An article caught my eye today about parents pushing for a book ban for their 7th graders. As I scanned the article, I found they were talking about the book "The Chocolate War." Parents protesting the inclusion of "this filth" in the required reading list due to "its depiction of swearing, masturbation and violence."
In 11th grade, my teacher required us to read "Beyond The Chocolate War" which is the sequel to "The Chocolate War." BTCW has much of the same content which the parents are objecting to in TCW. It has less of a raw feel than TCW but is more sophisticated.
To this day, I would consider BTCW one of the most influential books in my life. Robert Cormier created a rich and psychologically complex world which brought out the ethos of the characters to life and forced the reader, especially a young reader who typically has been previous unexposed to themes of this depth including having to consider various moral implications and choices and then dealing with their consequences.
I respect parents right to disagree with the content of the school material required of their children, and I recognize 7th grade, especially thinking of some of the 7th graders I know, is borderline on how early to expose student to these themes. However, I strongly disagree with their objections to TCW as "filth." The parents are making a mistake of looking at the circumstances in the book rather than the themes and ideas presented. Now 15 years later, I can barely recall the swearing and I don't remember the masturbation, even though I am sure it was only mentioned in passing and not a main focus. The violence is more vivid, but not it its graphic details but on the psychological aspect of it. The main character encounters a great deal of persecution when he decides to not join in the school's "optional" chocolate sale. This simple gesture of individuality, it was not truly an act of defiance, lead to others having the confidence to express their choices which led to a backlash by the authorities in the school, including encouraging other students to persecute the main character. It climaxes with the main character having to decide how important is it to maintain his decision and what cost is he willing to pay. These are powerful and important ideas for any person to consider, especially young people coming into their own.
What I loved so much about TCW and other Cormier books, I have read at least 7 including BTCW and TCW, is that the main characters have to make a difficult moral choice, a choice which generally costs them physically, emotionally and mentally, and this choice does not typically reward the character at the end of the book. As a result, the books do not have what we consider happy endings, but I loved that they have emotionally rich and realistic endings. I don't necessarily leave Cormier's books with a big smile on my face but usually in deep reflection, deep enough that I continued to dwell upon the books' characters for years afterwards.
Great art is like a great life in that it should leave a long legacy. Last night in the hotel, I watched the cleaned-up version on TBS of "Harold and Kumar Go to Whitecastle" which is about a couple of stoner, goofballs who have the munchies and want to satisfy this with those little Whitecastle burgers. It has some funny moments, in a sophomoric way, and I laughed out loud a few times, but I will not remember this movie after a day or two. I receive and enjoy PC World magazine each month, but I joke with Shannon that I think they repeat the same issues every year, one on security, one on getting the most of your PC, etc., but it is OK because I don't even remember the previous month's magazine.
In my days of "partying", the days typically blended together. Somebody might mention about a great party from the weekend, but the memory is gone by the next weekend. Whatever passing joy arose from the superficial pleasure fades quickly. Once I left my pig pen and returned back to my Father's home, my life became incredibly more rich and memorable. Not that life is always happy as a disciple of Christ, but it always a great life. However, unlike Cormier's books, a disciple of Christ knows that eventually, no matter what the present circumstance and near future holds, he will no only leave a great legacy, but he will eventually get the happiest ending imaginable.
So much to comment on! Just don't have enough room! While you said, "I respect parents right to disagree with the content of the school material required of their children", it is obvious the principal in the referenced piece does not. He takes the normal school bureaucratic attitude towards parents of "keep your mouth shut and send us your children and your money. We will call you if we need you. Otherwise be quiet." Been there done that. He even says he doesn't try to tell parents how to raise their families so they shouldn't tell him how to teach, to paraphrase!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis does become more an issue of age appropriateness. And something can be "filth" for certain ages and ok for others. I objected to a book in the children's section of the county library, drawn in story book fashion, of two princes marrying. While homosexualilty is a reality, it is not appropriate for Jacob to try to fathom or even a 1st grader. There will come a time when they are ready and need to confront such issues.
I obviously had little issue with TCW or BTCW as I allowed you to read them and even discussed them with you. We trusted your maturity at that time and thought you could reason through these issues. Can a 7th grader? Might just be "filth" at that age. Certainly I feel parents have a great say in what is "filth" and what is not. But this question has been around for a long time and, I suspect will be when EmmaNoah and ArdenVarden are in 7th grade also!