Introduction
Multicultural literature is literature that is designed to give close attention to the history, culture and lifestyles of people from different backgrounds in the world. In America, a good example is the literature that comes from Anglo-Saxon Europe. This literature is usually prepared for children to boost their multicultural knowledge, as well as, to celebrate the various cultures that the contemporary society is made up of. Basically, multicultural literature helps children to have a clear understanding of people from different ethnic backgrounds and countries. This is because these literatures give detailed facts describing how life is in other places in the world. Multiculturalism in children’s literature has become an important aspect in using literature to teach young people about foreign cultures and expound their thinking ability. Furthermore, multiculturalism in children’s literature has a positive effect on the development of children from all backgrounds.
Analysis of Multicultural literature for children
The analysis of children’s multicultural literature provides a philosophical approach to teaching literature, curriculum, construction and enhancing issues of social justice and diversity among young people. Multicultural literature for children offers reading power and expounds on socio-political relations. It also deconstructs neglected assumptions concerning readings, meanings, language and literature. Multicultural literature is very important in the study of sociopolitical changes around the world.
The study on multiculturalism in children’s literature prepares and equips teacher educators, teachers and researchers in the field of children’s literature to critically analyze ideological dimensions of studying and reading literature. This analysis includes classroom application recommendations, class research as well as further readings. Multicultural literature requires a cautious approach when teaching because this kind of literature touches on sensitive issues such as race, history and social lives of other people. If not well communicated, children could end up being prejudiced about certain cultural societies.
Impact of multicultural literature on children
Multicultural literature has helped shape children literature over the years. Since the 1960s, when publishers started publishing multicultural literature material for children, there has been demand from librarians, teachers and guardians for literature material that reflects the cultural diversity of their country and the world in general. Since then, it has been easy to find books on the cultural lives of people of color like Latinos, Africans, Native Americans and even people of Asian backgrounds. The multicultural literature has had a positive effect on children in various ways since then.
Knowledge and positive development
Multicultural literature material for children provides an opportunity for the children to gain knowledge. Multicultural material contains information about the history of various people of different backgrounds and cultures. When children have access to this kind of literature, they gain the knowledge about other people and their lifestyles. This knowledge expands the thinking capacity of these children to be aware that apart from their own cultures and lifestyles, the world has diverse cultures and lifestyles and that these people should coexist, tolerate and respect one another’s culture. The knowledge about multiculturalism is also important because it shapes the character of these children into individuals who appreciate other cultures of the world. Furthermore, there are some students who could develop an interest in cultural issues and end up in cultural related careers or in cultural research, some can become authors of multicultural literature in future.
Multicultural material is also said to have a positive impact on child development. This impact has been felt in children from all backgrounds. For instance, children from a minority ethnic society would benefit a lot from reading positive ideas and stories about their ethnic background. It increases their mental capacity, self esteem and provides them with a sense of belonging in the bigger society since it makes them feel recognized. For the young people from majority groups in society, studying multicultural literature makes them know about other cultures. This knowledge increases their awareness and sensitivity to people from other cultures. This knowledge is important also because it increases their world knowledge. It helps them know how that even though cultures differ, human beings share a lot of similarities despite the geographical and cultural variances.
Creativity
When children in schools are given multicultural material, it becomes easier for them to learn new vocabulary and improve on their writing skills. However, the most significant impact that of reading multicultural literature in society is that children improve their creativity. Access to multicultural literature such as folk tales, fairy tales as well as legends from diverse cultures across the world improves the creativity of a child’s mind and improves the level of vocabulary development. Creativity arises when, for instance, the way the story about Cinderella differs from one country or society to another.
Social understanding and growth
Multicultural literature is useful in helping children understand their social life and that of other people in society. It helps them appreciate that society is made up of individuals of different backgrounds and cultures. Furthermore, this literature guides young people on the best way to treat people of other cultures. It increases their sensitivity about cultural diversity. Young people are also able to grow intellectually by acquiring knowledge about different people from different geographical regions.
Negative impacts of multicultural literature
Unfortunately, there are some multicultural literatures that send wrong messages to young people. Just like other forms of media, these literatures contain biases and stereotypes that end up corrupting the minds of young people in society. In most cases, children focus their interest on the characters and plot of the story. Such children will not realize whether a certain book contains sexual, racist or other stereotypical information. However, if these children are exposed to these social and cultural biases and stereotypes often, they face the danger of having distorted ways of reasoning. Such a situation will result in young people getting involved in social and cultural conflicts such as racism.
Therefore, guardians should take responsibility to help their children select multicultural material that is entertaining and educating, giving all people and cultures accurate representations. More so, the small number of literature on people of color, lesbians and gays or disabled individuals, it is necessary for adults to make efforts to ensure that only high quality and accurate multicultural literature is provided for the children.
Significance of multicultural children’s literature
Literature plays a big role in ensuring that young people understand themselves, their environments, communities and the world at large. Multicultural literatures help children to exploit their imaginations to expand their knowledge and creativity. It is important for children to be exposed to as much multicultural literature as possible. This is because in the present world, the world has become dynamic and people are now required to interact often with people from other cultural backgrounds. When young people understand multiculturalism at the initial stages of their lives, it becomes easy to live with, adjust and accommodate individuals of other cultures. They will be able to appreciate, respect and recognize people of different backgrounds. This will enhance their social well being when they grow old.
Multiculturalism is also significant because it incorporates other aspects of literature to promote the growth and education of children. One of these aspects is translation. Translation in literature is the removal of a book in another language. Children literature can be translated to other languages. This is because child literature is not restricted to just one society. The literature used in Chinese societies can be translated into English and used in the United States. Therefore, multiculturalism in children’s literature brings together knowledge from across the world as well as enhancing the authors’ skills, knowledge and translation.
Conclusion
Multiculturalism in children’s literature is a trend that looks set to last for centuries to come because it has helped revolutionize the manner in which children’s literatures are edited and acquired. The selection process of good multicultural material for children depends on characterization, literary components of the plot, style; setting, point of view and theme, all of which are combined in an interesting story. Multicultural material challenges society and cultural stereotypes. It also gives a realistic view into the lives of people of diverse cultures. When providing young people with positive and accurate representations of various cultural groups in a community and the world. This will help children learn to recognize biases and stereotypes and know how to relate with people of different cultures.
Works Cited
Botelho, Maria José and Masha Kabakow Rudman. Critical Multicultural Analysis of Children's Literature: Mirrors, Windows, and Doors. illustrated. London: Routledge, 2009.
Norton, Donna E. Multicultural Children's Literature: Through the Eyes of Many Children. 4, revised. New York: Allyn & Bacon, Incorporated, 2012.
Stoodt, Barbara. Children's Literature. revised. London: Macmillan Education AU, 1996.
