tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938617987945183593.post6869650072931363522..comments2024-03-27T13:58:14.345-05:00Comments on Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves: Oliver Button is a SissyBurgin Streetmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13473712188879858952noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938617987945183593.post-35345141219908853062012-11-20T17:13:21.379-06:002012-11-20T17:13:21.379-06:00rmsentertyacreWilhelm Grimm's tale of 'Lie...rmsentertyacreWilhelm Grimm's tale of 'Liebe Mili' ('Dear Mili' in English translation), illustrated by Maurice Sendak, will forever leave an indelible imprint on my psyche. First brought to my attention in 1988 (the year of its publication by Farrar, Straus & Giroux), when the illustrated book was on display at the Morgan-Pierpont Library in New York, I eventually wrote a dissertation (in 1991) on this classical fairy tale book from a literary, Mariological, and Jungian depth-psychological perspective in which I argued that Wilhelm Grimm's perplexing yet highly intriguing 'newly-discovered' 19th Century German tale could be interpreted as a tale of human individuation -- the growth and development of the human persona and psyche to experience its fullest potentialities; and the corresponding archetypal numinous experiences encountered during that prolonged (and often 'painful') process (symbolized in one instance in the 'Dear Mili' story as the precipitous outbreak of 'war')-- yet, at the same time, the intangible fulfillment experienced from that long process of individuation symbolized toward the end of the tale by the blooming of the metaphysical rosebud; seemingly a suggestive poetic imagery of the culmination of the individuation process. At the story's ending, the tale's protagonist (the little girl) and her mother fall peacefully 'asleep' (in death) and in betweem them is the rose in full bloom. <br /><br />My doctoral dissertation was entitled: "An Analysis of Wilhelm Grimm's 'Dear Mili' Employing von Franzian Methodological Processes." In writing the dissertation, I worked diligently at ignoring the magnificent illustrations employed by Maurice Sendak (not an easy task), since I considered his incomparable illustrations, undoubtedly influenced by the intertextual and intervisual imageries of Romantic art and literarure, interspersed with pictorial themes of the Jewish holocaust, to be, in their own right, a personal interpretation of Wilhelm Grimm's tale; and I wanted to discover for myself what the story could reveal to me.<br /><br />Is this a 'Children's Tale'? I argue that it is a tale with a psychological, social, religious, historical, and cultural perspective that may be subjected to several layers of interpretation -- all valid when they can be viewed as powerfully transformative in nature. In this light, Wilhelm Grimm's 'Dear Mili' can certainly be of humanistic benefit to individuals of all ages, genders, and cultures (and certainly for children, including those in war-torn countries; or otherwise subjected to all kinds of atrocities). At some level, this tale may even have a 'Feminist' appeal of 'self-development' especially when we regard the hero/ine as a child (the 'Other') who is at the center of the Individuation process; and who depicts in a persuasive manner what the individuation process can be like for all individuals.<br /><br />Sendak's powerful evocative illustrations could be viewed as reflective of his own ethnic and cultural heritage and experiences (personal family associations with the holocaust) -- an example of how a tale can be interwoven with any reader's human experience; and the struggle to achieve transformative growth and development.<br /><br />This is a tale that has a clear, if unsteady or 'unsettling' beginning, but whose 'true' ending is ultimately left for the reader to contemplate and to complete.<br /><br />Karl Folkes, Ph.D.<br />November 20, 2012Karl Folkesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938617987945183593.post-83192990349144854142010-05-11T14:29:46.528-05:002010-05-11T14:29:46.528-05:00oh and Antmusic.... how have I forgotten about BOB...oh and Antmusic.... how have I forgotten about BOB Books!?! They are exactly what I have been looking for. He is way into sight reading cards, but Bob books take it to the next level. Thanks for the reminder!Burgin Streetmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13473712188879858952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938617987945183593.post-51170906723407899662010-05-11T14:28:45.713-05:002010-05-11T14:28:45.713-05:00you know, i often find that same problem in "...you know, i often find that same problem in "self-help" kids books... if read at the wrong time they actually teach bad behavior... this one and titles like it are probably better left for reading when the child has the problem, rather than before.Burgin Streetmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13473712188879858952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938617987945183593.post-46851577517565241222010-05-11T14:09:25.057-05:002010-05-11T14:09:25.057-05:00I like this book... but, to be honest, I just hate...I like this book... but, to be honest, I just hate to introduce the word "sissy" into my children's vocabulary. Otherwise, it has a great message.Antmusichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02367691742635002918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-938617987945183593.post-75351119792454964612010-05-10T10:02:50.452-05:002010-05-10T10:02:50.452-05:00I love Tomie's books, and this looks like it&#...I love Tomie's books, and this looks like it's got an important message!<br /><br />Just wanted to let you know about our new Bulletin Board feature at Winning Readings. Mondays are Winning Kids days, and we'd love to have you link up with any kids' book-related post!<br /><br />http://winningreadings.blogspot.com/2010/05/little-nippers-top-10-alphabet-books.htmlMozi Esmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16078786257885681829noreply@blogger.com