Within an excerpt of James Kincaid’s Erotic Innocence, specifically a portion addressing the underlying sexualization of children, Kincaid claims that the sexual attraction of a child stems from less obvious examples of sexual objectification in the public. Although these examples of objectification appear to be taboo in today’s perception of discussable topics, these observations warrant deeper study based on the reservation when addressing the sexual eroticism of children. These feelings of reservation against discussing the sexual nature of children stems from the abuse against children, literary influences on the public, and ideas of attractiveness and innocence that classify childhood eroticism. Within this essay, the components of the
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Various nineteenth centuries authors developed the treatment of a child within literature, although these pieces of literature have taken on a different role within today’s society. “These stories seemed sweet and beneficent to Wordsworth, Dickens, and Beatrix Potter; but they have soured over time. It’s not so much that they became silly and sentimental, though they may have, but that they took a turn into nightmare” (Kincaid 7). With the change of the perspective of childhood as time has progressed, the analysis of these pieces of literature has also changed. Another important aspect of the influence of literature on childhood eroticism is “the literary territory of the Gothic” (Kincaid 10). The Gothic encompasses stories of terror and mayhem, typically introducing horrifying aspects but never addressing the root cause to therefore solve the problem. The similarities between the Gothic genre and the publics general way of solving issues is very similar, a predator would rather be blamed rather than the issue being solved. This circular lack of problem solving continually allows for the injustices to continue. The Gothic also allows the public to find solace in finding the demon, or villain, and find virtue within ourselves (Kincaid 12). The Gothic and other literary influences have allowed the public to find …show more content…
Overall, society chooses to continue the narrative of sexual abuse of children through seeking the villain only for self-righteousness. Although people choose to take a negative stance against erotic versions of children, to deflect themselves from the standpoint of the perpetrator, engrained views of children, specifically addressing attractiveness and innocence still finds a prominent role in our own literature and opinions of the child. Until distinctions about appropriateness addressing the care and love of children are addressed, the sexual abuse and objectification of children will
Various nineteenth centuries authors developed the treatment of a child within literature, although these pieces of literature have taken on a different role within today’s society. “These stories seemed sweet and beneficent to Wordsworth, Dickens, and Beatrix Potter; but they have soured over time. It’s not so much that they became silly and sentimental, though they may have, but that they took a turn into nightmare” (Kincaid 7). With the change of the perspective of childhood as time has progressed, the analysis of these pieces of literature has also changed. Another important aspect of the influence of literature on childhood eroticism is “the literary territory of the Gothic” (Kincaid 10). The Gothic encompasses stories of terror and mayhem, typically introducing horrifying aspects but never addressing the root cause to therefore solve the problem. The similarities between the Gothic genre and the publics general way of solving issues is very similar, a predator would rather be blamed rather than the issue being solved. This circular lack of problem solving continually allows for the injustices to continue. The Gothic also allows the public to find solace in finding the demon, or villain, and find virtue within ourselves (Kincaid 12). The Gothic and other literary influences have allowed the public to find …show more content…
Overall, society chooses to continue the narrative of sexual abuse of children through seeking the villain only for self-righteousness. Although people choose to take a negative stance against erotic versions of children, to deflect themselves from the standpoint of the perpetrator, engrained views of children, specifically addressing attractiveness and innocence still finds a prominent role in our own literature and opinions of the child. Until distinctions about appropriateness addressing the care and love of children are addressed, the sexual abuse and objectification of children will