Wednesday, November 28, 2001
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Wednesday, November 28, 2001 |
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Curiouser and curiouser By MICHAEL BOYLAN This week marks the anniversary of the publication of Lewis Caroll's "Alice in Wonderland," the story of a girl who goes down a rabbit hole, through the looking glass and into a world that gets curiouser and curiouser. This classic tale has been presented in many forms since its creation and continues to be a favorite amongst children of all ages. But I wonder where all the controversy is. After all, there are supposedly many drug references in the story. The caterpillar smokes an opium-like substance on top of a mushroom and different mushrooms do different things to Alice. Why is this story about altered perceptions and alternate realities suitable for children, but other books (like Harry Potter, for instance) are constantly picked on and debated. Where are the protests surrounding "The Wizard of Oz?" Do we want our children believing that scarecrows, tin men and lions can walk and talk like human beings, all the while witches and flying monkeys hunt down these beings and their human friend? Why not attack "The Once and Future King?" Merlin is a wizard, who uses his magic frequently. Magic is obviously a dangerous and evil thing. In fact, arrest David Copperfield and Siegfried and Roy. They are responsible for the moral decay of this nation. I think "Alice and Wonderland" is a fine book, though I must admit I am much more familiar with the film and television versions. There are obvious drug references though and it never lead me to try smoking opium like the caterpillar or to eat strange mushrooms in the forest. After all, it is just a story. I don't try to run into tornados to be whisked to Oz either and I don't believe that I am really an orphaned wizard, about to be taken to a wizardry school. These stories are fantastic pieces of fiction. More than that, they are fun. People that are afraid their children will turn to black magic if they read a book or see a movie have little faith in their children and no faith in their ability as parents. Let kids read books and decide for themselves. Try to lead them to books you liked and be available for questions as they read. Before you get in an uproar over the content of a book corrupting your child, see if they even get past the first chapter.
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