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MISCELLANEOUS
Webcam

Dirty's School of InstaMorals

Me: Logan, how are you liking The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?

Logan: I really like it.

Me: Yeah, but do you understand the dialect? Do you understand what the story is about?

Logan: Yeah, except I have some questions. Like, I don't understand why they call Injun Joe a half-breed. What is a half-breed?

Me: Well Logan, half-breed is a very negative way of referring to someone who comes from two different races. Like one of his parents was a Native American and one was of some other heritage. It is not a nice thing to call someone at all.

Logan: Oh. (then a weird pause where you could see by his expression that all of that was sinking in) Also, there is this other word. I think it is nigger (he pronounced it nee-ger). There is no pictures in the book of a nigger so I don't know what it is.

Me: Logan, nigger is a very bad word that white people used to call people who are black. It is a horrible word. Most all people are very offended by that word now. Everyone except ignorant hateful people. Only those people call anyone that. We don't. I think the politically correct term is African American. Since I am not entirely sure of all the politically correct terms lets just stick with calling everyone people. That is what we all are. We are all humans.

Logan: (smile creeping over his face) Yeah, we are all in the same boat.

He is reading The Whole Story version of it published by Viking. It "includes the complete unabridged text as originally published plus it has been annotated with hundreds of extended captions: explanations of history, geography, popular culture, social customs, the animal world, architecture, literature and science. It has also been illustrated in color and black and white, with line drawings, maps, photographs, diagrams, and paintings that date from when the story was written."

I initially suggested the book because it is about boys his age and I thought maybe he could relate or identify with them. I was trying to think of different "boy books" to spark his interest. He hadn't really picked up many books since finishing the LOTR trilogy and the fifth HP. I had not thought of all of the other aspects of it and the things the story represents. I didn't plan to pick it apart with him. We read for pleasure around here. Still, somehow he either managed to miss the whole issue of racism or the book didn't explain it very well. I will have to take a look later. Also, it was sitting on a stand at the library with a sign over it that said something like "These are some of the books that have been banned in other places." So, of course, I flip out that a Mark Twain book has been banned somewhere and that makes me want Logan to read it more.

Even though we have briefly discussed slavery and equality issues I don't think he has a grasp on the entire concept. I don't know whether to be happy that he has had the good fortune of not being raised to be aware of such racist language (unfortunately I was) or sad that he is becoming aware. I guess it is a necessary evil, to teach them that the world was (is) so messed up. I suppose I misled him by saying that people don't use those words anymore. I guess I should clarify that. I wish I didn't have to.

Then the conversation shifted and we started talking about the issue of taking the Lord's name in vain. I guess the boys in the book are very good at that too. I explained how that all works and then quickly reminded them of all the ways I constantly do that. They all giggled at what a potty mouth their mother has. I told them that people who are Christian and believe in God and Jesus and the Bible don't say any of those things either. So if that is what they choose to believe then when they grow up, and have the choice of cursing or not cursing, they won't say things like "Christ on a stick!" either. I have Uncle Bob to thank for planting that one in my brain. Then I was very thankful they all lost interest in the conversation and went on their merry way.

What an interesting hour in the monkey house.

Posted by gwendolyn on October 15, 2003 at 03:18 PM