Poverty theme in Children's Books
Over the course of the semester we've read several books that addressed various social themes, such as racism, the holocaust, status, and poverty. Of all the themes we've address the one that stuck with me the most was the theme of poverty. The reason poverty has lingered in my mind is because of all the themes, poverty makes the greatest impact on world as we know it. Many other social issues stem from the lack of resources. Of course, the fact that poverty is a major problem in society is a not a secret. However, teaching children about this sensitive topic can be a little more than even the most experienced and competent parents are able to deal with in a way that a young mind can understand. One way parents choose to introduce their children to this social problem is with the aid of children's books. Curious of exactly how a children's book author presents this topic in a way a young mind could grasp it, I have chosen to take a look at the children's books The Rag Coat, Bone Button Borscht, and May'naise Sandwiches and Sunshine Tea all which address poverty as a central theme.The first book I want to discuss is titled May'naise Sandwiches and Sunshine Tea. This book starts off w
May'naise Sandwiches and Sunshine Tea uses the picnic at Bettie Jean's house as a symbol of what a hard working person can aspire to with hard work. In the story Bettie Jean's father was a principal and her mother a teacher. The author was portraying Bettie Jean's family lifestyle as something to look forward to after success in education. On the other hand the author used the picnic at Big Mama's house as hope and inspiration to get to where Bettie Jean's parents were. From Bettie Jean's perspective the lunch at Big Mama's house was symbolic of the importance of family. Bettie Jean, who already knew the good life, was more appreciative of the lunch at Big Mama house after she heard the story behind it. The lunch at Big Mama's house in addition is symbolic of making the best of what you have and over coming adversity. It tries to get the message to children that the focus of life shouldn't be material things, but instead family, friends, hope and imagination. The American Dream of a two story, two garage house in the suburbs should be instead something to reward your family with after hard work. Big Mama's friend Bettie Jean represents the decency of man. She wasn't concerned what side of town Big Mama lived on, or what kind of cloths she wore. Bettie Jean is the epitome of what it means to be a decent human being by judging people by the content of their character instead of using material things as a status and worth metric tool. May'naise Sandwiches and Sunshine Tea also serves as an informational bridge between wealthy and poor children. This book teaches wealthy and poor children alike, that they are not all that different from each other. Children are innocent by nature and this book tries to preserve a bit of that by instead of placing the emphasis on the caste system and status, it places the emphasis on friends and family. The pictures that Big Mama is sharing with her granddaughter are symbolic of history and Big Mama's rewarding childhood experiences with to her best friend. The final picture that Big Mama shows her granddaughter is a picture of her in her college graduation cap and gown. This particular picture is symbolic of Big Mama's success in life and triumph over the odds that were against her growing up a poor black woman during the Jim Crow era. Many adults could stand to learn valuable lessons if they would just remember the things they were taught by the books they read when they were children. Many political debates would be short and sweet if politicians and citizens alike would just look to that no-nonsense kid in them and follow their instincts. All three of these books deal with the issue of poverty in a way that a young mind can understand and appreciate. These books don't dwell on the negative side of life; rather they focus on the positive and what can be accomplished with a little effort. All three of these writings contain the underlying recurring theme that with some team work and a good attitude, people can help themselves out of bad situations or make the best of what they have. I'm not sure if that's an entirely accurate portrayal of life in the real world, but these writings certainly do present the correct message of learning to work hard and combining resources with others to succeed. Children should learn that many people in different economical situations should not bear the burden of their birth into poverty, or wealth. These books addressed these issues by showing children that they should keep their minds open and not to judge by shallow standards that are deeply ingrained in our society. Finally, I was impressed by the way all three of these books handle the impressionable young minds of their intended audience while addressing the very important and complex social issue of poverty.
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2891
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)
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