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EL 111 – Children and Adolescent Literature TOPIC 1 – Introduction to Children and Adolescent Literature  What do you think should we consider when teaching literature to children and adolescent.  Children Literature The theory of Children’s Literature has been for some time i...

EL 111 – Children and Adolescent Literature TOPIC 1 – Introduction to Children and Adolescent Literature  What do you think should we consider when teaching literature to children and adolescent.  Children Literature The theory of Children’s Literature has been for some time in a state of confusion. So many good and important works of literature have been produced in that time is a cheering reminder that art can survive even the worst efforts of critical theorists. There are no grounds for complacency in this situation.  EVENT Oral storytelling Greek and roman myths and epics Classical World (Greek and Aesop’s fables Roman) 500 BCE – 400 BCE SIGNIFICANCE Kept ancient stories alive Children and adults shared a common literature  The Classical World: Ancient Greece and Rome Oral literature was the principal entertainment for most people during this period. All literature began with the ancient art of storytelling. The purpose of storytelling was to entertain each other, to comfort each other, to instruct the young in the lessons of living, to pass on their religious and cultural heritage. Greek stories (500 BCE):  Greek mythology, body of stories concerning the gods, heroes, and rituals of the ancient Greeks. Trojan War Trojan War, in Greek mythology, war between the Greeks and the people of Troy. The strife began after the Trojan prince Paris abducted Helen , wife of Menelaus of Sparta. Trojan war explained:  Roman stories Roman mythology is the collection of ancient Rome myths and legends that form the basis of ancient Roman religion and belief. We know Rome's myths and legends from ancient sources and authors, who recorded the most popular stories of Roman Gods and heroes. Tales of Virgil's Aeneid (stories of Aeneas, the Trojan hero who was credited with founding the Roman race) It is the story of the earliest days of Rome, a national epic honoring Rome and prophesying the rise of the Roman Empire. The hero, Aeneas, deliberately embodies the Roman ideals of loyalty to the state, devotion to family, and reverence for the gods.  Tales of Ovid’s Metamorphose (the tales of the gods, goddesses, heroes, and heroines of the classical world) Ovid begins the Metamorphoses by invoking the gods. He asks them to inspire his work, which opens with the creation of the world and continues on to the present day, and is about the transformation of bodies. After this short prayer, Ovid describes the birth of the world. Modern retellings of Greek and Roman stories:  The most famous ones are Padraic Colum’s The Children’s Homer, The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles, and The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale of Troy.  EVENT Religious tales or Biblical Stories Romantic tales and Legends Middle Ages SIGNIFICANCE 476 CE – 1450 Set examples for children, for a didactic purpose. Created a mixture of realism and fantasy.  The Middle Ages (The Medieval World) Between the Fall of Rome and the Rise of the Renaissance [476 to 1450 CE] Background: The Roman Catholic Church dominated the social and political scene and was responsible for what education there was. Education was a luxury. Books were extremely rare and expensive, and few people could read or write. Biblical stories were very popular. The lives of saints were used to set examples for young people. Secular stories (Medieval romances) were also popular, such as the romantic tales of the legendary King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, the epic describing the great heroes Roland (Song of Roland from France) or the Cid (The Lay of the Cid from Spain) or even Beowulf (from the Norse) The story of king Arthur explained RETELLINGS: Children’s versions of these tales: Rosemary Sutcliff’s Dragon Slayer – a retelling of Beowulf and her King Arthur stories: "Sword and the Circle", "Light Beyond the Forest", "Road to Camlann" Bulfinch’s Mythology (by Thomas Bulfinch) –Beowulf; Children’s Bible Stories, God’s Stories for Children  EVENT The printing press made it possible to make multiple copies of books. Rise of Educational books. Renaissance * Orbis Sensualism Pictus by John Comenius (1658) - the 1st children’s 1450 – 1700 picture book * New England Primer (1690 -1886) - the most famous early schoolbook. Emergence of Chapbooks (small and cheaply made books containing fairy tales.  