Following up on last month’s column, “For the Love of Banned Books,” I decided to review a few books your high schoolers are probably reading or may soon read. You very likely read these same books a long, long, long time ago, as they are all classics, but it is time to dust them off and do what I suggested you do in October: be an involved parent. Yes, indeed, while you’re discussing these great reads with your book groups, take the time to discuss them with your kids, too! You might be surprised at just where the conversation leads.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain

I noted in October I was listening to this one on audio book in the car with the kids. I originally bought it to break of the monotony of the long drive during our recent move from Nashville to Houston, though I originally read it during high school my junior year. How very quickly I was drawn back into Twain’s fanciful tale of life on the Mississippi in the nineteenth century and remembered what I loved about his writing: the richness of his characters, the deftness with which he handled the dialects of the region, and of course, the charm of Huck himself! Who can resist that rascal?

With all of its plot twists and regionalisms, not to mention the history I was required to explain, I knew getting The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and expecting my seven and ten year olds to enjoy it was a stretch. Nevertheless, they did finally settle in to the saga and were eager to hear about what they had missed when I was listening in their absence. I often stopped the recording to simplify Twain’s narrative, answer any questions they had, or explain the parts of the story that were specific to the time period in which it was taking place. Granted, they probably didn’t understand half of what the story was about, but they got the gist, laughing at appropriate times and even mocking Huck for his improper English (ah, their mother’s children). Interestingly, without ever touching on the deeper meaning of Mr. Twain’s satirical novel, it is entirely possible for readers to gain some pleasure in just the surface story- my girls are proof of that.

However, if you are of a mind to delve into the deeper themes Mark Twain intended to explore with this anything-but-simple story of young Huck’s Mississippi adventure with his friend, the run away slave, Jim, you may certainly do so.

First among the prominent themes in Huckleberry Finn is racism in South. The character who embodies the racism with which whites treated blacks is, of course, Jim. However, it is also seen in dozens of conversations and encounters throughout the book, where black characters are either treated as dimwitted children or with outright distain by both low ranking and well-to-do white citizens alike.

Followed by racism as a predominant theme is the issue of slavery. Twain was himself an abolitionist and was highly critical of so-called Christians who justified slavery with their Bibles. At the same time, he was using Huck Finn to censure such slave holders (or by the time of its penning and publication, former slave holders), he was also using it to attack the hypocrisy he noted in “polite” society. A society that would allow families to be torn apart and drunkards to have more standing in a community than law-abiding citizens was a culture that Twain simply could not abide.

Additionally, Twain used Huckleberry Finn to explore the benefits of a worldly education over a formal one. Our young hero, had little in the way of classroom instruction, yet he was often able to get by in his journeys better than those with greater formal learning because he survived by intuition. If he found himself in a difficult situation, Huck devised a plan of escape based on the circumstances. He could think on his feet, and, well, lie, if the occasion required it, which led him to discover an important trait in himself: he generally never engaged in deceit unless it was to save himself or a friend. Whereas, others, mostly adults with whom he came into contact, used lies to manipulate, cheat, and steal from others- and they did so indiscriminately. For all of his lacking in church going and schooling, even Huck knew that was wrong.

By the end of Huckleberry Finn, I had developed quite an appreciation for this rapscallion, especially after having an opportunity in the final chapters to compare him directly with the master terror himself, Tom Sawyer! As a boy goes, I think I’d take Huck any day. He may not be as polished as Tom, nor as well read, but I respected that he questioned the world around him, even questioning with boldness at times, the societal conventions that seemed discordant with his instincts. He was even willing to take action when necessary, which is no small thing for a thirteen year old boy harboring a run away slave in the pre-Civil War south!

Closing Thoughts

Despite the sticky subject which will arise almost from page one in Twain’s masterpiece, that being the racially delicate language, this is a book that holds great opportunity for parent and child alike to discuss matters pertinent to both the author’s day, as well as our own. A point I mentioned last month and I stand by firmly, is that we cannot, nor should we run from our nation’s past. Just as each of us have histories that may be less than stellar, so does our country; but in the same exact way, it is that history that has made us what we are today. We cannot have come to where we are at this present time without our past, warts and all, for better or worse. Stop harping on the warts and acknowledge the progress.

