These are ostensibly written as a jab at hyper-intellectualism (although academia will tell you that divining author’s intent is dead…) but children’s literature, intentional or not, definitely carries heavy weight in the development of a children’s internal archetypes. One thing I will definitely agree with anti-government-school right-wingers on is that education, and literature are absolutely indoctrination. Of course, to my mind, this is a case for, and opportunity for teaching critical thinking and the value of exposure to more, not less, material. The Mr. Uppity one in particular. What does it mean that it took a king to check Mr. Uppity’s power? Children’s literature, prominently Disney movies, are full of “rightful heir” tales that are superficially delightful but politically terrible. There’s definitely merit in teaching kids to see these things, and think critically about them. I took several classes of fairy tale/children’s lit in college that look at just these kinds of ideas, and the subliminal messages embedded ('intentionally or not) in classical children’s lit, it ended up being some of the cooler sessions of my week.
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