Why+is+traditional+literature+important?

Why is traditional literature important?
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Added by Marcia Bernard Traditional literature is important because it helps children to better understand their world. As part of a child’s cultural heritage, traditional literature helps to pass along the beliefs and ideals of families and societies from generation to generation. Through myths and fables, children develop a moral compass; through legends and pourquoi tales, a child’s sense of curiosity about nature and the world around him may be stimulated. Children learn the differences that exist between people all over the world and they learn of the many similarities.

Hans Christian Anderson’s fairytale //The Emperor’s New Clothes// is a well-known story of the emperor who is duped by two vagrant tailors into believing he is wearing a suit of beautiful cloth. He continues his charade for fear of appearing stupid until a child cries out that he is naked. This story is so ingrained in our communal history that the phrase “the emperor has no clothes” has come to mean a situation where people don’t state the obvious truth for fear of appearing ignorant or stupid. Traditional tales become a part of our common vernacular, as well as common literary references. In the pourquoi tale, //How the Leopard got his Spots// by Rudyard Kipling we read of the leopard, a sandy-yellow-brownish creature, the color of the desert. Leopard was so well camouflaged that his prey could not see him coming. To outsmart him, giraffe and zebra lure him into the jungle, where his color stands out. Now leopard couldn’t hunt at all because the other animals could see him at all times. With he help of his Ethiopian friend, he changes color by having black spots painted all over him. Now he can blend in and be a great hunter. In this story, children learn about animals as well as the geography of different countries, and clever problem solving. In Aesop’s fable, //The North Wind and the Sun//, the wind and sun compete to see who can make a man remove his coat first. The wind blows and blows which only causes the man to pull his coat more tightly around him. The sun then shines his warm rays on the man, who takes off his coat. From this very simple tale, children learn the moral, “Kindness, gentleness, and persuasion win where force fails." Traditional literature allows us to share common references, make sense of the world around us and impart traditions and values to our children.

Resources Kipling, Rudyard. //Just So Stories//. New York: Doubleday, 1989. Morgan, Mia. "Traditional Literature." Powerpoint for LBS 803. Fall 2009. Norton, Donne E. //Through the Eyes of a Child//. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River. Prentice-Hall. 1995. Pinkney, Jerry. //Aesop's Fables//. New York: SeaStar Books. 2000. Westcott, Nadine Bernard. Hans Christian Andersen's //The Emperor's New Clothes//. Boston: Joy Street Books. 1984.