Reading "The Children's Story" by James Clavell, made me think a little more about this question that I had no answer for. A person needs to be able to explain why he does what he does. Children are innocent and unknowing; they are like a blank piece of paper waiting to be filled up with drawings and ideas. This book shows just how easy it is to mold a child.

It uses a classroom of children facing a major change in their lives as the setting. The story moves quickly and the characters are only briefly sketched out. The story has a science fiction "feel" to it. The events preceding the story include a war (with an unknown opponent) that we have lost. The main character among the children is Johnny whose father fought in the war and is now being held prisoner. Johnny is afraid for his father and about the changes that are coming to his school becaus

Although the children in the story resist at first, it doesn't take this "new" teacher long to convince them to do away with the Pledge of Allegiance and to rip up the flag. Not a single child could explain why they say the pledge or what they were pledging allegiance to. When the students initially showed curiosity on the topic, they were rebuffed by the "old" teacher. The message was clear, you are not here to think you are here to learn. It made me wonder, if I were to walk into a classroom today, how many children would know why they were saying the Pledge of Allegiance? I didn't know as a child why we said this every morning, it was just something I had to do.

I did a little research and found the answer to my son's question and from now on, my response when I don't know will be let me look it up and let you know.

The new teacher is very subversive, and after dispatching the Pledge of Allegiance, she attacks religion and the flag as other symbols that may not be worthy of reverence. All the good things in life come from the new leaders. The children

Some common words found in the essay are:
James Clavell, Pledge Allegiance, Blind Obedience, Publishing Co, education systems, children's story, pledge allegiance, Children's Story, person able explain, person able, students names, blind obedience, classroom children, able explain,
Approximate Word count = 725
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)