Some people say that school children
should be mainly taught about the literature (e.g fiction and poetry) of their
own country because it is more important than that of other countries. To what
extent do you agree?
Many
think that it is more important to learn about the literature from one’s own
country, rather than other countries. I am in complete agreement with this
viewpoint because of how literature can contribute to both national
understanding and individual identity.
The
most fundamental reason that children should be exposed to literature from
their own country is to deepen their understanding. For example, young students
in America study a common curriculum including authors like Dr. Seuss, Shel
Silverstein, and Harper Lee. The books from Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein
convey principles of individualism, creativity and entrepreneurship that are
key to understanding America’s history and present. To Kill a Mockingbird by
Harper Lee is a good example of a book focused on a period of racial segregation,
that can help students to better understand recent events around the Black
Lives Matter movement. Learning about racism from a classic novel set in
America is more likely to likely engage, inform and stimulate a relevant
response.
Another
reason why students need to learn their national literature well is that it
will help to shape their personal identity at an impressionable age. Children
will form their identity from a variety of sources, including the literature of
other countries. This is a positive development. But the main influence should
be from their own country so that they are a true representative of their
nationality. A Japanese child growing up abroad could return to Japan and feel
like an outsider. One method of countering this is to make sure they have a
good grasp of poetry and fiction from Japan. From classical poetry they will be
influenced by Japan’s singular minimalist tradition. From the novels, they will
learn about the relationships between people and the differing levels of
formality expected in Japanese society. This will all contribute to making
their identity more Japanese.
In
conclusion, children will better understand and have their identity firmly
shaped by the literature of their home country. This is becoming increasingly
important in a globalized world that threatens to blur the distinctions between
nationalities into a single mono- culture.
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