P.S. You may have a child rather like Huck Finn, one that constantly questions every little thing. I certainly do. (She drives me absolutely nutty some days!) Yet, as frustrating as it can be as a parent, I can’t help but wonder if the world couldn’t use a few more Huck Finns and a lot fewer sheep. 

Reading Guide

The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne

Still regarded as one of the best pieces of nineteenth century American literature, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter remains one of my favorite books from my high school days. Telling the story of a secret love affair between the young, vibrant Hester Prynne and a stalwart of the Puritan community, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, which affair results in the birth of a daughter, Hawthorne spins a morality tale that is more than just cautionary; it is also an exposition of womanly strength and human frailties.

While Hawthorne’s writing has none of the lightness of Twain’s, nor does it seem he even attempts subtlety, for often just the names of his main characters give readers immediate insight into the characters’ nature, Mr. Hawthorne’s narrative of the Salem era offers a different, and perhaps more even handed exploration of the foibles of humanity.

Where Twain, appeared to have nothing but contempt for his fellow Southerners, hardly deigning to find a single good thing about their society, Hawthorne strove to understand the Puritan conventions that bound Hester Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale in their day. Feminists no doubt decry the unequal treatment Hester received at the hands of her author and the community in which she was created, but it is important to note when discussing this  book that Hester, like many of us, gained great strength from her trials.

She made a mistake, that is to be sure, an error fully covered by the atonement, but unlike her co-conspirator, Mr. Dimmesdale, she was made to pay daily for the offense of sinfulness by wearing the letter “A” emblazoned upon her bodice. She was additionally forced to live isolated from greater society for the remainder of her days. Yet, in spite of that, she flourished and matured, growing in compassion and charity for her fellow villagers.

The Reverend did also develop much greater empathy for his parishioners when they, like he, struggled with weakness. Nevertheless, he lived the life of a hypocrite before his congregation, withering away slowly before their eyes over seven years’ time, scourging himself in private rather than confessing in public, as Hester had been forced to do. His true failing was pride or rather an unwillingness to be cast down before the eyes of society. Hester’s inability to hide her part in the sin due to the pregnancy made it possible for her to achieve forgiveness and subsequent wholeness with relative rapidity, two things Mr. Dimmesdale did not accomplish until his final breaths.

There are plenty of other elements to discuss about The Scarlet Letter: the references to witchcraft, inherent to the Salem era of American life; the significance of the characters names; the usage of dark versus light within the story; and even the continuum of Hester’s place in the community. Regardless, I found the preeminent theme of Hawthornee’s first major success to be Hester’s maturation from a naïve young maiden to the sensitive, thoughtful, and able woman who faces the challenges of this world despite the odds. The scarlet letter upon her breast which was first meant to declare her sin, eventually set her apart not as an evil creature, but as a true survivor in this veil of tears.

Closing Thoughts:

This was another junior year read for me, and I hope by the time your kids are tackling it in school, you have had “the talk” so they understand how Pearl came into being. I think The Scarlet Letter provides a great opportunity to discuss the atonement in relation to our mistakes, especially in light of Dimmesdale’s self-mutilation. We are expected to offer a broken heart and contrite spirit, not a destroyed body, as a part of repentance. I would also have a chat about the supernatural elements of Hawthorne’s work. They are pretty creepy, but as witchcraft played quite a significant role in the Salem era, it was necessary they be incorporated into a book about the time period.

Reading Guide

1984, George Orwell

In a perusal of our local high school’s website, I was happy to find I could access most of the English class websites to see exactly what the kids in my community were being required to read. With few notable exceptions, it seemed to be pretty much what I remember reading in my advanced (now called AP) English classes. And sure enough, still listed as an option, often along with Shelley’s Frankenstein and Huxley’s Brave New World, is Orwell’s 1949 classic 1984.

I mentioned last month, 1984 had been challenged in one school district in Florida for being pro-communist and containing “explicit sexual matter.” I re-read this book specifically for this column and I can tell you two things beyond a shadow of a doubt: Orwell was a Socialist who despised the totalitarianism of Communism, and there is nothing “explicit” about the treatment of sexuality in this book!

