Child Migrants in Literature
1. The Power of Literature
2. Literature's Influence on Children
3. Migrant Literature
4. Child Migrants Literature
5. The Example of the Book “Refugee Boy“
6. Works Cited
1. The Power of Literature
“Books may not change our suffering, books may not protect us from evil, books may not tell us what is good or what is beautiful, and they will certainly not shield us from the common fate of the grave. But books grant us myriad possibilities: the possibility of change, the possibility of illumination.”
― Alberto Manguel
1. The Power of Literature
2. Literature's Influence on Children
3. Migrant Literature
4. Child Migrants Literature
5. The Example of the Book “Refugee Boy“
6. Works Cited
1. The Power of Literature
“Books may not change our suffering, books may not protect us from evil, books may not tell us what is good or what is beautiful, and they will certainly not shield us from the common fate of the grave. But books grant us myriad possibilities: the possibility of change, the possibility of illumination.”
― Alberto Manguel
Literature, imaginative as well as nonfictional, has a great impact on our lives and influences us on many levels. Literature is far more then a simple entertainment. It can impart knowledge, be informative and teaching and share experience, but it can just as well change opinions and values of its reader, influence them in their decisions, be their guide, evoke emotions, help them understand or even prove them wrong.
But how does literature have the power to do so?
People have always been telling stories. Even before Language was invented human beings have felt the need to hold on to memories and experiences and engraved what they felt worth sharing into stonewalls of cages or stone tablets. It simply lies in the human nature to wanting to express themselves and to communicate. This makes literature as such a foundation of humanity and is the reason why people identify with what they read and what they see (illustrations can just as well be seen a part of literature, since there is no such thing as a set definition of what counts as literature and what does not and there are no boundaries). It is a way for humans to share beliefs, culture and tradition, to reflect reality and to produce art.
There is a quote by Carlos Fuentes, a successful and influential writer, that approaches to describe just how powerful literature is:
“Literature overtakes history, for literature gives you more than one life. It expands experience and opens new opportunities to readers.“
― Carlos Fuentes
2. Literature’s Influence on Children
As previously mentioned books can definitely express the authors ideologies and be potentially influential. Therefore they can actually be seen as a political act and the author’s view is thus his or her politic (not every book fulfills this hypothesis, since there are many different genres of writing, but however a lot of them append).
Robert D. Sutherland suggests in his essay “Hidden Persuaders: Political Ideologies in Literature for Children“ to anticipate three modes of persuasion.
(1) Politics of Advocacy
According to him, the politics of advocacy is “pleading for and promoting a specific cause, or upholding a particular point of view or course of action as being valid and right“.
Sutherland explains, that the author of a book is most likely aware of how influential their words could be, especially for children as they are still learning and adapting, and he even goes as far as to assert that authors may form their characters according to their values and ideologies and present what they feel positive or worthwhile in a complex or diffuse way.
(2) Politics of Attack
According to Sutherland this is standing in contrast to the policy of advocacy. The politics of attack is basically the converse principle. An author is basically attacking opinions or arguments that run counter to their own views or concepts. They may do so in many different ways, either writing an ironic satire or, especially with children’s literature, use some sort of moral, punishment or teaching.
(3) Politics of Assent
Sutherland uses the term to express how an author is simply affirming certain ideologies that are dominantly prominent within society. He defines “assent“ as the “author’s passive, unquestioning acceptance and internalization of an established ideology, which is then transmitted in the author’s writing in an unconscious manner“. Furthermore he explains that this ideology is usually one, that society accepts, understands and shares, which is why most readers will not see its presence in the work and will not understand that they are secretly being influenced. Authors themselves may not even be aware that they indeed wrote an influential piece of literature, which influences and is thus political work.
However, a book is always, hidden or obvious, expressing the authors values, ideologies and opinion, which is passed on to the reader. Even though a lot of children’s literature seems to be value free and not influential, they will somehow affect their young readers.
Children are still growing up and have yet to learn what is right or wrong. They will often do so by watching adults, but they are also extremely influenced by media, such as television and books. They tend to copy what they see or read, because it does not occur to them it could be wrong in any sort of way. A child is basically motivated to reproduce what was read or seen, especially if they feel they may reward from it. Eventually, they will learn from their mistakes. However, literature has the power to influence and shape them, while they are growing up.
