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A. It all goes back to each country's distinct cultural heritage. B. American stories are rooted in realism; even our fantasies are rooted in realism. C. Both boys are characterized by their unique roles, thus breathing life into the fancy stories. D. Meanwhile, the United States, also a major player in children's classics, deals much less in magic. E. Britain's time-honored countryside, with ancient castles and restful farms, lends itself to fairy-tale invention. F. Both orphans took over the world of children's literature, but their stories unfold in noticeable different ways. |
How the British and American Tell Children's Stories
If Harry Potter and Huckleberry Finn were each to represent British versus American children's literature, a curious situation would emerge : In a literary competition for the hearts and minds of children, one is a wizard (巫师) - in - training at a boarding school in the Scottish Highlands, while the other is a barefoot boy drifting down the Mississippi, bothered by cheats, slave hunters, and thieves. One defeats evil with a magic stick, the other takes to a raft（筏）to right a social wrong.
The small island of Great Britain is an unquestionably powerhouse of children's bestsellers: Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter, and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Significantly, all are fantasies. Stories like The Call of the Wild. Charlotte's Web, Little Women, and the Adventures of Tom Sawyer are more notable for their realistic portraits of day-to-day life in the towns and farmlands on the growing frontier. If British children gathered in the dim light of the kitchen fireplace to hear stories about magic swords and talking bears, American children sat at their mother's knee listening tales with moral messages about a world where life was hard, obedience emphasized, and Christian morality valued. Each style has its virtues, but the British approach undoubtedly creates the kinds of stories that appeal to the furthest reaches of children's imagination.
For one, the British have always been in touch with their pagan (异教徒的) folk traditions and stories, says Maria Tatar, a Harvard professor of children's literature. After all, the country's very origin story is about a young king tutored by a wizard. Legends have always been accepted as history, from Merlin to Macbeth. "Even as the British were digging into these magical worlds, Americans, much more realistic, always viewed their soil as something to exploit," says Tatar.
American write fantasies too, but nothing like the British, says Jerry Griswold, a San Diego State University professor of children's literature. He said, "" To prove it, he mentioned Dorothy, the heroine of Wizard of Oz (绿野仙踪) who unmasks the great and powerful Wizard as a cheat. Meanwhile, American fantasies differ in another way: They usually end with a moral lesson learned - for example, in Oz, Dorothy's journey ends with the realization: "There's no place like home."