1984 follows the life of Party member Winston Smith as he begins to defy the norms of the dystopia in which he lives. First mentally removing himself from the collective in an attempt to reclaim some small piece of individuality he lost years ago, Winston then proceeds past thinking of defiance to acting out physically. Of course, in the day and age of constant video and audio monitoring, of Big Brother and the Thought Police, this is no small task and no small crime. Individual identity has been brutally extinguished from the Party members at all levels, though the Proletariat class, or “Proles,” are allowed almost as much freedom as the animals, for that is how they are seen by the ruling class: as harmless as animals, and as easily subdued. Vices that are illegal within the Party ranks are actively encouraged among the Proles as a means of pacification. Winston notes this difference at one point and longs for such freedom.
His first step towards liberty, his first open act of rebellion comes in the form a small blank book, a journal in which he dares to express his thoughts and feelings. This seemingly simple act could very well get him killed. Nevertheless, he continues to write.

In time, he also meets a young woman with whom he becomes romantically involved. This is where the idea that 1984 contains “explicit” sexual material comes into play. Orwell does spend a good deal of time discussing how the Party has suppressed sexuality in its membership ranks and perverted the meaning and function of family. Men and women are only allowed to marry if it is apparent there is no physical interest between them and it is understood copulation is only to propagate the Party ranks -- with children who are trained as spies against their parents. It is difficult for Winston, who still has memories of his life before Big Brother, who still remembers his mother’s loving kindness. A life of celibacy is very hard on him, but harder still is a life without attachment or affection. So, he takes the risk of falling in love and giving himself to another person. However, Orwell treats the subject of Winston’s sexuality quite respectably, there is nothing graphic in his portrayal of Winston’s relationship with his beloved Julia.

*Spoiler Alert*  Skip this paragraph if you don’t want to know the ending!

Alas, every good thing must come to an end. All of Winston’s careful planning and deceit of the Party were for naught. In a Matrix-like ending, our lovers find that they were always in the web of Big Brother, always under the watchful eye of the Party. Those few people they had thought were as rebellious as they, were just members of the Thought Police waiting to pounce. Their months of joy and relative freedom claimed in painstakingly stolen moments were dashed in an instant as both Winston and Julia are taken away to be beaten and tortured until they betray one another, though Winston’s reeducation is not complete until he chooses willingly to love no one else, save Big Brother himself.

Closing Thoughts

In light of current world politics, I find 1984 to have as much, if not much greater significance now than it did when it was first published in 1949, just prior to the Cold War, but post Hitler and Mao. It would be wise to discuss politics with your kids who are reading this, as they will likely be voting soon themselves. One of the things that chilled me most about Winston’s struggle and the oppression of the Party, was the pleasure it took in the absolute destruction of the spirit and the individual. All was for the collective, no “free-thinking” allowed. I have to wonder what Orwell would think about the direction of Socialism were he alive today? Is it what he thought it was going to become, or something worse?

Another necessary discussion point with your kids is, of course, the treatment of sexuality in Orwell’s dystopia. I would talk about how the Party’s pollution of the true nature of human beings, the family, and the individual, caused people to have an unhealthy view of their divine nature, thus distorting what wholesome sexuality is supposed to be for and about. Because the only love that was allowed in the Party’s world, Oceania, was love for Big Brother, no other expression of love was acceptable or even lawful. Necessarily, people living under this regime sought other outlets by which to express this key part of their humanity, if it could not be completely suppressed.

Reading Group Guide

The human mind is like a parachute - it functions better when it is open.
Lord Thomas Robert Dewar

Shout Outs

I got some really good feed back from last month’s column and I want to thank every one who took the time to write. I got a nice number of positive comments, and a few negative ones, too.

For those who read the column negatively, I hope you reread it and understand I was not arguing for free access for children to all materials, I was, however, telling parents to get involved in their children’s education, read the same books your kids are reading and discuss them with your kids when possible.

