Multi-Media Research Essay: The History of Children's Literature and How It Has Always Been Political

By Emily Hamer

Children’s literature has been an influential and unique form of media in American history. Many children within recent generations can remember sitting before bed as a child and begging their parents to read them a story. Or perhaps the memory lies in the classroom, where the memory is of reading picture books and feeling proud of oneself during graduation into chapter books. No matter the memory, one aspect is clear—books are a defining factor of one’s childhood and youth. However, the evolution of children’s books serves as a critical insight into the history of America, how we want to perceive the past, and how we want our children to understand it. Throughout American history, the concept of youth and the importance of childhood has only become more evident. Regarding education, children’s books and stories are at the forefront of discussion due to the modern argument that politics should not be discussed amongst children. However, historically American children’s literature has reflected the social norms present during their publications to instruct children on working, acting, and thriving in society, and thus have always included discussions of politics. There has always been an underlying political tone throughout American children’s literature, despite the modern argument that children’s novels are only recently becoming political and indoctrinating. 

The Puritans

The book is in the format of questions and answers to appeal to children. It includes answers about the commandments, what constitutes sin, and creation, and even specific verses instructing children on how to act based on their religion. For example, Cotton writes, “Quest. What is the eighth Commandement? Answ. Thou shalt not (c) steale. Quest. What is the stealth here forbidden? Answ. To take away (d) another mans goods, without his leave: or to spend our own without benefit to ourselves or others”.[3] Here Cotton not only educates children on the eighth commandment itself but also includes an explanation of the sin involved and what duty they should carry out. With his work, Cotton blatantly explains how (in the eyes of the Puritans) to be American or function as a member of their society while not hiding the truth of their politics, which in this case happens to be their religious rules. 

The 19th century would characterize itself with civil unrest, the progressive yet dangerous nature of the industrial revolution (especially for young children), and the growing understanding of childhood. With the growing understanding of childhood as its own life stage, Enlightenment academics such as John Locke wrote about how a child’s mind is malleable and a blank slate,[5] and thus, many tried to control a child’s mind through their entertainment (i.e., literature). More books were now by and for American children. One book reflects on this notion of “molding” the American child by noting that novels focused on “the characterization [of being] American: the children of the fiction were serious, conscientious, self-reflective and independent”.[6] Not to mention, especially during the first half of the 19th century, there was a dramatic increase in literacy rates among children with the influx of common schooling, leading to the evolution of the children’s publishing industry.[7]

The works within this era carried intense notions of nationalism and often heavily focused on current political issues. In fact, there were many publications on slavery, such as The Slaves Friend (1836-8), The Youth’s Emancipator(1840s), A Youth’s History of the Rebellion (1866), The Child’s Anti-Slavery Book (1859), and The Youth’s Temperance Advocate (1840s).[8] However, it should be noted that these publications were only circulating in the Union areas in order to teach children about the issues and aid in their understanding of the war in order to encourage them to either participate (as many young boys served in the military as drummers, buglers, or fifers) or aid in the cause back at home (usually young girls). Also important to note that these novels were being read by affluent white children (as they were most likely literate/in school), or people were reading these to children. These novels encouraged education on the politics of the country and a child’s understanding of their country. So while many modern politicians argue against politics being taught in schools, the notion of understanding not only race but historical events, such as the Civil War, has always been a part of American Children’s literature. 

Another popular publication was entitled Oliver Optic. One edition published in 1892, entitled “...Fighting For the Right,” includes stories set during the “Rebellion,” as he calls it (Civil War). In the introduction, Optic says, “Thousands of men and women who never ‘smelled gunpowder’...kept their minds and hearts in touch with the holy cause…to sustain the soldiers and sailors at the front…It is a young man’s high character, his devotion to duty”.[9] Optic mentions how it is a young man’s devotion to duty to his nation that makes him worthy of respect, which was a strong social norm that surrounded America post-civil war, especially into the turn of the century as the country became a global powerhouse with new industries booming and social evolution which would have been occurring as this was published (late 19th century). With his publications, Optic hoped to instill not only nationalism and pride for the country post-war but also the notions of what it meant to be a noble American who aided during wartime. 

