Essay on Racism in Childrens Literature - 2376 Words

For my research project I chose the topic of Racism in Childrens 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 childrens 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†¦show more content†¦There has been a move by many to ban these books, but is that really the answer to the problem? As a mother, secure in my belief, I want my children to read these books. I want my children to be angry, to form their own opin ions based on what they read, to understand what people in other times were put through, and most importantly, I want them to understand who wrote these books and why they were written. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has over two hundred references of the N word. However, Ernest Hemingway said, All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. Its the best book weve ever had. These angry words full of hatred were called the best by one of the most known authors in the world, why? I read this book in high school myself. I served many afterschool detentions because I refused to read aloud the words of hate. I did not connect to it then, yet as I have aged I believe it was the way the book was taught. Why did my teacher not tell us more of the background of Mark Twain? Mark Twain was not a racist, yet it took me many years to realize that. I finally found a respect for him that I should have known before I turned that first page. Even though the book has many racial slurs, it shows that not just a friendship, but a strong bond could be formed between a young white boy and a black man. They haint no right to shut him up! Shove! - and dont you lose a minute. Turn him loose! He aint a slave, hes asShow MoreRelated Comparing the Loss of Innocence in Cullens Incident and Naylor’s Mommy, What Does Nigger Mean?1196 Words   |  5 Pagesanswer to this question depicts the racism that still thrives in America (345). Both Gloria Naylor’s Mommy, What Does Nigger Mean? and Countee Cullens Incident demonstrate how a word like nigger destroys a child’s innocence and initiates the child into a world of racism.   Though the situations provoking the racial slur differ, the word nigger has the same effect on the young Naylor and the child in Cullen’s poem. A racist society devours the white children’s innocence, and, consequently, theRead MoreLangston Hughes : Black Poets Impact On African American L iterature857 Words   |  4 Pages Black Poets Impact In African American Literature Michael Winston English 132-11 Prof. Dr. Harmon 11-20-2017 African American literature is literature written from African descents that focused on the early time to recent time movements. Early as the 1700’s and late as the 1900’s where African American literature was in progress. Poetry was a substantial part of African American literature, because black poets talked about culture, racism, slavery, and equality rights. Black poetsRead MoreChildren s Books Do Not Reach Children Alone Essay1572 Words   |  7 Pages Despite the title of the genre, children’s books do not reach children alone. In order to reach their designated audience, these books must undergo countless layers of scrutiny by teachers, parents, booksellers and librarians before they are deemed worthy to put in front of the eyes of a child. A child is often unable to write books for other children, therefore, children’s books are created and distributed by adults. When the books exist simply for entertainment purposes or to help a child understandR ead MoreModern American society is still using the constructs from the eighteenth century. With the1100 Words   |  5 Pagessociety is still using the constructs from the eighteenth century. With the innovating discoveries in technology and science one would think social sciences would have a greater impact on our social constructs. Slavery was ended in 1865; unfortunately racism and white power was not. The integration of African Americans into American society has been a bumpy road and clearly has not been socially accepted in numerous locations within America. Social policies, frames, projects and the lack of educationRead MoreEssay Lesson Before Dying Racism1034 Words   |  5 Pages Skindeep Throughout history and in literature, Black has always been portrayed as evil, whereas White has represented purity and light. These oversimplified stereotypes of something so abstract as skin color has plagued our culture with prejudice and hatred. Ernest E. Gaines, author of A Lesson Before Dying, tells the story of a young black boy named Jefferson who is set to die for essentially being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a schoolteacher who is faced with the task of makingRead MoreRacism : Racism And Racism1544 Words   |  7 PagesTo understand whether or not racism is learnt, we first have to divulge into the nature of racism. It is usually assumed that racism has been a part of civilisation since civilisation started, that it is embedded into how people work and that no matter what, it will always exist. Another assumption is that racism derives from the capitalism of the slave trade by white elitist men seeking to dehumanize people for economic gain, and used racism a s a way to mask their financial motives to justify enslavementRead MoreThe Impact Of Media On Racism In Society954 Words   |  4 Pagesthe news and social media? How do we teach them about racism, prejudice, and discrimination? Research from Harvard University recommends children as young as three years old, when exposed to racism and discrimination tend to accept and mimic it, even though they might not understand their feelings. By age five, white children are considerably biased towards whiteness. To reverse this bias, experts suggest acknowledging and naming race and racism with children as early and as often as possible (Burnett)Read MoreHuckleberry Finn Persuasive Essay1571 Words   |  7 Pagescompletely banning the book, creating sanitized versions, or even replacing the book for another American literature novel. â€Å"What is so wrong about this novel?,† someone may ask, well that is a great question because there is absolutely nothing wrong with the novel, it si mply touches a sensitive topic in American history that many people can be scandalized about. It is the history of slavery and racism in this country that nonetheless, is a truth, a truth that should not be covered up and sugar coatedRead MoreThe Harlem Renaissance with Langston Hughes1676 Words   |  7 PagesHarlem Renaissance with Langston Hughes The Harlem Renaissance brought about uniqueness amongst African Americans; everything was new. The visual art, the jazz music, fashion and literature took a cultural spin. During this time writer Langston Hughes seemed to outshine the rest with amazing works. The Harlem Renaissance brought about many great changes. It was a time for expressing the African American culture. It is variously known as the Harlem Renaissance, the Black Literary RenaissanceRead MoreCriticism And Analysis Of Puddn Head Wilson 800 Words   |  4 Pagesof Puddn’head Wilson In American history, we have good authors, great authors and some bad. One of the most famous authors and probably the greatest that everyone has heard of is Mark Twain. Twain was an American author and humorist in American Literature. Twain was born in Florida, Missouri, on November 30, 1835. In his first writing, he adopted his pen-name from a well-known call of the man sounding the river in shallow places. In 1861 he went to Carson City, Nevada, as secretary to his brother