Shel Silverstein created several of what are arguably some of the best children’s literature collections in America. While several families lull their children to sleep each night to the whimsical tales strewn with intrinsic, philosophical thoughts throughout, these same parents might be shocked to learn of Silverstein’s subjectable reputation and selfish vigor for life. Twisted in the sheets of what’s rumored to be nearly a thousand lovers, Silverstein created imaginative masterpieces such as ‘The Giving Tree’, “Falling Up’, ‘Where the Sidewalk Ends’, ‘A Light in the Attic’, and even notable song lyrics such as ‘A Boy Named Sue’. While any renowned artist such as Silverstein leaves a trace of himself through his works, Shel’s work itself carries an all-too-utopic perspective compared to the artist himself, who suffered from unquenchable wanderlust and an extreme desire for sexual dominance. (Shields) Ironically, Silverstein was born to Jewish immigrants amongst the hustle of the Chicago city life. Born in 1930, he accomplished …show more content…
much which amounted to nothing before beginning his career as a literary artist. It has been said of him that “his attention span ran from nil to non-existent”, (Shields) and perhaps that is why he didn’t graduate from not one, but two universities. He joined the army and eventually submitted a portfolio of cartoons for the publications of ‘The Stars and Stripes’. But the next portfolio he submitted was to the newly created men’s magazine, ‘Playboy’. (Shields) Although he was known to have a disdain for celebrities of any kind, he spent two years of his life living in the Playboy mansion with several other highly-famed celebrities.
It seems the implications behind words like “celebrity” and “hypocrite” have more in common than the similar implications lulling beneath words like “lemon” and “orange”. And yet, according to Lisa Rogak, the author behind the biography of Shel Silverstein, he “had no patience with people who lied, were insincere, or were outright fakes.” (Shields) But, according to Charles J. Shields, who wrote a critical review on the biography, “He also didn’t own a driver’s license that would have stated his age, ‘a fact that he sometimes used to his advantage to tease his friends and mislead women.’ One-night stands were his thing, and ‘he wasn’t above using his fame to his advantage when it came to attracting women.’ Nothing ‘staunched the flow of women to his bed.’”
(Shields) It seems a bit melodramatic to state that Silverstein was everything a brilliant children’s poet should be on paper, but nothing a children’s poet should be as a role model. Perhaps his poem ‘Chester’ would be a fitting summary for my thoughts surrounding the troubled Silverstein.
Shel Silverstein is one of the highest selling children's authors (10 interesting facts about Shel Silverstein). Silverstein was best known for his works as a poet, songwriter and singer, cartoonist, and musician (Shel Silverstein Biography Bio.com). Sheldon Allan Silverstein was born to Nathan and Helen Silverstein (Shel Silverstein Life & Timeline). He was married one time which later ended in a divorce (Shel Silverstein Life & Timeline). Within that marriage he had a daughter, however, his daughter later passed away at the age of 11 (Shel Silverstein Life & Timeline). Another thing about Shel Silverstein is he didn’t originally began writing children's books (Shel Silverstein Biography Bio.com). In, short Shel Silverstein is a high selling
Dr. Seuss, also known as Theodore Seuss, has written many poems as well as short stories, and is considered one of the greatest children’s author in history. His silly stories are able to excite children in ways that make them want read. His Wife says,” Ted doesn’t sit down to write for children. He writes to amuse himself;” Little do children know that often, in his stories, there is a lot of political undertone, a few examples include The Lorax, Yertle the Turtle, The Sneethces, and The Butter Battle Book. If you were to really critique some of his books or poems, you might see that some of his themes wouldn’t seem to pertain to children.
Alison Bechdel's graphic memoir, Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, documents the author's discovery of her own and her father's homosexuality. The book touches upon many themes, including, but not limited to, the following: sexual orientation, family relationships, and suicide. Unlike most autobiographical works, Bechdel uses the comics graphic medium to tell her story. By close-reading or carefully analyzing pages fourteen through seventeen in Fun Home one can get a better understanding of how a Bechdel employs words and graphic devices to render specific events. One can also see how the specific content of the pages thematically connects to the book as a whole. As we will see, this portion of the book echoes the strained relationship between Bruce Bechdel and his family and his attempts to disguise his homosexuality by creating the image of an ideal family, themes which are prevalent throughout the rest of the nook.