The 20th Century

With its focus on exemplifying a young capable soldier, many would argue it indoctrinated young children into participating in the war effort by helping in ways they could while young or even joining the military. By creating a superhero that exemplified an American boy who started as a scrawny unfit man and grew into a national hero, the comic book industry encouraged young readers to aspire to be the epitome of an American boy fighting for the war effort from an ideological standpoint, as they could not physically join yet. However, it also showed children they could accomplish anything if they worked hard, as Captain Rodgers did. Being published only months before the U.S. entered WWII, Captain America was political but also managed to teach moral lessons to children.

Again, children’s novels did not stray from political matters during this century. One novel, The Hundred Dresses(1945), was one of the first children’s books to discuss prejudice in America blatantly. The book tells the story of a young Polish immigrant girl named Wanda Petronski during the late 1800s, who is picked on at school because of her immigrant status. She eventually tells the class she has a hundred dresses to choose from and describes them to her class, but at the same time, her father reveals that they must leave due to the discrimination they have faced in their town.[14]This was an example of how children’s books began to take on issues and prejudices that had not been discussed in popular media before. Being published in 1945, it coincided with the growing worry about what it meant to be American with the influx of immigrants due to the world wars while discussing the history of the Industrial Revolution. Again, we see that children’s literature has been political and has discussed issues such as prejudice that followed the historical events and trends of the time, just as modern children’s novels do now, all while discussing history in the context of the present, another common theme of children’s novels that is popularly contested. 

Furthering this idea of discussing the past in the context of current movements, in the late 20th century, socially discussing issues such as racism was more common due to the Civil Rights Movement’s peak in the 1960s. The social norm of shoving those conversations under the rug with children was slowly being dismantled. It was suddenly more important to teach children about their nation’s history and the context of current social movements. One famous novel from 1976 entitled Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry[15] did just that. The story surrounds an African American family in the South during the Great Depression and the racism that they face. The book includes many social norms and political issues present during the time that would not have been acceptable during its publication (i.e., Jim Crow) and proved to be a source of education for children across the country. The story shows children that America should be a land of equal opportunity, coinciding with the Civil Rights Movement and teaching children their nation’s history. Again, despite modern arguments, children’s novels such as Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry were popularized due to their political nature and ability to teach children American history that had modern implications.

The 21st Century

Throughout American history, children’s novels have constantly included notions of what it meant to be American during their publication, along with including political rhetoric. This is quite evident in modern children’s novels, especially considering the somewhat politically controversial nature, as some would say, of their content. However, modern children’s literature’s content and characters contain a new sense of diversity in topics and characters. The social norms of acceptance, diversity, gender equality, sexuality, and more are evident and widely spoken in these books. For example, one popular novel entitled I Am Enough by Grace Byers is a story of inspiration and empowerment of every type of child with lines such as “Like the sun, I am here to shine”[16] and photos of young girls of every shape, size, and color. The multiculturalism of these books is an identifiable change in the children’s publishing industry and is only continuing to grow with the continuing multiculturalism of America. For instance, a novel entitled The Proudest Blue: A Story of Hijab and Family describes the story of a young girl going to school with a hijab for the first time.[17] Families throughout the country are attempting to teach their kids about other cultures, people, and ways of life, and the books published for children reflect that. 

Conclusion

Children’s novels throughout history often reflect the notions of the time and the shifting ideas of what should be taught to children and why. For example, the Puritans began by only conceptualizing religion and teaching children how to act within their society. During the 1800s, lessons on the civil war and other historically rooted novels introduced a new form of political activism to children after being only available to adults or older adolescents. With the World Wars and women’s liberation, independent female characters were introduced into children’s novels, inspiring many young girls at the time to become true American girls, along with characters like Captain America portraying the idea that an American child can do whatever they set their mind to. After the Civil Rights movement, stories concerning slavery, Jim Crow, and the mistreatment of Black Americans were now seen in children’s novels as it became necessary for those topics to be discussed, despite how political they seemed. In the modern era, children’s novels have become what many would call “progressive” in nature, describing stories of multiculturalism, diversity, empowerment, sexuality and gender equality, and more, yet also include dangerous forms of manipulation through political extremism. 

As seen through this paper, children’s novels have always included some form of political undertone, which occurs when books reflect social norms. Many argue for a child’s right to read what they desire, yet with the political divide of America during this time, certain lawmakers refuse to allow many of these stories to be read and studied. Perhaps a personal reflection is necessary after considering the changes in children’s novels throughout American history to recognize the importance of these voices and stories and their impacts on kids and their eventual development as Americans. 

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