Escapism in Children's Literature

As a child daydreaming and imagining was essential to survive the extensive abominable days of summer, or the weekends. Likewise, in the texts “Red Cranes” by Jacey Choy and “The Firefly Hunt” by Jun’ichiro Tanizaki two children who still express their imagination and creativity, have to realize the harsh realities that everyone must incorporate. In the texts “Red Cranes” and “The Firefly Hunt” they express the ambition and creativity of a child’s mind. However, the development of the two characters dealing with the realities in their adolescent years, varies tremendously between the two stories.

Next, when the thought of imaginations peers in a person’s mind they often think of an escape. People in everyday life go through an issue from work, school, or at home, but most resort to something that will relax their minds. Each person has their own technique on how they use their personal time. Some might read a book while others go for a walk just to be able to destress and to continue on with their lives. “Most of the adventure game takes place inside Samuel's imagination, a lushly illustrated world of simple puzzles and quests that help him deal with the bleakness of his surroundings.”(Laura A Parker) The quote states that through the roughest time of the war the best way a kid can survive is by imagining. Creating scenarios can help the person try and figure out what is the best solution for them. The solutions for the problems may not always be right, but thinking on a different perspective can help clear the air. Being able to find a departure from one’s concern is better than having to rely on facts to comfort.

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

When readers read a story written by an author they will usually think that the author likes to read books and is what led the author to writing a book. William Goldman said, “As a child, I had no Interest in reading” (Goldman 3), this can lead readers to imagining the author as a young child rather than an adult not wanting to read a book. When Readers imagine the author as a young child the image imagined can give a better sense of how the author felt as a young child. The imagination of a child giving the reader a picture to think about is less complex than that of a adult giving a reader a picture to think about.

Children’s literature has existed for as long as there have been stories to be told to children. Stories, books, songs, poems are all made for children. Children’s literature does not have a definite definition of what it is; basically, it is anything a child reads (Lerer, 2008). Children begin to learn what reading and writing are used for before even knowing how the system works. Children recognise the function of written language by seeing examples of written language that are being used around them. Many children know the difference between reading and talking, they are aware that written language is used to do things in this world (Emitt, Zbaracki, Komesaroff and Pollock, 2015). Quintilian, John Locke, Saint Augustine and Doctor Seuss speculated on the ways children learn the Australian language and learn about their lives from literature (Lerer, 2008). In fact, Lerer states that “the history of children’s literature is inseparable from the history of childhood, for the child was made through texts and tales he/she studied, heard and told back,” (2008, p.1). Children’s literature nurtures an understanding of narrative structures and visual images played in storytelling, this helps develop

Out of many things that differ human beings from the rest of the living world one might mention our remarkable ability to be engaged in verbal interaction. Indeed, the notion of language as we know it is not found anywhere beyond the boundaries of the human society. However, one should also note that this peculiar ability to gave birth to other important aspect of our life, namely our vivid imagination. This, it will not be an exaggeration to suggest that our inner world is what truly makes us humans. There is a word of art in which these two characteristic abilities are combined. Literature allows a writer to use all the potential of the language and set fantasy free. Sometimes this takes peculiar forms, such as authors incorporating certain fantasy elements in to narration about real life. This genre of literature is usually referred to as magical realism. As can be easily understood from the very name, the authors that adhere to it, try to describe real life as it is, with all the positive and negative elements of it; however, in the course of their narration, they may engage various fantastic elements which put emphasis on particular aspects of the story or contribute to its development. Magical realism in Like Water for Chocolate is an irreplaceable element of the story, without which it would not have become as amusing as well as interesting and unable to convey the message that was designed by the author.

