Ramona the Pest
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In Beverly Cleary's children's book Ramona the Pest, Cleary uses the literary theory formalism to let readers experience language in a new way. By use of a child's point of view, setting, and timeless characters, Cleary makes Ramona the Pest a book that has been loved by generations.
Every chapter in Ramona the Pest deals with one or two issues that are resolved by the end of the chapter. For example in Chapter 2, "Show and Tell", Ramona is forced to lend Howie her old bunny so he has something for show and tell. Miss Binney ties a red ribbon around the bunny's neck and Ramona wants it. Howie and Ramona fight over it and finally Howie tells Ramona he will giver her the ribbon if she lets him take off one of the wheels on her tricycle. This episodic story line makes the book seem like a collection of short stories and makes Ramona the Pest a good read-aloud book.
Beverly Cleary uses Ramona to show how the world is viewed by children, and the confusion they might be subjected to when their perfect world clashes with reality. Ramona the Pest is told from Ramona's point of view to make the struggles of a five year olds life more believable. When Ramona starts kindergarten in the first chapter Miss Binney tells her to "sit here for the present" (17)...