Do Aesop’s fables undermine kid’s morality? Are morality tales automatically bad stories? How do morality tales oversimplify? What is the difference between a short story and an oversimplified story?
John, thanks for your thoughtful questions! Since a few readers had questions on similar lines, (and in retrospect, I did a bad job clarifying this point), I decided to publish an addendum to yesterday's article. Please check your inbox for that and let me know if you have any further thoughts or questions!
@Noelle McEachran I wish you would write a book! I'm really enjoying your articles and the deep questions and insights you provide.
Some people in the comments are asking about Aesop's fables. I first thought of the Focus on the Family "Adventures in Odyssey" episodes I grew up on, which I still love for their exciting adventures, interesting characters, and great humor. Those episodes were unapologetically preachy, with at least one clear moral takeaway, but somehow that didn't bother me as a child or an adult. Maybe it was the fact that good and bad, vice and virtue weren't oversimplified or reduced to caricatures in those stories; multi-faceted characters wrestled with difficult questions and complex situations.
I also think of L.M. Montgomery, author of "Anne of Green Gables." Montgomery, like Lewis, disliked the simplistic, moralistic Sunday School stories of her day. Her first manuscript, which she burned unpublished, was more like those stories. When she wrote "Anne of Green Gables," the story blossomed with its own power; Anne felt like a real person to her, and later, to her readers. Anne's adventures could each be boiled down to at least one moral, like "don't let your imagination run away with you," but the richness of the Prince Edward Island setting, Anne's romantic, overdramatic, lovable soul, and the rest of the great cast of characters make my heart feel like it's feasted well, not been given a moralistic pill.
I would be interested to see you compare a moralistic vs. good story with similar messages and how they differ. Delving into the grandeur of the Biblical stories would probably provide many years' worth of articles on this subject (and others) - lots to learn, but nothing simplistic or reductionist about the chapters on Abraham, David, Elijah, Peter, or the Lord Jesus! :)
Alicia, wow! Wonderful and thoughtful comments; thank you!! To your question about Aesop's Fables and "Adventures in Odyssey", please check your inbox for an addendum to yesterday's article that I sent out today. I realized that I needed make a pretty big clarification that I think was a glaring omission from my first post. I hope it will help address those questions. I can't specifically speak to "Adventures in Odyssey" having never watched/read? them but I know many people love them. The stories may be great although I probably would still take issue with the tacked on moral lesson at the end for reasons explained in that addendum.
And, I LOVE Anne of Green Gables, one of my all time faves! I liked how you summed up the differences there. I do think there are moral lessons in those stories that are well conveyed. And I was actually considering comparing and contrasting a preachy story with a good story so thanks for that idea. I'll try to think of some examples but if you have any, let me know. Thanks so much for your support and encouragement!!
I also thought of Adventures in Odyssey. I think the reason they stuck with me were the fun stories and the love I had for the characters and Whit’s End, etc. There was always a clear moral takeaway, but there was a real sense of living in Christian community and dealing with sin and struggles by always looking to God’s word that I honestly believe shaped who I am, how I see the world, and my loyalty to God’s people.
I agree! The writers did a great job of demonstrating how to think Biblically - for example, having a healthy suspicion of a someone who thinks the ends justify the means. I also really loved the adventure and mystery series like Darkness before Dawn, Novacom, The Search for Whit, and The Perfect Witness for the great storylines and puzzle-solving aspect. Humor was a big part of it too. I remember Phil Vischer, creator of VeggieTales, saying that “silliness comes from a heart of joy” - a story that can be both reverent and ridiculous at appropriate moments is a better heart-shaper than a stiff, serious, moralistic one.
I’ve also not read the stories you refer to earlier in the article, so I’m a little unsure of the type of stories you’re suggesting we avoid. I understand the argument for good stories, but I’m still unclear on the threat of moral stories.
Taylor, thanks for your questions! I just published an addendum to yesterday's article in the hopes of providing a little more clarification. I think I failed to make a crucial point in yesterday's article that I am really hoping will at least somewhat address your questions.
"Good stories partly work because children are totally unaware of what they are learning."
This is true for adults, as well. When I work with authors writing nonfiction books, I consistently ask, "How much explaining does your story need? Can we let the story speak for itself and trust that the reader will get what they need from it?"
It strikes me that fear is a big component here. We're afraid that, if we don't tell our readers (kids or adults) what the story means, they might take the "wrong" meaning from it. Or they might not see what we want them to see. It takes a lot of courage to let go and let your readers see what they see.
J. F. Ewert, yes, I totally agree with all of this! I think fear is a huge component and also just a loss of storytelling as a foundational part of our lives. In my next post, I'm hoping to talk about the importance of "show don't tell" and why it matters in stories. Thanks for your comment!
Hi Noelle, I also would like to know what your thoughts are about Aesop's fables. I've heard Andrew Kern from CiRCE Institute say that Aesop's is a must-read for kids.
I just posted an addendum to yesterday's article and tried to address this question so please check that out in your inbox. Susan, thanks for your questions and let me know if you have any more!
