Shel Silverstein was a very famous American songwriter, cartoonist, author, and poet. He has written award winning books, songs and poems beloved by all ages. Silverstein can be considered a literary figure and role model because of how different he wrote his books compared to how most other authors wrote their books in his time. Silverstein is well known for his work on children’s books, but he also wrote songs, poems, and drew cartoons for everybody to enjoy. Silverstein has been writing books since the age of twelve, which fueled his creativity to last until 1999, the year of his death. Silverstein is an author everybody should remember because of the advancements and improvements he made to book creation and literature.
Silverstein has
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There is not an accurate way to describe this time period because of the many changes that happened every few years. Most of these changes occurred during the Beat Generation. The Beat Generation was a movement where people put their own views of literature and culture into their own works (“The Beat Generation” 1). One example of a major change that happened in this time period is how literature was written, and how people reacted to it. Before the Beat Generation, most books were written for entertainment or education and were not through provoking. After the start of the Beat Generation, an increasing amount of thought provoking books were published, which led to the discussion of what works were considered acceptable literature, which led to the start of censorship (“The Beat Generation” 2). The ideas of authors made it into children’s books, but these ideas were still considered acceptable for young children. For example, the drawings that accompanied Silverstein’s poems are can be sometimes morbid, but integrate with the poem, and are used to help interpret them. Many of the children’s books written in this time period were mostly silly books meant to entertain children. Examples of books from this time would be Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in The Hat and Horton Hears a Who. Characteristics of famous children's books from this time include an ample amount of alliteration and rhyming, whole pages being occupied with pictures, and short simple dialogue to keep it easy for children to understand. The content of children’s books has evolved over time, and the culture around is has
In the 1950s, there were efforts to ban not only classics, but comic books and educational ones as well. But why? Part of the reason comic books were banned was because they were believed to have created “a corrupting force on the minds of young people” (Hammond) and for the other forms of literature, they were censored because of McCarthyism. Somewhat ironically, Fahrenheit 451 was among these banned books because of its depiction of a Bible burning. Unfortunately, this kind of censorship is still prevalent today, not due to McCarthyism anymore.
“Having the freedom to read and the freedom to choose is one of the best gifts my parents ever gave me,” Judy Blume. The issue is there are both pros and cons upon banning and challenging books. Some people may be all for it and believe their children should not be exposed to realism that comes from books ‘trying to protect them.’ What ever happened to the freedom of speech? Books are constantly challenged or even banned.
In turn, the child becomes ignorant of what’s to come. Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, portrays a dystopian future where firemen start fires instead of preventing them. Books are censored to prevent offending minorities, not being fun, and breeding intelligent people. Guy Montag a fireman never questioned his destruction or life, but upon meeting a girl named Clarisse Mcclellan, he starts to wonder what lies within books. Censorship is everywhere controlling what to think and how to act.
“Censoring books that deal with difficult, adolescent issues does not protect anybody. Quite the opposite. It leaves kids in the darkness and makes them vulnerable. Censorship is the child of fear and the father of ignorance .
Growing up we 've read picture books that have introduced us to literature, wildly funny characters and taught us how to use our imagination. However, have you ever thought maybe these children books aren 't just for entertainment? What if they have hidden messages with racist undertones or represent political movements. Sometimes what we see is not always what you get so I 've studied two popular children 's figures, Curious George and Babar the Elephant.
All books that young adults read have power. Their power results in their ability to sway and to change the reader in so many ways, not the least of these is morally. These books can create a moral sense in the young by demonstrating what is morally right and what is morally wrong. They can raise and resolve ethical issues. The reader may not agree with each resolution, but is certainly forced to think about issues he or she may never have thought about before (Smith 63).
The Beatles were probably the most important trendsetters of the 1960s in Britain and for many people, the sixties mean the Beatles and vice versa (Hecl 36). The Beatles dominated pop music and become a part of the world’s cultural history (Hecl 5). They were not just a musical band but a cultural phenomenon as their music and their representations of musical artists had an immense impact on youth culture which they worked to capture the spirit of the sixties (Hecl 37). For this, the Beatles became a major symbol of cultural transformation and undoubtedly the leaders of the 1960s youth culture (Charness 10, Corry 1). As much as music is the reflections of the listeners and society, pop music both influenced and reflected the youth culture.