SIGNIFICANCE Promoted mass education The emphasis was on Renaissance spiritual and intellectual development; schooling 1450 – 1700 became important for a Puritan child's upbringing Emphasized giving lessons in proper behavior for boys  The Renaissance A time for a rebirth of the ideals of ancient Greece and Rome [1450 - 1700] Background: Johannes Gutenberg's (around 1450) invention of the movable type printing press made it possible to print multiple copies of books, thus reducing time, labor and cost. This technology also made it possible to spread information quickly; therefore, this opened the door to mass education and increased literacy. During the early Renaissance: Most books for children were textbooks or educational books – “books of courtesy” giving lessons in proper behavior for young gentlemen (Women did not yet merit their own books). John Comenius’s Orbis Sensualium Pictus. The earliest children’s picture book: John Comenius’s Orbis Sensualium Pictus. It first appeared as a German/Latin version in 1658 and as an English/Latin version in 1659, used for the teaching of Latin through pictures. This book provided a wealth of information about 17th century European life. In the 17th Century – two specific influences that brought a heightened sense of special needs of the child Spiritual Development: the rise of Puritanism, which placed special emphasis on the individual's need to tend to his or her own salvation Intellectual Development: work of John Locke, the English philosopher of education Puritanism The Puritans placed a high value on reading because they believed the Bible should be accessible to everyone and it helped ensure material success. The Puritans are credited with encouraging literacy among the middle class. Hornbooks: consisting of simple wooden slabs, usually with a handle. Parchment containing basic language lessons (the alphabet, numbers, and so on) was fastened to the wood and was then covered with transparent horn (from cattle, sheep, goats), a primitive form of lamination that made these books very durable. Battledores: cheap books made of folded cardboard and usually containing educational material. They were widely used into the 19th century. New England Primer: the most famous early schoolbooks, first appearing around 1690 and continuing in print in some form or another until 1886. It introduced young Puritan children to the alphabet through rhymes and then to increasingly sophisticated reading material, all with a religious intent. Chapbooks: small and cheaply made books containing fairy tales and other secular works. Few chapbooks before the late eighteenth century were written with children in mind, but by 1800 chapbooks for children were being produced in some quantity. Many chapbooks were badly written, and they were often badly printed, but nonetheless they display a raw kind of energy and excitement. However, the Puritans frowned on these books.  The Renaissance A time for a rebirth of the ideals of ancient Greece and Rome [1450 - 1700] John Locke and Educational Philosophy o Thoughts Concerning Education: a famous essay written by John Locke in 1693, in which he formulated his notion that the minds of young children were similar to blank slates (he called them tabula rasa) waiting to be filled up. He believed every child had equal capabilities to learn and adults had the responsibility to provide proper education. Children continued to adopt certain adult works of literature. Some famous works were retold from time to time and rewritten in various versions for children in the later time: o The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678) by John Bunyan – the story of a man’s journey to Heaven o Robinson Crusoe (1719) by Daniel Defoe – a shipwreck adventure tale that is the ancestor of numerous survival stories o Gulliver’s Travels (1726) by Jonathan Swiff – a satirical travel fantasy  EVENT Intellectual development: John Locke Moral development: Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Emile, 1762) Publishing of children’s books: John 18th and early Newbery 19th Centuries Rise of Moralistic Tales Revival of Folktales * Tales of Mother Goose by Charles 1700 – 1830 Perrault in France (1697) and translated in English (1729) * Grimms’ Nursery and Household Tales in Germany (1812) * Hans Christian Anderson’s Fairy Tales in Denmark (1835)  SIGNIFICANCE Advocated that a child's mind at birth was like a blank slate Argued that everyone was born with equal abilities to learn 18th and early Advocated that living a moral life through simplicity Encouraged the writing of didactic books for children 19th Centuries First successfully promoted children's literature designed to entertain children as well as to teach them 1700 – 1830 Influenced by Rousseau’s emphasis on proper moral development; written mostly by women First written version of folktales Inspired a flurry of folktales collecting throughout Europe First modern folktales  The 18th and Early 19th Centuries [1700 - 1830] John Newbery and Children’s Book Publishing Rousseau and the Moral Tale The serious publishing of children’s books began Rousseau expressed his ideas about education notably by John Newbery (1713-1778), a clever English in Emile (1762), in which he emphasized the importance bookseller. Newbery first successfully promoted of moral development that could be best accomplished children’s literature. through living a simple life. His books were largely collections of stories and poems Rousseau’s followers wrote didactic and moralistic with crude woodblock illustrations by various (usually books to teach children how to