Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Hana’s Suitcase by K. Levine, Why Me? By L. Allen and The Paper Bag Princess by R. Munsch present a wide range of conflicts and themes that are aimed at teaching children something about the world that surrounds them. All of the books are under the great influence of the ideology of the times they were written, so it is easy to spot different attitudes towards the same question, as for example, the classic emotional and empathic women in Charlotte’s Web and strong and brave Elizabeth in The Paper Bag Princess. However, all four books touch upon serious past and modern social issues the main characters have to deal with in their lives. The prevalent theme of the books is prejudice and discrimination that are based on gender, race, species and lack of strength. Basically the discrimination in the books leads to the emergence and escalation of conflicts between the main characters and the society: a pig Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web opposes the farmers, who treat him as food and prepare him to be cooked; a little girl Hana in Hana’s Suitcase deals with anti-Semitism and is opposed to Nazis; a girl in Why Me? has to deal with racial and social class struggles, and a princess Elizabeth in The Paper Bag Princess rebels against the gender roles imposed on her by the society. The conflicts between the characters and the society in the books help the characters undergo personal growth, as they positively change in the course of the plot and reveal various prejudice issues that are aimed at teaching children the concepts of equity, justice and empathy.
Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web deals with the conflict between him and the society that are based on his position as a pig, as well as his weakness and incompatibility with the social standards. Wilbur is born a very little pig that would not suit the market’s demands, so Mr. Arable decides to kill him. However, he is stopped by Fern, who draws his attention with a striking point that “it's unfairThe pig couldn't help being born small, could it? If I had been very small at birth, would you have killed me?” (White 3). Fern’s words reveal two main points of the conflict that run through the story – the discrimination based on the species and strength. Fern does not see the difference between killing an animal and a child, because it is the matter of life and death. She saves the little pig with her observation, but later in the book the conflict continues developing, as Wilbur remains little and weak pig. The society Wilbur lives in treats pigs as food, so they are grown and fed to become a dish on the table. The conflict escalates as Wilbur comes to realization of his vulnerable position, but with the help of Charlotte he is able to solve the conflict. Prejudice towards Wilbur is deeply ingrained in the society that is based on the animal meat consumption, so basically Wilbur is facing the norms he has to accept, but he struggles to save his life that is unjustly dependent on the factors he cannot change, such as being born a small piglet. Even though he is weaker than the others, he is able to confront the injustice and resolve the conflict with the help of a friend. This conflict may be treated as defending the rights of every creature to live, and at the same time it deals with more general prejudice issues, as the character of Wilbur impersonates every person that is a subject to injustice and discrimination in the society.
Hana in Hana’s Suitcase deals with conflict that is very similar to the one experienced by Wilbur, as they both struggle to survive through serious threats to their lives that are based on the prejudice and discrimination. It is a book based on real events, and it covers the themes “previously thought too upsetting for children [that] are now deemed appropriate and even necessary” (Kidd 120). Hana’s conflict is based not on the species or weakness as Wilbur’s, but on the race, as she becomes a victim of Holocaust, who has suffered from Nazi’s atrocities against the Jews. Hana is an innocent girl, and as well as Wilbur, she had a hard time realizing what is happening around her, but she understands the most important thing – that “it is not fair I have this. I want it to be like it was before” (Levine). Hana states the same truth that was said by Fern in Charlotte’s Web – the order of things in the society is not fair. She wants to return the previous peaceful life that is masterly depicted with the help of both text and photos to emphasize that she is usual girl that deserves normal life. Hana lives safely and carefree before Nazis come to her country, and she is too small to understand what is happening: “Hana went outside less oftenShe hated the star. It was humiliating. It was so embarrassing.” (Levine). Her life is torn apart by the conflict with the society, as gradually her rights and freedoms diminish, her family is set apart, she faces deportation and eventually she is tragically murdered in Auschwitz. Hana is discriminated based on the fact that she was born Jew and disregarding the fact that she was just a little young girl. In this case, the society is so powerful and cruel that there are basically no means for the innocent girl to oppose it. Hana hates the way she has to live, misses her parents and wants to return her life, but she is powerless in the hands of heartless Nazis. Nevertheless, Hana stays strong and continues to bear all the prejudice and discrimination bravely to the very end.
