For my research project I chose the topic of Racism in Children's Literature. I chose this area of study because it is something that bothers me and I know as a child in school I was very uncomfortable with assignments that dealt with racism. One day I would like to make a difference to all the people who are affected by racism. My hypothesis states that if educators are better trained to deal with the delicate subject of racism in children's literature, books would not be banned, yet actually teach the lesson the authors of these books intended for all of us to learn.
During an International Board on Books for Young People conference in New Delhi, India, Spyros Kyprianou stated, "Books for young people are the main cultural nourishment for our youth. For this reason they must send messages and teachings of humanism and altruism, love for the lofty principles of freedom, justice, and democracy, respect for moral values and longing for universal fraternization and peace in the world is conducive to the creation of a better future for mankind."
Writing has been an important part of every culture from the beginning of time. The illustrations of cavemen have evolved immensely. Today, there are millions of published books. In fact, there are over four hundred books published every month. What happens when these books turn into something more? Is there racism in our children's literature? Ironically, the renowned great works of our past is full of racism. The question that remains, how do we teach our children the great lesson that these brave authors intended?
According to Roget's Super Thesaurus, racism is defined as prejudice, discrimination, bigotry, bias, segregation, apartheid, intolerance, and white supremacy, (463). Throug...
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Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York:.Random House, 1952. Print
Stowe, Harriet Beecher. Uncle Tom's Cabin. New York: Dodd, Mead, and Company, 1952. Print.
Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. New York: Random House, 1993.
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In the article How Banning Books Marginalizes Children, the author, Paul Ringel, states that approximately fifty-two percent of the books banned in the last ten years illustrate “diverse content”, such as race, religion, gender identity, etc. Ringel believes that attitudes about which books are “appropriate” for kids to read have too often suppressed stories about different cultures and life experiences. He basis his argument around the pretext that when libraries stop the banning it will allow kids to learn how to navigate imaginary worlds filled with differences and apply those lessons to their own lives.
Every one hundred years dialects change and what is considered “politically correct”, or socially acceptable, changes. “David Bradley argues that ‘if we'd eradicated the problem of racism in our society, Huckleberry Finn would be the easiest book in the world to teach’” (Zwick, Jim. “Should Huckleberry Finn Be Banned?”). If we, as a nation, make it a point to rule out all books that could possibly offend students, then every hundred years or so our library of American Literature will be completely different. Even today, modern day authors use vulgar language, lurid sexual content, and racial slurs to get their point across. If The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is taken off of required reading lists across the country, then that could create a never-ending cycle of books being taken off of school shelves every time words and ideas become unacceptable. If this is the way that American society is turning then something must be done, and the Superintendents, Deans, and Principals of every High School around the country must take it upon themselves to do it because the students will not.
Literature often covers real-world controversial topics such as “multiculturalism, sex-role stereotyping, religious tolerance, and racism” (Blair 1998, pg. 57). While these topics may not want to be approached by certain teachers, the students are still confronted with them on a daily basis. The teacher as a mentor in the students’ life should help the student learn how to properly deal with real-world issues in a safe environment, one way of safely approaching this topic is through Literature.
As we see in books like Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury the government seem to take control and censor what people know and believe. Many lessons are not only taught in fictional literature, but can also be found in real life situations. Without prime uses of imagination, the youth of today might grow up lacking an essential elements in their development. Researchers have found that the use of imagination by a child is essential to their development. These scientists say that children 's cognitive development is largely factored upon the child 's imagination and creative abilities. With district censorship, one is only left to ponder the ignorance of the school system. The district believes that some books are not “school friendly” because they teach children about animals who talk, mythical beings, and far off places that are simply figments of the imagination. To the ill-informed, the stories give children an unrealistic sense of r...