The Music Revolution The Sixties were an exciting period with the beginning of a social, economic and Cultural Revolution, influenced by the music industry that was deeply involved into causes. This propensity took place in a turbulent period where some folks called it the "decade of discontent" because of the race riots and the demonstrations against the Vietnam War. However, other individuals called it the decade of "peace, love, and harmony", because of the peace movements and the emergence of Hippies, called “flower children.” This decade was about assassinations, unforgettable fashion, new styles of music, civil rights, gay and women 's liberation, Vietnam, peace marches, sexual freedom, drug usage, Summer of Love and Woodstock Festival. All of these factors caused a revolutionary transformation in the world of well-liked music, establishing melodies as a form of raise voices and express feelings.
The book Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is one of the most challenged pieces of literature in school systems today. Challenged meaning, being the subject of debate on whether or not it should be banned. The reason for the challenge is largely due to the profanity that finds its way into the story. This raises many questions as to whether or not this profanity should be exposed to children or endorsed by the school system. Although the use of profanity in the book Of Mice and Men may lead to dangers of children using those bad words more frequently, the use of it in the story allows teachers to explore the use of profanity and its effect on the english language.
To be successful in life, it is required to know how to read. Reading brings knowledge and knowledge brings intelligence, wisdom, and understanding. People learn from many different forms of literature. One of the most important kind of literature is children's literature. It is responsible for teaching children things like vital knowledge that are required for school and life.
Different types of literature open new doors through which students’ can explore the unknown and expand their knowledge of controversial topics. The great examples found in literature have been the subject of much debate, as school boards wrestle with whether children should be allowed to read such difficult, harsh topics, as said in the article “How Banning Books Marginalizes Children” (Source F). There are so many brilliant works of literature spanning a wide variety of genres and topics, and a single school board should not determine what students learn. No one is proposing that second graders read The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, but rather that we intentionally choose literature that will expand, rather than limit, children’s options and minds. Not only do these great works lay the groundwork for our future generation, but they also serve to diversify students’ writing and analysis skills.
The experiences that many admirable writers undergo is what helps shape them into the great writers they are. May it be a rough childhood or a life full of twists and turns, writers are very good at carrying their emotions into their writing to get through to readers who may be experiencing similar things. This is a way of connecting the reader and allowing them to continue to read the writers work with a purpose. A writer that does exceptionally well with connecting readers in more of a simplistic and abstract way is the well-known poet, Shel Silverstein. He was a very strong and effective writer of children's poems that consist of themes such as relationships, imagination, selflessness, and other topics that give an underlying message that
This is why parents as well as teachers push for Of Mice and Men and books similar to these not to be banned. They fear that the withdrawal of books that discuss subjects of the past will take away children’s opportunity to learn from the nation's mistakes. One can conclude that the banning of Of Mice and Men is harmful to society because it takes away learning
In a world full of many authors, three have outlived most with their amazing style of writing. They are Mark Twain, John Steinbeck, and O. Henry. Although the world has changed greatly in the past 100 years, these authors are still considered excellent. Their unique writing styles have helped them withstand the test of time. Mark Twain used regional dialect, O. Henry used clever wordcraft, and John Steinbeck used social commentary.
Payton Lehnerz English B CP Final Essay American Literature: How it Changed Over Time Literature has been a constant expression of artistic emotion throughout history. Over the course of the years, Literature has developed and changed due to America’s evolution. These changing time periods can be classified into 9 eras: Colonial, Revolutionary, Romantic, Transcendental, Realism, Modern, Harlem Renaissance, Beat Generation, and Postmodern. Throughout the changing history, new literary eras have begun in response to previous eras and events. American Literature has changed over time by adapting previous values, beliefs, and literary characteristics when a new era presents itself; this progression is due to changing societal views in