A non-member home schooling friend whose family does mission work in Brazil wrote to me expressing her appreciation for my column, noting, “We don’t ban books, we learn from them.” I was so thankful for that response, and it leads me to my second point: if you are going to get upset about a particular book, make sure you have read it and understand it before you raise a fuss. I thought I said this in October, but I’ll say it again: Arrange a conference with the teacher. Ask how the material is going to be presented. If that book is still unacceptable to you, ask if there is an alternative your child can read.

One mother told me when an inappropriate book was sent home with her elementary school daughter, she read it, then returned it with a note to the teacher. The teacher immediately pulled the book from the course, embarrassed by the fact that she had not actually read it herself! In areas where “progressivism” is king, it may be necessary for like- minded parents to band together to talk to a teacher, principal, school board, or superintendent to have their voices heard. Yes, it is hard in certain areas as a traditional/ conservative parent to get taken seriously. In those cases, you need to make sure you have a serious case based on some thing more than, “I don’t like this book” or “I don’t think it is appropriate.” Go through the “How, What, Why” questions, explain your basis, but understand, too, that you may still be in the minority of concerned parents. In that case, pray hard and discuss much!

One parent expressed real frustration over the American Library Association’s apparent push to expose kids to anything and everything, over and above parents’ objections. In their skewed view, anything less would be “censorship.” Another respondent asked if I knew where she could get a list of book ratings. As one who spends a lot of time in the car she wanted good, clean audio books to enjoy during her road time (google: “gentle reads”). Her local librarian told her there was no such thing because that would be “censorship.” Okay, I just have to ask: Why is it not censorship when we (poorly) rate movies or put parent advisories on music, but it is censorship when we give readers a head’s up about a book’s content? I have to disagree with the ALA and the librarian here. If you missed it in October’s column, I advocated for parental consent on check out of certain materials, and I said I’m in favor of MOST books being available in school libraries. A few of you thought I said ALL.

I volunteer every week or so in my children's elementary school and I had a wonderful discussion with the school librarian about the issue of “banned” books. She agreed book selection was a touchy subject with some parents and that it was their prerogative to decide what their kids read and what they don’t, whether she always agrees or not. She told me the story of a child who had checked out a Harry Potter book only to return it the next day. When questioned about the return, the child simply remarked, “My mom said I couldn’t read it.” That was enough for our librarian to check the book in and suggest something else. No big deal - though she loves the books herself. 

When I asked her opinion about “censoring,” she admitted to the practice, as did a middle school librarian who wrote in. Yet, more than just saying, “This material shall not be read in my school,” these librarians were making prudent choices based on the communities in which they live, and both were supported by the school administration and parents in doing so. Interestingly, each woman also commented that students are instrumental in assisting to keep books that may not be appropriate for that particular school population or community out of the library by mentioning when a book’s content seems to step “over the line.” At that point, it is up to the librarian to direct the child to a book that is more befitting their age and explain that some books are for different level readers or to pull a book all together. One of the librarians told me in her school , “There have been books that we have pulled off our shelves under the direction of the school district, not just a parents recommendation. When a parent questions a book, we have several other parents and staff read it and get the[ir] opinion before we totally pull it from our shelves.” What a great idea!

Wise selection of books for our children’s consumption is necessary. Age appropriateness and maturity of the child must be taken into consideration by parents, as well as educators, though each child is different and it is difficult to gauge what could be alright for one child, may be completely unacceptable for another. Both sides should work together to help children grow and develop into well rounded humans that will have to go forth and function in this imperfect world. Parents cannot cloister children forever and teachers are not the parents of all the children in their classrooms, but their function is often to push children to learn and think beyond the borders of their classroom walls. I, for one, am grateful for every teacher I had that challenged me to do just that. Conversely, as a student that went directly from a small Texas town to a liberal art college environment, I’m also very grateful for a Heavenly Father that kept me in line so I didn’t lose my way (too badly) in the world while I was figuring out my place in it.

I’d love to know what books you’re reading and whether or not you’ve enjoyed my recommendations. Please, add me to your friends’ list at GoodReads.com  (key word: Tennessee) or contact me via email at gaylor@meridianmagazine.com