Self-Evaluation (was Re: Harry Haters...)

[catherinemckiernan]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "naamagatus" <naama_gat at h...>
wrote:

> On a different note. I have to say that as a person who doesn't have 
> children, but who remembers her own childhood very well, the thought 
> of parents censoring their children's reading raises my hackles a 
> bit. I would have hated my parents to do that to me. I won't take an 
> oath on it, but I think that if I had children, I'd let them read 
> whatever fell into their hands. Children definitely need protection 
> in the real world, but I'd prefer to give children freedom in the 
> realm of imagination. Just my IMO (and I reserve the right to a 
> complete change of mind when and if I have a child. <g> )
> 
> 
> Naama, who survived with soul intact a short enthusiasm for Ayn Rand 
> at 13

Likewise haven?t got children, so this is theoretical, but we have to
have the theory behind the potential practice, so?

In terms of banned book lists, I would want nothing to do with them. I
would worry about the system of categorisation, eg. are the listers
politically motivated, or what I would consider politicaly motivated.

In terms of an individual parent making a choice its obviously more
personal. I hope I would let my kids read anything they wanted, but
probably keep some stuff on a higher shelf in the study! My parents
never censored my reading at all, and I got anything I wanted from the
library (I recall one delightful book that contained articles on
Spontaneous Human Combustion and the exact physical effects on the
human body of radiation overdose). Never did me any harm, though I
still tend to slap my leg if it suddenly itches in order to cut off
the oxygen and prevent SHC (you think I?m joking?). I think they were
of the opinion that if I was old enough to be interested in reading it
I  was old enough to cope. I read 1984 at 10 (it was mentioned in a
children?s book), and tho? the sex and politics passed me by, I
understood absolutely what O?Brien?s betrayal meant to Winston Smith.
Now I daren?t read it again in case understanding the sex and politics
spoils this marvellous book about friendship and betrayal! However I
did practise a certain discretion in my reading, and didn?t let my
parents know everything, but only because they would have mercilessly
mocked my Malory Towers/Chalet School prediliction. Self-evaluation
would have thrown out the Tasteless Joke book.
I think they took the right decision, because short of checking every
book I read (and that would be 10 a week), they could only trust me to
make the right decision, hopefully guided by their value-systems
impressed upon me by practical example and discussion. Had they not
trusted me, my Slytherin side would certainly have got the books
anyway, but then not been able to ask about anything had it troubled
me, which would have been much more of a problem. I was never harmed
by Philip Roth?s The Breast, I just thought the narrator astonishingly
weird. On the other hand, I still have a slight ?thing? about lichen
due to reading a children?s horror story from the school library, that
was recommended for 10 and up when I was 12. Parental restriciion
would not have stopped that one. Unless a child has obvious fears (eg.
spiders) how do you know what will scare/trouble her?

Notwithstanding the above, television viewing was censored, on grounds
of taste, morals and art. I wasn?t allowed to watch Pretty Woman until
I reached its Certificate age of 15 because it glamourised
prostitution (the only other girl in the class who hadn?t seen it was
one of the Plymouth Brethren), but my little sister watched The Crying
Game at 12 (artistic and interesting film which took its difficult
subjects seriously). Shamelessly, following my parents, I would censor
TV on the grounds that a) they should get out and play in the garden
b) use their imagination and c) TV is so much more ?in your face? than
a book. If a kid isn?t ready for something in a book, she can skate
over it. On TV it is there in all its visceral glory. Sometimes this
is good ? my sisters and I adored the Danish Babette?s Feast
(ostensibly about cooking, really about art, life, grace and duty)
from a very young age, when the book would have been inaccessible due
to interest and style. But think of Aberforth?s goat and compare
Dumbledore?s sly comment to a potential film portrayal in flashback!
The book is like a really good pantomime, where some of the jokes
might fly over the heads of the young audience without distracting
them, but slay the adults (if anyone?s been to York Theatre Royal they
know what I mean).

I?ll stop now! End of lunch, back to work?.

Catherine McK