May
22
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Classics, Colonization and a Call for Change by Padma Venkatraman
Last year, I gave in to horribly un-American behavior. Confident that my citizenship would not be revoked if indulged in censorship, I picked up a thick sharpie and blackened out offensive words in A Child’s Garden of Verse on my daughter’s shelf.
Other “classics” just plain aren’t on her shelf. I’m confident her childhood can be quite complete even if she isn’t exposed to every classic. After all, there are many brilliant authors influenced by modern sensibilities who write equally marvelous books. Instead of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series, she’s read Louise Erdich’s Birchbark House series. Has she missed something? Sure. Yes. But our time as children is limited, and really, aren’t those children who haven’t visited the Birchbark House because they’ve been so busy following Laura from one Little House to another, also missing something? Or, worse, perhaps they’re unquestioningly absorbing age-old prejudices…
I’ll confess my desire to do my best to keep my daughter from unwittingly imbibing stereotypes has also led me to indulge in behavior abhorrent to people of my South Asian Indian heritage. I have dumped in the recycling bin certain books that my daughter received as gifts (despite my sense that books are sacred).
Despite all the amazing recent work that the organization We Need Diverse Books is doing, despite the many dedicated individuals who have been working for decades to raise awareness about the need for diversity and multiculturalism in children’s books, I’m sorry to report that my daughter has been given The Secret Garden and A Little Princess as gifts; not once, not twice, but an astounding seven times all in all. This gift has always come from thoughtful individuals who remembered that the stories had something to do with India; I am sure, however, that they didn’t quite realize how Indians (and other people of color) are portrayed in these (and so many other) classics. After all, I’ve even heard some librarians and authors of Indian origin say they’ve never come across a poor portrayal of an Indian person in a book.
Re-reading “children’s classics” I realized how much I myself had forgotten. Though I had vague memories of feeling upset or angry when I read certain books as a child, as an adult I was astounded by the plethora of negative ideas perpetrated by brilliant authors of the past. Both The Secret Garden and A Little Princess portray Indians as – to say the least – lesser mortals. As a child, I felt attracted to Mary’s magical adventures but repulsed by her character. How could I feel sympathetic toward a character that throws a tantrum when a maid dares to think she might be brown-skinned? (Let’s not even get into the maid’s voyeuristic tendencies). How could I, growing up in a family where so many relatives had disabilities, accept the idea that Colin’s father is a loving man, when he secrets his son away because his son has a disability? As for the little “princess” – it was clear she would never accept me as an equal, let alone a friend (given the way she reacted to the “lascar” who so kindly helped her).
Rudyard Kipling (of the Jungle Book) proudly proclaimed that east was east and west was west and “never the twain shall meet.” E. M. Forster was certain that married Indian men, as a rule, visited prostitutes whenever they wished. Joseph Conrad reduced the entire continent of Africa to a ghastly backdrop for one white man’s descent into insanity.
Colonial attitudes aren’t restricted to portrayals of India, the proverbial “Jewel” in the British crown. Nor are they all written by British authors. The second book in the Wizard of Oz series has an army of silly girls who race away squealing the moment a mouse appears – (heterosexist brainwashing, here we come). And what of Pippi Longstocking, whose dad is the white chief on an island filled with dark-skinned cannibals? The list is endless.
Perhaps when many of these “classics” were written, our world was less sensitive. Some of these works that we hold in high esteem unquestioningly reflected the prevailing notions of the time. We like to put authors on pedestals and worship them, but not every author is a deeply questioning, self-reflective individual – some just possess an unusual talent for describing society, as they know it. Their characters unthinkingly parrot prejudiced ideas.
When I shared my concern regarding these “old favorites” with a friend, he tried to cheer me up by pointing out that films based on these books are quite clean. “Don’t worry. Kids these days only watch movies made from these books,” he said. “They never actually read the stories.” He forgot, I guess, that I actually write books for a living. He also glossed over the fact that some books that have been turned into movies do, in fact, provide an unadulterated version of the original (Babar the elephant and Curious George have quite terrible and terrifying beginnings).
So what do I do about these classics?
Forbid them? No.
Restrict readership? Why not?
I am on my daughter’s school’s book fair committee. I insist on including as many diverse titles as possible. I insist on bringing parents’ attention to the plethora of information on the web and the many wonderful sites and blogs that show case diversity and highlight problematic books – WNDB, Disability in Kid’s Lit, Debbie’s Reese’s blog, Cynthia Leitich Smith’s blog, the Pirate Tree social justice and literature site, this Nerdy Book Club site etc. I suggest that they may not always agree with everything they read on these sites, but they should at least be aware of them. I point them to awards such as the South Asia Book award, the Jane Addams book award, and the IBBY books on young people with disabilities award – awards that sincerely seek to showcase authentic diverse literature. A prize-winning book is not necessarily flawless, but it’s interesting, if nothing else, to keep abreast of these lists.
