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INTRODUCTION
Childrens literature has certain particular features which, apart from the
authors inspiration, are what make it more attractive and interesting for
children, namely: it is a free and happy activity, contains imaginative elements,
reflects inner grievances suffered by the child, uses argumentative techniques
and language suited to children, has a most intuitive presentation, appeals to
feelings, affectivity, transmits moral values, conveys serenity and balance on the
part of the author, has expository clarity and is interesting.
In childrens literature, childrens folklore can also be included, which is a
form of literature that has been passed on by word of mouth. Carmen
BravoVillasante states that an aesthetic education using folklore enhances
sensitivity. Children who are not taught by means of songs, stories or poetry are
children with poorness of spirit. Childrens literature is an inexhaustible fountain
of resources for programming all sorts of language activities.
1.- CHILDRENS LITERATURE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
1.1.LITERARY LANGUAGE.
The reaction against foreign influences may lead to the extremes of purism
and correction, which insist upon absolute purity in language, based on the
servile imitation of the classics and on strict correctness, which often sacrifices
naturalness and liveliness.
b) ANIMALS
They are the strongest bond between fairy tales and modern childrens
literature.
Animals are creatures that speak and act like human beings. They are
present in most old and modern childrens stories and are the most important
source of power in the best childrens literature, a source which other types of
literature had abandoned before the 19th century.
Animals in fairy tales are enchanted and live in a world of human beings,
and human beings play a minor role. Any animal can be used as the enchanted
beast in a fairy tale: a bird in The Juniper Tree, a fox in The Golden Bird, a
prince frog, a cat, a snake in Countess dAulnoy. These animals do not wish to
be animals and while they are under a spell, they are the kindest, most patient
and civilized of beings.
Modern childrens literature contains animal fables and fairy tales. The
Three Little Pigs and The Little Red Hen are examples of stories that young
children read.
English childrens literature shows signs of persistence in writing and
reading. In England, childhood was considered the only stage in life in which it
was good to believe in a world of magic and imagination and talking animals.
Children were seen as beings that were capable of enjoying instinctive
sympathy for animals and of establishing an alliance with them against adult
human beings.
c) GREAT ENGLISH STORY WRITERS.
There are many famous English writers of childrens stories, but the two
most famous ones were Lewis Carroll and Beatrix Potter.
Lewis Carroll, an English writer, was born in 1832 and died in 1898. He is
the best-known author of story books, which are read by children and adults.
His main works are Alices Books (the most famous one), Theres Glory
for you and It was the best butter.
Beatrix Potter wrote stories as popular as Peter Rabbit, which everybody
has heard of and which became a film. Others are Taylor of Gloucester and
The little mice star: down to spin. In the latter, the mice were not humanized,
although they did weave mens coats. Another popular story is Jemina Puddle.
Oscar Wilde was an Irish author who wrote all his works in English and
became one of the best renowned writers in English literature. He is famous for
his plays and his popular theory of beauty. His best collection of stories are The
Shellfish Giant and The Canterville Ghost, which is one of the short stories
included in his book Lord Arthur Saviles Crime.
Kenneth Grahame understood childrens tastes very well and invited them
to the enchanted circus he created. His books The Golden Age and Dream
Days were immensely popular among children. The ideal world of this writer
seems more percectible and desirable than the world of Peter Pan.
Rudyard Kipling is known as the writer from India, although he never was
an ardent apologist of the presence of the English there. His main works are
The Jungle Book (1894-95) and Stories (1902). The Jungle Book and Kim
are blithe books about the world of ideas. His most important book is The
Jungle Book: it is the most accomplished expression of Kiplings quality of
work.
B. Frank Baum, a German-North American novelist, was born in Vienna in
1896 and died in 1960. He wanted American childrens literature to be free of
unpleasant incidents. He wrote many childrens books: A New Wonderland,
The Book of the Hambergs, His Book, etc.
All the works of this era are not about fantastic stories but about
adventures, save for the work of Jonathan Swift (with Gullivers Travels). This
book hides satire in such a deft manner that children still read it as a fairy tale.
