Shannon Costello

This is a novel by Janet Trashjian about a bright teenager. I talk to my reading students about reading critically, and how they should look for the message behind the story, but I am puzzled by this book.

I suspect that the author’s main message is that one must care about people more than one’s ideas. Her character, Josh, on a quest to change the world, sets up a website entitled “The Gospel According to Larry.” “Larry’s” ideas about being authentic, helping the poor, and not being driven by commercialism garner a huge following, big enough so that some woman goes to a great deal of trouble to find out who “Larry” is. The revelation of Josh’s internet identity alienates his stepfather and best friend, the people he cares about most. That, combined with the oppressive media attention drive Josh to fake his own death. Eventually he abandons the idea of returning and strikes out to make a new life for himself, where he will change the world by first changing himself.

The book is divided into sections, and each section has a title page with a verse from the Bible, for example “This is the disciple who testifieth of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.” (John 21:24) The verses are all taken from the accounts of Jesus’ teaching and resurrection. In addition Larry’s posts are known as “sermons” and Josh knocks televangelists one or two times.

I’m guessing the author distrusts televangelists and thinks the title, verses and “sermons” are clever ideas…but I feel somewhat shaken by them. I also distrust televangelists, but in this novel they are associated with the actual gospel. Josh is a liar and a thief who loses everyone as a result of his own actions, and it is hard to accept the casual parallel drawn between his life, message and “death” with that of Jesus.

I don’t think it is unfair to suggest that this book treats the gospel too lightly.

But how dangerous is that? Should I know the answer to that question? How on earth would I handle this if I were a parent? How many kids are reading this book (I read it after one of my students wrote about it) whose only associations with the gospel are things like televangelists?