Are Books Good Morals?

You are six years old, freshly woken up, haven’t even brushed your teeth yet. You rush downstairs to the basement, quickly cozy into the couch, and turn on the TV. To your amusement, your favorite show is on—The Proud Family. Your attention is captivated by the television. You begin to sing at the top of your lungs, “THE PROUD FAMILY, THEY’LL MAKE YOU SCREAM, MAKE YOU WANNA SING..” and so on. Why is it that you are so infatuated with this show? Is your gratification satisfied by the cultural representation that of course a six year old would not understand, comedic entertainment, or subtle lessons? Whatever the case may be, the show keeps your eyes glued to the television for the next thirty minutes. The six year old child, you are imagining

Children’s books have been a key aspect of childhood since we can remember. You were read to as a child and then learned to read those same books on your own as you grew up. The roles and norms that we learn growing up have a strong influence done by those that are in the children’s books we have read. Especially in children’s books, social constructionism takes a main role in the messages we are supposed to recognize and take from these books, as children.

Literature teaches kids to feel empathetic for each other. A story allows the reader to put themselves in the character’s shoes and gives us a different perspective on the character’s life. It also shows the reader not to judge someone by their cover because you never know what outside factors are affecting them. For example, Daphne's book is about a shy girl named Daphne, commonly known to others as Daffy Duck. She was raised by an impoverished, mentally ill grandmother, so the other kids would make fun of her. Instead of sympathizing with her, kids pitied her and called her names. “These are the experiences for a young person in which the sort of commonplace

Today, some children have had a tendency to favor materialistic items over respect for parents; however, Ray Bradbury, the author of “The Veldt” disagrees with this concept. Bradbury believes that when children are too involved in items, they become brainwashed and it has a negative effect on society. Mr. and Mrs. Hadley (the parents) from “The Veldt”, struggle to discipline their kids, which results in the children not having a priority to respect them. Through using allusions, setting, and technology, the author warn children that materialistic items should not be valued higher than respect for their parents.

Postman believes that when the discourse of education is presented on television, its only purpose is to entertain. Education on television is believed to teach youth in a way that they will embrace with open arms due to their prior understanding to television. To further expand on his own viewpoint, Postman makes the claim that television is a curriculum. The author defines a curriculum to be “a specifically constructed information system whose purpose is to influence, teach, train or cultivate the mind and character of youth” (146). The author makes the claim that rather than achieving its aim to teach and train youth in a more colorful fashion, it instead only draws the young viewer to love the images that are being shown through a screen.

One of the most beneficial attributes of literature is that it gives writers the ability to address any topic they desire. From this aspect, many writings and books throughout history have had an immense impact on society and culture through the author’s philosophical insight. However, with a form of “media” unrestrained, certain writings have come under the scrutiny from readers before and after its publication. A prime example of this is the book “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This book addresses one of the most controversial subjects presented in American history: slavery.

"They learn so much [Colleen] Breitbord says. (I think children who don't have the opportunity to watch some of this excellent programming miss out" (McGinn 57). This shows what other everyday people, just like the reader, think about their children and TV. The argument goes on over whether TV is good or bad and thanks to the media, like Newsweek, it gives background information on the situation, "in the beginning, there was Big Bird. Now, thanks to intense competition from Disney and Nick, there are more quality shows for preschoolers than ever" (McGinn 53). The article brings the reader up to date about both sides of the TV argument for a better understanding. The article is a way to inform the public about whether TV has good or bad effects on children while at the same time, the chorus is a way to inform the audience about Antigone.

Postman (1994:75) argues, it is television as we know it that is causing childhood to ‘disappear’. He believes there are several reasons to support this notion, most importantly, is the idea of accessibility to adult information. Prior to television only fully literate adults had access to this information. People watch

Fred Astaire once said, “The hardest job kids’ face today is learning good manners without seeing any.” Children need to be taught good morals and manners so they know how to act. Children’s stories are a good source. They have lots of lessons buried in them. Comparing and contrasting the film Ever After by Susanna Grant and the short story “Cinderella” by the Brothers Grimm is the best way to choose which has better morals for children.

Nanny is where the violence of her family has started. She as a very young girl was born into slavery. She was beaten and raped by one of the white slave owners. She was a young woman who was put in a box never to see things ever change. She puts Janie in that box when she found out that her and Johnny Taylor kissed by the gate.

Fairy tales, beyond their value as charming escapes into realms of fantasy and wonder, are meant to teach children morals and demonstrate to them the traits they need to successfully function in society. These tales are sustained, generation after generation, in our collective consciousness as literary manifestations of our values. But to what extent is this consciousness collective? Are these morals consistent globally or do they vary from culture to culture?According to Bruno Bettelheim, morals are universal and fairy tales are the ultimate means of teaching them. However, in Harold and the Purple Crayon and The Frog King or Iron Heinrich—both are fairy tales but from different cultures—disparate cultural morals collide, simplified

In Neil Postman’s “The Disappearance of Childhood,” Postman separates his book into two parts. The first part describes how childhood came about because of the printing press. The second part states that because of the television, the concept of childhood is disappearing from our society.

Although many view children's fiction as suitable only to children, and an embarrassingly immature pursuit for a serious person, children' stories mold the way we think. They allows us to look at very complex and difficult issues in a safe and playful way, and they give us the freedom to imagine the unimaginable.

Television is affecting childhood on many different levels. “Many parents have misgivings about the influence of television” states Marie Winn author of “The End of Play”. (Winn 76) One concern is the introduction of adult issues. Marie Winn’s article reflects on what children are being exposed to. Stating today’s “Counterculture kids were [are] casually exposed to all sorts of adult matters-drug taking, sexual intercourse”. (Winn 77) She then points out the “interest in boy-girl interactions is replacing play in preadolescents”. (Winn 78)

Television is a big part of today’s society. Everybody watches television, including the children. There is a potential problem with letting children watch television. Ask this question, would someone let their own child watch some of the programming that they watch, too? Some of these programs are intended for the adult generation, not young children. Violence has a major role in television these days. Letting children watch this violence could corrupt their minds and eventually lead to bad behavior. There needs to be a limitation on the types of television programming that parents let their children watch, because violence in television can negatively affect children.