So, enjoy...if you dare...
Childrens' Literature
Portraying characters in childrens' literature as animals without a doubt increases the humor in "Olivia Saves the Circus" by Anne Schwartz. For example, one page has to do with cleaning the house. Since the characters are pigs, why does the kitchen have to include dishes piled up to the sink? This leaves one word in this reader's mind: Pigsty.
The classification of humor in this particular story is superiority. Adults are superior to children, as humans are superior to animals. This reminds me of the egocentric way that humans viewed the novel "Animal Farm" by George Orwell. The novel was on the banned book list for years, and it really hit a nerve with humans. How DARE this author even suggest that humans could be overthrown by something so weak and powerless as animals? Perhaps in a way, some sort of salvaging a sense of relief, though it is comic; is to cast characters in children's books as animals. it is much easier to laugh at animals, rather than to laugh at one's self.
Although the characters throughout this book were of swine nature, the majority of books for younger readers, the characters of children are portrayed as animals. Adults tend to believe that children are beneath us, as are animals. In previous years, children were of little value until they had grown; just like animals. By portraying the characters of children as animals, they are indirectly stating the aforementioned point.
Annnnddd...I'm done!
3 comments:
Yes. Yes. Yes.
But how did Olivia save the circus?!?
;)
LMAO Michael.
That's for a whole different conversation.
LMAO - actually Olivia tells this very in-depth story at school one day of how she and her family went to the circus, and none of the performers were there, so she performed all of the acts herself.
It's actually a really good children's book, but alas, my professor has her masters in Childrens Lit, so it was her book :)
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