Ah, film!

For those of you who enjoyed Habibi, I recommend the animated film, "Peresepolis". It is actually a film adaptation of a series of graphic novels. I haven't read the novel yet--but thanks to my friend's adament testimony of its brilliance--intend to soon. Here's the link to the classic you-tube trailer if you'd like to see more:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PXHeKuBzPY&feature=related

The Return of the Tantalizing Textbook!

The second article written by Al-Hazza rings of too much familiarity--it's like the textbook from last course all over again! It annoyingly lists book upon book worth checking out...
BUHHT I think it--like the textbook--is a valuable source for later (or if one has some free time now to skip to the local library and snatch a few stories to look at).

Ah, the bittersweetness of it all...

Quick Musing

Hmm, I never thought about contacting anti-discrimination groups to try to get reliable informational sources. The Al-Hazza and Lucking article recommends, "reliable information concerning textbooks can be obtained from organizations such as the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee that have evaluated textbooks for accurate Arab portrayals." I (and probably we) too often forget that, "Arabs' contribution to society, science, medicine and mathematics, and the fact that Arabs sustained ancient Greek and Roman knowledge, translating it and preserving it for the rest of the world."
Hmm.

Since when is the academic world in an ivory tower?

My favorite quote of the last article is the reference to "tourist's conception of multiculturalism." The image evokes the caricature of the fat, uber wealthy, fanny-pack wearing flashing camera on sore feet. A person who may record evidence of social inequalities, but carefully places the snapshot under a plastic sheet in a photo album rarely to be opened again. People need reminding that even if their life is good, there's still work to be done. From what I gather from the article, this is also what Cai is speaking about. Multicultural literature can be used to expose children of the dominant race/class/religion, and so on to other cultures that do not have as loud a voice--but there is so much more it can do. One article mentioned that children's books should not be "burdened" with the call for social change. Why not? Why not discuss the problems of the world with children--their own school world isn't perfect, it too is riddled with bullies and inequality--so why should they think the bigger world is any different? Children can discuss possible solutions and adults can help facilitate.

Anyway, when it comes to who should be writing muticultural children's literature, the basic idea is simple: people who know a culture intimately should be able to write about it in a truthful way. There should be precautions--some kind of reminder to the readers that while the book may be giving a voice to a person of a traditionally-muffled group, this person does not represent everyone else of that group. We cannot acquiese to accepting, "will always be more comfortable with the farm animals" as Sims Bishop criticizes, and must remember what Harris says, "Yes, "Tar Beach" depcits differences of many types, but at its most basic level, it is the bittersweet remembrances of one African American woman."

The Readings and The Heart of the Chief

I finished the readings before starting the novel and was delighted to see all of the connections! Reese writes that certain books (pertaining to Halloween Native American costumes) make it seem like "anyone or anything can put on feathers and "be" Indians." This reminds me of the part on page 109 when Chris says, "Think of what it's like for an Indian kid to go to a school where they're dressing the other kids up in phony Indian costumes with eagle feather head-dresses made of paper and cardboard. You feel like they're making fun of your whole culture." Reese also brings up the point that, "any children's book that builds up one culture at the expense of another ultimately keeps racial tensions alive." The author of The Heart of the Chief, Joseph Bruchac, isn't asking for pity or repentance. When Chris' new friends tell him that they are sorry about the past, he reminds them that what we do now is just, if not more, important. The theme of Native American culture not being "extinct" is stated early on in the novel, when Chris is disappointed to find that they are reading The Sign of the Beaver. Chris explains his feelings. He knows how teachers like to use the book, but that it represents a time long ago and makes it seem like Indians are no longer part of the human world. "We didn't go away," Chris says (p.20). Happily surprised that Katie's diagram lacks the figures of Indian in the Cupboard, Chris tells the readers how annoyed he is of the book--another point that Reese includes of books that are not good examples of Native American literature.

Additionally I noticed the use of four in the novel, a point that Smith makes in her article. She informs readers that while three is usually a "magical" number for European-based literature (especially folk/fairy tales), four is an important number for many Native Americans: four winds, four seasons, etc. Bruchac also stressed the circular forms throughout Chris' experiences (circle of life comes to mind, complete with "Lion King" soundtrack blasting in the background).

Cortes' article is something that I will want to chew on for a while. It brings up very interesting points between stereotypes and generalizations. Educators really must be careful when discussing stereotypes, and in the media.
Connecting to this is the passage in the novel where Chris admits that he is relieved that Katie isn't a cheerleader. I wonder why Bruchac makes the stereotypical bully, Thumper Wheelock, an okay guy---but the cheerleader gal is still seen as something undesirable. Hmm...
I'll need to think on that for a while, too.

Warm Reception

Welcome one and all to the exciting chronicles of Mandy and her TE 448: Issues of Diversity in the Literature of Children and Adolescents class!