Historical Fiction - The Midwife's Apprentice

Bibliography
Cushman, Karen. 1996. THE MIDWIFE'S APPRENTICE. New York: HarperTrophy. ISBN 006440630X

Plot Summary
One evening an orphaned girl with no home or name but Brat is found by Jane, a cold and ill-tempered midwife, who calls her Beetle and takes her in as her apprentice. It's a hard-working life for Beetle, but she makes a place for herself, adopting a cat and befriending one of the village boys. Anxious to learn the trade, she secretly observes Jane's midwifery skills, something that the midwife tried to keep her ignorant of. As her confidence builds, she gives herself a real name at last: Alyce. However, when she is requested to deliver a baby and fails, she runs away, believing she is too stupid to be of any worth. With time, she discovers that she is capable of doing some things right and returns to Jane, determined to continue her apprenticeship this time around without giving up.

Critical Analysis
Cushman paints a realistic picture of medieval England as the people and language of the time come to life with her witty detail as when she says "Beetle sometimes feared Jane Sharp was a witch, for she mumbled to herself and once a pail of milk curdled as she passed, but mostly she knew Jane was what she first appeared, a woman neither young nor old, neither fat nor thin, with a sharp nose and sharp glance and a wimple starched in sharp pleats." With simplicity, wit, and humor, Cushman captures our attention with the story of a homeless and nameless young girl (Alyce) looking to find her place in the world. It's a theme most readers can relate to, as many of us come to doubt who we are as she does after failing to deliver a baby during a diffcult birth. She is struck by failure, thinks that she is too stupid to be the midwife's apprentice, and runs away. Through her experiences she finally discovers the truth in what her friend from the village had told her, "You got guts and common sense. Just because you don't know everything don't mean you know nothing. Even Jane Midwife herself don't know everything, though she think she do." Finally seeing the beauty and self-worth in her that others did, she returns to the village to continue her apprenticeship. Her determination is felt when she tells Jane, "Jane Sharp! It is I, Alyce, your apprentice. I have come back. And if you do not let me in, I will try again and again. I can do what you tell me and take what you give me, and I know how to try and risk and fail and try again and not give up. I will not go away." The story is wonderfully told and carries a message that readers will be happy to hear.

Review Excerpt(s)
Publishers Weekly - "Cushman has an almost unrivaled ability to build atmosphere, and her evocation of a medieval village, if not scholarly in its authenticity, is supremely colorful and pungent."
BookList - "Kids will love this short, fast-paced narrative about a hero who discovers that she's not ugly or stupid or alone."
School Library Journal - "Earthy humor, the foibles of humans both high and low, and a fascinating mix of superstition and genuinely helpful herbal rememdies attached to childbirth make this a truly delightful introduction to a world seldom seen in children's literature."

Connections
*Students can be asked to write about something they failed at and how that made them feel.
*Students can research how different times and different places saw midwives differently.