be good and proper anonymous) writers (including himself) (see more human beings. information on John Newbery’s books and John Most writers of children’s moralistic tales Newbery ). were women because children’s writing was considered A Little Pretty Pocket Book (1744): one of the first inferior to adult writing by men (see more information published children’s books designed particularly to on Moralistic Tales). For example, The Purple Jar” (1796) entertain children as well as to teach them. by Maria Edgeworth. The Revival of old Folktales The didactic element in children’s books persisted through the early 19th century, but the old folktales from oral tradition revived during this time. o Tales of Mother Goose, originally retold and published by the Frenchman Charles Parrault (1697) and then translated and published in English in 1729. The retellings, including Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, and Sleeping Beauty, soon became staples in English nurseries. These stories were usually retold for a moral purpose.  Tales from the Arabian Nights, published by Elizabeth Newbery (1791), the first children’s edition of the Middle Eastern tales, featuring Sinbad the Sailor and Aladdin and his lamp. The 18th and Early 19th Centuries [1700 - 1830] Grimms’ Nursery and Household Tales (1812, Germany), published at the beginning of the 19th century, inspired a flurry of folktale collecting throughout Europe. The 18th and Early 19th Centuries [1700 - 1830] Hans Christian Anderson’s Fairy Tales (1835, Denmark), considered the first book containing modern fairy tales (i.e. all the fairy tales were created and written, but not collected, by Anderson). The 18th and Early 19th Centuries [1700 - 1830] Joseph Jacobs’ English Fairy Tales (1894, England) Some adults felt them unsuitable for children as they contained adult themes, alarming frankness and violence, lack of moral messages  EVENT Rise of Modern Fantasy * Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis Carroll (England) The Victorians: * The Wonderful Wizard of Golden Age Oz (1900) by L. Frank Baum (U.S.) * The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1901) by 1830 – 1900 Beatrix Potter Rise of Realistic Stories * Little Women (1868) by Louisa May Alcott (U.S) * Treasure Island (1881) by Robert Louis Stevenson (England)  SIGNIFICANCE more talented writers wrote entertaining stories for children First children’s masterpiece of modern fantasy (breaking the bonds of didacticism) 18th and early First classic U.S. modern 19th Centuries fantasy for children Early important modern picture 1700 – 1830 storybook in English Early family story of great popularity (girls’ story) Famous classic adventure stories (boys’ story)  The Victorians: The Golden Age [1830 - 1900] During the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) children's literature first blossomed. Excellent writers and illustrators were committed to writing entertaining stories for children, as opposed to morality tales. This phenomenon was influenced by the strengthening of the family unit, the rapid development of full-color printing technology, the inexorable rise of the status of women, the growth of educational opportunities, and the continued growth of the middle class. Fantasy Stories Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis Carroll (i.e., Charles Dodgson): This book is an extraordinary fantasy filled with a delightful mixture of satire and nonsense and almost devoid of instructional moralizing (the first work for children that completely broke the bonds of didacticism), beginning a new era in children’s literature.  The Victorians: The Golden Age [1830 - 1900] Other outstanding Victorian fantasists: o The Princess and the Goblin (1872) by George MacDonald (England) – a literary fairy tale with Princess Irene as the heroine. o The Adventures of Pinocchio (1883) by Carlo Collodi’s (Italy) – the most famous puppet story. o The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) by Frank Baum (U.S.) – the first classic U.S. modern fantasy. o The Tale of Peter Rabbit (1901) by Beatrix Potter (England) – early important modern picture storybook in English; a book of talking animal tales that have set a high standard for children’s illustrated books. o Peter Pan (1904) by J. M. Barrie (England) – originally a play and then adapted to a prose story. o The Wind in the Willows (1908) by Kenneth Grahame (England) – an animal fantasy and an episodic adventure work. The Victorians: The Golden Age [1830 - 1900] Adventure Stories (for boys) Domestic Stories (for girls) Treasure Island (1883) by Robert Louis Tales of home and family life focusing on the Stevenson (U.K.) activities of a virtuous heroine, usually coming The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The from difficulties and achieving good fortune and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark ultimate happiness in the person of a handsome Twain (U.S.) young man Little Women (1868) by Louisa May Alcott (U.S.) Anne of Green Gables (1908) by Lucy Maud Montgomery (Canda) The Secret Garden (1911) by Frances Hodgson Burnett (U.S.) The Victorians: The Golden Age [1830 - 1900] Children's Book Illustration Books of the 18th century and earlier either lacked illustrations altogether or contained crude woodblock illustration, because serious artists did not draw for children's books. At the end of the 19th century, changes in publishing and printing attracted great illustrators. By the end of the 19th century, stunningly illustrated children's books were available at reasonable prices.  