I think that Zipes has some very valid statements and claims about literature and children. Zipes explains that the main audience of children's literature happens to be adults, students, librarians, and professors who happen to be studying Children's Literature. This has led to the large audience of people who are taking children's literature more sertious than ever before. My question is why were the younger generation of children never exposed to children's literature. Zipes goes on to make some pretty bold statements. Zipes states, "There never has been a literature conceived by children for children, a literature that belongs to children, and there never will be (p.40, Zipes)." I beleieve that it is very big of the author to claim that there never will be literature that belongs to children.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Zipes Reading
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4 comments:
I agree that Zipes makes some interesting comments. As I said in class the most intriguing to me was when he said that the readers for most childrens literature were teachers or students such as ourselves. He makes a good point here and I can see how when writing a childrens novel, an author would try to write also for adults, because they are in fact the ones who will make comments to others. A question I would have for him would be, "Why must you be a librarian or any such reputable source to give an opinion or suggestion on a book? Why couldn't a student or even another mother make an educated suggestion on what would be a good read for another child?"
I agree with the statement made above about the author being very gutsy to say there is no such thing as children's literature. Zipes is very bold in his writing making several claims such as ones we discussed in class. I can see where Zipes is coming from in some way because it is true that adults write the books for the children. Also I can understand that there is constant editing of the book before it is allowed to be published. The reading by Zipes makes me wonder why he decided to study this subject. Why did he question children's literature and also childhood? "..there is no such thing as children's literature, or for that matter children." (Zipes,40)This statement made me think and begin to realize maybe there isn't such thing a true chilren's literature, but I didn't like that he said there was no such thing as children.
The other reading we did, Little Red Riding Hood varients, was very interesting. I never knew there were so many different versions of the story. I found the stories quite entertaining to read and interesting that they slowly got more "g-rated". The earlier versions were quite different than the version I heard as a child. I never heard the eating the flesh, drinking the blood, and the stripping versions of this text.
Zipes states, "There never has been a literature conceived by children for children, a literature that belongs to children, and there never will be” (40). Zipes has a valid point here. Generally, you do not see literature available for purchase at your local bookstore that has been written by children for children. Why? Well, because children, unlike adults, are not yet capable of writing stories that editors and publishers would deem as “quality literature.” This is not to say that what they write is not worthy of publication, because from some people’s viewpoints, it may be. But, there is an arbitrary standard, created BY adults, who think they know what children need, and want, to read. Just because there are not retail spaces dedicated for those works written exclusively by children, that is not to say that literature created by children does not exist. Zipes gives an example of a teacher who gathered the stories written by the children in her class and made a book from them. I distinctly recall my teachers doing the same in my elementary school. At times, the books would be available for purchase by the student’s parents, as well as parents of students from other classes. Although adults may deem these stories unworthy of publication, the stories are still enjoyed by the children who write and read them. Does Zipes contradict himself by making this statement? Just because a publisher doesn’t publish stories written by children, does that mean that the genre does not exist?? Children are frequently engaged in oral story telling. In most cases, they lack the skills to put these unique stories on paper. Maybe someday, there will be a way to change that, and the true stories of “childhood” may be preserved.
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