When people think of Dr. Seuss, they think; “Oh, the cat with the spontaneous black and white hat” or the author who wrote books about moral values and created art pieces that expressed politics. Dr. Seuss wrote children’s books not only to open up a child’s imagination about a fantastical world full of new words, creatures, and experiences, but also about eye opening issues. He promoted the importance of racial equality and other political issues, as well as the enduring hardships of life through his literature. Books like The Sneetches, The Lorax, I had trouble in getting to solla sollew and Oh, The Places You’ll Go! , are just a few of the many books Dr. Seuss wrote, but each of these books had a hidden moral message that could change the way people think. Seuss incorporated valuable lessons about everyday struggles in his books, and in doing so allowed readers to think and reevaluate their beliefs and make better choices about their lives.
Let’s start with the definition of racism. Racism refers to the belief that race is the primary determinant of human capacities, that a certain race is inherently superior or inferior to others, and/or that individuals should be treated differently based on their ascribed race.
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a book written by Mark Twain, it is a classical book that has been banned due to the repetitive amount of times it uses the n-word. The n-word is a controversial word that was formed by the white people, as a racial slur to describe the people of color and Mark Twain is just enchancing how people in the civil war would use it. There are many opinions on whether the book should stay on the banned-book list or the n-word should be replaced by slave. Literature contains a message to its audience and it is important for teachers to expose their students to good literature however, when the n-word pops up all of the sudden everyone feels uncomfortable, but don’t take in mind that it is a teachable moment like
Racism is defined by Beverly Daniel Tatum as prejudice + power, allowing a system of advantage based on race. Race usually connotes to ones skin color and their perceived stereotypical behavior as assigned to a particular “race”. 9th century Darwinist conceptions of race are made up, but there are clearly and obviously racial differences among people, due to inherited biological traits.
Books are the first introduction to many topics for children. In fact, for a child, it is an essential time to start reading, since it is an age where the children’s minds start developing preferences (Moser). Picture books are among the first literature, a child comes into contact with. Yet without a doubt, the majority of those characters are white or anthropomorphic animals with stories full of Eurocentric beliefs. Most children’s books neglect a variety of topics such as religion, race, homosexual, transgender, cultures, disability, and social status. Despite diversity becoming more prominent in television, movies, games, and teen novels, children’s literature still remain very Eurocentric.
At times, what lie beneath the words in books inevitably seem controversial. Most of the books that are taught in schools vary from themes of racial prejudice to abuse, but as students, we are taught to simply skim over the debatable topics. Prose highlights the importance of this problem by stating on page 92, “To read a novel is, for most, an exercise in wish-fulfilment and self-congratulation, a chance to consider thorny issues of race and prejudice from a safe distance.”
AnothThroughout history, discrimination can be seen as a never-ending cycle; modern day racism traveled down the generations of the inequality that blacks experienced in the past. The definition of racism consists of “prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior.
Racism is the mistreatment of a group of people on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, place of origin, or ancestry. The term racism may also denote a blind and unreasoning hatred, envy, or prejudice (Dimensions of Racism). Racism has had a strong effect on society. Despite the many efforts made to alleviate racism, what is the future of African Americans' Racism's long history, important leaders, current status, and future outlook will be the main factors in determining how to combat racism. Racism is still present in many societies, although many people are doing their best to put an end to racism and its somewhat tragic ordeals.
Books allow authors to express their thoughts, teach generations, and entertain the world with remarkable nonfictional and fictitious stories from the past, present, and future. Each story has its own ability to expand a reader’s knowledge and create a world full of possibilities and imagination. However, there is a thin line between what books are acceptable and inappropriate in the American education system, causing many books to be challenged. Book censoring is an act that removes offensive materials from circulation, which creates confrontations and curriculum modifications in American schools. To understand the purpose of book censorship and its impact on American education, this essay will examine why books are challenged in schools and
Racism: a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human racial groups determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to dominate others or that a particular racial group is inferior to the others.
At a young age children believe almost everything that they hear. Parents and teachers need to be very careful and selective with what they talk about around children. One challenge that teachers and parents face is choosing the appropriate books to read for their young ones. One book genre that has caused a good amount of chaos and controversy are multicultural books. Adults are afraid of exposing their children to these kinds of books because they do not want them to be influenced by the negative stereotypes that many of these books contain. However multicultural books can help children to empathize with others and learn about different cultures, the right books just need to be selected. Parents and teachers need to find books that