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Calvin (Adult Books & Novel)
Calvin is a young adult novel written by Calvin Martin Levitt in 2015. The story of this novel revolves around the life of a young boy, Calvin, who struggles with his mental problems and delusions. The novel is inspired by the famous character of Calvin and Hobbes, which shows Calvin’s mental state and delusions. Calvin was born when the last comic strip of Calvin and Hobbes was published. His grandfather left a stuffed lion, Hobbes, in his crib, who was Calvin’s best friend.
Another important person in his life was Susie, who was his best friend, but over time Susie became beautiful and stopped talking to Calvin. Calvin’s mother killed Hobbes, and Calvin did not think much of it. Now, Calvin is seventeen years old and is struggling with schizophrenia. Hobbes has returned to his life, but he may just be Calvin’s delusion. Calvin believes that the solution to his illness is the comic strips of Bill Watterson, especially if he creates another strip and doesn’t include Hobbes. Calvin and Susie (do they exist?) and Hobbes (could he exist?) set off on a dangerous journey to find Bill Watterson and find answers to his questions.
The novel uses Calvin’s mental problems, schizophrenia, and the characters of Calvin and Hobbes to illustrate the line between reality and illusion. The story of Calvin and Hobbes has been very popular among young people, and this novel shows an adult version of it. The novel Calvin not only presents a new and adult version of the story of Calvin and Hobbes but also reveals the complexities of the human mind. It explores topics such as schizophrenia in great depth, and the story describes the emotional and intellectual struggle of young people who set out to find the influence of Bill Watterson’s famous comic strip.
Calvin (Adult Books & Novel)
| Calvin (Novel) | |
| Urdu Name | کیلون (ناول) |
| Author | Martine Leavitt |
| Illustrator | Not specified |
| Cover Artist | Not specified |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult |
| Publisher | Groundwood Books |
| Published | 2015 |
| Characters | Calvin, others (main character is Calvin) |
Calvin (novel) Summary
Calvin was born on December 31, 1995, the day the last strip of Calvin and Hobbes was published. As a child, Calvin played with his stuffed lion Hobbes and his best friend Susie. Over time, Hobbes became isolated and Susie made other friends.
When Calvin is 17, he is diagnosed with schizophrenia. He constantly hears Hobbes’ voice in his head and concludes that his only hope is Bill Watterson, who will draw one last strip of a healthy 17-year-old Calvin. Calvin and Susie, along with Hobbes, embark on a dangerous journey across Lake Erie to reach Watterson’s home in Cleveland, where they can find the answer to their hopes.
Calvin (novel) Reception
The novel Calvin has received international acclaim and is considered a milestone in English-language children’s literature. In 2016, the novel won the Governor General’s Award, which recognizes its creativity and significance in literature. Publishers Weekly called the novel extraordinary, intellectual, and entertaining and described its story as a sensitive but lighthearted adventure on a serious subject. They also noted that Susie’s participation in Calvin’s search may be another deception, which adds further complications to the story. The Crixus Review called it outstanding and much more than the sum of its parts, praising the novel’s deep meaning and intricate structure. In Quill and Quire, Isha Marjara called the novel’s writing highly polished and practically flawless. The plot was something more than hooky and Leavitt’s dialogue was compared to David Mamet’s.
The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books called it schizophrenia-lite and more of a treatise on philosophy than psychology buraiseded its well-paced dialogue. They also highlighted the deep questions of the anger of the teenagers involved in the novel, such as how do we know the difference between what we imagine and what is real? How should friendship and romantic relationships work, and how should we grieve the loss of childhood? The reception of Calvin highlights its depth and intriguing themes. It has won the hearts of both young adults and adult readers, and its complex nature and philosophical perspective on serious topics have earned it a prominent place in the literary world.
Original
Martin Levitt wrote three novels about homelessness, each with a protagonist who was homeless for a variety of reasons, such as abuse, poverty, and addiction. However, he felt that another major cause of homelessness was mental illness, so he decided to write about that topic as well. One day, while rereading Calvin and Hobbes, Levitt had the thought that nowadays, Calvin would probably be diagnosed as schizophrenic. He imagined that Calvin, who suffers from schizophrenia, feels that his illness was given to him by Bill Watterson as his creator, and is begging Calvin Watterson to cure his illness.
Since the story of finding Bill Watterson itself did not seem particularly interesting, Levitt incorporated elements from the story of Dave Voelker, who used to cross the ice of Lake Erie in the winter. In this way, he added a new dimension and element of interest to his creative story.
Conclusion
Calvin is a deep and complex novel that explores the fine line between mental illness, delusion, and reality. Martin Levitt has presented serious topics such as homelessness and schizophrenia with great sensitivity and skill in this novel. Calvin’s journey not only reflects his mental state but also highlights the complex aspects of his inner world. At the same time, the inclusion of the characters of Calvin and Hobbes gives the story a unique angle, inviting readers to dive deeper into it.
Levitt has given the character of Calvin a new and mature version in this novel, inspired by the famous comic strip of Bill Watterson, which shows the conflict between reality and delusion. Calvin not only examines the mental state of a young man but also presents the intellectual and emotional battle of man, which is very relevant in today’s era. The story of this novel beautifully incorporates philosophy, psychology, and questions of youth, making it not only an interesting story but also an intellectual journey.
