Monday, February 23, 2009
Reese and Wilder's perceptions.
When I was reading Debbie Reese’s blogs on American Indians in Children’s Literature, I found one particular comment interesting. When I was younger, my grandma gave me the whole series of Little House on the Prairie. I went through those books really fast because I just loved the characters and the family ups and downs that went along with the adventure out west. When I read the books and saw the few images, I never once stereotyped the Native Americans. I guess I was so young at the time, that I never fully understood the stereotype behind the images and wording. Although, Reese makes excellent points about the images and has extensive knowledge on this background area, I feel as if she is judging too harshly. Laura Ingalls Wilder was writing her story from a first-hand experience and although she may exaggerate in some aspects, that was her experience at the time and what she remembers most vividly. So I think Wilder’s books should be taken in stride and taken from the perspective of Wilder and her age at the time.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I also don't believe that these stereotypes within picture books should be taken too seriously as many illustrations tend to stretch reality in children's books and advertising in general.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the stereo typed American Indian found in the Little House on the Prairie books are taken too seriously. As you said, I feel like most children who read those books do not even realize the serotypes going on, more or less even pay attention to the fact that there are American Indians in the novel. From what I remember from reading those books, I paid attention to the relationships between the Laura and her family, and forgot that there were even American Indians in the novels. Yes the novel does serotype however I feel like if you are to critique this novel then you have to critique all novels that have any stereotyping whether it is of the American Indians, whites, or any group. This is not material used in academic pursuits, as far as I know, it’s just a book read for enjoyment.
ReplyDelete