The protagonist of Why Me? is experiencing the conflict with society that is based on the racial and social class discrimination. The idea that the conflict is based on the racial prejudice is not that obvious in the text of the book and is often realized through the illustrative elements. The prevailing colors of the books are black, so we are shown that Why Me? is dealing with more serious issues that just a girl, who is not satisfied with her day. The book shows her life in the single-parent black family and struggles the family has to face. The girls tells the story about the tension between her mother and her boss that is accompanied by the pictures, “she said her boss yelled at her for being late because she had to drop me off at school and when she yelled back he threatened to fire her” (Allen 12-13). With help of the picture the escalation of the conflict is shown, as the white male boss, who represents dominant class in the society discriminates her single black mother, and therefore, has the prejudiced attitudes towards her daughter, while it is not explicitly stated. The same things happen when a girl starts crying at school, as she does not want to spend her time in Class 1, as “everyone said I was too old to cry. That made me feel worse and like a crybaby” (Allen 4-5). It is not directly connected with racism, but it shows that the reality of her “bad day” includes various examples of discrimination, and in this case, the discrimination based on age. The conflict based on discrimination is not that strongly highlighted, comparing to Charlotte’s Web and Hana’s Suitcase, but still it shows the real struggles and prejudiced attitudes the girl and her mother have to face on a daily basis, because of their race and social class. What is more, the black pictures show implications of the larger conflict and create more general image of the society the girl and her mother have to confront.
Elizabeth in The Paper Bag Princess faces the conflict with society based on gender discrimination that is realized in her relationship with Prince Ronald. At first, she conforms to traditional role of beautiful princess that is in love with a charming prince, but as soon as she decides to confront the dragon and rescue her beloved prince, everything changes. She confronts the society that expects a certain pattern of behavior from her, largely based on traditional female roles. The situation requires her to think quickly and decide whether she wants to conform to the rules or try to change the situation, even though she is not expected to do that. The conflict develops, as she finally is able to understand that she is a real person with her own goals and dreams, and this realization does not satisfy the society and the male dominant power that is represented by the prince. The prince sees that she has done a great job rescuing him and fighting the dragon, but he also understands that his authority is under threat. To maintain his power Ronald tells, “Elizabeth, you are a mess! You smell like ashes, your hair is all tangled and you are wearing a dirty old paper bag. Come back when you are dressed up like a real princess!” (Munsch 24). Nevertheless, the society expects everyone to conform to its rules, the princess does not react the way the prince wants, but instead, she responds to him with the bravery and strength. Elizabeth faces the prejudice and discrimination, but she manages to win the conflict alone, without the help from the others, as Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web. She constitutes strong opposition to gender role discrimination, so she overcomes the constraints put on her by the society.
While opposing to the society and facing discrimination, Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web grows as a character and changes from tiny scared piglet to proud, confident friend, who is ready to sacrifice for those he loves. At the beginning of the conflict he cries “I don’t want to die! Save me, somebody!” (White 51), and at the end, he is selflessly promises Templeton that he will always give him his food if he helps to save Charlotte’s eggs. Wilbur faces constant bullying, discrimination and prejudice, and he is too small and weak both physically and psychologically to oppose the society. But with the help of his beloved friend Charlotte, he grows and manages to save his life and the life of her children. The conflict plays a crucial role in this realm, as it triggers Wilbur to act, rather than cry in loneliness and wait for the farmer to kill him. The fight for his life makes him stronger, and it teaches the young readers that they are also capable of such a change. At first, children are exposed to the injustice that a little pig faces, so children learn empathy. Then, they follow the growth of Wilbur and see how awful bullying and discrimination make him feel, so children learn that it is bad to tease someone. And finally, they learn that everyone is capable of change, and even if a person is weak and small, one can try and do something good for a friend.
In Hana’s Suitcase, Hana also goes through transformation triggered by the conflict. When she is discriminated, she feels the injustice of the world and grows quicker than her peacefully living peers. She faces the adversities of living in concentration camps, losing parents and caring about her brother and herself at a very tender age. These events that are caused by the discrimination and injustice make her grow really quickly. As a Wilbur, she has a support of her brother George, but they are soon separated, so she has to deal with the troubles alone, and she does not have a choice and becomes an adult with all the implied responsibility at a very young age. The non-fictional character of the book that is accompanied by pictures makes children identify with Hana and feel sorry for her. Readers are exposed to terrifying events, and they learn the history, and the educational aim of the book is reached. It also teaches how harmful the discrimination and prejudice can be to the society in general, as well as individuals. Children can transfer the images of Nazi’s atrocities and their consequences to their lives to understand the dangers of even minor discrimination. But the most important thing is that children learn how strong they are or how strong they may grow to be, as the story empowers them by showing the example of a little normal girl, so they can easily identify with Hana and process the information given to them better.
