Pre-1900 children's book
For your show and share you selected a pre-1900s children's text, summarized it, and discussed how it was relevant (or not) to the class reading. For this blog entry explain why you choose the book that you did. What drew you to that book? We have discussed what is children's literature, but is there something in the book that you selected that makes it "good" children's literature and worth reading after a century has past or would you consider it "bad" children's literature and not worth preserving? Why?
posted by cmartin @ 10:24 PM
25 Comments:
I chose “Puss in Boots” because as a child and even as a young adult the phrase “Puss in Boots” has always been very familiar to me, especially after Shrek. However, I never knew the story of Puss in Boots, I also didn’t know until now that it was written in the 1800s. Puss in Boots is classified, I believe, as “good” children’s literature. It presents reality in an interesting manner. This, as we read in the MacLeod reading, is a trademark of a “good” piece of children’s literature. The reality that Puss in Boots presents is that you have to take care of your self and look out for your own future and that sometimes people you would never expect to help you do. The author effectively presents this reality through the entertaining character of a cat wearing boots.
I chose “Beauty and the Beast” because I have always loved the Disney movie but wanted to know how the real version differed from the Disney version. What drew me to this particular version of Beauty and the Beast was how different it was from the Disney story. I liked that there were no singing clocks or tea pots but that the only character that lived in the castle was the Beast and his helping invisible hands. I also appreciated how real the author made Beauty. She loved her father so much and would do anything for him and I find that very captivating. I believe this to be excellent children’s literature; however I think it is more for a nine to ten year old child range rather than a very young child. The language of the book, the morals it teaches, and how it is illustrated make it good literature and not worth forgetting. Also you have to preserve this book because if it is not remember it will be lost forever and children will only recognize the Disney movie as the “real” story of Beauty and the Beast.
To be honest, I first looked at the story “A Child’s Dream of a Star” because stars are my favorite shape. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out it was a tale of a brother and sister who always looked to a certain bright star. As I read the story for the first time it reminded me of when my sister and I snuck out late at night and laid on our drive way to watch a meteor shower. I believe this story is “good” children’s literature. It is entertaining and has vivid illustrations, while maintaining the religious and moral instruction that the Puritans wished to instill upon their children. The story also addresses the very complicated and mature issue of death in a way that children can relate to. The book concludes optimistically and has a very timeless quality to it. The concepts of family, religion, and death are still just as relevant today as they were a century ago.
I chose “Patty and her Pitcher” because I was primarily drawn to the fairy tale aspect of the story. I like stories where the underprivileged, yet deserving protagonist is rewarded for their efforts and lives “happily ever after”. Unlike some stories, Patty’s character was not too saccharine or annoyingly perfect. She had a simplicity and quietness about her that was very sincere and I appreciated the author’s attempt to make her more real to the reader. I think that “Patty” is a story that has been redone thousands of times in children’s literature and that perhaps is an indicator of why it is successful. I particularly liked this version of the fairy tale because it seemed to have an unassuming and humble air and was content to be just a moral, entertaining book for young girls. The moral of the tale, in which virtues such as selflessness and forgiveness are prized and rewarded, is one that transcends time and can be relatable in any generation. Therefore, “Patty and her Pitcher” is worth reading a century past because it still has relevance and use to present day readers.
When I first started looking through the books, I really had no idea which story I wanted. I started randomly looking through the stories, and I came upon one called "The Tailor and the Elephant". Now, any story that pairs such an odd couple of characters in the title must be interesting, so I decided to take a look at it. The cover had a picture of the elephant and the tailor in an East-Indian setting, and my fascination with Asian cultures drew me to it even more.
I think that I would consider this "good" literature because of its moral value and timeless content. A fanciful story about animals having human-like qualities never seems to grow old (just look at Disney films such as "101 Dalmatians" or "The Lion King"), and there is clearly educational value in the book, both moral and intellectual. Stories such as this one maybe be antique, but their lessons and values never become outmoded.
In response to laurenb:
I definitely agree with your ideas about wanting to read the "real" Beauty and the Beast story. It seems that in many cases, today's children's media moguls (i.e. Disney) take traditional stories and add their own spins to them. Although making original insertions into the storyline is not so bad, sometimes the changes are so great that the story becomes unrecognizable and distorted. For example, at the end of the original The Little Mermaid, the mermaid actually dies, not gets married to handsome Prince Eric! In the worst cases, some stories are even retold to the point where the moral lesson that was originally intended is "lost in translation", so to speak. I'm glad that you were able to see for yourself the actual version of this popular tale and get the opportunity to compare the two.
