I finished the children’s literature class on Friday 10-9! I learned so much about what makes these stories timeless. There are so many lessons that we can take out of them when we actually read between the lines.

In fairy tales I learned that there are usually three different themes. Courage, Love, and Restoration. In Beauty and the Beast you see all three of these. In the beginning, Beauty’s father is made into the Beast’s prisoner. He begs to be let go but the beast says that one of his daughter’s must take his place. Beauty shows her undying love for her father and takes his place. She also shows courage in this moment to go to a place where she doesn’t know what is going to happen or even where she is going.

Throughout the story we see Beauty adjust to her new surroundings. We see her stand up to the beast in some situations. We also see her start to realize how she feels about the beast. She starts to fall in love with him, but doesn’t realize it until it is almost too late when the beast is dying.

Beauty and the Beast is a story about restoration more than love and courage though. Beast has to restore himself back to human form. He must learn to love himself in order to do this though. As he is dying, he realizes that Beauty has helped him learn to love himself. She realizes that she loves him as well and her tears shed while he dies breaks the spell. He is restored back into a human.

As adults we tend to think that oh this is just a story for kids. We don’t think that we need to hear the lessons that are scattered in children’s literature. Adults can learn something from fairy tales just as much as kids can learn from them. Adults don’t think about how a simple lesson of loving yourself and helping others to learn to love themselves can make on impact on them.

These types of lessons are learned throughout all children’s literature.

Tomorrow, I am starting the Shakespeare lessons. I will have more posts about what I learn from that course I’m sure! Haha! =)

Check out what else I learned about imagination vs. moral imagination here.

Usually in October I participate in a Write 31 Days challenge. Last year was the last time for it but I always enjoyed it! Even if I didn’t finish sometimes. I felt accomplished the couple years that I did finish the whole month! I wanted to continue the Write 31 Days challenge this year. My topic is 31 things I have learned from the Children’s literature classes I’m taking.

I have been taking a children’s literature class from Hillsdale College. I will be taking other literature courses and will be discussing them as well this month. There are video lectures and discussion boards. The first two lectures were about imagination and the moral imagination. These were more of an introduction to children’s literature and what we these stories can teach children. It also made sure to point out that it is okay for adults to read children’s literature. Some of the classic stories, like The Lord of the Rings series, were actually intended for adults, but have entertained children as well. Children’s literature is a chance for children to see life in a different way, see things that have happened in history, but also things that didn’t happen.

We mostly think about fairy tales when we think of children’s literature! The stories that start out with a “Once Upon A Time” and end with a “Lived Happily Ever After”. I will talk about fairy tales later in the month. These are not the only stories in children’s literature though. Fantasy stories are popular too. Stories like The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe and the Harry Potter series.

I am focusing today on moral imagination. I didn’t know what this was when I first heard about it. Children are still forming good habits. If you train them to do what is good and right then they will know what is good and right.

Children should be brought up in such a way that they will love virtue and hate vice.

Plato

We should see characters that demonstrate virtues. Make them appealing and make children want to do the things they are doing.

Exploring good and evil is a common theme used in children’s literature. Our moral imagination tells us what should be while our imagination tells us what could be.

Children need to experience good to know that there is good in the world. They have these good experiences through been read to, music, art, conversations. These all help inform our children of the morals in life.

I know I said this will be 31 days of posts but I’m actually thinking of doing it as more of a weekly series instead. It will be easier for me to write! Haha! I’m looking forward to sharing what I have learned from taking these courses with you!