Comparing Apples and Oranges

In the novel Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver, the reader gets to experience two separate cultures, American and Congolese, simultaneously. Many large cultural clashes take place, from religious views to clothing choice.

My Perspective…As a teenager growing up in Illinois, it is interesting to see how the American missionary family, the Prices, is adapting to the very foreign Congolese culture. There are many opportunities as a reader to ask how I would respond in certain situations. One large difference was the clear distinction between the way the Prices raise their kids and the way that the children in the Congo are raised.

My friend Jenna posted a blog about this quote from the novel: “It struck me what a wide world of difference there was between our sort of games… and [a native boy‘s]… I could see that the whole idea and business of Childhood was nothing guaranteed… [It is] invented by white people and stuck onto the front end of a grown-up life like a frill on a dress” (Kingsolver 114). I think the discrepancies in the definition of childhood should be explored, and I think Poisonwood Bible provides the perfect context.

SPOILER ALERT:

The Prices have 4 girls when they venture to Africa and one of them dies while they are there. Kingsolver spent a lot of time throughout the book developing the differences in the Price children compared to those of the Congolese; the games the kid’s play, the chores they do, and the clothes they wear. Also, every few chapters, there was the telling of another Congolese funeral (if you could call it that) for their children. Kingsolver uses very descriptive and sensory rich language to describe the mourning. Until the point when one of the Price daughters dies, this American family had seemed immune to the dark side of Africa. However, once she dies, the mother mourns in a similar way as the Congo women, and although it is a very sad part, it exemplifies the vulnerability of ALL children. It finally brings the Price children onto the same level as the Congo children.

So What?

This made me question, which cultures method for raising children is correct?

In America, by the time a child is 17 parents have spent about $200,000 on them. Factor in college tuition, and the cost of a child is astronomical. Here is a link to an article that talks more about the cost of raising a kid. In Western society, childhood is a time to be innocent, to be worry free, go to school, explore hobbies, and to think that you have all the opportunities in the world ahead of you. Although very different, the Congolese childhood promotes responsibility, independence, and resourcefulness. Is one better than the other?

Because the Congo is very different than America, comparing the childhoods is like comparing apples and oranges. However, the Poisonwood highlights some chilling differences that no child should have to experience. In one passage, a young Congolese girl says she is leaving school. When asked why she says to work at night with Mother. It is then stated that that entails being a prostitute. She is about ten.

The only similarity that these two cultures seem to share is the fact that both childhoods try to prepare the kids for adulthood. It is a vicious cycle for the Congolese, because although these children are taught to survive, they are not taught how to thrive and how to make a better life for themselves. Girls often get pregnant young; miss out on an education, and then get married (usually before they are eighteen.) The society does not know how to function outside of those parameters and that is why education is vital in areas like these. Here is one telling example of the impact of education:

“Women with primary education are significantly less likely to be married/in union as children than those who received no education. In Zimbabwe, 48 per cent of women who had attended primary school had been married by the age of 18, compared to 87 per cent of those who had not attended school (UNICEF estimates based on DHS 1999).” (For more interesting facts from UNICEF, go here!)

This is a very telling fact, and it leads me back to education and its importance. Education fosters excitement, exploration, questioning, and discovery. Can anyone argue the benefits that that would bring to a society? Imagine how much third world countries would prosper if education was accessible and promoted to all.

Recurring Themes

“Change must always be balanced with some degree of consistency” ~Ron D. Burton. The Poisonwood Bible, the book I am currently reading in my English class is a perfect example of the importance of keeping certain things consistent while changing others; I will refer to these consistent things as recurring themes. For example, the author, Barbara Kingsolver, describes many things as either black or white. White represents cleanliness, purity, western thinking etc. Black represents dirtiness, primitiveness, Congolese people etc. Stylistically, she tells the story through different narrators, but manages to give each narrator a unique voice and personality. She alludes to the differences between Western culture and Congolese culture. Besides these main themes, Christianity, patriarchy, justice, independence, and growing up are all recurring themes in this novel. In a nutshell, even with all the variety in Kingsolver’s writing, she maintains certain themes not only to further her story, but to make it better. People learn to understand concepts, ideologies, perspectives, and attitudes when they are exposed to them more than once. This idea is successful in novels, but it also holds true in the real world.

Last week’s post and the wonderful comments I received in response to my post made me realize that not everyone has the same “recurring themes” in their lives that I do. This would cause us to have differing “most important things I have learned in school” lists. The characteristics that you develop at home correlate directly to your approach on education. That is why, like in literature, recurring themes at home are important factors in constructing an excited, curious, and open-minded mindset towards school. If you have not already guessed, my family has had a very positive impact on my outlook towards education.

Growing up, my parents asked me what my homework was, they helped me with some math problems, and they quizzed me Thursday nights for Friday’s spelling test. I know that already the tasks listed above exceed things that some peoples’ parents do, but for me, the activities above just scratched the surface. I didn’t realize it at the time, but my parents were very sneaky in the ways that they fostered my passion for learning and my ability to excel in school. For example, they asked questions that made me think comprehensively about what I was learning which in turn taught me how to respond to their questions concisely and thoroughly. As a result, I grew comfortable communicating with my parents. The confidence I gained from explaining things to my parents, in the comfort of my home, translated to explaining those same ideas to my teachers and classmates at school.

