"The Banning of Little House on the Prairie"
Objections to Little House on the Prairie arose in the mid 1990's. Until then, the book, as well as the rest of the series, was highly praised for children of all ages. In fact, Laura was such a highly praised author that a book award was named in her honor, The Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. It was established in 1954 by the American Library Association and was first presented to Mrs. Wilder herself for the Little House on the Prairie series. It is now presented every three years to an author who has produced a piece of work that has made a substantial and lasting contribution to children's literature.
Little House on the Prairie was first challenged in 1993 by parents of students at Lafourche Parish elementary schools in Thibodaux, Louisiana. They were requesting the novel be removed on the grounds of it being "offensive to Indians." Parents recited excerpts from the book supporting their objections as follows: "naked wild men", "terrible men", and "glittering black eyes". A phrase repeated several times the Ingalls neighbor, Mrs. Scott, was also cited, "The only good Indian is a dead Indian." Further, another quote was given to the school board from when Ma and the girls were alone in the cabin since Pa was gone hunting. Two men from the Osage tribe visited the cabin in which Laura describes them as, "Those Indians were dirty and scowling and mean. They acted as if the house belonged to them." Wilder then goes on to describe how the Indians went through their cupboards and began to take food and tobacco and fur that was to be traded for plows and seeds until the Indian's companion stopped him. The school board denied the request and the book was retained. In 1994, the book was banned from elementary schools in Sturgis, South Dakota again on the grounds that "it contains statements that are considered derogatory to Native Americans." The objection presented to the Sturgis School Board were mainly cited in the Lafourche Parish challenge, and Sturgis evidenced significantly greater public support for the ban.
Should we read this book? This is a question that can be answered in many shapes and forms. I think the Little House on the Prairie series is a delight to read, and a wonderful addition in any person's library. I own copy of the series myself and practically know it by heart.
In conclusion, critical evaluation of what makes a book good or bad depends on the selection criteria and agenda of those making the evaluation. The prizes have been criticised through the years and the selection committees have risen to this by changing the selection process, even if this change has been slow. Children’s Literature is in flux due to the ever-changing ideas and perceptions of childhood. Children’s books seen as prestigious today may become, like Blyton, unpalatable to the critics of tomorrow.
The Impact of African-American Sitcoms on America's Culture Since its start, the television industry has been criticized for perpetuating myths and stereotypes about African-Americans through characterizations, story lines, and plots. The situation comedy has been the area that has seemed to draw the most criticism, analysis, and disapproval for stereotyping. From Sanford and Son and The Jefferson’s in the 1970s to The Cosby Show (1984) and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the 1990s, sitcoms featuring black casts and characters have always been controversial. However, their significance upon our American culture cannot be disregarded.
Stowe and her siblings were involved in various reform movements and even “...reformed Puritanism itself by challenging some of its harshest creeds” (Reynolds, 2011, p.6). Stowe was uninterested in the political issue created by slavery, she wanted to bring light upon the emotional and religious problems caused by it. Stowe was able to receive testimony from former slaves because of the close interaction she had with them. One of her housekeepers, Eliza Buck, was a fugitive slave and was able to tell her story. Eliza Buck, along with Stowe’s mother’s sister, were able to influence Stowe in her creation of the characters for Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The immense cultural importance produced by Uncle Tom’s Cabin is created through its emotional appeal. Stowe’s book aid “...rectify
During the nineteenth century, the government opened up more land for settlement, and pioneers began to make their way across America to “empty” prairies in the Midwest. These “empty” lands were not actually empty—they contained many different tribes of American Indians—but the white Americans saw this as an opportunity for cheap land and a new, better life. The pioneers lived among the American Indians, but it was not a harmonious relationship. Laura Ingalls Wilder in her Little House series talked about her parents’ attitudes toward the Osage. Most of the time, her parents either made fun of the Osage people or feared them, which, in turn, instilled fear and stereotypes in Laura and her sisters. Such was the case for the majority of
High school students in many American schools first read this book in an English class, which has been a staple for many schools. A required reading assignment exposes many more people to the book. Even though the book is considered to be a children’s book by many, it is still enjoyed by people of all ages.
In Maggie, it lets you peer into the life of a girl that lives in the slums with an unsupportive and unkind family yet she still seems able to remain hopeful despite all of her disadvantages. Maggie’s mother is an alcoholic, her brothers are aggressive and nasty, and her father died early on. She somehow is able to move forward with a sort of naiveté that warmed my heart. The book O Pioneers! gives you an inside look at what life would be like on the prairie and the difference in morals and values when people have to actually work for and make an effort for every single thing that they want in life. The characters all have a resolve that is very unlike any in Maggie.