The book starts off laughing about mankind; when Gulliver finds himself in
Lilliput, he is a giant compared to inhabitants there. In the second part of the
book, he goes to a land inhabited by giants and the author criticizes all men
thinkers. He then goes to Laputa, which is a flying island, and Swift examines
and criticizes human institutions. At the end there are horses with rational
minds. This book still today is a masterpiece, a childrens fairy tale and a
serious book for adults, and it has never lost its attractive nor allusive value.
The work of Walter de la Mare is one of the best works of short fantastic
stories. Out of the Deep is perhaps his most original and exciting short story.
Here is a passage from it:
All that I have to say, he muttered, is just this: I have Mrs. Thripps. I havent
absolutely out of the wire. I wish to be alone. But Im not asking, do you see? In
time I may able to know what I want. But what is important now is that no more
than that accused Pig were your primrose real, my dear. You see, things must
be real.
The title of the novel means a number of things: the depths of the house
in which the servants live, the depths of memory, from which remembrances
ascend, and the depths of the misfortunes of the wretch who is seeking help.
The literary language of the above text is bright and eloquent, neither dull
nor slow.
The protagonist is Jimmie, who is characterized by his desire to surprise
and his liking for black humour. This passage contains his regards for a girl. He
is a timorous boy who shows Soames cautious sadism and plays bad jokes on
the lackeys.
When he is talking to the girl, he realizes that he was forbidden to talk to
the lackeys (...you might pull real bells: to pull dubiously genuine pigtails
seemed now a feele jest). The word pigtail here may infer pig, which
corresponds to the beast that appears on the stairs. The gesture of pulling a
rope is similar to that of pulling from a pig.
The word primrose (spring) naturally suggests the line from a famous
verse by Wordsworth: A primrose by a rivers brimm. The thought of spring
may have suggested Lord Beaconsfield, whom Jimmie refers to: All of which is
only to say, dear madam, as Beaconsfield remarked to Old Vic, that Im
thanking you now.
In the text he refers to what the girl says, but then he gives it less
importance and highlights what it is really important. The style is loose and
clear, with lots of imagination. The vocabulary is simple, although some words
have several meanings, like primrose. The verb to ask means to call on
someone; the author uses it to mean Do you understand?. The same occurs
with in time which means sooner or later.
As there was no money, Ginger and Pickles were obliged to eat their own
goods. Pickles ate biscuits and Ginger ate a dried haddock. They ate them by
candlelight after the shop was closed.
This other text is from Ginger Pickles.
Moppet and Pittens have found up into very good ratcatchers. They go out cat-
catching in the village, and they find plenty of employment. They charge so
much a dozen and earn their living very comfortably.
This last text belongs to The Poly-Poly Pudding.
The style is clear and bright. Repetition is avoided, which es why in the
first text, in the last line, amongst is used instead of among, which was used
in the previous line. The language is simple, easy to read, so the words need
not be explained. The author avoids allipsis, by writing He had forgotten
instead of Hed forgotten, so that children can clearly understand the text.
Another characteristic of this writer, which is more clearly seen in the first two
texts, is her use of many verbs in the past tense. She does not use description
very much.
All of us need stories for our minds in the same way that we all need food
for our bodies; we watch television, go to the theatre and the cinema, read
books and exchange stories with our friends.
Stories are especially important in the lives of our children; they help them to
understand the world and to share it with others. Their craving for stories is
constant. Every time children enter a classroom, they have a yearning for
stories.
b) COMPREHENSION TECHNIQUES.
Helping children to predict the contents of a story by telling them beforehand
in their native language, by showing them pictures, or by introducing key
vocabulary from that story.
While they are being told a story, show them pictures, draw on the board, act
and mime, use words that are similar in meaning in both the first and second
languages.
Tell the story more than once. Interrupt the story often and repeat the idea in
a differente manner to make sure that the children do not get lost.
Study the story beforehand and simplify some of the vocabulary, if
necessary: words, expressions, verb tenses, word order and complex
sentences.
ELLIS AND BREWSTER: The Story telling handbook for Primary Teachers.
Penguin.
GARVIE: Story as a vehicle. Multilingual matters.
PERRY: Into books: 101 literature activities for the classroom. Oxford University
Press. Madrid.
MORGAN and RINVOLUCRI: Once upon a time. Cambridge University Press.
ROSEN: Shapers and Polishers. Teachers as Storytellers. Mary Glasgow.
WRIGHT: Why stories. Oxford University Press. Madrid.