The growth of the character in Why Me? shows how the girl changes her attitude to everything that surrounds her and starts seeing the world more positively. Character development is similar to Wilbur’s; however, while he grows from fear to confidence, a girl changes her attitude from dissatisfaction to satisfaction with her life. In the end, the girl says, “Sun winked at me – just me. Honest. I would not lie.” (Allen 23). She overcomes the day that brings her only tears and sorrows, but the next day she is full of positive energy and desire to continue her life. The trouble and prejudice are a part of the life she has to face, but she is able to continue no matter what happens. The girl’s change fits in the goal of empowering the mind of the readers, as it does in Hana’s Suitcase, and is consistent with the thought that “multicultural literature typically promote cultural awareness and sensitivity, and often overlook the control, deployment, and management of power” (Ching 129). The representation of multiculturalism in the book that is realized through the character development and illustrative elements develops the values of equality in children’s minds, while the typical problems the girl faces on the average day teach them to treat the others without biases and be patient, as everyone has the bad days from time to time. The book showcases the cultural diversity in the society and implies that people should respect each other. It teaches that it is important to stay positive and strong and not react to the troubles fiercely, as the world is not the worst place after all.
Elizabeth in The Paper Bag Princess experiences substantial growth as she resolves the conflict with the society. Elizabeth behaves as a typical princess at the beginning and is going to marry a prince. The pictures play a great role in establishing the growth of the character, as they show that Elizabeth is madly in love with the prince, while he is arrogant and acts superior to her. But as she is empowered by the desire to save the prince from the dragon, she begins to grow as a character, as her traditional assumptions of her possibilities and future begin to shift. She grows to become an individual and violates the beauty standards imposed by the society, as she understands the true value of things. In the end, when the prince tries to humiliate her Elizabeth and put her back to the inferior position, her response is full of dignity, “RonaldYour clothes are really pretty and your hair is very neat. You look like a real prince, but you are a bum” (Munsch 26). This phrase shows that she does not plan to waste her life on pretentious prince, as she has confidence and self-worth. The author manages to show how the traditional gender roles have proven to be absurd, while “male figures dominate the majority of books. This condition affects children's development and perceptions” (Tsao 108). He reverses the roles in the story and shows how discrimination fails to make his grown character conform to its norms and requirements. The book teaches that the beauty and the marriage are not the only things the girls value and should be proud of, and that the women are up to decide how they want to live. Young readers are told that all people are equal, and everyone can be strong, brave and clever. The book also encourages the reader to identify with the main character and feel the empowerment and strength that were achieved by Elizabeth.
All in all, the four books examine the issue of discrimination from various perspectives. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Hana’s Suitcase by K. Levine, Why Me? By L. Allen and The Paper Bag Princess by R. Munsch correlate in the way they cover these social issues, and explain its implications to the young reader. The characters in each of the stories have to deal with the conflict with the society that employs its norms and wants everyone to conform to them. Some of the characters manage to gain victory over the society, while some end tragically. Anyway, the characters experience growth that would not be possible without the difficulties they have to face because of injustice and discrimination. The stories of the characters teach children that they are strong and capable of becoming brave and bring justice to the society. Reading the stories that exemplify the fight against discrimination, children learn empathy and respect and dignity. The books empower the young readers to have to fear of becoming better people.
Works Cited.
Allen, Lillian. Why Me? Sherry Guppy, illus. Toronto: Well Versed Publications, 1991. Print.
Ching, Stuart H.D. "Multicultural children's literature as an instrument of power." Language Arts 83.2 (2005): 128-136. Web.
Kidd, Kenneth B. "A" is for Auschwitz: Psychoanalysis, Trauma Theory, and the" Children's Literature of Atrocity." Children's Literature 33.1 (2005): 120-149. Web.
Levine, Karen. Hana's Suitcase. Second Story Press, 2002. Print.
Munsch, Robert N, and Michael Martchenko. The Paper Bag Princess. Toronto: Annick Press, 1980. Print.
Tsao, Ya-Lun. "Gender issues in young children's literature." Reading Improvement 45.3 (2008): 108-114. Web.
White, E. B.Illustrated by Garth Williams. Charlotte’s Web. England: Puffin Books, 2014. Print
