Shooting the Canon
By Nina Gardiner
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go” (Dr. Seuss, 1978). Canonical texts have been deemed by literary historians and English professionals alike as texts which have influenced a large group of people and have helped to shape our society. Even though a large majority of the texts, which are deemed as canonical, were written over 100 years ago, their significance is still felt today` . The lessons which can be learnt by both children and adults alike; as well as the underlying adult sub context, is what makes these texts relevant for all ages. The best example of this is seen in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, The Lion, …show more content…
S. Lewis, which was first published in 1950. The novel is set in a mythical land called Narnia, where the four Pevensie children travel through a magical wardrobe in the spare room. Throughout the novel, they fight against the White Witch to fulfil a prophecy and return summer to Narnia. Whilst teaching a lesson was not Lewis’s main intention, he still wanted the children who read his book to be able to learn something from the story. The main lesson that Lewis was trying to convey was about forgiveness, which comes up multiple times throughout the novel. The main example of this is seen when Edmund betrays his siblings to side with the White Witch. However, when the White Witch is about to kill Edmund, he is rescued by Aslan, who will take Edmund’s place to be killed and he immediately offers his forgiveness. Aslan also insists to the children that “He is your brother, and – there is no need to talk to him about what is past.” The way that the children and Aslan are able to forgive Edmund too easily and quickly is the lesson that Lewis is trying to convey. He is trying to teach children that you should not dwell on prior mistakes, merely forgive and move forward. This lesson will help children of all ages and resonate with them for the rest of their lives. However, the concept of forgiveness does not just stop there. There is an extra layer to this story that children would not be able to comprehend …show more content…
Upon the release of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland it received vastly negative reviews, especially from The Illustrated Times, who stated it was “too extravagantly absurd to produce more diversion than disappointment and irritation.” As the times progressed, so did the appreciation of the genre; as well as imaginary content and the use of nonsense. Like most children's books, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland aims to provide a lesson to the children who are reading it. Within this novel, the main lesson that the author is attempting to convey is that growing up is not just about your size. Throughout the novel, Alice is constantly growing or shrinking in size due to eating or drinking something without thought of the consequences; and she often attributes this growth in size to being “grown up”. Alice’s anxiety about growing up is something that would resonate with most children, as they too would share the same fears. However, as the novel progresses she begins to realise growing up is not about size but about how you act, as the adults in Wonderland act more childishly than Alice. Alice often has to remind characters about their manners, saying, “You should learn not to make personal remarks”, which teaches the children that no matter your size, being grown up is about how you act, not how big you are. Whilst this novel is
By Nina Gardiner
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go” (Dr. Seuss, 1978). Canonical texts have been deemed by literary historians and English professionals alike as texts which have influenced a large group of people and have helped to shape our society. Even though a large majority of the texts, which are deemed as canonical, were written over 100 years ago, their significance is still felt today` . The lessons which can be learnt by both children and adults alike; as well as the underlying adult sub context, is what makes these texts relevant for all ages. The best example of this is seen in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, The Lion, …show more content…
S. Lewis, which was first published in 1950. The novel is set in a mythical land called Narnia, where the four Pevensie children travel through a magical wardrobe in the spare room. Throughout the novel, they fight against the White Witch to fulfil a prophecy and return summer to Narnia. Whilst teaching a lesson was not Lewis’s main intention, he still wanted the children who read his book to be able to learn something from the story. The main lesson that Lewis was trying to convey was about forgiveness, which comes up multiple times throughout the novel. The main example of this is seen when Edmund betrays his siblings to side with the White Witch. However, when the White Witch is about to kill Edmund, he is rescued by Aslan, who will take Edmund’s place to be killed and he immediately offers his forgiveness. Aslan also insists to the children that “He is your brother, and – there is no need to talk to him about what is past.” The way that the children and Aslan are able to forgive Edmund too easily and quickly is the lesson that Lewis is trying to convey. He is trying to teach children that you should not dwell on prior mistakes, merely forgive and move forward. This lesson will help children of all ages and resonate with them for the rest of their lives. However, the concept of forgiveness does not just stop there. There is an extra layer to this story that children would not be able to comprehend …show more content…
Upon the release of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland it received vastly negative reviews, especially from The Illustrated Times, who stated it was “too extravagantly absurd to produce more diversion than disappointment and irritation.” As the times progressed, so did the appreciation of the genre; as well as imaginary content and the use of nonsense. Like most children's books, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland aims to provide a lesson to the children who are reading it. Within this novel, the main lesson that the author is attempting to convey is that growing up is not just about your size. Throughout the novel, Alice is constantly growing or shrinking in size due to eating or drinking something without thought of the consequences; and she often attributes this growth in size to being “grown up”. Alice’s anxiety about growing up is something that would resonate with most children, as they too would share the same fears. However, as the novel progresses she begins to realise growing up is not about size but about how you act, as the adults in Wonderland act more childishly than Alice. Alice often has to remind characters about their manners, saying, “You should learn not to make personal remarks”, which teaches the children that no matter your size, being grown up is about how you act, not how big you are. Whilst this novel is