and fundamentally getting along as adolescence person. The author unveils and attempts to show what society is made doing to the teenagers especially those in high school age and adolescents stage.
Santrock, 2013 in his 15th edition book on adolescence, captures the major aspects and core points that are fundamentally related to this novel. Santrock writes about several phenomena; that is, puberty, health, brain and cognitive development. In the same breath, Santrock also explains aspects of self-identity, emotions, and personality. In the same breath, the writer has also focused on sexuality, moral values, and importance of families and chapter 8 concentrates fundamentally on peers, romantic relationships, and lifestyles. It's the ending that Santrock captures the problems in adolescence and emerging adulthood
It is evident that young adults in adolescent stage face a basketful of challenges and problems; this problem ranges from stress and stressful circumstances, coping here. Such stress circumstance may lead to disastrous decisions, primarily stressful situation majorly affects a young person’s development and in general, psychologically. As result of stress, the same circumstances graduates to depression. Depression is that critical stage that a young adult may find himself in and some cases; this is what causes disorder and contemplated suicidal mentality. This is the case with Roxanne in Crash and Burn novel. Reportedly, most female adolescents have a higher rate of depression as compared to male counterparts. According to the NHS (the United States National Center for Health Statistics), depression-related suicide is among the leading causes of deaths among the callow youths (Santrock, 2013). Another problem that affects the youth in adolescents stage is the substance and drug abuse, as result of peer pressure, neglect, self-identity and drawing back from the society, most young adults fall to this vices in the society. Such vices are had negative consequences, especially for school going adults. Crash and Burn categorically captures these vices before we finally experience that hostage crisis by Burn.
Grippingly, this problem affecting the young adults fundamentally boils down to j uvenile delinquency; Sandtrock posits that juvenile delinquency is mostly reported to revolve around the young adults at their adolescents’ stage. If you relate it to Michael Hassan’s novel, it befittingly describes the youth fraternity at Meadows high school before Burn holds the school hostage; females too are not an exempted. Roxanne is a good case study among other adolescents; she is in into questionable business earning illegal monies and a drug addict that finally culminates into her death.
In the same breath, Santrock has also captured the essence of family ties in the life of youth during adolescent stage. The family is the pillar in which one derives identity, guidance and a sense of belonging. Where there is the family meltdown or break down, the consequences are dire. From the novel Crash and Burn, the author epitomizes how life changed in the characters’ lives. Roxanne and Burn are siblings; we discover that their life took a downhill fall the moment they lost their parents in the 9/11 bombing. Burn is more depressed, withdrawn and stressed up. We realize that his source of strength is from her sister, but Roxanne is doomed, is into illegal sexual activities and finally dies of drug/substance abuse. This is the final stroke that breaks the horseback, Burn eventually goes suicidal and attempts to bomb down the whole school
In conclusion, it is notable that adolescent stage is a crucial stage in young adult’s life. A lump sum of challenges accompanies this stage that if not dealt with positively and psychologically any typical youth may end up engaging the irreversible self-destructive gear (Hassan, 2013). Also to note is that young adults at this stage encounter two types of problems. These types of problems are either external or internal (Santrock, 2013).The external problems are what we may quickly note, that is; substance and drug abuse, risky automobile driving, juvenile delinquencies, reckless, risky behaviors among others. On the other hand, the internal problems that mostly go on unnoticed include eating disorders, eminent depression among others. All these problems need urgent and constant psychological care to help the youths conceptualize, find the identity and be able to cope with the stage positively .
References
Hassan, M. (2013). Crash and burn . New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 1484441109.
Santrock, J.W. (2013). Adolescence (15 Ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education. ISBN: 9780078035487.
