Writer's Block: Reconsidering Children's Books

[author_by_night]

[Error: unknown template qotd]Disney. The sexism - it burns.

Actually, I think "sexism" is a bit unfair, just because a, they're simplistic because they're for kids, and b, they weren't exactly written in progressive times. Still, one of the reasons I liked Enchanted was because it pretty much parodied all those themes. Not just that, but it was by Disney itself. (Granted, Disney decades later after these books and movies were written/made.) But old school Disney is just filled with anti "ugly" women themes and "ditch it all for lurve" themes.

And then there's The Baby-Sitter's Club books - not because they were sexist or anything, but the idea of a bunch of thirteen year old girls being trusted to take kids through NYC alone and stuff... *shudders*

Also, Harry Potter... though in that case, it was on purpose. But back when I first read them, I didn't think anything of a bunch of preteens fighting three headed dogs and dark lords and dealing with attempted mass murder. I mean, I always thought the books got darker in the third book, but when I think about it... yikes. O_o Obviously it was Jo Rowling's point, but I don't think I really got how chilling it was until later.

Comments

[jncar.livejournal.com]

Also, Harry Potter... though in that case, it was on purpose. But back when I first read them, I didn't think anything of a bunch of preteens fighting three headed dogs and dark lords and dealing with attempted mass murder. I mean, I always thought the books got darker in the third book, but when I think about it... yikes.

I feel the same way about Narnia. I actually haven't re-read the books as an adult, but I took my kids to see the movies and seeing those young kids stabbing ravenous yet sentient creatures with swords, and then getting stabbed themselves was somewhat traumatic for me--more so than for my kids, actually.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

more so than for my kids, actually.

I think the thing with kids is that they don't understand why it's disturbing.

[eir-de-scania.livejournal.com]

I loved the Narnia books as a kid, but re-reading them as an adult was not a good thing to do. Not least because I caught all thr religious stuff this time...No surprise I didn't as a first-time reader, though. The Jesus we were taught about in school didn't qualify as a lion, exactly.