The Role of Good and Evil in Childrens Literature - Essay Example

?Dawn Murray Pierce English 215-section -005 November 29, The Role of Good and Evil in Children’s Literature Children serve as the most innocent stratum of human society; education, training and socialization of them involve vehement care, concern and consideration. Since their mind could be compared to a clean slate, every word on it is to be written vigilantly, so that the children would be in a position to comprehend with the prevailing cultural values, moral laws, social norms, ethical taboos, religious cult, mores and traditions without much difficulty. Additionally, the children are alarmed, in a modest manner, to remain aware of the representatives of good and evil, through symbols, similes and metaphors, where the young ones are in a position to recognize the negative and positive characters as well as characteristics, but they also learn and realize their responsibilities towards other members of society. It is therefore the folklores are regarded as the most elucidating way of communicating to the children the everlasting state of conflict between good and evil. The children are taught to observe truth, justice, kindness, equality, brotherhood, generosity, bravery, honesty, integrity and wisdom, while the habits like avariciousness, cruelty, lust, falsehood, deceit, materialism, meanness, wickedness, cunningness, cowardice and malice are condemned to be avoided in life. Although all these habits, traits and principles are attributed to the adult members of society, yet the children are trained since their early years in such a manner that they could become productive, constructive and responsible citizens in their grown years. The children literature particularly plays vital role by portraying the good and evil characters through stories and fables, which convey the children the main features of the symbols of good and evil through personifying real, imaginative and imaginary characters. Such a personification contains universality in its nature and scope; it is therefore, the liar, fraudulent and greedy are abhorred by the young minds, and they are determined to become obedient, complying, supportive and beneficial for others. The children literature also elaborates the political, social and economic structure of society with the help of animals and birds. The stories depict lion as the king of jungle or head of the state. Lion’s distinguished political and social position rests upon his unabated courage, profound physical strength, significant mental capabilities and the power as well as resoluteness to protect his land and sovereignty. Hence, lion is the symbol of bravery, integrity, steadfastness and valor, which cannot be overcome or defeated. Somehow, if the same lion displays pride or exercises cruelty on his subjects, he is likely to be challenged through some natural calamity or some greater power, because f the Nature’s system of law and justice. It is therefore a pride lion can be dependent of the sharp teeth of a tiny creature, like mouse, and his high-handedness may invite some metaphysical power, including fairy, ghost or jinn, to rescue his subjects from his violence. Similarly, a trivial object i.e. ant can put the life of a mighty creature i.e. elephant by intruding into his trunk. The children’s literature frequently portrays fox as a very cunning, crook and crafty animal, which leaves no stone unturned to deceit others. The story of “the lion, fox and deer” reflects how an old and weak lion, unable to set out for hunting, hires the services of a fox to bring the energetic and thickset young hunt to his den. Consequently, the fox finds a foolish deer and entraps her by seducing that she is going to be announced the next queen of jungle by the dying king lion, so she should visit his den to take her new responsibilities. Instead of making a prudent examination of the situation, the deer enthusiastically followed the fax to the lion’s den, who attacked her and deprived her of her one ear. The deer ran away to save her skin, leaving the lion at a perplexed state of affairs. The fox once again offered her services to bring the poor fellow back, and span a yarn that the future queen i.e. the deer should not have displayed cowardice and lack of wisdom, as the lion was eager to advise her about some secrets of the government into her deer. The stupid deer once again accompanied the fox and became the victim of the hunger and cruelty of the lion. The fox also had his share out of the spoils and thus both the fellows took advantage of the foolishness of the imprudent deer. The story contains several lessons in it, i.e. one should not trust on everyone without analyzing the circumstances. Secondly, one should not over-estimate oneself out of the flattering made by an opportunist. It also gives the message to the innocent children that the evil and wicked can apply all tricks to achieve their target by hook or crook. The story also states that being foolish is also a curse, which may hurt and even can take the life of an imprudent fellow. Thus, the simply literary pieces draw out the nature and trickery of different people by personifying the animals. The story “The Lion and the Oxen” reveals that union and friendship make the weak people as strong and powerful, and hence keep their enemies far away from harming them. On the contrary, quarrels and fights provide the enemies the opportunity of destroying them in cold blood. The story shows how two oxen lived together like brothers, and even the lion was afraid of their union and power. Somehow, the fox created differences between the two, and the quarrel between them weakened the both. Consequently, the lion was able to devour both the two one by one. Similarly, the story of “fox and the crane” depicts that the over-clever and evil-minded people not only undergo humiliation and displeasure of others, but are also deprived of the sincere and loving friends and companions subsequently. Hence, greed, crookedness, cowardice and foolishness are frequently condemned and censured in the children’s literature as the evil and adverse habits and attitudes. The literature, produced for the children also conveys the message of strong determination and firm resoluteness for the achievements of the goals in life. For instance, the famous story of race between the swift and speedy hare and the slow and unhurried but steadfast and committed tortoise clearly state that it is not physical power or speed that wins in life. On the contrary, one’s loyal dedications and unabated adherence to one’s purpose earn success and reputation for the people. Moreover, the children’s literature show