I love what various authors have had to say about fantasy literature.
Ray Bradbury says, “The so-called realists are trying to drive us insane. . . .We survive by fantasizing” (quoted in Literature for Today’s Young Adults, by Alleen Pace Nilsen and Kenneth L. Donelson, published by Addison-Wesley Longman, Inc., 2001, p. 211). It does seem as if some young adult authors are writing reality in ways that focus primarily on the ugly, vulgar, raw and immoral. Those things are a part of our lives, but do they deserve the spotlight? Bradbury’s implied definition of fantasy seems to be something unreal that allows us to escape reality for a bit. Perhaps we need Bradbury’s fantasy to rescue ourselves from becoming too weighed down by reality.
Lloyd Alexander noticed:"The fantasy hero is not only a doer of deeds, but he also operates within a framework of morality. His compassion is as great as his courage - greater, in fact. We might consider that his humane qualities, more than any other, are really what the hero is all about. I wonder if this reminds us of the best parts of ourselves?" (Donelson 212).
We need those reminders often as we struggle through our own realities. To remember that courage, compassion, love, honesty, virtue, sacrifice, self-mastery, and integrity are still possible even in the most trying, dangerous, and horrifying circumstances is to recognize possibilities for choosing the higher road as we struggle through our own quests.
Ursula Le Guin has pointed out, “Children know perfectly well that unicorns aren’t real, but they also know that books about unicorns, if they are good books, are true books” ( Donelson 213). Fantasy is a bridge to reality; the bridge is the truth exposed by the parable/analogy of a fantasy world. On that bridge we can see both worlds at once - the one where we vicariously experiment with fantastical ideas and the other, where we must live out our ideas, values, and their consequences. The practice/fantasy world may help us make better real choices and to better understand why those choices are better.
As all of these authors have observed in one way or another, we know certain elements of fantasy are not real, but we do have realistic experiences with them - we think real thoughts and feel real feelings as we would in our real world. Most of us do not carry the fantastical parts of fantasy into our realities, but do we ever bring the real parts of fantasy literature, the thoughts and feelings, to life through action in our real world?
For example, can we act out courage like the protagonist of one fantasy world or act out rebellion like the antagonist of another? Might our choice depend on the consequences we have vicariously experienced in the fantasy world, or the values we have been reminded of? Can fantasy have that kind of effect on us? I know it can. I have acted as characters in books have inspired me many times, and have refused to act as others have. One instance: I explored the value of life and death in the fantasy world of Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. Though a fountain of youth is not real, what if it was? Babbitt creates scenarios to help us think about what it means to live and die. The Tuck family cannot die, and they are lonely and isolated in their immortality. I have acted on what I have learned from my experience with Tuck Everlasting by taking courage from the understanding that death can mean a release and a culmination of life. This real understanding helps me to cope with death and to help others to do the same.
Fantasy worlds, choices, and consequences can be explored in unique ways, then accepted, revised, or rejected before we create them physically or adopt them into our understanding - this is a distinct advantage for all of us who would have only our own life experiences to draw on if we did not explore literature. In this way all fiction books could be considered fantasy whether they contain unrealities, like unicorns, or experiment with realities, like horses.
Like Le Guin has said, good fantasy books are true books; like Bradbury has said, they help us survive; and like Alexander has said, they remind us of the best parts of ourselves.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
When a Questionable Book is Assigned Reading
What to do if a teacher assigns a book you are uncomfortable with, morally speaking:
If you are the student:
1) Contact the teacher and respectfully explain why you are uncomfortable with the assigned book. Ask for a substitute book.
2) If the teacher will not allow a substitution, talk with your parents or an administrator or both.
If you are the parent(s)/guardian(s):
1) Let your teen choose whether or not to read the book after you have given your counsel and recommendations.
2) If your teen needs your support to request a different book, check with the teacher about a substitution and consider the following:
a) The school may have procedures in place to help make the process of contesting a book selection timely and respectful. Work within these procedures as best you can.
b) If the teacher will not allow a substitution, make an appointment with one of the school administrators to respectfully discuss the situation and discover options.
c) When you have reviewed the options privately with your teen, including any option you create, allow your teen to choose an option.
d) Celebrate this opportunity for you and your teen to learn to communicate, negotiate, defend a position, and make hard choices.
If you are the student:
1) Contact the teacher and respectfully explain why you are uncomfortable with the assigned book. Ask for a substitute book.
2) If the teacher will not allow a substitution, talk with your parents or an administrator or both.
If you are the parent(s)/guardian(s):
1) Let your teen choose whether or not to read the book after you have given your counsel and recommendations.
2) If your teen needs your support to request a different book, check with the teacher about a substitution and consider the following:
a) The school may have procedures in place to help make the process of contesting a book selection timely and respectful. Work within these procedures as best you can.
b) If the teacher will not allow a substitution, make an appointment with one of the school administrators to respectfully discuss the situation and discover options.
c) When you have reviewed the options privately with your teen, including any option you create, allow your teen to choose an option.
d) Celebrate this opportunity for you and your teen to learn to communicate, negotiate, defend a position, and make hard choices.
Teens
If you are careful about what you read as you try to live up to your standards, consider the books you can find through this blog. There are so many wholesome books available for young adults, but there are also many that are increasingly at odds with high moral values.
Uplifting books can help you explore other worlds, cultures, ideas, and experiences. You can expand your own life experiences by reading about the life experiences of others. Choose what you read wisely!
Consider sharing the good books you read with others by posting reviews on various websites and linking to them on your own social networking sites.
This blog is designed to help you choose good books that are also clean. There are links to booklists with reviews that can guide you to select books that are clean.
What do I mean by ‘clean’?
