Analyzing Multicultural LiteratureAnalyzing Multicultural Literature

DragonsDragons

ELE 616 Readings and Research in Children’s LiteratureELE 616 Readings and Research in Children’s Literature

Fall 2008Fall 2008

A Matrix for analysisA Matrix for analysis

Diversity

Homogeneity

SOMETHING

NOTHING

Local, specificsubstantial

content

General, but still substantial and

meaningful

Generic, lacking in depth or real

meaning

Recognizable, but shallow

Everywhere

Elsewhere

Nowhere

Somewhere

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Two continuumsTwo continuums

Diversity----------------HomogeneityDiversity----------------Homogeneity

Something----------------NothingSomething----------------Nothing

The Vertical ContinuumThe Vertical ContinuumDiversity

– the condition of being diverse : variety ; especially : the inclusion of diverse people (as people of different races or cultures) in a group or organization

Homogeneity– the quality or state of being homogeneous

• of uniform structure or composition throughout <a culturally homogeneous neighborhood>

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The counterweight continuumThe counterweight continuum

Something—NothingSomething—Nothing– “. . . something [is defined] as a social form

that is generally indigenously conceived, controlled, and comparatively rich in distinctive substantive content; a form that is to a large degree substantively unique.”

– “In this case, ‘nothing’ refers to a social form that is generally centrally conceived, controlled, and comparatively devoid of distinctive substantive content.”• George Ritzer (2004). The Globalization

of Nothing, 3,7.

George Ritzer

Huh?Huh?SomethingSomething

– By “something” Ritzer means often unique objects, persons, services, etc. that have deep meaning, are often created and controlled by people in the local area where they are used or encountered , or have universal significance.

NothingNothing– Essentially, Ritzer is saying that “nothing” refers to

objects, persons, services, etc. that are shallow, unoriginal, and created and controlled by impersonal entities far away from where they are used or encountered.

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Examples of something--nothingExamples of something--nothing

SOMETHINGSOMETHING NOTHINGNOTHING

Place (community bank)---------------Nonplace (credit card co.)

Thing (personal loan)-------------------Nothing (credit card loan)

Person (personal banker)--------------Nonperson (telemarketer)

Service (individualized assistance)---Nonservice (ATM)

– Adapted from Ritzer, G. (2003, September). Rethinking globalization: Glocalization/grobalization and something/nothing. Sociological Theory, 21, 3: 196.

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Important to consider!Important to consider!

Evaluation is subjectiveEvaluation is subjective

No absolute positioningNo absolute positioning– Some elements of diversity in otherwise

homogenous texts– “Nothing” does not necessarily mean that a book

is completely devoid of “something”

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Back to the matrixBack to the matrix

SOMETHING

NOTHING

Local, specificsubstantial

content

General or universal, but

still substantial and meaningful

Generic, lacking in depth or real

meaning

Recognizable, but shallow

Diversity

HomogeneityEverybody

Anybody

Nobody

Somebody

Application to Literature???Application to Literature???

And to Dragons????

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Top Left Sector of MatrixTop Left Sector of Matrix

Something for SomebodySomething for SomebodyDiversity

SOMETHING

Somebody

Folklore: Folklore is the body of expressive culture, including tales, music, dance, legends, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, customs, material culture, and so forth, common to a particular population, comprising the traditions (including oral traditions) of that culture, subculture, or group. (Wikipedia)

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Dragons in FolkloreDragons in Folklore

Chinese DragonsChinese Dragons– Xiao Sheng and the Dragon’s Pearl

•Xiao Sheng, a boy living in the days of cloud-breathing dragons, is both hard-working and good natured. He gathers fresh grass to sell in the market in exchange of meager income to support his mother. One year, when the village goes through a severe drought, Xiao Sheng finds a patch of grass, lush and never diminishes in size no matter how much he's cut it. Xiao Sheng finds a pearl buried near the patch and brings it home to please his mother, and also replants the grass near his house.

•Read more

Dragons in Native American FolkloreDragons in Native American Folklore

– The Seven Headed Dragon – Ojibwa– Sacred Medicine Water – Caddo– The Chenoo, or the, story of a cannibal with an ic

y heart -- A Passamaquoddy and Micmac Legend– Search the First People website for other

examples!

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Bottom Left Sector of MatrixBottom Left Sector of Matrix

Something for EverybodySomething for EverybodyDiversity

SOMETHING

HomogeneityEverybody

Quality literature, sometimes Quality literature, sometimes adaptations, or else original adaptations, or else original

writing, with universal appeal and writing, with universal appeal and meaning for everyman and meaning for everyman and

everywomaneverywoman

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An dragon who is something for everyoneAn dragon who is something for everyone

Smaug– Smaug the Golden was the greatest

dragon of Middle-earth to survive into the Third Age. In the year 2770, he attacked the Lonely Mountain and drove the dwarves out, claiming their treasure as his own. Killing Smaug and reclaiming the treasure was the object of the quest in The Hobbit.

•

A A Webquest on Ton The Hobbithe Hobbit

– by Audrey Weaver, Purdue University

Calumet

– You will be going on an internet adventure. Along the way, you will meet the author of The Hobbit, and you will discover what it means to be a hero.

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A good dragon for everybodyA good dragon for everybodyMy Father’s DragonMy Father’s Dragon

– A Newbery Honor–winning title and a favorite among children, My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett, is a humorous adventure story about a clever and resourceful boy named Elmer Elevator, who runs away to Wild Island to rescue a baby dragon.

• My Father’s Dragon

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Top Right of the MatrixTop Right of the Matrix

Nothing for AnybodyNothing for Anybody

Diversity

NOTHING

Anybody

Recognizable stories, but Recognizable stories, but unoriginal and shallowunoriginal and shallow

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Dragon stories that are nothing for anybody?Dragon stories that are nothing for anybody?

– In this first of the Dragon Slayers'

Academy series, Wiglaf, the put-upon sensitive son in a family of louts, heads off to school along with his faithful pet pig, Daisy. . . . This lightweight, amusing adventure rattles right along, without pretensions and with, given the series title, a resolution that cleverly avoids violence--Wiglaf slays the dragon with bad jokes. An entertaining confection. (b&w illustrations, not seen) (Fiction. 7-10)

• Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates Review cited by Amazon

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Bottom Right of the MatrixBottom Right of the Matrix

Nothing for nobodyNothing for nobody

Homogenous

NOTHING

Nobody

Generic, unoriginal, Generic, unoriginal, impersonal, shallowimpersonal, shallow

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A dragon that could be nothing for no one?A dragon that could be nothing for no one?What about the Dazzling What about the Dazzling

Dragon?Dragon?– When Princess Daisy hears that a real dragon

is being brought into the Princess Academy, she is terrified. What will her friends think of her being such a scaredy cat? But later Princess Daisy has a chance to show how brave she really is...

• Blurb from The Tiara Club website

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Reminder!Reminder!

Evaluation is subjectiveEvaluation is subjective

No absolute positioningNo absolute positioning– Some elements of diversity in otherwise

homogenous texts– “Nothing” does not necessarily mean that

a book is completely devoid of “something”