I’ll admit my zeal is often met with trepidation. “I want my child to be well read,” parents say, afraid that if their children read Show Way, Drum Dream Girl, A Single Shard, or If I Was Your Girl they might not have enough time to read whatever it is that society at large deems essential. On the one hand, this worry seems trivial (after all, they’ll be forced to read A Catcher in the Rye and listen to a rich white boy whine about his problems at a swanky boarding school while he parties with prostitutes – behavior that no first generation immigrant or person of color could dare to indulge in with such impunity). On the other hand, if our children manage to escape having such novels force-fed to them, is it really a bad thing?
“We can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater,” I’m told. Meaning, we must make time for “classics” like Gone with the Wind, because otherwise we’re losing our culture. In addition, I’m told, a book like Huckleberry Finn raises issues that we learn from. I agree, and it’s a marvelous piece of literature, but if we read it and don’t give equal time and space to books like Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, aren’t we looking at certain issues only through the lens of a white narrator?
I’m also assured that as parents or librarians or teachers, we always ensure that we indulge in deep discussion with every child who ever reads a book in which disturbing points of view are accepted as the norm. Do we?
Too often, despite our sincere intentions, we are too tired to speak and to listen; at best we talk and hear. Or we don’t have the time to spend energy and effort educating ourselves about problematic issues in iconic literature, let alone broadening our children’s understanding. We delude ourselves by insisting that we will somehow make it right, when really, we ignore these issues. Let’s face it – these issues aren’t easy to raise.
Not even for me.
My daughter, at five, was already bullied for the color of her skin. She was told, “You’re brown and not beautiful, you’re brown and stupid, you’re brown and I don’t be your friend because you’re the color of poo.”
This experience increased her compassion for others. Nevertheless, this and other incidents she’s already been through in her young life, imbue me with a greater sense of responsibility when I talk to her about colonialism, racism, and other kinds of exclusionary isms in books. I do not wish to raise a child who feels threatened by stereotypes, but rather a child who feels empowered to fight against them.
Recently, my daughter was invited to a live performance of Peter Pan. Peter, I knew, would introduce us to Captain Hook – a one-armed villain with few if any redeeming qualities – and he’d stereotype First Nations peoples. We did attend the performance because her friend was acting in it. Then, then we spent a month on a project at home: examining how people with disabilities and from the First Nations are belittled in so many acclaimed books.
Finally, for the record, I’d like to state that I didn’t recycle The Secret Garden or The Little Princess. They’re on her shelf and they’ve inspired several insightful conversations. So yes, I do think such books may have a place and vital place in our lives. If and only if we truly use them as springboards for acquiring knowledge and taking action.
But I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again – if you feel your home or school or public library is running out of shelf space, reconsider why you think a classic is a classic – and whether it’s time for you to start changing the trend by sending some classics to the recycling bin. You can help establish which books will be revered as classics a hundred years from now. You can decide which children will be considered “well-read” adults when they grow up – and what “well-read” truly means.
Award winning American author, Padma Venkatraman, has worked as chief scientist on oceanographic ships, spent time under the sea, directed a school, and lived in 5 countries. Her 3 novels, A Time To Dance, Island’s End, and Climbing the Stairs, were released to multiple starred reviews (12), received numerous honors (> 50 best book e.g. ALA, IRA Notable; Booklist, Kirkus, NYPL, Yalsa BBYA; IBBY outstanding; and > 10 state lists), and won national and international awards. She gives keynote addresses, serves on panels, conducts workshops, and visits schools and author festivals worldwide. Visit her at: www.padmavenkatraman.com and Twitter at
Nerdy Book Club 
Agreed with your point.
Thank you for this thought – provoking post. I try very hard to fill my classroom shelves with diverse books by authors with an authentic experience. As a person who has lived with white privilege, I don’t always know if the book is authentic or perpetuating stereotypes (unless I know the author), so I rely on those great lists you mention and blog posts such as yours. I do think that those “classics” can open the door for enlightening discussion about the world at the time the book was written, how current culture shapes books and our understanding of lives different than our own and why we need to be thoughtful and read with a questioning stance. By the way, I just started reading “A Time to Dance” yesterday and I am LOVING it!
That’s great and thanks for sharing your thoughts
Awesome. Hear, hear. There are interesting subtexts in many problematic classics only apparent to me rereading as an adult. We read and discuss–but also read and acknowledge modern classics: Rita Williams-Garcia’s One Crazy Summer and sequels, Sherman Alexie’s Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian and many others.