Any book that:
1) has an overall positive view of humanity; it is uplifting
2) deals with problems without leading readers to imaginatively live vulgar, immoral, pornographic, vicious, or violent, (or the like) acts. Outlines of such realities are enough if they are given carefully, to help us understand or learn in a healthy way
3) shows what is clearly wrong according to commonly held moral values; wrongdoing is not made to look normal
4) shows what is right according to commonly held moral values; doing right is not made to look wrong, idiotic, or weak
5) helps you have good thoughts and make good choices
If you are in search of such books, you can find a good start with this website.
Happy Reading!
Uplifting books can help you explore other worlds, cultures, ideas, and experiences. You can expand your own life experiences by reading about the life experiences of others. Choose what you read wisely!
Consider sharing the good books you read with others by posting reviews on various websites and linking to them on your own social networking sites.
This blog is designed to help you choose good books that are also clean. There are links to booklists with reviews that can guide you to select books that are clean.
What do I mean by ‘clean’?
Any book that:
1) has an overall positive view of humanity; it is uplifting
2) deals with problems without leading readers to imaginatively live vulgar, immoral, pornographic, vicious, or violent, (or the like) acts. Outlines of such realities are enough if they are given carefully, to help us understand or learn in a healthy way
3) shows what is clearly wrong according to commonly held moral values; wrongdoing is not made to look normal
4) shows what is right according to commonly held moral values; doing right is not made to look wrong, idiotic, or weak
5) helps you have good thoughts and make good choices
If you are in search of such books, you can find a good start with this website.
Happy Reading!
For Parents/Guardians
Have you wondered what your teens are reading? Are you looking for a guide to wholesome teen reads? This blog is meant to help you become informed about what your teens are reading and about which books you can recommend. On this blog there are links to booklists and reviews that can help you.
What if your teen is reading something that appears inappropriate or immoral? Think of the situation as an opportunity to learn and to teach. Before you overreact and seriously think about banning, forbidding, grounding, and threatening, try this:
read the book’s reviews online at some of the provided links, then read the book (if you can). Talk with your teen about the book, asking questions, mostly, to figure out what she/he thinks about the book and some of its specifics. Listen, listen, listen - your teen will reveal things you need to know as he/she talks. Encourage more talking by asking more questions. Share with your teen your values and express love, talk about limits, and then allow your teen to choose (there is great learning bound up in mistakes and failures - How did you learn what not to read?)*
Follow up later and listen, listen, listen for evidence of learning and growth, struggles and concerns, or?
In short, teach your teens about making healthy reading choices. Allow them to choose their reading material, but be ready to intervene with cautions, teaching, and help. Use every conflict as an opportunity to practice problem-solving, respectful discussion, and patience.
Happy Intervening!
* Teens can get themselves into serious dangers that can be compared to sitting on the railroad tracks with a train coming. We have to warn them and help them to get off. Sometimes they will see and hear the train and choose to remain, but we still have to try. When it comes to reading, the most dangerous situation is pornography. In the case you discover your teen reading pornography, act immediately, but without striking out at your teen. Get some help and counsel. Pornography is a plague raging among our youth which can lead them to immoral, even criminal acts. It can change the way they see others and themselves, and seriously affect their ability to have healthy marriage relationships (see “Entertainment and the Media” in For the Strength of Youth). Do all you can to protect your youth from pornography and other addictions. If they are victimized or choose wrongfully, carefully plan how to help them to recover and heal.
What if your teen is reading something that appears inappropriate or immoral? Think of the situation as an opportunity to learn and to teach. Before you overreact and seriously think about banning, forbidding, grounding, and threatening, try this:
read the book’s reviews online at some of the provided links, then read the book (if you can). Talk with your teen about the book, asking questions, mostly, to figure out what she/he thinks about the book and some of its specifics. Listen, listen, listen - your teen will reveal things you need to know as he/she talks. Encourage more talking by asking more questions. Share with your teen your values and express love, talk about limits, and then allow your teen to choose (there is great learning bound up in mistakes and failures - How did you learn what not to read?)*
Follow up later and listen, listen, listen for evidence of learning and growth, struggles and concerns, or?
In short, teach your teens about making healthy reading choices. Allow them to choose their reading material, but be ready to intervene with cautions, teaching, and help. Use every conflict as an opportunity to practice problem-solving, respectful discussion, and patience.
Happy Intervening!
* Teens can get themselves into serious dangers that can be compared to sitting on the railroad tracks with a train coming. We have to warn them and help them to get off. Sometimes they will see and hear the train and choose to remain, but we still have to try. When it comes to reading, the most dangerous situation is pornography. In the case you discover your teen reading pornography, act immediately, but without striking out at your teen. Get some help and counsel. Pornography is a plague raging among our youth which can lead them to immoral, even criminal acts. It can change the way they see others and themselves, and seriously affect their ability to have healthy marriage relationships (see “Entertainment and the Media” in For the Strength of Youth). Do all you can to protect your youth from pornography and other addictions. If they are victimized or choose wrongfully, carefully plan how to help them to recover and heal.
Looking for a Good Book?
Looking for a good book? Sensitive about what you read? You’ve come to the right place! This is a blog where you can find lists of good books. “Good books” are defined as those that “will help you to have good thoughts and make righteous choices. They will allow you to enjoy yourself without losing the Spirit of the Lord” (For the Strength of Youth, 17). I relish a good uplifting book! Can good books address real problems and still be good? For me, books can discuss some hard things and some ugliness, and still qualify for virtuous and praiseworthy, depending on how the author handles the material. If you have similar preferences when choosing a book to read, this blog can serve as a launching spot to help you choose a good one!
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