According to the Bible, God created man pure and innocent, oblivious to good and evil. The serpent of evil lured them to the tree of knowledge, however, and its fruit proved too much of a temptation. With a bite, their "eyes... were opened," and the course of their lives, and the lives of mankind, were changed (Gen. 6-7, 22). Whether or not one accepts the Christian concept of creation, countless works of art are patterned on this account of the "fall from innocence." The novel Grendel by John Gardner shows us a side of the "beast" the epic Beowulf never considered - the child-like innocence before the brutality. The song "Country Girl" by Neil Young is a subtle commentary on the effect the sexual revolution had upon one woman. In addition, The Portrait of a Lady, a film by Jane Campion, an adaptation of Henry James's novel, shows the downward spiral of a headstrong American girl in the late 1800's. These three distinct pieces cut a swath through the art world, representing an established author, a modern musician, and a feminist filmmaker, yet central to their relevance is one theme: the fall from innocence.
Leonard Bernstein was born on August 25, 1918 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the son of Russian-Jewish immigrants. Leonard's father, Samuel immigrated to America in 1908 at the age of sixteen from the Russian province of Volhynia where he came from a long line of rabbis. (Gradenwitz 1987: 20)
of The Modern Language Association Group on Children's Literature and The Children's Literature Association 6 (1977): 93-114. Rpt. in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. James P. Draper and Jennifer Allison Brostrom. Vol. 79. Detroit: Gale Research, 1994. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 11 Mar. 2010.
According to literary critic Clifton Fadiman, “Theodor Geisel Seuss provided ingenious and uniquely witty solutions to the standing problem of illiteracy among children (qtd. in Kaplan).” Due to various influential figures and profound experiences during his lifetime, as well as expert use of creative literary techniques, Theodor Seuss Geisel’s children’s books continue to compel readers of all ages – allowing them to escape into different worlds filled with nonsense.
Louis Bernstein (as he was originally named) was born on August 25, 1918 in Lawrence, Massachusetts to Ukrainian-Jewi...
In chapter one, “Old Father, Old Artificer”, of her graphic novel Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic, the young Bechdel generated her identity through the tensions and mysteries that engulfed her family the home. Masculinity, physical strength and a modern outlook were her personality traits as she grew, becoming the “Butch to [her father’s] Nelly” (269) and his opposite in several aspects. A conscious effort was made on her part to set her own pace from what her father expected of her. He was a strong, influential figure within her life. Expressing emotions towards her father was strictly not allowed in the home. Bechdel was left “rushing from the room in embarrassment” (273) on the one unforgettable occasion that she went to kiss him goodnight. She...
It is story time at school and everyone gathers around to find out what today's book will be about. Will it be funny, serious, happy, sad or scary? Shel Silverstein is an American author and poet who published a book in 1981 titled, A Light In the Attic. This is a book full of poetry directed at a young audience. A Light In the Attic is children's poems that were banned, but I feel that it should not have been.
Judy Blume is recognized as a world famous children’s book author after selling over 85 million books around the world. It could be said that, “if she writes it, they will come”, since millions of young girls and young adult women pour over her words with fervor. The Pied Piper of Hamelin is a popular legend based on the town of Hamelin in Germany where a colorfully dressed man plays his pipe to lure rats, then later children, to their doom in the river. Blume has in essence captivated her audience for decades with her “pipe”, which is simple, easy to read texts covering topics for which tweens and teens have an insatiable appetite. However, instead of giving thoughtful, moral and entertaining books to impressionable minds, Judy Blume has
Young children have active imaginations and need time to express themselves whether it is through their words, their actions, or through fun and games. However, more often than not adults deprive children of the opportunity to do so. They are hurt in the process and grow to treat others the way they have been treated; poorly. In Anton Chekhov’s “A Trifle from Life” the mother’s boyfriend takes advantage of and disrespects a young boy named Alyosha when Alyosha tells a story to him. Similarly, in Margaret Atwood’s poem “Dutiful”, the protagonist reflects on her childhood and how the adults always control her. Adults often overlook children because they care more for themselves
Laura Ingalls Wilder may be viewed as one of the greatest children’s authors of the twentieth century. Her works may be directed towards a younger crowd but people of all ages enjoy her literary contributions. The way that Wilder’s books are written guarantees that they have a place among classics of American literature (“So many…” 1). Laura Ingalls Wilder’s form of writing portrays an American family’s interworking in a journey through childhood.
Gilbert, Sandra M., and Susan Gubar. The Madwoman in the Attic: the Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-century Literary Imagination. New Haven: Yale UP, 2000. Print.
BUNEA VALENTIN LEONARD GROUP 3A, ENGLISH-AMERICAN STUDIES. ALLEN GINSBERG, HOWL AND THE LITERATURE OF PROTEST. Allen Ginsberg (1926-1997) was an important figure in the Beat Generation Movement that took place right before the revolutionary American 60s. Other major beat writers (also called beatnicks ) were: Gregory Corso, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs. The beat poetry was meant to be oral and very effective in reading.