3. Migrant Literature
Writings, such as novels or books, that deal with the subject of migration are often referred to as “Migrant Literature“. A migrant is a person who has to flee and leave their home country, due to several reasons, such as war or nature catastrophes, and settle and live in a foreign country. Migrant literature is of different settings, because many countries have been affected. Some books are about mass-migration, some deal with racism or the search for identity or a better life.
4. Child Migrants in Literature
Julia Hope’s article “’‘One Day We Had to Run’’: The Development of the Refugee Identity in Children’s Literature and its Function in Education“ deals with the very sensitive topic of Child Migration in literature. She explains that, since the number of refugees, especially in Britain, increases, the number of books that deal with the matter, has extremely increased as well.
Going back in time, she tells about the book “The Silver Sword“, which was the very first written book about the topic of migration. It was made a Television show and people were protesting against and debating about it as they felt the topic was too sensitive to be put in the spotlight through a television series. Although it earned a lot of critical comments, the subject matter of migration has become more prominent in literature in the past 50 years and many books dealing with child migration are being published. They aim at all ages and many of them stand in connection to the equally sensitive topic of war.
Especially children read such stories, for instance of a refugee child their age, as an adventure story as they feel it is the past and not the present. That is, because a lot of the books deal with past topics, such as refugees from the World War II. But recently, since around 1990, books about migration deal with more contemporary contexts and tell about “ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances“. They let the reader experience what a refugee has to go trough, by telling their story in detail. Refugee children experience a “culmination of loss, trauma and change“. They often face a lack of security and stability and have to overcome language barriers and not seldom they are isolated and friendless. Literature that tells the story of a child migrant is not only sharing their story with those who are interested, it can also help other migrants and let them feel self recognition or the sense of togetherness and let them see that they are not alone in their struggle. Moreover it can be a cue to survival to those, who end up having to leave their home country due to war or nature catastrophes.
Literature about migration is most importantly raising awareness. Children’s literature plays an important role in their development and the children’s understanding of belonging and differentiation. Besides the insight of their own world they are getting an exclusive insight of the lives and worlds of others.
Books make it possible for us to visit geographical and historical locations and thus let us understand, that the sense of culture and living is different allover the world, from continent to continent, from country to country, from city to city and from life to life.
Autobiographical books for instance, let the reader learn lessons from what another person has experienced and they may learn from their mistakes or even learn from their success (this counts especially for children, as we have learnt they are still growing up and are thus learning). On the other hand, they can serve as a self therapy for those, who write them or be a special way to keep memories.
However, the more connection children can make with each others experiences and the more they hear and read about them, the more “normal“ it will appear to them. Refugee children will be accepted in school, as well as in society, because they are no longer seen as “different“.
Especially the refugee context in literature is an ideal way of sharing stories, feeling and fears and will help refugee children to be integrated and accepted and thus feel welcomed and as though they belong and maybe even let them feel home.
5.The Example of the Book “Refugee Boy“
But how does literature have the power to do so?
People have always been telling stories. Even before Language was invented human beings have felt the need to hold on to memories and experiences and engraved what they felt worth sharing into stonewalls of cages or stone tablets. It simply lies in the human nature to wanting to express themselves and to communicate. This makes literature as such a foundation of humanity and is the reason why people identify with what they read and what they see (illustrations can just as well be seen a part of literature, since there is no such thing as a set definition of what counts as literature and what does not and there are no boundaries). It is a way for humans to share beliefs, culture and tradition, to reflect reality and to produce art.
There is a quote by Carlos Fuentes, a successful and influential writer, that approaches to describe just how powerful literature is:
“Literature overtakes history, for literature gives you more than one life. It expands experience and opens new opportunities to readers.“
― Carlos Fuentes
2. Literature’s Influence on Children
As previously mentioned books can definitely express the authors ideologies and be potentially influential. Therefore they can actually be seen as a political act and the author’s view is thus his or her politic (not every book fulfills this hypothesis, since there are many different genres of writing, but however a lot of them append).
Robert D. Sutherland suggests in his essay “Hidden Persuaders: Political Ideologies in Literature for Children“ to anticipate three modes of persuasion.
(1) Politics of Advocacy
According to him, the politics of advocacy is “pleading for and promoting a specific cause, or upholding a particular point of view or course of action as being valid and right“.
Sutherland explains, that the author of a book is most likely aware of how influential their words could be, especially for children as they are still learning and adapting, and he even goes as far as to assert that authors may form their characters according to their values and ideologies and present what they feel positive or worthwhile in a complex or diffuse way.
