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But who was talking about 'censorship'?
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From: Susan Daugherty <kdaugherty>
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 09:14:45 -0500
At 01:29 PM 10/20/99 00, you wrote: Yes, we do this. But I can't believe you are saying that we keep the Wilder books because they are popular. Leaving aside THE MATCHLOCK GUN, which I haven't looked at in a long while, think about this. This argument is the same one that censors use when they take one sentence out of a book and say the book is bad. A book is not a collection of elements, of which a certain number might be biased, what number, 25 percent???, which you then toss regardless of literary quality. The whole process of what you buy, keep, and toss is about the whole book: overall writing, illustrating, theme, content, appropriateness to audience, etc., etc. All librarians and teachers are sifting and winnowing constantly as they improve their collections. Have you read the Wilder books? I just reread the first page of LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS to a teacher (nothing to do with this discussion; we were looking for a good example of setting), and I got chills because it was so beautifully written.
I think Debbie has a point when she questions the use of LIW in lit. units. And I agree with Monica's points about teaching lit. as history too. I also feel somewhat uncomfortable about literature units at times because it makes the book into such a cut-and-dried experience, guided by the teacher. Sven Birkerts has an excellent article on this theme in the SLJ of September, 1999. Gertrude Herman always said, "Just read the book and be quiet. Don't discuss it to death!" I go back and forth on this. I don't want to go back to basals, but... The sensitivity of the teacher is paramount, and we all know that great teachers don't grow on every bush. If I were going to do a lit. unit with kids, I would want to be sure they were old enough to understand the subtleties we were talking about, and I would definitely want to talk about the hurtful elements. We could use some trade books in school with older kids than we currently do because that way our points about racism, etc., wouldn't be flying over their heads. Teachers bug me with always wanting to use books with kids that the kids are not ready for. I realize this idea is problematic of course because every kid is different. But I think you should err on the safe side. Discussing CADDIE WOODLAWN, for example, would be great in Middle School and probably better than in 3rd grade. Many third graders are not ready for that book yet. For those who are, well, what would be so bad about rereading it in middle school and getting a fresh perspective. When I reread Wilder books as an adult, I saw it in a whole new light, by the way, and that was from the point of view of the parents!
If these points sound like I'm coming from the opposite side from before, well, not really. There is a lot of subtlety here and no easy answers as many people have pointed out in their posts.
I was being hyperbolic, Debbie, when I said "banning LIW," but I did it because there is a fine line between not using things in lit. units and not having them in the library, or putting them on a high shelf as Walter called it. None of these is really acceptable to a good librarian. But as I just said, I think you have to think very carefully what you buy and what you use in a lit. unit. I hope you are right and some people's sensitivity to these issues has been increased by this discussion. For the most part, though, I think we are preaching to the converted.
Susan Susan Daugherty Librarian Franklin Elementary School Madison, WI 53705
Received on Thu 21 Oct 1999 09:14:45 AM CDT
Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 09:14:45 -0500
At 01:29 PM 10/20/99 00, you wrote: Yes, we do this. But I can't believe you are saying that we keep the Wilder books because they are popular. Leaving aside THE MATCHLOCK GUN, which I haven't looked at in a long while, think about this. This argument is the same one that censors use when they take one sentence out of a book and say the book is bad. A book is not a collection of elements, of which a certain number might be biased, what number, 25 percent???, which you then toss regardless of literary quality. The whole process of what you buy, keep, and toss is about the whole book: overall writing, illustrating, theme, content, appropriateness to audience, etc., etc. All librarians and teachers are sifting and winnowing constantly as they improve their collections. Have you read the Wilder books? I just reread the first page of LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS to a teacher (nothing to do with this discussion; we were looking for a good example of setting), and I got chills because it was so beautifully written.
I think Debbie has a point when she questions the use of LIW in lit. units. And I agree with Monica's points about teaching lit. as history too. I also feel somewhat uncomfortable about literature units at times because it makes the book into such a cut-and-dried experience, guided by the teacher. Sven Birkerts has an excellent article on this theme in the SLJ of September, 1999. Gertrude Herman always said, "Just read the book and be quiet. Don't discuss it to death!" I go back and forth on this. I don't want to go back to basals, but... The sensitivity of the teacher is paramount, and we all know that great teachers don't grow on every bush. If I were going to do a lit. unit with kids, I would want to be sure they were old enough to understand the subtleties we were talking about, and I would definitely want to talk about the hurtful elements. We could use some trade books in school with older kids than we currently do because that way our points about racism, etc., wouldn't be flying over their heads. Teachers bug me with always wanting to use books with kids that the kids are not ready for. I realize this idea is problematic of course because every kid is different. But I think you should err on the safe side. Discussing CADDIE WOODLAWN, for example, would be great in Middle School and probably better than in 3rd grade. Many third graders are not ready for that book yet. For those who are, well, what would be so bad about rereading it in middle school and getting a fresh perspective. When I reread Wilder books as an adult, I saw it in a whole new light, by the way, and that was from the point of view of the parents!
If these points sound like I'm coming from the opposite side from before, well, not really. There is a lot of subtlety here and no easy answers as many people have pointed out in their posts.
I was being hyperbolic, Debbie, when I said "banning LIW," but I did it because there is a fine line between not using things in lit. units and not having them in the library, or putting them on a high shelf as Walter called it. None of these is really acceptable to a good librarian. But as I just said, I think you have to think very carefully what you buy and what you use in a lit. unit. I hope you are right and some people's sensitivity to these issues has been increased by this discussion. For the most part, though, I think we are preaching to the converted.
Susan Susan Daugherty Librarian Franklin Elementary School Madison, WI 53705
Received on Thu 21 Oct 1999 09:14:45 AM CDT