I can relate to why you chose "A Child's Dream of a Star". When I was little my family would always watch the stars. I actually looked at "A Child's Dream of a Star" and I might have chosen it but obviously you had already posted your commentary. I agree with you about how the grave issue of death was dealt with in a way that children could relate to and I liked that aspect of the book because I thought it was very unique. I think that the book is “good” literature although it is very serious. I feel that "A Child's Dream of a Star" is absolutely a story that transcends time and still would be relevant today.
I was drawn to the book "Ella's Dream," because of the simplistic nature of the title. I was looking for something that was straightforward yet also interesting. In the text that I read, there is no doubt that the literature is not only in the "good category," but more importantly in the category of moral education in literature. Practically every word in the book was part of a lesson, a moral, or an effort to instill good character in the child. In the sense of childrens literature this book did not fall under the category of typical "dime novels," of the time but moreover as a domesticated overature of the need for moral guidance and selflessness.
I chose this book because it seemed like an interesting title. I loved to fly kites as a kid and haven’t had the chance since past the age of ten. Not to mention the fact it seemed more interesting than an alphabet book. I would consider this book “good” children’s literature because it is light-hearted and fun. Even more than the entertainment factor, I like how it doesn’t make the moral lesson stand out too obviously. I hate when books seem to take a moral lesson and kind of just throw a story around it. Granted, children’s books are written for children who lack the real ability to process complex story’s and draw out lessons, but it shouldn’t be extremely obvious. The lesson in this story seems to blend into a child’s everyday life. A small, unconscious lesson which reveals itself without a thought being invested.
I chose to present my show and share on the story of "Cinderella" because it was a story that everyone has heard before, however I was curious to see how it was originally written. Although I found that the plot of the story has generally remained the same over the past century, the wording has changed so much that it altered my reaction to the tale. My opinion is that the way Disney and other authors have simplified the story of Cinderella takes away from its elegance. The original text shows complexity with words which appeals to a broader audience while still allowing for the simplicity of the story. Although Cinderella is clearly a tale of rags to riches meant for children, I feel that the complexity and elegance of the original text makes the story more appealing to older more mature audiences as well.
In response to laurenb...
Growing up I enjoyed the story of "Beauty and the Beast" (the Disney version) however I feel that the talking/singing furniture strayed the story away from its core purpose, to show that beauty is not something superficial but rather something found within a person. I enjoyed hearing your detailed summary of the original "Beauty and the Beast" because I feel that it shows how easily the meaning and purpose of stories can be sacrificed for the sole purpose of entertainment.
In response to jschneider… Although I’m sure my mother ready me the story of Cinderella when I was younger, my only recognition of the tale is from the Disney movie. I agree with jschneider’s point that the story was expressed more eloquently than the movie version. I feel this makes the story more compelling and likable to a broader audience. Like the class discussed before, sometimes it’s okay for a story to be a little more complex as long as a moral undertone can still be comprehended. This version of Cinderella makes it a more enjoyable story through diction so young children can still understand the tale and adolescents or adults can appreciate it for literary merit. However, it is important for a child to interpret the general plot and the complex language might serve as a deterrent. I would rather have the emphasis on the character development and the “good things happen to good people” moral than anything else.
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The vivid, colorful cover is what originally drew me to “Bob’s School Days.” What made me choose this text over all the others was its short and concise nature. With its moral lesson, entertaining illustrations and rhymes, “Bob’s School Days” displayed characteristics of typical pre-1900s literature, another reason why I chose this particular book. Because of all these qualities that it exhibits, I would consider this “good” children’s literature worth reading for times to come. I think that any child can and would want to learn from this book. It has the perfect balance of entertainment and education. I sincerely enjoyed reading this text and I think any child would also. The only change I would make would be to modernize the language a bit since children today might not understand some of the words that were used back during the time this was written.
I chose the book "Hasty Harry" because I thought the title sounded funny and, as a result, wanted to find out what the book was about. Also, while browsing the book before I read it, I found a single illustration before the story of a boy standing over a girl who looked like she was hurt. I thought this was smart because it made me want to read the story to find out what happened. I believe that this was an example of “good” children’s literature because it teaches a lesson that is still important today- one of patience. Children deal with this today just as they did years and years ago, especially when loosing their temper which was Harry’s largest issue in the story. In addition, I believe this is probably the case with much of the pre-1900’s children’s literature because many of the moral lessons adult’s wanted to instill in children back then are still important today.