Do Aesop’s fables undermine kid’s morality? Are morality tales automatically bad stories? How do morality tales oversimplify? What is the difference between a short story and an oversimplified story?
John, thanks for your thoughtful questions! Since a few readers had questions on similar lines, (and in retrospect, I did a bad job clarifying this point), I decided to publish an addendum to yesterday's article. Please check your inbox for that and let me know if you have any further thoughts or questions!
@Noelle McEachran I wish you would write a book! I'm really enjoying your articles and the deep questions and insights you provide.
Some people in the comments are asking about Aesop's fables. I first thought of the Focus on the Family "Adventures in Odyssey" episodes I grew up on, which I still love for their exciting adventures, interesting characters, and great humor. Those episodes were unapologetically preachy, with at least one clear moral takeaway, but somehow that didn't bother me as a child or an adult. Maybe it was the fact that good and bad, vice and virtue weren't oversimplified or reduced to caricatures in those stories; multi-faceted characters wrestled with difficult questions and complex situations.
I also think of L.M. Montgomery, author of "Anne of Green Gables." Montgomery, like Lewis, disliked the simplistic, moralistic Sunday School stories of her day. Her first manuscript, which she burned unpublished, was more like those stories. When she wrote "Anne of Green Gables," the story blossomed with its own power; Anne felt like a real person to her, and later, to her readers. Anne's adventures could each be boiled down to at least one moral, like "don't let your imagination run away with you," but the richness of the Prince Edward Island setting, Anne's romantic, overdramatic, lovable soul, and the rest of the great cast of characters make my heart feel like it's feasted well, not been given a moralistic pill.
I would be interested to see you compare a moralistic vs. good story with similar messages and how they differ. Delving into the grandeur of the Biblical stories would probably provide many years' worth of articles on this subject (and others) - lots to learn, but nothing simplistic or reductionist about the chapters on Abraham, David, Elijah, Peter, or the Lord Jesus! :)
Alicia, wow! Wonderful and thoughtful comments; thank you!! To your question about Aesop's Fables and "Adventures in Odyssey", please check your inbox for an addendum to yesterday's article that I sent out today. I realized that I needed make a pretty big clarification that I think was a glaring omission from my first post. I hope it will help address those questions. I can't specifically speak to "Adventures in Odyssey" having never watched/read? them but I know many people love them. The stories may be great although I probably would still take issue with the tacked on moral lesson at the end for reasons explained in that addendum.
And, I LOVE Anne of Green Gables, one of my all time faves! I liked how you summed up the differences there. I do think there are moral lessons in those stories that are well conveyed. And I was actually considering comparing and contrasting a preachy story with a good story so thanks for that idea. I'll try to think of some examples but if you have any, let me know. Thanks so much for your support and encouragement!!
I also thought of Adventures in Odyssey. I think the reason they stuck with me were the fun stories and the love I had for the characters and Whit’s End, etc. There was always a clear moral takeaway, but there was a real sense of living in Christian community and dealing with sin and struggles by always looking to God’s word that I honestly believe shaped who I am, how I see the world, and my loyalty to God’s people.
I agree! The writers did a great job of demonstrating how to think Biblically - for example, having a healthy suspicion of a someone who thinks the ends justify the means. I also really loved the adventure and mystery series like Darkness before Dawn, Novacom, The Search for Whit, and The Perfect Witness for the great storylines and puzzle-solving aspect. Humor was a big part of it too. I remember Phil Vischer, creator of VeggieTales, saying that “silliness comes from a heart of joy” - a story that can be both reverent and ridiculous at appropriate moments is a better heart-shaper than a stiff, serious, moralistic one.
I’ve also not read the stories you refer to earlier in the article, so I’m a little unsure of the type of stories you’re suggesting we avoid. I understand the argument for good stories, but I’m still unclear on the threat of moral stories.
Taylor, thanks for your questions! I just published an addendum to yesterday's article in the hopes of providing a little more clarification. I think I failed to make a crucial point in yesterday's article that I am really hoping will at least somewhat address your questions.
"Good stories partly work because children are totally unaware of what they are learning."
This is true for adults, as well. When I work with authors writing nonfiction books, I consistently ask, "How much explaining does your story need? Can we let the story speak for itself and trust that the reader will get what they need from it?"
It strikes me that fear is a big component here. We're afraid that, if we don't tell our readers (kids or adults) what the story means, they might take the "wrong" meaning from it. Or they might not see what we want them to see. It takes a lot of courage to let go and let your readers see what they see.
J. F. Ewert, yes, I totally agree with all of this! I think fear is a huge component and also just a loss of storytelling as a foundational part of our lives. In my next post, I'm hoping to talk about the importance of "show don't tell" and why it matters in stories. Thanks for your comment!
Hi Noelle, I also would like to know what your thoughts are about Aesop's fables. I've heard Andrew Kern from CiRCE Institute say that Aesop's is a must-read for kids.
I just posted an addendum to yesterday's article and tried to address this question so please check that out in your inbox. Susan, thanks for your questions and let me know if you have any more!