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Wan Kyung Kim (Peter)

AAS 113B
Professor Wong
February 2, 2014
Children and books
Once upon a time, there was most of parents have been read a fairy tales for
their children. People can recall childhood by mothers reading. It is true that some of fairy
tales can show a wrong set of values to children. For example, Cinderella shows that women
can live well by meeting nice guy such as prince without doing anything. It internalize wrong
gender role. However why do people grow up with fairy tales? Some people think that, there
is no relationship between childrens literature and education, while others do not. I however,
believe that fairy tales or subversive childrens literature like Lemony SnicketsA series of
unfortunate events is valuable for childrens education. This is because literature is very
important for childrens cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional development. That is, the
literature gives various information and knowledge to children by providing wide range of
life experience. It helps to promote their socialization and identity which is essential. Also
literature makes children to think creatively. I will talk about how educational the literature is
with specific reasons and example.
First of all, childrens literatures provide various indirect experiences. There are so
many things to experience in our life. There is a limit to experience a variety of things for
children since they are so young that they have to be protected by parents. However
childrens literature can make children to experience anything by reading. Children can
experience becoming a main character while they read books. This is very important because
they can get much knowledge and information by experiencing various things such as race,
other countrys culture, religion and urgent situation. This is more efficient than direct
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experience for children because indirect experience is safe and fast. In other words, children
can experience characters every situation by reading one book at home. What are the
advantages if children expand their experience? It is good for developing self identity and
socialization which is the most significant to live in a society. Also they can have or acquire a
ethical values by reading a book. If children have a wrong set of values, it is hard to change
their values for a long time. In other words, children literature makes a better person by
hierarchy of values. For example, we can think about famous fairy tales Little red riding
hood. Little red riding hood was loved by her grandmother. She sometimes forgets what
adults say. One day when she was going to her grandmothers house, she took her eye off
because of wolf. Finally, little red riding hood and her grandmother were in danger. This is
simple story. However children can experience dangerous crimes easily. As they read story,
they can learn to listen carefully to what adults say. Also children can make their moral
values. In short, when children read a book, they can get many indirect experiences which are
helpful for them. Also it provides the ethical values that society needs.
Secondly, children can become a creative man by being imaginative. What is
creativity? I think there is no clear definition. In my opinion, creativity is viewing something
from a different standpoint. In other words, this is thinking differently with others. Also
creativity is just one dot. One dot can become a line, circle, solid figure and others. It has
possibility to become everything. These days, creative thinking ability is essential in social
life. However it is not easy to study with creative thinking. An imaginative child can be
creative naturally. Reading literature is the best way to be imaginative for children. The books
stimulate childrens curiosity and leave them a question. For instance, in childrens literature
Lemony SnicketsA series of unfortunate events, there are Violet, Klaus and Sunny and they
are all related. Each of them has his ability. They overcome many difficulties together after
their parents death in an arsonous house fire. There is a variety of elements of fantasy in the
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book. By reading this book, they can image many things such as characters appearance,
scene and ending. As a result, creative thinking is very important for life. Children can think
creatively by reading literature.
Lastly, childrens literature gives children a lot of pleasure. According to a study, the
mission of joy has not been fully preached, but we know that joy works toward physical
health, mental brightness, and moral virtue (A Study of Fairly Tales).That is childrens
pleasure have infinite potential for childrens education. Some people think that there is no
relationship between education and childrens pleasure. However it also says In the
education of the future, happiness together with freedom will be recognized as the largest
beneficent powers that will permit the individual of four, from his pristine, inexperienced
self-activity, to become that final, matured, self-expressed, self-sufficient, social
development--the educated man (A Study of Fairly Tales).It indicates that happiness can
ultimately create ideal education. When I was young, I had preferred to play outside.
Someday my sister gave me the book Harry Potter. I did not want to read it because book
does not have any pictures. I began to read the book before going outside to play soccer. I
was surprised because it was very interesting, so I did not go out. I just read a book almost
7hours in concentration. I found the pleasure of reading. My mother was surprised too since I
was reading book by myself. I think I learned many lessons and imagined every scene from
book without any stress. As a result, when children read a book, they can get pleasure. That is
the best educational effect which is natural, effective and healthy for children.
Thus Childrens literature plays significant role in shaping their ethical standard and
self identity. If children read a book, it provides indirect experience which make child better
person. In addition, children can think creatively with pleasure. To make an analogy, reading
literature and fairytales is tool like telescope because children can look out the future. Also it
is tool like compass which is used for childrens future decision. Children are our future.
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Childrens reading educational books can make our future.
























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Works Cited

A Study of Fairly Tales. Article. 23 Feb. 2014. Web.