In response to danielle e:
I totally agree that the balance of entertainment and education is important in children’s literature. I probably would not have chosen my book if not for the illustration on the first page. Also, I agree that some of the pre-1900’s literature needs to be modernized in terms of language so children can better understand it. As I said, the meaning and lessons within it are still important today.
In response to lfeezor:
We’re alike in that we both enjoy reading stories in which the ordinary get rewarded for their goodness of heart, and I am always a sucker for the girl ending up with the prince and living “happily ever after.” “Patty and the Pitcher” does relay some good moral lessons also that children should be taught, especially the idea of generosity and selflessness. The way the pitcher is magical and performs chores for her kind of goes over the top. I can see it being controversial for that time, but the overall message is a good one, and should definitely be preserved for future generations.
In response to lfeezor:
I appreciate the fact that you like stories where the underprivileged grows to become the “hero” of the story. I also enjoyed the fact that Patty’s character was very humble and stuck to herself, she was not all about attention but really cared about her studies and wanting to get herself ahead in life not using others to climb the ladder. I also enjoyed the moral of the tale, it’s was a good lesson for little girls to learn back in the pre-1900’s and is still a good lesson to learn now.
What drew me to the book "We Little Folks" was the variety of content. It wasn't your typical ABC book or predictable moral teaching book. Instead, it was a compilation of many entertaining stories and lessons that even I enjoyed. I think that this book was good children's literature because it not only was memorable and contained interesting stories, but also taught good values and moral lessons. For these reasons, I believe that "We Little Folks" is worth preserving. The tempations and wrongdoings of children don't change that much over the centuries. Lying will always be lying, stealing will always be stealing, etc. If a story tackles a general problem and offers a good solution, it should still be a good children's literature book decades later.
in response to laurenb:
I agree that the teaching of affection for parents is a good lesson to be taught - in the Puritan days and now. I also agree that stories can be drastically altered when put on film. This does not only happen with stories from long ago, but also with recent books that directors chose to put on film. The differences in the two stories, including the talking furniture and teapots, could be related to what we talked about in class: how kids these days need more stimulation in the things they see because that is what they are used to. I think that as long as the original book of "Beauty and the Beast" is preserved, the story will not be lost.
I could not think of a specific pre-1900’s book to read so I browsed through the electronic catalog on the Baldwin Library page. The title "The Fairy Horn" caught my attention because when I was a little girl I was fascinated with anything imaginary and I wanted to read something that would appeal to my juvenile side. It was a short story appropriate for children but there were definite themes that were mature such as the vanity and insolence of the character of the fairy prince. I think that this would be “good” children’s literature because the illustrations are good and it has entertaining text as well as being written in sometimes clever verse. The whole idea of a story used as a teaching tool (moral or otherwise) that was prominent in 1800’s children’s literature is not present here as the story is almost a contrary moral story because the fairy prince is vain and prideful but still rescues the maiden.
I chose Clever Hans because I wanted to read a story that was more complex than an ABC book, and had an actual plot(not to say the ABC books could not have been complex or had story lines). I was curious how books from this time period would differ from the books I remember reading as a child, so I just picked one that caught my eye. I enjoyed reading my book because it surprised me when it wasn't predictable as I expected (especially since it was children's literature which leans more towards predictability). It's hard to say whether books are "good" or "bad" because that seems up to the reader, but either way I think old books are worth preserving. Not only is it interesting to see the evolution of children's literature,but it gives us a view of history in the ways of writing and the actual content.
in reponse to kadler...
You said complex language would deter a child from reading a story, but I think that it's okay-even encouragable to have some complex language in children's literature. Children in the 1900's obviously dealt with it, and I think it's a great way to introduce kids to more words. Also, parents could read the story to the child, and if necessary explain what the words mean.
Great job on your first blog post.
Don't forget to sign up for the class listserv. See you Wednesday to discuss Kline (reading questions are on the class schedule).
In response to laurenb:
When I heard your presentation of Beauty and the Beast I was astonished and a little bit embarrassed to admit to myself that I only knew the Disney version. I think that in the sense of what MacLeod was trying to present in her work, the classical version more closely exemplifies the underlying moral themes. To be quite honest I was disappointed in the frivolous nature in which the Disney version was presented. I think Disney has perverted and undermined the entire plot of the story with its imaginary characters and singing teapots. I am now intersted in how many original storis have been overlooked by Disney. Thank you for the enlightenment.
Amanda Schafer
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