lamb as a very innocent creature, while the wolf is symbol of crime, cruelty and terror. Lamb is a very simple, straightforward and ingenuous fellow, which has to protect itself from the nefarious designs of the cruel wolf, which leaves no chance of harming and devouring the lamb. Thus, wolf is a symbol of evil, which is an essential part of every society; the same is applied to lamb, as simple and harmless people are also an inevitable element of all cultural establishments, existence of which are helpful in respect of making distinction between right and wrong as well as between good and evil. The children’s literature portrays fairy as a highly sublime character, which is always ready to help others with the help of magic. The fairy’s character looks for justice, truth and generosity in humans; it is therefore, the fairies appear to be determined to reward the fair-minded people for the goodness; the story “Woodcutter and his Axe” reveals the same. A woodcutter’s axe is drowned in the river while cutting a tree, and he starts crying over his loss. Suddenly a fairy appears with her magical powers and after listening to his tragic tale, offers him a gold axe. He refuses to take it as he looks for his simple axe. The fairy again dives deep into the river and appears with a silver axe. The woodcutter again declines the ownership of the silver axe. At last, the fairy fetches an axe made of iron, which the woodcutter receives with the feelings of gratitude. The fairy becomes so happy that she grants all the axes to him as a reward for his speaking the truth and keeping his modesty and prestige. Hence, both the woodcutter and fairy represent the good, as the former displays extreme honesty and integrity even at the eve of crisis, while the latter appears to be like an angel, who would render help and exercise high level of generosity towards the helpless and poor woodcutter. The metaphysical characters are not only the representative of good; on the contrary, there are also the symbols of evil among them. For instance, witches, ogres and other supernatural elements frequently harm the humans and intend to keep them as their slaves and prisoners. Famous German fairy-tale under the title “Rapunzel” also sketches the character of a cruel witch that snatches the beautiful girl Rapunzel from her parents even before her birth on the trivial mistake committed by them by stealing some leaves from the Rapunzel plant. Actually Rapunzal’s mother forces her husband to bring some plant from the garden adjacent to their house. Unfortunately, he is caught red-handed by the witch, who threatens them of grave consequences provided they would not hand over their unborn child to them. Out of sheer feelings of fear, they give their daughter, called Rapunzel, immediately after her birth to the witch, named Dame Gothel. The witch keeps the girl incarcerated in a lonely tower far away from the eyes of the world. Dame herself assures her entrance to climb over the tower by holding the girl’s very long blonde hair she offers by felling the same through the window of the tower. Somehow, a prince discovering her voice while singing, and detected the way to reach her during night hours. The both fall in love and promise to get married. However, Dame detects the affair, deprived Rapunzel of her hair and kicks her out of the tower. She also fells the prince from the tower, and the fall deprives him of his eyesight. Both the two spent many years in wandering, and subsequently reunited with the help of the same singing voice of the girl. The prince leads her to his kingdom where they enter into marital knot and thus lead a happy life for the rest. Here, the witch represents the evil, while prince symbolizes the good, who rescues the girl from the cruel clutches of Dame Gothel. The children’s literature actually does not conceal the bitter realities of life prevailing all around the social environment of the children. Nevertheless, it manifestly narrates the inevitable existence of such obnoxious stratum that may put the peace and happiness of society in grave jeopardy. William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” also describes the same, through the mouth of the children that good and evil not only go side by side with each other, but also the circumstances may turn the honest and civilized people into devilish. In the novel, the character of Ralph reflects abiding of democracy, justice, struggle and determination, while Jack symbolizes strategic and financial power that is misused in order to subjugate others under one’s domination. Similarly, Simon is the representative of intellect, wisdom and philosophy; the intellectuals and philosophers explore and point out goodness and evil, and provide a theoretical outline to lead a civilized life; however, they are unable to implement and enforce the same, and hence lack practical leadership qualities in their personality. Moreover, the cultured but weak nations like Piggy cannot overcome the injustices and malpractices prevailing all around them, and eventually become victim of the same at the hands of the cruel stratum at last. The conflict between good and evil certainly gives birth to the anarchic structure, where the powerful stratum guises as savage and beast, and violates against the prevailing socio-political structure in order to rule over others, as Jack captured the attention of majority boys on the foundation of his physical strength and his financial position. To conclude, it becomes evident that good and evil have been presented in the children’s literature in almost the same manner as both these traits prevail in societies. Though evil is aptly punished, while the good is rewarded, however, in some cases, the good has to undergo severe trials, and even has to sacrifice the life, retaliation of which takes a long time to take place. The children’s literature lays stress upon being upright, honest, chaste and kind in order to earn respectable place in society. The children’s literature vehemently presents the evil as the black mar on the very face of society that is responsible for creating chaos among the people. Hence, the children’s literature portrays the true picture of society by transferring the nature of different people living all around them. Bibliography Aesop Fables. The Tortoise and Hare Perry Index No. 226 Gibbs, Laura. The Lion, the Fox and the Deer Aesop's Fables2002 Retrieved from http://mythfolklore.net/aesopica/oxford/600.htm Golding, William Lord of the Flies Reissue Edition, Perigee Books Publisher (1954) Grimm, The Brothers. Behind the Rapunzel 1812/1960 Retrieved from http://www.loudlit.org/audio/rapunzel/pages/01_01_rapunzel.htm Read More