Analysis Of Sadako And The Thousand Paper Cranes

Sadako and the thousand paper cranes is a book about hope, positivity, and resilience. Sadako is diagnosed with leukemia as a result of the Hiroshima atom bomb and is determined to recover. Her friend Chizuko suggests that Sadako fold one thousand paper cranes and she will be cured by the Gods. This goal gives Sadako a sense of hope and helps her cope with the confusion and pain of cancer. Unfortunately, Sadako loses her battle and folds six hundred and forty-four cranes. To carry on her legacy, Sadako’s peers continue her goal and bury her with one thousand cranes. Eventually she becomes a symbol for hope to the victims of the Hiroshima bomb disease. This is a popular choice for students age nine to twelve as it helps to teach children about

This may help teachers incorporate a positive outlook into their lesson. “…optimism versus pessimism is something that we have a fair amount of control over. Drawing from children’s literature is an excellent way to introduce real-world situations in which characters experience problems, don’t give up, and find satisfying outcomes.”(Kostelnik et al., 2015). Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is an exceptional choice to teach children about optimism and hope in the face of hardship. An optimistic view in a difficult situation can positively affect the child experiencing the stressor and allow them to form coping mechanisms to deal with other hardships the future may bring. (Kostelnik et al., 2015). Having a supportive peer network as Sadako had during her time of hardship can be very helpful for staying positive in the face of adversity. Demonstrating this to children can help to create a supportive peer environment. (Kostelnik et al., 2015). Friendship and support are important to reduce stress and cope with unpleasant situations. This is further explained in the article “How Friendship Network Characteristics Influence Subjective Well-Being” by Mariska van der Horst and Hilde Coffé. “People who enjoy close relationships are found to cope better with various types of stress, including job loss and illness …the presence of supportive relationships diminishes the

In this article it is stated that “Hope helps to initiate and sustain action toward long-term goals, including flexible management of obstacles that might interfere with accomplishments” (Parker et al., 2015) Furthermore, “Research and theory has suggested hope to be a critical psychological strength relevant to the process of resilience where resilience is known to be significantly related to subjective well-being.” (Parker et al., 2015) Teaching children that the positive and hopeful approach to every day situations will benefit them in the future can be especially crucial in terms of their self-efficacy. (Kostelnik et al., 2015). Self-efficacy is explained in our textbook as “…the extent to which we believe our goals can be accomplished even when frustrations get in the way. This is another important component in helping to develop a resilient mindset.” (Kostelnik et al., 2015). Sadako’s story is an effectively demonstrates determination, optimism, and hope to children through literature. This book is a useful tool to teach children about resilience and the importance of a positive mindset. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes would be an excellent choice for a class reading and