Lowry, Lois. "Newbery Medal Acceptance." The Horn Book Magazine 70.4 (July-Aug. 1994): 414-422. Rpt. in Children's Literature Review. Ed. Linda R. Andres. Vol. 46. Detroit: Gale Research, 1998. Literature Resource Center. Web. 13 Feb. 2011.
The ‘Golden Age of Television’ is what many refer to as the period between the 1950s and 60s when the television began to establish itself as a prevalent medium in the United States. In 1947, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC), Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), the National Broadcasting Company (NBC), and the Du Mont Network were the four main television networks that ran stations with regular programming taking place. (Television, 2003) While regular television programming was a new innovation, the television itself had been commercially available for over twenty years prior to the 50s. It was conceived by many worldly innovators and went through several testing stages before it was finally completed in the late twenties. The three main innovators were Niplow - who first developed a rotating disk with small holes arranged in a spiral pattern in 1884, Zworykin - who developed the Iconoscope which could scan pictures and break them into electronic signals (a primitive form of the Cathode Ray Tube) in 1923, and lastly Fansworth - who demonstrated for the first time that it was possible to transmit an electrical image in 1927. (Rollo, 2011) However, one of the many reasons why this medium was successful in the 50s was due to the fact that it became more accessible to the public. Television sets were more affordable to middle class citizens which created further interest in the new technology. Through an historical account of the medium, the spread of television across America throughout this particular decade will be examined.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee has been challenged/banned countless times since it’s original publication in 1960. The reasoning people could have behind banning it is that they feel that the racism, language and subject matter in the book is offensive, inappropriate, immoral and that it encourages and condones such things. To Kill a Mockingbird takes place in Maycomb, a small town in Alabama, during the depression from 1935-1937, and is told from the perspective of a little girl named Scout. In the book Scout’s father Atticus teaches her and her brother Jem many valuable lessons. The things Atticus teaches Scout and Jem are things we all need to know. To Kill a Mockingbird is an inspirational book that teaches valuable moral values, and should not be banned.
Wilder, Laura Ingalls, and Garth Williams. Little House on the Prairie. New York: Harper & Bros., 1953. Print.
During the 1950‘s suburbs such as Levitown were springing up all across the country, and the so-called American dream was easier to achieve for everyday Americans than ever before. They had just come out of two decades dominated by The Great Depression and World War Two, and finally prosperity was in sight. The need for women to work out of the home that was present during the war was no more, and women were overwhelmingly relegated to female-dominated professions like nursing, secretaries, and teachers, if they worked at all. Televisions became very popular, and quickly became part of the American cultural canon of entertainment. Leave It To Beaver is a classic American television show, encompassing values such as respect, responsibility and learning from your mistakes. But, at least in the episode used for this essay, it is also shockingly sexist to a modern viewer. This begs the question, what does the episode The Blind Date Committee1 say about the gender expectations of the 1950’s?
For example, Eliza was legally separated from her son, Harry, because selling the slaves was vital to paying off of debts for the Shelby family (Stowe, 1852, p. 51). This exemplifies the similarities between Uncle Tom’s Cabin and large plantations after the 1830s in that both slave owners would sell slaves for their financial benefit, which makes Uncle Tom’s Cabin a significantly accurate portrayal of large plantations after the 1830s. Along with the separation of Eliza and Harry, Uncle Tom and and Aunt Chloe were also separated due to the Shelby’s financial issues. Furthermore, Lucy’s baby was taken and sold by Haley without her knowledge. Lucy was lured away from her child, and when she returned the child was gone (Stowe, 1852, p. 208) This incident highlights the similarities of the methods in which slave traders would take to be able to conveniently sell slaves. Lastly, George Harris and Eliza Harris were separated, despite the fact that they were married (Stowe, 1852, p. 57) This instance shows how white landowners in Uncle Tom’s Cabin did not acknowledge their slaves as people and would sell their slaves like commodities for their own profit, which is also correct for large plantations after the 1830s. This commonality represents Uncle Tom’s Cabin as a significantly accurate portrayal of slaves lives on large
When my parents read to me, they enjoyed reading Dr. Suess books, which became popular with the publication of The Cat In The Hat. I was only interested in looking at books with color. When the books were colorful they grabbed my attention quickly. I couldn’t wait for my parents to come in my room at night and read to me from The Cat in the Hat. I think that this is one of the popular books that parents should read to their children.
The life of Laura Ingalls Wilder is truly fascinating. She was a courageous pioneer and a gifted writer. Her books have become famous all over the world. Children still look up to this woman of great courage.
I would recommend this book to anybody, it appeals any audience. It's a wonderful story