deconstructive approaches to narrative structures
Problem: Omniscient narrators impose bias, shaping who is "good" or "evil."
Fix: Retell from the 'villain's" view (The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs).
Narrative Voice Deconstruction: The Unreliable Narrator
Problem: Closed endings ignore aftermath (ruined economies, unresolved trauma).
Fix: Write the "Day After" to explore lingering threads (Sleeping Beauty kingdom)
Closure Deconstruction: The "Happily Ever After" Myth
Problem: Supposed morals undermined by plot (swindlers win in Emperor's New Clothes).
Fix: Rewrite the ending so the weavers defend their theft as a "Stupidity Tax" on a vain king, exposing the contradiction between the moral and the plot.
Aporia Deconstruction: The Contradictory Moral of the Story
censorship and children's literature
defining the conflict
_ choosing books based on quality, age appropriateness and inclusivity (adding voices)
_removing books deemed "dangerous," silencing voices and treating text as "infectious."
selection
censorship
censorship and children's literature
-sanitizing violence to protect children
example: bowdler's 1818 family shakespeare; Grimm's tales softened for children
issue: does removing violence protect children or rub them of tools to process fear and Justice?
Historical Context : Bowdlerization
Reasons: Morality/religion, language, violence, social issues (ALA data).
Examples: Rapunzel (witchcraft), Harry Potter, Ugly Duckling (bullying), diverse modern retellings.
Common Targets in Children's/YA Literature
Problem: Adults define "childhood innocence" unrealistically, ignoring lived experiences of bullying, vanity, or family loss.
Impact: Banning books tells children living these realities that their lives are "inappropriate" or "shameful."
The "Innocence" Fallacy
Problem: Authors/publishers self-censor to avoid controversy, forcing "moral" endings.
Impact: Literature becomes propaganda, underestimating children's ability to think critically..
5. Soft Censorship