Everyone has to grow up at some point in their lives. Some people mature faster than others and some take their entire lives to mature emotionally and intellectually. Modern fantasy today takes an especial interest in growth. Examples of this interest include J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as his 1937 introductory, The Hobbit. Characters within these books grow up emotionally and mentally through the course of events within the novels and series. Audiences of these books are able to grow with the characters as well, through escapism. Critics of modern fantasy and escapism, like Kurt Lancaster in his 2001 essay, Why Fantasy ‘Rings’ True also acknowledge the personal growth that the

The influence of fairy tales has transcended through an array of literary genres and various elements have made it into classic children’s novels. J.M. Barrie’s, Peter and Wendy (1911) and Charles Dickens’, A Christmas Carol (1843) are just a couple of examples that utilized fairy tale themes, motifs, and symbols to enhance the stories. Although the stereotypical singing animals, evil step mothers, and royalty are not found in these stories; Barrie and Dickens delve deep into the world of fairy tales and wrote novels that go beyond the surface. Some of the fairy tale elements that can be seen throughout both novels includes, magic and make-believe and the struggle between good and evil.

In the introduction of Bruno Bettelheim’s, The Uses of Enchantment, the struggle for meaning is not just something that the young deal with but people in all stages of life. Bettelheim suggest that our experiences in life can contribute to our development in understanding the meaning of life. Bettelheim states that, “The child, as he develops, must learn step by step to understand himself better; with this he becomes more able to understand others, and eventually can relate to them in ways which are mutually satisfying and meaningful.” Bettelheim acknowledges that children's literature should add significance, adee access to a deeper meaning, stimulate emotions, and enrich a child's life. Bettelheim suggest that this kind of meaning can be found in fairy tales.

Children within both novels and everyday life create secret places of their own and use this real, physical spot, either built or discovered by the child that s/he infuses with imaginative overtones to play, tell stories, role-play, draw among other fantasy acts. The world they have created is imaginative; access is only granted to them to access it, adults will never find or comprehend these spaces within in the lives. These special places can be forts made of materials objects such as, blankets, trees, boxes, or even a particular location in their local neighborhood. These spaces allow for children, alone or with particular people they can imagine and become heroes and rulers in their imaginary kingdoms, also known as a paracosm, “a spontaneously

I noticed the effect of the art in illustrations and how the art can add meaning and emotion. There were two pictures shown in this chapter one with a blue background and the other bright red. The blue picture instantly reminded me of a calm environment whereas the red gave me a sense of anger or distress. I also noticed that pictures books are not only one genre but there is a picture book for every type of genre. Typically picture books are designed for younger readers but students are still interested in picture books as they are older as well. Books are changing depending on what children are interested in today, teachers can continue reading picture books to students to engage and teach a concept.

Around eleven years of age (sixth grade), many developmental changes begin to rapidly take place, causing a spike in cognitive capabilities. A common struggle for this particular age group regarding literacy is in transitioning the innate literal views of childhood to a much broader understanding of figurative worlds of language seen commonly in more advanced writing and literature. My lesson encourages exploration by using imagination and adventure as a vehicle to familiarize students with the tools they can use to navigate through these overlapping worlds.

Literary heroes that are also ordinary children are engaging to readers, particularly child readers. James Pope and Julia Round write that “Roald Dahl is a fascinating author in that his books for children feature child heroes who are very often neither hero nor villain, but a wild, subversive combination of both” (258). These characteristics are also true of Coraline and Harry Potter, as they are presented as imperfect, but ultimately find the power within themselves to save what is important to them. Children readers are empowered by Coraline and Harry because they identify with these ordinary children and feel as if they can also make a difference in their lives, as the characters defeat the evil in theirs.

'In children 's literature the notion and construct of 'childhood ' became an influential force...it became associated with freedom...and play; focusing on educating children malleablly. '

Childhood is the time when you experience a lot of new things – you play, go out and see things, experience something new and just having a good time - do whatever you want, even though your parents doesn’t always approve to go out and play and get dirty with your friends. When you are a child, you have a great imagination and a big fantasy. Some children tend to live in a fantasy world, where everything is about having fun, get dirty and just having a good time. We read about all of this, in the short story “Mount Pleasant”, that is written in the year of 2005 by Mary-Louise Buxton. The story is told by a little girl called Elizabeth, who lives with her family in their new house, called