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teachingmyown
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| Posted: June 11 2009 at 11:08am | IP Logged
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How do you deal with the mention of immorality in classic literature? I am always shocked by it, having a romanticized idea of a better, more moral time. But recently, I have noticed that situations of premarital relations, affairs, mistresses, young couples running off, etc. in several books I have been reading.
Even those these situations are usually seen negatively in the books, especially in Jane Austen's books, it still seems to be discussed as though not all that uncommon. For example, at the end of Persuasion, you learn of a couple that is living together. In P&P, you have the youngest sister run off. I am reading Daphne DuMaurier's book Hungry Hill and there a few examples in there, which aren't clearly condemned. In fact, all of her books seem to have someone behaving badly.
Of course, none of these instances have any detail, but still, do you let your young teens read these? Do you just discuss as you would any other mature topic? Do you only allow books which very clearly condemn the behavior?
Thanks for your thoughts!
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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Meredith
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I will anxiously be awaiting replies here as well, this is concerning to me too as my dd is really ready to read some of the Austen books....
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Meredith
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sarahb
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I think you state very plainly the issue in the OP- you have romanticized the "olden days".
I think Austen makes it clear that the couple in Persuasion are hardly admirable.
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teachingmyown
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I do think that Austen handles it well, and dd13 had read all of her books.
The duMaurier books on the other hand, as well as others like Shakespeare or Dumas, I don't think there is the same censure. So, how to handle those books?
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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Erin
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I don't intend on giving duMaurier books to dd15.
Just because a book is on a classic list it may not make it to your list. Or perhaps it may not make it to your list for your 14yr old but it may for her when she is 17. Maturity plays a big factor, at 15 my dd is reading things that she wouldn't have 12 months ago because we hadn't dealt with some issues at that stage.
Literature can be our key into introducing topics though IF handled well. It is alot of work knowing your books but so worth it.
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Willa
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I usually save those types of books for the older teen. However, I don't have any readers quite as voracious as your daughter.
Jane Austen seems fine -- the themes are handled well and there aren't many teens these days that haven't heard of some couples making poor choices. Rather than Daphne du Maurier I'd have a young girl read things like Gene Stratton Porter's books.
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teachingmyown
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| Posted: June 11 2009 at 5:32pm | IP Logged
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Thanks Ladies. She did read Rebecca. You know how you remember a book being "good" but not quite remembering the book. That's what happened in this case. 
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Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
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mcchatty
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I draw the line at books where the wrongdoer is the "hero" and "succeeds". I think it's ok for kids to play games (cops and robbers, for example) as long as the "bad guys" are not the heroes.
If there's questionable things in a book, my teen and I read it together(or I read it first and vet it) I think as long as you address your concerns it's ok.
Also, some books I loved as a child, elicit a very different response from me now. I adored "Caddie Woodlawn"- spent several summers pretending to be her all day every day. Well..... when I introduced it to my then 9 year old daughter, the way the Native Americans are described and treated shocked me..- "It is a book that reflects the culture of it's time, we now know that the things some people said and did were wrong." That's how we addressed that issue.
If your family has been blessed by adoption, there are things in "Anne of the Green Gables" that are horrifying("We wanted a boy to do work" "orphans can't be trusted,one boy put strychnine in the well and poisoned them all" the threat that if you misbehave you will be "sent back") It is still a great book, my adopted daughters favorite, and, I think most importantly, the characters grow.
And now, I will step off of my soapbox and go back to reading the wise and gracious comments you other ladies have left.
mcchatty
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4Real Forums : Living Literature
Topic: Immorality in classic literature?
