4. What is the one thing that you found most surprising, shocking, or disturbing about What Johnny Shouldn't Read so far? What about it surprises, shocks, or disturbs you?
What I found most shocking about the book thus far was the fundamentalists themselves. It's difficult because I am Catholic but don't share any of these views with the fundamentalists or "born-again" Christians. As a matter of fact they don't associate themselves with Catholics either and think Catholics are not Christians.. hmm I wonder where their religion stemmed from then.. I can't believe these parents would rather their children not learn about other religions or cultures at all. When I have children I want them to learn of all cultures and all people around the world. I want them to learn it is okay to be different and that it doesn't mean these people are evil. When I was a little girl I used to read books from a series in which unicorns ruled a world other than our own and there were little delvers that were the bad guys. A little earth girl whom the book was about got stuck in the other world. I have the fondest memory of those stories and I think it helped give me imagination (oh wait that's bad right?) In "Johnny" the fundamentalists don't want their children to read anything of the sort. My book would have been banned from school because of the "magic" aspect and the fact that the unicorn cold speak and understand any language. (he also had healing powers in his horn but we won't go there) My magical fairy tale stories never affected my beliefs in God. It is a story, and children know that in most cases. These people are trying to give their children a childhood in which reality has no place. When they grow up and see what the outside world really looks like they won't be ready. And lastly, I just have a problem with these parents because they give all "Christians" a bad name. And Delfattore is right on when she says it's not really about religion for these people but more about politics.
2 comments:
I think you touched on the biggest problem, in my opinion - they don't give kids enough credit to be able to judge for themselves or even to distinguish fantasy from reality. If they spent any time at all with an elementary school kid, they could see that even kindergarteners have a more sophisticated ability to distinguish the two than they are giving high schoolers credit for. Weren't they ever children themselves? It's ridiculous.
I totally agree i found it shocking that these people were so closed minded. Ive never heard of people who were so touchy on subjects jee whiz!!
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