Absolutely. There are so many marvelous modern classics and I could do a whole post listing those titles! I only mentioned 6 newer favorites here… which doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface – just those that came to mind as I wrote the post…
Thank you for this post. Sometimes I feel like I’m alone in thinking that the classics are not all they’re cracked up to be. As a young immigrant child to the US, I missed out on reading some of the classics that my American friends grew up on. Some of that was circumstance and some of that was choice. When I look at a recent list of books most “taught” in the middle grades, I am aghast at the fact that so many contemporary titles are missing. I decry this situation because there are so many diverse books out there that would spark incredible conversations with young readers. Your post makes me realize that raising our voices for diverse books should not be done quietly, but loudly and clearly.
I was an immigrant adult to this country, and I missed out on reading some “classics” as a child, too. Thanks for your supportive comment, I so appreciate it.
Thank you for this thought-provoking and important post. As the parent of a high schooler, I have complained about the lack of diverse authors on my daughter’s required reading lists for her English classes, which are still dominated by dead, white males and European authors.
Thank you so much. I look forward to a time when children will be required to read diverse titles.
Classics need to stand the test of time. One of my very favorites is Wuthering Heights. I read it in high school and it still holds so much passion for me. Would I read it to high schoolers now??? Probably not! It may promote a co-dependent relationship that glorifies the idea that abusive men are attractive and a woman’s love can save them. Or at least that is the message a 14 year old might get after reading. Unless we talk about these archetypes and stereotypes. Great conversation on here!!!!
Enjoyed your thoughtful comment on Wuthering Heights. Thanks, Marcela
We can’t dismiss all classics just because they were written in a different time, just as we shouldn’t tear down statues of people because they indulged in the slave trade. Instead, we should use them as lessons of how we learn from history – but then history is a dirty word nowadays, isn’t it? We might be more sympathetic to other cultures if we recognised they were just like us a few hundred years ago. I would be grateful for some more titles for brown children as I only found one for my granddaughter at Christmas. (UK)
Indeed I have suggested we cannot dismiss them all in one fell swoop and yes, we must absolutely must use them as lessons to teach how brown children and adults (and others) we ill-treated. I’m afraid I do think, however, that it’s quite alright to melt down statues of people who “indulged in the slave trade”… More diverse titles can be found on the hyperlinked sites in the article above.
I thought you would -even if they founded educational colleges which all nations can attend – shades of censorship.
Perhaps a close reading of Padma’s words is warranted here. She does not suggest or support “dismissing all classics,” as Julie has stated above. Padma asked us to “reconsider why you think a classic is a classic,” which is a wonderful reminder to always, always read closely, ask questions, and engage in critical thinking.
Regarding confederate statues, change is an essential part of humanity’s progress. Many statues have been made, and many removed, destroyed, or lost over time–and that’s got nothing to do with censorship. It has to do with progress.
All things change. That is the nature of life.
Julie, please consider adding Latinxs in Kid Lit to the sources you consult when seeking out books with characters of color. The blog address is https://latinosinkidlit.com/
As a 7th grade English teacher (currently on a leave of absence), I am grateful to the school and district where I teach for encouraging and promoting diversity in literature. I enjoy and appreciate many of the old classics; however, there are many newer titles that I feel are just as engaging and well written that should be included on the classics list. My student population is extremely diverse, and they just do not relate to the upper class European descent children in so many classics. I still believe some of these should be included in a well rounded curriculum; however, in our global world, I feel VERY strongly that our children need to experience literature that opens their eyes to possibilities and is relatable.
I don’t think that Padma is discounting all classics or suggesting we get rid of them all. I think she is asking us to consider how many classics perpetuate stereotypes and racism and should not be used as canonical texts. There are many “classics” to choose from that do not carry this negative weight.
“…reconsider why you think a classic is a classic”
So well said. Thank you for sharing your perspective. ❤
Thanks Donalyn and Melanie, for understanding my words.
You should be incredibly proud for sharing your thoughtful but raw honesty here, Padma. You were brave to post your thoughts & concerns; in doing so, you validated others’ experiences. Authors like you & Jacqueline Woodson have created an important dialogue about why accurate representation matters in literature. Thank you for being unafraid to challenge the idea that we should read particular books in society just because that’s what has always been done.
I hope I don’t sound like a stuck record, saying thank you so much. But I meant it, from the bottom of my heart. It was scary to speak out, and I am so grateful you and others have appreciated and understood my words.
I know that many of my favorite childhood books–yes, Little House and Secret Garden, as well as others–are problematic in a range of ways. Still, it can be hard to detach myself from the emotional pull of what they meant to me as a kid. However, as a teacher, I can find SO MANY contemporary works that provide “windows and mirrors” for a huge range of people, so there’s really no need to use books with dated and offensive attitudes in the classroom.
