From: Violet J. Harris <vjharris>
Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 17:24:29 -0600

The discussions have been enlightening and maddening. Books can and do have profound effects on readers as Rosenblatt, Bleich, and others have shown. They are not isolated cultural products; they are a part of cultural institutions and cultural processes. They influence our worldviews and our interactions with others, for good or bad. Sometimes the effects are immediate; other times, they crop up later in life. I'm certain that each of us can think of a book, play, work of art, film, music, etc. that affected us in significant ways. There are too many memoirs that detail the effects of books. Recently, there have been several volumes on the
"seduction of books." Granted, most of these have focused on and defended the use of classics, but they provide evidence,albeit anecdotal, of the powerful influence of books. A few of these authors argue that the classics can help eliminate the influence of the "multicultural barbarians" (my term but the disdain for opening up the canon(s), for "multiculturalists, and for literature we label as multicultural is quite apparent in their arguments). Research exists,too, that demonstrates the cognitive and aesthetic responses to and effects of literature, music, etc.

Why, then, is it so difficult to accept that LHP and others have the potential to produce negative effects? If you are a "victim" (and yes, some of us do have the right to claim that status because of our histories here), then you know what it feels like to be dehumanized in various cultural products. If you have the power to participate in that dehuminization either willingly or inadvertently, you, at least, have a choice. Perhaps you have a greater amount of freedom or privilege than you are willing to acknowledge. It brings to mind the congressional representative who was against abortion until his child's life was in danger and fetal tissue offered a potentially lifesaving therapy. Sometimes I think some of us will never hear or understand the hurtful consequences of books like LHP until "our"group is affected or targeted. The personal does indeed become political.

 While growing up, I wondered why some Whites expressed such hatred for African Americans when, apparently, they had little or no contact with them. In conversations with friends, most indicated that their perceptions, stereotypes, hatred, dislike, etc. stemmed from familial or community discourse, materials in textbooks and literature, elements from popular culture such as radio shows, comics, movies,tv, etc. I suppose that whatever bigoted, prejudiced, racist, uninformed, thoughts I might have held about others were acquired in the same way. Those beliefs were challenged through a range of personal and indirect contact with individuals (or cultural products) who displayed whatever element of difference was salient. No single book, film, artwork, and so forth has been my sole source of information or entertainment. So, when I watch and enjoy the Sopranos, I have other referents that inform me that Italian Americans are not all a part of the Mafia. Unfortunately, how many opportunities do children and adults have for more than superficial exposure to a group?

Lately, I've shared Making Up Megaboy and Monster with groups of teachers. I ask teachers to describe the images that come to mind when I state the the killer is a teen-ager. The usual stereotype comes up:male, Black, poor, etc. Next time, I'll share Ntozake Shange's poem about the suspect being black and in his twenties. I share the book jacket and excerpts and a different type of conversation emerges. Finally, I share Monster and most admit that the book jacket fits their cultural schemata for a criminal. Honest discussion can emerge but it is difficult.

Of course propaganda will not appeal to those with certain tastes, level of experience, education, enlightenment, etc. Many of the books that are a part of the discussion tend to contain the literary and/or artistic elements that appeal to readers. Some are quite well written. For example, I remember writing in my copy of Q. Sebestyn's book, Words by Heart (?) that I could almost forgive the requisite sacrifice of the father because of the exquisite description of the relationship between the mother and father. Fortunately, reality hit and I remembered too many books, films, etc. with the devoted Black who sacrifices all. If I plan to use Words by Heart, then I also pair it with Roll of Thunder, HEar My Cry. Would I censor, ban,or destroy books that demean members of a group? In my heart of hearts, yes I would but I refrain from doing so because many of the books that are most often censored are those written by people of color. My usual response is that unless there is time for sustained response to and analysis of certain books, then I don't share them. I would rather choose an exceptional piece of literature that presents humans as we really are
(not idealized) without resorting to the literary short-hand of stereotypes, motifs, tropes, etc. that are simply filler. There are many exceptionally written books available and some could become a part of various canons, informal and formal, if we were willing to move beyond some of our favorites that some of us think dehumanize others.

THis is not a case of "presentism" or placing the values of today on another historic period. Clearly, some behaviors,actions, beliefs are wrong in any time period. While the majority may not think so, there are the minority who do. Otherwise, why would abolitionists and suffragettes, for example, been crucial in U. S. history. How did they acquire their views despite the prevailing perspectives? That for me, is intriguing: how does an individual unlearn or never learn any of the various "isms" that are so rampant?
Received on Wed 20 Oct 1999 06:24:29 PM CDT