(2) Politics of Attack
According to Sutherland this is standing in contrast to the policy of advocacy. The politics of attack is basically the converse principle. An author is basically attacking opinions or arguments that run counter to their own views or concepts. They may do so in many different ways, either writing an ironic satire or, especially with children’s literature, use some sort of moral, punishment or teaching.
(3) Politics of Assent
Sutherland uses the term to express how an author is simply affirming certain ideologies that are dominantly prominent within society. He defines “assent“ as the “author’s passive, unquestioning acceptance and internalization of an established ideology, which is then transmitted in the author’s writing in an unconscious manner“. Furthermore he explains that this ideology is usually one, that society accepts, understands and shares, which is why most readers will not see its presence in the work and will not understand that they are secretly being influenced. Authors themselves may not even be aware that they indeed wrote an influential piece of literature, which influences and is thus political work.
However, a book is always, hidden or obvious, expressing the authors values, ideologies and opinion, which is passed on to the reader. Even though a lot of children’s literature seems to be value free and not influential, they will somehow affect their young readers.
Children are still growing up and have yet to learn what is right or wrong. They will often do so by watching adults, but they are also extremely influenced by media, such as television and books. They tend to copy what they see or read, because it does not occur to them it could be wrong in any sort of way. A child is basically motivated to reproduce what was read or seen, especially if they feel they may reward from it. Eventually, they will learn from their mistakes. However, literature has the power to influence and shape them, while they are growing up.
3. Migrant Literature
Writings, such as novels or books, that deal with the subject of migration are often referred to as “Migrant Literature“. A migrant is a person who has to flee and leave their home country, due to several reasons, such as war or nature catastrophes, and settle and live in a foreign country. Migrant literature is of different settings, because many countries have been affected. Some books are about mass-migration, some deal with racism or the search for identity or a better life.
4. Child Migrants in Literature
Julia Hope’s article “’‘One Day We Had to Run’’: The Development of the Refugee Identity in Children’s Literature and its Function in Education“ deals with the very sensitive topic of Child Migration in literature. She explains that, since the number of refugees, especially in Britain, increases, the number of books that deal with the matter, has extremely increased as well.
Going back in time, she tells about the book “The Silver Sword“, which was the very first written book about the topic of migration. It was made a Television show and people were protesting against and debating about it as they felt the topic was too sensitive to be put in the spotlight through a television series. Although it earned a lot of critical comments, the subject matter of migration has become more prominent in literature in the past 50 years and many books dealing with child migration are being published. They aim at all ages and many of them stand in connection to the equally sensitive topic of war.
Especially children read such stories, for instance of a refugee child their age, as an adventure story as they feel it is the past and not the present. That is, because a lot of the books deal with past topics, such as refugees from the World War II. But recently, since around 1990, books about migration deal with more contemporary contexts and tell about “ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances“. They let the reader experience what a refugee has to go trough, by telling their story in detail. Refugee children experience a “culmination of loss, trauma and change“. They often face a lack of security and stability and have to overcome language barriers and not seldom they are isolated and friendless. Literature that tells the story of a child migrant is not only sharing their story with those who are interested, it can also help other migrants and let them feel self recognition or the sense of togetherness and let them see that they are not alone in their struggle. Moreover it can be a cue to survival to those, who end up having to leave their home country due to war or nature catastrophes.
Literature about migration is most importantly raising awareness. Children’s literature plays an important role in their development and the children’s understanding of belonging and differentiation. Besides the insight of their own world they are getting an exclusive insight of the lives and worlds of others.
Books make it possible for us to visit geographical and historical locations and thus let us understand, that the sense of culture and living is different allover the world, from continent to continent, from country to country, from city to city and from life to life.
Autobiographical books for instance, let the reader learn lessons from what another person has experienced and they may learn from their mistakes or even learn from their success (this counts especially for children, as we have learnt they are still growing up and are thus learning). On the other hand, they can serve as a self therapy for those, who write them or be a special way to keep memories.
However, the more connection children can make with each others experiences and the more they hear and read about them, the more “normal“ it will appear to them. Refugee children will be accepted in school, as well as in society, because they are no longer seen as “different“.
Especially the refugee context in literature is an ideal way of sharing stories, feeling and fears and will help refugee children to be integrated and accepted and thus feel welcomed and as though they belong and maybe even let them feel home.