My mom made sure my siblings and I were always reading. We went to the library and she let us check out whatever books interested us. Yet, she also encouraged us to talk to the librarians when we needed help finding a book (again with the communication skills) and to use librarians as resources for suggesting books as well as accessing research material found in the library. My love of reading strengthened my vocabulary, and the more I read the more advanced information I understood. In an article about early childhood education, this fact is stated, “By the 1st grade, children from "linguistically advantaged" homes have four times as many vocabulary words as youngsters from disadvantaged homes do.” Reading is SO important on SO many levels, such as acquiring knowledge about the world around us and also the fact that reading other people’s ideas and stories helps you to discover a lot about yourself as well.

Another skill I learned early on was listening to directions and explanations. My parents, for example, showed me how to tie my shoes. They gave me riddles to remember and explained any questions I had, but they made sure I was the one who taught myself in the end. In this essay about education, “kindergarten teachers reported that about half of their children are unable to follow or understand directions and show a lack of required skills.” Teaching kids how to listen and complete a task is vital to learn at home, because the teacher will have a hard time teaching something if the kid has not been disciplined to listen and accomplish tasks given.

The last thing that I discovered before going to school was cooperation. Having 3 other siblings, I had to learn how to play with them nicely, I had to learn to compromise, and I had to learn to stand up for myself when I thought my brother or sisters were being unfair to me. My parents taught us to solve our problems with words, and for the most part, my parents stay out of sibling fighting and interactions because they want us to problem solve without their help. In homes that don’t have these communication lines open for problem solving, the stronger kids usually result to violence and the quieter kids usually become introverted and shy away from sharing or defending their ideas.

My examples could go on and on. I am so lucky to be growing up in such a nurturing environment, but it should be stated that the kids that don’t have a home where they can learn these things, are not lost causes by any means. Once a student knows that they have someone counting on them, cheering for them, helping them, and watching them, they are more likely to put forth an effort. Even if it is not a parent, teachers, coaches, advisors, and friends can fill the void. Like literature, life is better when there are recurring themes. So make it your goal to be there for someone else and reinforce a theme, be it communicating, listening, reading, asking questions, or problem solving.

Until next time…

Ali

The Other Side of Learning

Education is important. As an adolescent going through the school system, I can honestly say that school is preparing me to become a contributing member of society not just a knowledgeable person. Many people think that the point of going to school is to learn math, science, reading, and writing, but that is only half of the truth. The famous quote, “Life is a journey, not a destination” can be applied to the idea of education; education is a journey, not a destination.

The most important things I have learned in school are as follows (in no particular order):

1. I learned how to listen
2. I learned how to work with my peers (both smarter and less smart than myself)
3. I learned how to communicate with adults
4. I learned how to articulate my ideas
5. I learned how to ask questions
6. I learned how to ask for help
7. I learned how to manage my time
8. I learned the importance of integrity
9. I learned how to defend my opinions
10. I learned how to respect other people’s opinions
11. I learned how to be social
12. I learned how to study
13. I learned how to solve problems
14. I learned to think creatively

The process of learning things has taught me more about the world, people, and myself than any lecture has ever done. A population without this rite is at a great disservice, because if the youth don’t learn about these important aspects of their lives before they are brainwashed by the thinking’s of their society then when will they learn?

In English class we have been reading The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver. I came across this passage and I was saddened by its implications, “crowds of boys from our village and the next one over come straggling in for their education. It’s only the boys, and not all of them either, since most of the parents don’t approve of learning French or the other foreign element in general” ( 126). One thing that strikes me in this passage is that all of the boys don’t go to school. Later on in the passage Rachel (the speaker) says, “by the time they are twelve or so, their education is over and out.” I understand that boys and girls are expected to help keep the village functioning, but if a little more time and effort were invested into education then the village could greatly benefit from increased efficiency and higher technology. Another thing I noticed was the parent’s rejection of education. They are stuck in a vicious cycle. The parents are only repeating what they did as children, but societies like these need education. The amounts of good that a sound education could provide for places like this are endless. The most disheartening thing about this passage was the fact that girls are neglected an education. I know how different their lives could be if they were educated. I draw a lot of my confidence from the knowledge and schooling that I have. I am able to talk to anyone, man or women, professor or waiter because I have confidence in my ability to articulate my ideas, confidence to defend my ideas, and the confidence that I deserve their time. People believe what they are taught, and if you are taught that your role in the family is to cook, clean, and bear children, then that becomes your personal narrative. However, if you are able to go to school and be exposed to different cultures, ideologies, and experiences or if you are able to be taught by someone who harnesses your potential then the course of your life could be incredibly altered. For me, my mind has been opened by studying the craft behind language and I have been empowered by teachers who have pushed me to my intellectual limits.

The oppression of girls around the world is scary, as I was reading about women in Saudi Arabia, I found this bit of information from A Human Rights Watch report (July 8, 2009). Saudi law “requires Saudi women to obtain permission from male guardians (fathers, husbands, brothers, or male children) before they can carry out a host of day-to-day activities, such as education, employment, travel, opening a bank account, or receiving medical care.” Imagine if your life was manipulated by someone else, someone who might not always have your best interests in mind? The scarier thought though, is that these women might not realize the injustices that they are living in. Because it is the norm in Saudi Arabia to be subordinate to males how could women know to expect more? Education is the answer to that question, and the opportunity for both boys and girls to be educated would make the world a better place, I guarantee it.