Dgm brought up a great point in the comments section of my last post:
"So you can bet I'm censoring the 'n' word from Tom Sawyer. And guess what? They don't really know the difference. It's certainly the only way I'm attempting this book while my chil'luns are this little."
Maybe that's a sign that they aren't ready for this book. I think it's great they are learning about great literature, but not all great literature is appropriate for 4-8 year olds because they don't understand the context in which the story takes place. So, for example, much of Romeo & Juliet may be lost on them because they don't have the experience to understand what this kind of love and feuding is about. It's great adult literature, but I don't see how kids can truly appreciate it.
Likewise with TS, which admittedly is great children's literature. However, if you don't want to say the "n word" in front of them because you don't think they'd understand how bad it is and why they shouldn't say it, maybe they aren't ready to hear it. I could see my 9 year old "getting" it (and shriveling up every time she read the word), but I don't think my 4 year old is ready to understand the context of the word and why it is so inappropriate to use these days.
This is a tough issue, but one that I feel strongly about. No, my kids are not ready to be exposed to the 'n' word. And they certainly didn't appreciate Romeo and Juliet at the same level they would as freshmen in high school. But that's ok. I'm not reading them these stories so that they may completely comprehend the social context or tragedy of love lost. Not at all.
There is so much more that they are getting from these stories. The beauty of language, hearing the cadence of wonderfully written sentences, following along a difficult plot, tracking multiple characters, identifying themselves with a character, and the joy of hearing great literature. There's much more to Tom Sawyer than its social context. It isn't Huck Finn, whose central theme is the injustice of slavery. Tom Sawyer is a celebration of boyhood. And my kids are laughing out loud with each chapter.
Literature, good literature, doesn't need to be fully understood to be appreciated. They will read Romeo and Juliet again. And again. And hopefully, again. In the meantime they are exposed to greatness. And even more importantly, they don't know what it means to be intimidated by language written several hundred years ago. If I do one thing right, just one thing, it will be that I raised strong readers. A good reader will have the knowledge and history of the world at their feet. A good reader will be able to learn anything they want to know, will never be bored, and will know the joy of being humbled by the written word.
For that, I'm grateful for the privilege of introducing these works to my children.
4 comments:
i think you're right. i think that it is paramount for a kid to be *exposed* to that type of literature. my parents read shakespeare to me from the time i was very young. so when we attended shakespearean festival (www.bard.org) i had an understanding of his language and thus understood the play. my dad says i had to explain what was going on to the old man sitting next to me, but i have no recollection of such events.
i feel the same way about reading scriptures with my kids. they don't understand the depth of what they're hearing, but it teaches them to understand the language of it. it also teaches them to love reading because you love reading.
books are great. and that sentence, while lame, is how i feel!
I'm totally with you on the goal of raising great readers, and I'm fortunate that both of my kids are rarely without a book. However, Shakespeare is not the only vehicle to introduce children to the beauty of language or old writers, especially when much of that language is lost on small children.
My point in my previous comment was simply that, especially with respect to the younger ones, you don't have to expose them to things they are not ready for (or you are not ready to share with them). Tom Sawyer will always be there. In the meantime, there is a whole world of great poetry and literature available that won't require you to censor yourself.
That's really inspiring. Over here, we're still making our way through "Black on White." Hah!
I wanted to comment, but then decided you both had said it all.
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