You are so right about the emotional pull of books we read as children. I love that aspect of children’s literature, that we return to books we once enjoyed…
I don’t think it is un-American to edit what is on your own child’s bookshelf. Looking back to the Puritans who came to Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts, that’s EXACTLY what they wanted to do. Our separation of church and state is designed to offer the individual liberty in managing his or her own personal affairs.
It would be un-American, on the other hand, to go to the library and deface books on the shelf because you disagree with them, or want to protect the children of others from that content. Un-American would be trying to keep a book from being traded freely in stores and between hands.
Sitting on the committee to decide which books should be in the library? That’s very American! Decisions have to be made. Your voice is as valid as mine. Let’s discuss it. 🙂
You and I may have different needs when it comes to discussing the content of older books. For the child with brown skin who already knows about this one form of prejudice, she may not need an explicit lesson on the dangers of bigotry based upon color. Perhaps she will need a lesson pointed out about someone else’s imposed burdens: Shylock representing the Jews in Shakespear, say? Extreme poverty? Differently abled? Who knows!
The weight of parenting is undertaking to teach our own to the best of our ability. I do the best I can to show my child books–new ones, old ones, books that represent OUR experience, and books that open up NEW perspectives. I tell him, “Here’s what I remember about this childhood favorite. Here’s what I see now, as an adult.”
I ask him, “What do you see here? What can you read between the lines?”
Some books, I impose upon my children. Some books, they offer up to me. Almost no books are “banned” in our home, but no one gets to shut down the discussion that follows!
Enjoyed this discussion on un-American. Thank you!
Thank you for this thought-provoking post. This would be a great article for a trade mag, like Horn Book.
Just wrote a short article for Kirkus and was honored to do so (on a different topic). If Horn Book invites me, I’ll be sure to say yes!
Thank you so much for this post! As a librarian, I find myself having to defend my choices in weeding books that perpetuate stereotypes – this is a great article to share with those concerned with my choices.
So glad to hear this spoke to you. Many thanks.
I think this may all depend on one’s age. In my childhood “The Secret Garden” would have been considered a classic but then “The Family from One End Street” could have been included in ‘books a child should read’ Maybe that is what we should concentrate on- a variety of books, ancient and modern, so that children get as broad an education as possible. I just wish people would allow for historical attitudes and not try to impose modern ones. We don’t tamper with the Pilgrim’s Progress – what next -Swallows and Amazons?
Thank you for this insightful, personal and important post. I have already shared it with our high-school and college-aged daughters, and it generated fantastic conversations. I even shared it with my very well-read physical therapist (whose mom is a librarian), and it also provoked a meaningful dialogue. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I am so grateful to hear this. I feel humbled and happy that this piece inspired meaningful dialogue.
I read this & said “Yess!” so many times, Padma. I was waving my imaginary church fan because you were preaching. Thank you for this! My classics growing up featured brown girls, like Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters. My canon is not lily-white. Thanks for writing this great piece.
Reblogged this on Read It Real Good and commented:
No brainer re-blog. I’ve talked before about pushing against a white canon of children’s literature. Why are our “classics” our classics? Excellent piece that educators, librarians and parents should read.
Deepest appreciation and sincere gratitude.
Thank you for your words & honesty. 🙂
This is something I never thought of until I was watching “Dumbo” with my then-two-year-old daughter, and realized that these are not cultural attitudes that I wanted to perpetuate with my kids. I try to read – and watch – along with the kids, and discuss the problems the same way you have done with Peter Pan.
Thank you for the suggestions for expanding our book selections. We’re always looking for something new to read!
I agree with what you are saying, but I have a question. What are some older books that are part of the culture that children are expected to know, that you think should still be read and used? I graduated in 1984 and Big Brother is watching was something at that time I was expected to know. What do you think children should have read and be aware of that was not published in the past 5 years?
Your daughter is fortunate and so are your readers!
I really enjoyed your piece and will read it over again to regain even more insight. While I never “banned” books my children could read, (the Harry Potter series being one group UNliked in the schools they were in) and was disappointed they never really liked the “Laura Ingalls” series as I did, I am pleased to know that they now read so many diverse books, belong to reading groups, enjoy audio books-which sometimes make “classics” less tedious, and we trade books between ourselves. Thinking your daughter will have an experience you provided for her and as she explores more will certainly widen her thoughts in books and life, but it is because You opened her world. Well done!
Well written post. I completely agree. I’ve read a lot of books where I felt slighted for being Indian/brown/women. I agree we should keep these books but read them with context. And strangely enough the racism/misogyny etc has a different flavor in from different countries. I was outraged when I came to India as a teen and read more English authors (or Indian ones who imbibed some English stereotypes) but it took me a while to see the issues with the American authors as I was steeped in it.