Skellig

infobox Book |
name = Skellig
title_orig = Skellig
translator =


image_caption =
author = David Almond
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = Great Britain
language = English
series =
genre =
publisher = Random House Inc.
pub_date = 1999
english_pub_date =
media_type = Print (Hardcover)
pages = 182
isbn = ISBN 0440416027
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"Skellig" is a children's book by David Almond, for which Almond was awarded the Carnegie Medal in 1998 and also the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year Award. In 2007 it was selected by judges of the CILIP Carnegie Medal for children's literature as one of the ten most important children's novels of the past 70 years.

Plot Summary

The novel begins with Michael's family moving to a new house that used to belong to an old man who died in the house and wasn't found until four weeks later. Michael's father tries to repair and clean the danger-filled garage as best he can, but the garage is so dilapidated that Michael's father warns him not to go inside. Meanwhile, his mother is often at the hospital caring for Michael's younger sister.

One day when Michael goes in to the garage, amid all the boxes, debris, and dead insects, a strange human-like creature called Skellig who seems to have almost wasted away. At first Michael is not even sure the creature is real or a product of his imagination. At school, Michael learns that human shoulder blades could be vestigial wingtips, which leads him to suspect that all humans could be descended from angels and that Skellig himself might be an angel because of some strange growths on his back.

Michael continues to look after Skellig and brings him food. Skellig is crotchety and arthritic, demanding aspirin, Chinese food (27 and 53) and brown ale. Meanwhile, his friends from school become more and more distant when Michael spends less time with them. He also meets a girl around his age named Mina who lives next door. She is home schooled, and is very interested in nature and poems by William Blake (her parents introduced her to his work). She takes care of some baby birds who live in her yard. As Skellig becomes accustomed to and more tolerant of Michael, Michael decides to introduce him to Mina. The two children move Skellig out of the garage and into an abandoned house. They discover that he has wings, although they are dry and folded up.

Michael learns more about arthritis, even visiting patients in the hospital where his baby sister is being treated. He tries to help Skellig overcome his ambiguously spiritual as well as physical illness. Skellig begins to heal and become what would appear to be an angel. The owls, whose company he has enjoyed while living in the old house, bring him mice to eat. He gives Michael and Mina a mystical experience in which they can see ghostly wings sprouting from each other's shoulder blades.

But then, Michael's baby sister comes dangerously close to death. His mother goes to hospital to stay with the baby and pray over her. That night something mysterious happens and her mother dreamt of seeing a man come in and pick up the baby. Skellig disappears, and the baby survives. Even with Skellig gone, Michael manages to maintain his friendship with Mina, as well as with his classmates.

Religious, scientific, and cultural references in the text

The book is deliberately ambiguous about the nature of Skellig. [cite web|last= Berman| first= Matt|title= Common Sense Review|publisher= Common Sence Media|url= http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/Skellig.html|accessdate= 2008-02-12] Although the obvious implication is that he is some kind of angel, his general demeanour and attitude is in direct contrast to traditional ideas about angels, leading the reader to consider ideas of religious imagery and the role of mysteries in life. Skellig refers to both children as angels as well. There are obvious religious references in the text, reflecting Almond's Catholic upbringing, but, like the poet William Blake (who is quoted and heavily referenced in the novel), many of them revolve around unconventional concepts of Christianity. For example, early on in the novel there are numerous references to evolution and it is proposed that human shoulder blades may actually be vestigial wings, making humans evolutionary descendants of angels. From there, the novel moves on to either more conventional or more vague concepts of spirituality. Fighting illnesses become a major theme when Michael visits arthritis patients and when his family struggles to save the life of his baby sister.

The names "Skellig" and "Michael" are possibly derived from the Skellig Michael Island off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. St Michael is also the name of an archangel. Mina is most likely a diminutive of Wilhemina, a female form of the name "William", as Mina's parents are devotees of William Blake.

In his research article "Magical Realism and the Child Reader: The Case of David Almond's "Skellig", Don Latham compares Almond's novel to Gabriel García Márquez's short story "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings". Latham states that despite the many similarities between the two works, Almond's child protagonists are much more caring and accepting than the close-minded and sometimes cruel adults in Márquez's story. Also, Mina and Michael keep Skellig a secret from the rest of human society. Thus, while still expressing negative comments on medical institutions and other aspects of adult society, the social commentary in "Skellig" is not as harsh as in Márquez's story. However, Almond himself has acknowledged that "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" had some influence on the writing of "Skellig". [cite web|last= Latham|first= Don|title= Magical Realism and the Child Reader: The Case of David Almond's Skellig|publisher= Ninth Wonder|date= 2006-01-02|url= http://tlg.ninthwonder.com/rabbit/v10i1/alice1.html|accessdate= 2008-02-21]

Adaptations

2003 play

Skellig was adapted into a play in 2003 directed by Trevor Nunn, who thought it was important to follow the book's example of not revealing Skellig's exact nature. [cite web |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre/features/the-creature-in-the-garage-736933.html |title=The creature in the garage |accessdate=2008-09-15 |last=Cripps |first=Charlotte |coauthors= l |date=2003-11-26 |work= |publisher=The Independent.co.uk ]

2008 film

A two-hour film adaptation is currently being filmed by Feel Films for Sky 1 and Sky HD as part of the channel's plan to invest £10 million to produce 3 new high-definition dramas. [cite web|last= West|first= Dave|title= Sky One sets three major HD series|publisher= Digital Spy|date= 2008-03-19|url= http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a91895/sky-one-sets-three-major-hd-series.html|accessdate= 2008-09-02] Filming started on the 2 September 2008 in Cardiff and set for showing in the Spring of 2009. cite web|last= Holmwood|first= Leigh|title= Tim Roth to don wings as Skellig|publisher= The Guardian|date= 2008-09-02|url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/sep/02/bskyb.television?gusrc=rss&feed=media|accessdate= 2008-09-02]

Reported cast so far are Oscar-nominee Tim Roth in the title role and Bill Milner as Michael, with Kelly MacDonald and John Simm cast as Michael's parents. [cite web|last= Fletcher|first= Alex|title= Tim Roth confirmed for 'Skellig' cast|publisher= Digital Spy|date= 2008-09-02|url= http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a128686/tim-roth-confirmed-for-skellig-cast.html|accessdate= 2008-09-02] The film is scripted and directed by Annabel Jankel.

2008 Opera

Skellig is being adapted into a contemporary opera which is to open at The Sage Gateshead on Monday 24th November 2008. With music by innovative American composer Tod Machover (who has worked with artists from Yo Yo Ma to Prince) and libretto by the author David Almond himself, this will be a must-see event of the autumn, if not the year. The opera will be directed by Braham Murray (Founding Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange Theatre Company), the set will be designed by Rae Smith (‘War Horse’ at the National Theatre) and the choreography arranged by Mark Bruce. The music will be performed by Northern Sinfonia, the orchestra of The Sage Gateshead. For further information and to book your tickets please see The Sage Gateshead's website at www.thesagegateshead.org/skellig [http://www.thesagegateshead.org/skellig/]

References

External links

* [http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/childrens_literature/v035/35.1bullen.html A research article on "Skellig" from a children's literature journal]
* [http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/bookchat/archives/skellig/3.html Reviews and discussions of the ideas in "Skellig"]
* [http://www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/Skellig-by-David-Almond-222503.html "Skellig" Trivia]
* [http://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/Skellig.html A review of "Skellig"]