Re: why can't we be friends

Posted by 123 on 2007/5/5 21:11:39

Bridge to Terabithia is a work of children's literature about two lonely children who create a magical forest kingdom. Written by Katherine Paterson, it was first published in 1977, and won the Newbery Medal in 1978. It tells the story of fifth grader Jesse Aarons, who befriends new girl Leslie Burke when he loses a race to her. In 2007, a film with the same name, based upon the book, was released.

Plot summary
Jesse Aarons Jr., the only boy in a family of five children, is a middle child, living in rural southwest Virginia. His mother favors his sisters Brenda, Ellie, May Belle, and Joyce Ann, while his father works in Washington D.C. and doesn't have much time for him. May Belle, the second youngest sister, looks up to Jesse and admires him. Leslie Burke, an only child along with her wealthy parents who are both writers, just moved to this area in an attempt to start a new life.

Jesse has been training all summer for a race, but the race is won by Leslie, despite the fact that the race is for "boys only." Both children are loners who don't fit in with their peers at school; Jesse is intensely interested in art but his father disapproves, and Leslie's family does not practice a religion or own a television set. The two soon become close friends. Jesse shares his secret love of drawing with Leslie; Leslie shares with Jesse her love of fantasy stories. With this new friendship, the two children create an imaginary kingdom in the woods near their homes, accessible only by a rope swing over a creek. They create the imaginary kingdom of Terabithia together, and name themselves King and Queen where they spend every day after school. In Terabithia they are able to work out their fears of the real world: fears such as the 7th grade bully Janice Avery.

Jesse has a crush on his young music teacher, Ms. Edmunds, and would do anything to be with her. The central crisis occurs when Jesse accompanies Ms. Edmunds to the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., and Leslie goes to Terabithia alone. The rope breaks as she is swinging over the rain-swollen creek, and she hits her head on a rock. Though a good swimmer, Leslie falls into the creek and drowns. Jesse can overcome his grief only with the strength and courage that his friendship with Leslie has given him.

Jesse attempts to deal with his grief by going back to Terabithia and traveling over the tree bridge to search for Leslie. As he is searching, he hears a cry for help and thinks [hopes] that it is "Leslie" and that she is still alive. However, he finds his younger sister, May Belle, calling for help. She was trying to get to Terabithia too by climbing on the tree bridge over the river but got stuck in the middle. He helps her out.

As Mr. and Mrs. Burke are leaving, Jesse asks if he can take some of their wooden planks by their shed. They say he may have anything left over from the house and he goes down to Terabithia to build a bridge. After he finishes the bridge he takes May Belle over it with him to tell her about Terabithia and makes her the new Queen of Terabithia.

source from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_to_Terabithia

【劇情簡介】

萊絲莉（安娜蘇菲亞羅伯 飾）和傑西（喬許哈卻森 飾）是兩個住在鄉下的五年級生，傑西是家中五名孩子中的唯一男孩。他的父親常常離家努力打拼賺錢，而母親似乎更專心於照顧他的妹妹，這使得雙親都疏於照顧他。萊絲莉則是第一次來到鄉下，她的父母是成功的作家和藝術家，他們鼓勵萊絲莉要有創意並勇於表現。這兩個孩子都是獨行俠，與學校裡的其他學生格格不入，最後也因為惺惺相惜而變成好朋友。

萊絲莉是個很有天份又有創意的女孩，她鼓勵並帶領著傑西一起冒險，他們任命自己為國王和王后，並將他們一起創造出來既幻想又神祕的國度命名為"泰瑞比西亞"，並在那裡度過許多冒險時光。

傑西私下對藝術很有興趣，當他的音樂兼藝術老師愛德蒙（柔伊黛絲喬諾 飾）約傑西一同去附近的城市參觀藝術展覽時，萊絲莉卻單獨去了泰瑞比西亞，在她打算擺盪過因大雨暴漲的小溪時，繩索無故斷了，萊絲莉因而溺斃了。他們的友誼由於萊絲莉的死而有了悲劇性的結局。這痛苦的經歷讓傑西在面對萊絲莉的死，深覺罪惡和悲傷。

最後在父親的關懷及開導下，他從與萊絲莉的友誼中獲得力量與勇氣，決定將美麗和快樂帶入世界，開始為他的小妹梅貝兒建立一個進入泰瑞比西亞的橋樑。