EVENT Emergence of some of the most notable fantasy writers of children's literature * Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) by A. A. Milne (England) - Popularity of the publication of Picture Storybooks - Popularity of Fantasy stories and series books * The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) and 20th Century sequels by C. S. Lewis * Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White - Rise of New Realism (after World War II) - A variety of world cultures presented in children's books - Emergence of awards for children's books (the earliest one was Newbery Medal in 1922, U.S.) - Study of children's literature began in the last quarter of the 20th century  SIGNIFICANCE Early classic personified toy animal story Early classic quest adventure for children Classis U.S. animal fantasy A franker and more open approach to subjects in children's books 20th Century The field of children's literature has grown worldwide; heroes came in all colors Promoted the writing of great works of children's literature Raised the status of children's literature and promoted the publishing of children's books The Twentieth Century: Widening Worlds [1900 - the Present] Children’s literature began to flourish on a variety of fronts. The theme is the focus on children themselves and the didactic tone no longer succeeded in this new child-centered environment. The last half of the 20th century is often viewed as a “Second Golden Age” of children’s writing. The Twentieth Century: Widening Worlds [1900 - the Present] Fantasy stories and realistic fiction have been popular. Some of the most notable fantasy writers emerged during this time. Important works include: Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) by A. A. Milne (U.K.) – early classic personified toy animal story Little House in the Big Woods (1932) by Laura Ingalls Wilder (U.S.) – classic historical fiction based on the author’s childhood and young adult experiences on the American frontier The Hobbit (1937) by J. R. R. Tolkien (U.K.) – early quest adventure featuring dramatic battles, fanciful creatures, and real dangers  The Twentieth Century: Widening Worlds [1900 - the Present] The Little Prince (1943) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (France) – the most notable French fantasy The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) by C.S. Lewis (U.K.) – early classic quest adventure for children Charlotte’s Web (1952) by E. B. White (U.S.) – classic U.S. animal fantasy A Wrinkle in Time (1962) by Madeleine L’Engle (U.S.) – classic U.S. science fiction novel for children Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1998) by J. K. Rowling (U.K.) – first book in the best-selling quest fantasy series (see the book review & the film review) Numerous children’s book awards were established. Among them, the most important four awards are: In the U.S., Newbery Medal (began in 1922): the most distinguished children’s book published in the previous year in the U.S. Given to an author. Caldecott Medal (began in 1938): the most distinguished children's picture book published in the previous year in the U.S. Given to an illustrator. In the U.K., Carnegie Medal (began in 1936): the most distinguished children's book published in the previous year in the U.K. Given to an author. Kate Greenaway Medal (began in 1956): the most distinguished children's picture book published in the previous year in the U.K. Given to an illustrator. Social movements affecting children’s literature: The collapse of totalitarian regimes: the increasing importance of education as the means of overcoming the ignorance and prejudice. The rise of “youth culture” influenced by Piaget and Spock, concerning the development of the child as an individual. The rise of New Realism, characterized by a franker and more open approach to subjects once thought taboo in children’s books: sexuality, violence, drugs, war, and so on. The Civil Rights Movement in America: the heroes came in all colors. A variety of world cultures have been presented in children's books. The feminist movement: the heroes came in both genders. Children’s books began to examine the roles of females and to us heroines with forceful and imaginative personalities, in contrast to the delicate, retiring female characters of earlier generations. Political Correctness: eliminating all language and practices that might be politically offensive, usually related to racial, gender, ethnic, or religious matters. The study of children’s literature began in the last quarter of the 20the century, which helped to raise the status of children's literature and promoted the publishing of children's books.