The portrayal of abuse within children’s literature is much needed in order for children to be able to deal with the complexities and the dark sider side of social reality. The portrayal of abuse has however received negative criticism due to the fact that it can be too controversial a topic for young learners, to understand or comprehend. Educating children about abuse through literature does not only benefit children but it also makes them aware of the different forms of abuse which can prevail within homes and by those closest to children. It is very much a topic which needs to be portrayed within children’s literature but must be done in a sensitive manner with authors needing to approach writing with caution. Child abuse includes …show more content…
Children’s literature must aim to morally develop the minds of children however it must be taken into account that different children develop reading and understanding at different stages, for example i.e. some children suffer from learning difficulties or disabilities which require careful attention and exposure. Abuse therefore not only becomes a topic which is too controversial for children but a topic which is also too controversial for parents to introduce to children, in fear of impacting or deterring the innocence of children. The desire of parents however to protect children from learning about serious issues must be respected as it can be a difficult topic for children to fully understand during the early stages of childhood. This being said however Claire and Holden (2007) argue that the emergence of challenging, complex and controversial books recognise not only the importance, but also the need for the minds of children to be developed and challenged, which can subsequently only be achieved if children are taught about the complex issues specifically abuse, can raise awareness of how important it is to protect the lives and security of children.
Furthermore, portraying abuse in children’s literature, can be a difficult but also a confusing topic for child learners to understand.In order for children to be well informed about abuse parents and teachers need to facilitate
Many people have problems with the violent programs on TV, and they don’t want them to be played on TV because of their kids. They get scared when inappropriate shows are on TV. In the essay “Now You Take “Bambi” or “Snow White” — That’s Scary” author of horror novels, Stephen King argues against a ban on airing violent television programs to prevent children from being frightened. He begins his essay with an imaginative rendering of the plot of “Hansel and Gretel,” and points out the fact that children are exposed to scary stories in fairy tales. He explains that he has written both series that are and are not appropriate for young children. He has screened the movie versions of his stories and decided which stories are off limits for his children and insists other parents do the same. As support for his argument, King refers to the repeated suggestion that various forms of entertainment, even scary forms, are cathartic, and they offer a way for people, including children, to enter a scary yet controllable world for a limited time, where they can express and release their fears and aggressions. Therefore, King believes that children have the right to experience scary TV programs and movies, but a mature adult should decide what children can and cannot watch. He
- Most of the children are physically abused as they are initially forced to change their appearance (i.e. the cutting of Amelia’s hair) and they are physically punished. - Some of the children are also sexually abused (i.e. the young girl, who later tries to run away and dies, is assaulted by a female teacher). - Some of the teachers are emotionally abused by the system as some were becoming overly influenced by the cruelty happening and others became attached to their students which led to an are uncertainty as to whether or not they should stand up for the children (do the right thing) or continue with the rules and practices of the
Victoria Climbie’s tragic death highlighted how children are at the risk of being maltreated or abused. Lord Laming’s report covered the possibilities of what can propose danger towards children. It is not enough just keeping children safe from harm/danger or being bullied, but at the same time they should be able to enjoy their childhood, gain life skills, accept challenges and achieve to make their adulthood successful.
Published case reviews draw special attention on the professionals lack of knowledge and confidence when assessing risk in children coming from various religions and cultural backgrounds. A lack of understanding of these two key components, might put at significant risk the children's welfare, leading professionals to overlook certain situations and to offer inadequate support or lower standards of care (NSPCC, 2017).
It is well known that books read by adolescents are somewhat inappropriate in certain ways such as language and the types of actions done by the characters. Some books consist of drugs, sex, and violence which obviously isn’t very appropriate nor does it consist of
Child Abuse is the act of someone who looks after a child, like a parent or relative, who decides to inflict injury, emotional trauma, or even death upon that person. In the memoir, The Glass Castle, written by Jeannette Walls, there is most definitely multiple acts of child abuse that was brought upon the Walls children. There are four types of child abuse. There is physical, neglect, emotional, and sexual. The parents used more neglect than the others on their children. The acts of abuse that were brought upon the children should have resulted in them being taken away by Child Protective Services.
Child abuse is epidemic in many countries as well as the United States. It is estimated that every thirteen seconds a child is abused in some manner: physically, sexually, emotionally or by neglect (Friedman). Each year, there are over 3 million reports of child abuse in the United States involving more than 6 million children. Child abuse can be reduced with proper education of the parents and with greater public awareness.
According to the American Library Association (ALA), young adult novels are challenged with the best intentions. In most cases a parent will read a book that their child might be reading in class to find out if the book is hazardous to their child’s well-being. If the novel seems problematic, the parent then challenges the book. Even though the purpose of challenging a novel is to keep children from reading about issues that may not be seen as appropriate for their age group, censoring children from difficult subject matter is not always the solution. There is always controversy when difficult issues arise in adolescent geared novels. Even though there are many concerns with Lois Lowry’s The Giver,
Many people have different views on whether or not they are for or against violence in children’s literature. I am for children’s literature due to the fact that if one is not educated, how is one expected to know. In this essay we will look at the pros and cons of including violence in children’s literature.
Dark themes are on the rise in young adult literature, and parents can’t help but wonder if this is due to the abundance of these subjects in adult literature. Literary critic Meghan Cox Gurdon’s editorial “Darkness Too Visible” and author Sherman Alexie’s response “Why the Best Kids Books are Written in Blood” have contrasting views on this subject. However, with the superior techniques Alexie Sherman is more effective. Both authors use themes and style in their writing, but with his superior use of persuasive techniques Alexie Sherman’s article is ultimately more effective.
In the past five years, children’s literature has had many common themes. Bullying has been a popular subject of interest at all levels of reading. This trend reflects a rising concern about cyberbullying and the sometimes dramatic effects it can have on a child’s life. Writers and parents are making an effort to show children that what they do to their peers has real consequences and to be mindful with their words and actions. Another popular subject is dystopian futures. This interest is in part due to the success of The Hunger Games trilogy, children have become interested in the future of their planet.
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
Unfortunately, there are children everywhere who endure a form of abuse. Some experience emotional abuse while others experience physical abuse. Other children, like Dave Pelzer, are faced with both. Dave had to grow up in a family of two alcoholic parents. He was severely beaten and tortured by his mother and was neglected by his father. Dave had to spend his childhood in fear of his life. Although sad, his story gives others hope that they too can experience an abusive childhood and live to tell about it.
Charles Blow in the article, “Surviving Child Sexual Abuse”,argues that child sexual abuse should be taken serious, so other could speak out to their lives. Blow supports his argument by explaining that children will be afraid if they don’t see the help they need because an adult has already harmed them, so they see the rest as a threat. The author purpose is to persuade to help children that are being abused in order to help them understand that not everyone is evil in this world. The author writes in informal tone for the victims of this
Donna Jo Napoli's discussion about writing children's literature reflects social equity that really impacts on me. She has a compassionate heart when she cares the unprotected children. Even though someone reproached that she wrote about such terrible things for children, controlling the way in which children encounter the bad things is not a good idea. Not all children are lucky to be encircled and sheltered in a good family. There are many unhappy lives exist in society. Children have pure and holy thoughts, so it will be dangerous if they are only educated and sheltered by the good things. It makes them do not defend themselves when bad things happen. Literature is one of the most effectively communicate ways with children. Besides the books