The Bumblebee Flies Anyway (1991) - Plot & Excerpts
In first picking up this book, I noticed its rather dark cover and the contrasting red car. Obviously, this car is important, and cars in general must have some role in this story because of the junk yard depicted on the front cover. However, all of these details made me feel disconnected because they seemed rather male oriented; because of this, I was a bit apprehensive in getting into the text. As I read the text, I found myself motivated to continue because I wanted to know more about the protagonist, Barney Snow, and the true nature of the hospital they inhabited. I had questions that needed answers. Barney seemed so normal, but there must be a reason for his being at the hospital – what is it? Additionally, what was the real nature of the tests conducted by the hospital? Sure, we find out about Barney’s guinea pig status, but what about the others, Mazzo, Billie, Allie – what kinds of tests were being performed on them? I felt that Cormier did a good job of pulling the reader along with little bits of information here and there. I never felt frustrated at the lack of information I was receiving. I do feel my initial apprehension of this being male oriented text was confirmed, but it is not so much so that it turned me off from reading. I think Cassie Mazzofono’s character helped bring some female interest to the text.With all this said, upon completion of the book, I was a bit dissatisfied. It does bring up some thematic topics that could be useful in the classroom, but other than that, I’m not sure I see the point in bringing a rather depressing outlook on life to my students’ desks. In the end Barney and Mazzo proved to themselves that they still had some fight in them, but what does it matter, they still die. Furthermore, they die in a manufactured reality. The question of ethics and the topic of personal triumph are what I see being useful in a classroom, but I might choose a different book than this to get to those concepts.VOYA Code: 5Q 2PAmy Sanders
Robert Cormier is my favorite author.Barney Snow lives in the Complex, an institution for the terminally ill. Everyone around him is slowly dying, day by day. But is Barney any different? He's not sick, so why is he here? He devises a plan to make the most of whatever life he and his friends have left, because there is no escape from the Complex...except death.Despite the incredibly depressing setting for the novel, this is another one of Cormier's lighter books, because the end, while sad, is only bittersweet, rather than just bitter. This novel is good because it shows how different people deal with terminal illness; some can cope, and some can't. Still, there are some unexplained elements in the plot, and some serious ambiguity in the ending, and this, in my opinion, hurts the story a little bit. Personally, this is my least favorite Cormier book; it's still worth reading, but it drops to merely average novel in some places.Note: This is one of four Cormier books that has been adapted to film (the others being The Chocolate War, I am the Cheese, and Tenderness). I haven't seen this movie (which stars Elijah Wood as Barney Snow). However, this book is significantly different from what I know of the movie (if I recall, the meaning of the title has a completely different significance). If you have seen the movie (or know anything about it), just know that the book is very different, because otherwise you will expect plot events (like I did) that will not happen (so you may enjoy it more than I did because of that).
What do You think about The Bumblebee Flies Anyway (1991)?
"Sixteen-year-old Barney can't remember life before the Complex, an experimental clinic. He knows he's different--he's the control subject. Then he uncovers a terrible secret about himself, a secret that drives him to fulfill his and his fellow subjects' ultimate dream. The Bumblebee must fly!"This book was interesting, but kind of scary at the same time. Barney seems to be the one constant for all the other people in the clinic until.... Lots of interesting twists and turns that keep you sucked into the book.
—Julie Bennett
The Bumblebee Flies Anyway is a book about a sixteen year old boy named Barney Snow who lives in a medical facility for experimental medicine.The main characters are Barney, Billy, Mazzo, Allie, Cassie, and the Handyman. Barney is the only subject in the facility that is not close to death. Billy is another patient at the hospital who makes friends with barney. Allie is another patient at the hospital who has a speech impediment. Mazzo is also close to death and never leaves his bed at the facility. Cassie is Mazzo's sister who visits Barney to find out how Mazzo is doing.Barney is administered many different medicines from the handyman. He also falls in love with Cassie. Later on in the book Barney begins treatment that starts to affect his memory. He is afraid that he will forget Her in his memory. The setting takes place in a "Medical Facility" about an hour outside of Chicago at an unknown time. The facility is right next to a junkyard full of cars.The theme of the book was too make the most out of whatever life you have left. The book had a very bittersweet ending that I really enjoyed.I would recommend this book if you enjoyed any other of Robert Cormier's work.
—James Hoch
What makes Cormier a favorite author of mine is his ability to write extremely good realism involving esoteric concepts. Following his trademark The Bumblebee Flies Anyway is about a boy undergoing brainwashing experiments unbeknown to him in an experimental clinic. Never did it seem unreal, impassible, too much, or even cliché. It's much more sweet and simple then you might think. This is the lowest rating I've given one of his novel's and the reason for that is it wasn't as suspenseful as his other works. That said I have a feeling it will stay with me a long and keep me thinking so I might have to bump it up later. Although my least favorite of his novels to date, still worth reading.
—Feathzzz