5.The Example of the Book “Refugee Boy“
The Book “Refugee Boy“, written by Benjamin Zephaniah, tells the story about of 14-year-old child refugee Alem Kelo, who is of both Ethiopian and Eritrean heritage. Alem has to grow up in a time that is affected by war. His mother’s home country Eritrea is at war with his father’s home country Ethiopia and thus Alem and his family have to face attacks and discrimination and are not welcomed in either of the two countries. To let his son have a chance to grow up in a safe environment and be able to have an education and perspective future, Alem’s father takes him to England, London. At first Alem believes he was taken for a holiday trip, but as he finds himself alone in the hotel room he has to learn that his father has left him so that he can stay and live there until he is safe to come home. Alem has no choice, but to live in a refugee camp, where the reader learns about the horrible circumstances and what he has to go through. He even tries to escape, just to find out that he has nowhere to go and most likely won’t be able to survive. However, Alem is lucky enough to be offered to live with a foster family until his case is heard and his application for asylum is approved. Alem soon has to learn that his application was rejected, but an appeal from first instance is done and a new date for another hearing is set. The situation gets more dramatic when Alem has to find out his mother has been killed. His father is then returning to England to be with his son and so that the two of them can make it through this hard time together. As Alem and his father are now reunited they are both rejected asylum. But the application is also rejected for another reason. The judge states that there are other people of both, Ethiopian and Eritrean heritage, who are unaffected by the war and live a normal life. What happens now is incredible. Alem’s friends start a campaign to help him and his father stay in England. They raise awareness by collecting signatures and holding a street march where Alem holds a very emotional speech. Sadly, Alem has to find out that his father has been shot and killed by a stranger. Finally, Alem is awarded asylum, but at high cost. He has lost both, his mother and father, his family, due to a horrible war he has nothing to do with. Alem was of both, Ethiopian and Eritrean heritage, that was enough reason, to be discriminated, unwanted and chased away. Alem Kelo was a refugee boy.
The Novel “Refugee Boy“ is one of those books, that make you shiver. While I was reading it, I couldn’t help but be affected by Alem’s story. I couldn’t help but feel how easy my life is compared to his and I felt grateful for growing up in peace and I felt thankful for having a family to turn to. The book brought me to tears several times and it is a great example for what was explained earlier. The power of literature is amazing. Reading a story about someone suffering is not only touching, but makes you feel the very same pain. Alem is described as a lovable person. He wants to gain knowledge from the bottom of his heart, he does not take things for granted and he seems to be so innocent, which makes it even harder to read his sad and deeply moving story. What touched me the most is that this is something that happens in this world that we live in. It is not a fictional story. Alem Kelo’s story is the story of many, many others and that is shattering.
The example of the book “Refugee Boy“ shows how the sensitive topic of child migration can be brought to people through literature. Writing such a story and having children read it is not only raising awareness, but it is helpful. It helps to understand, it helps to integrate immigrants, it helps to accept, it helps to deal with and most importantly it helps to talk. No longer is the subject matter a taboo topic, but it is finally dealt with, taught about and discussed and if the word keeps spreading and more stories are told, maybe one day we can all be one and no longer be refugees in a world that belongs to us all.
6. Works Cited
Zephaniah, Benjamin. Refugee Boy. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2001. Print.
Sutherland, Robert D. “Hidden Persuaders: Political Ideologies in Literature for Children.“ Children's Literature in Education, Vol. 16. No. 3 1985: 143-157. print.
Hope, Julia. “‘‘One Day We Had to Run’’: The Development of the Refugee Identity in Children’s Literature and its Function in Education.“ Children's Literature in Education, 4 September 2008: 295-304. web.
Pourjafari, Fatemeh, and Abdolali Vahidpour. “Migration Literature: A Theoretical Perspective.“ The Dawn Journal, Vol. 3, No. 1, January-June 2014: 679-692. web.
Lorenzo, Angelo. “Literature Is Powerful. Literature Defines Humanity.“ Thought Catalog, 5 March 2014: web.
Gleeson, Libby. “The Power of Literature“ The Power of Literature, October 2008: web.
Atkins, Alexander. “The Power of Literature" abooksshelfz, 12 February 2012: web.
Oak, Manali. “Importance of Literature“ Buzzle, 7 March 2009: web.
Goodreads. Goodreads Inc. 2014. Web. 27 August 2014.
The Brainy Quote. BookRags Media Network Tend Glam Media. 2001-2014. Web. 27 August 2014.