Should 8-Year-Olds Be Reading Stories That Glorify Rape?

[mike_c]

67. I think so...

...with age appropriate language and concepts, of course. I guess my feeling is that if they don't find the allusions upsetting, then there's really no reason to focus the discussion on the upsetting ideas other than to ask whether they've thought about them, how do they feel about them, etc. I suppose the real question is whether one thinks second graders are mature enough to talk about topics like the equivalency of rape and "keeping someone you love against their will," and I suppose my default answer is that if they find those topics upsetting then they are RIPE for discussion, and if they don't, then perhaps they're not ready to experience the story outside of its simpler context anyway, so exposure to it's darker side probably doesn't do them any harm.

Full disclaimer: I think my daughter was about that age, more-or-less, when she was first read the silky story (our version called them silkies) although honestly, I don't remember her reaction and don't even recall if I was there or the circumstances of her hearing it. Been a LONG time, I'm afraid. I do believe that I'd recall whether the story upset her. I think if we had the opportunity to do that over I'd be more conscious of the underlying messages AND their historical context.

on edit: I should say though that there is a wealth of good literature for young people, so there are certainly lots of alternatives that avoid some of these issues. But as an educator, I can see real value in RELEARNING stories with expanded context as children develop, so that a cute childhood story about a sad mermaid who recovers happiness at the cost of leaving her children behind can become a dark lesson about coercion and objectification later in life and thereby make an even bigger impression.