There are very few books that most of the general population have read, however most of these shared stories belong in the books we read as children. As we grow up and hobby-reading becomes more and more obsolete, maybe it is time we go back to what we know and remember our lives as they once were.
Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
We are all aware of the 1951 Disney adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland” and the offbeat 2010 and 2016 live action adaptations. However, many of us have also read the original 1865 novel written by Lewis Carroll, or at least bits of it.
The original story is rather dark and depicts childhood as potentially dangerous yet extremely whimsical and outlandish. The adults in the story are powerful yet absurd, they do not make any sense to Alice and she struggles to understand the paradoxical nature of the world they live in. As children this story was daunting and may have scared us, but as adults there may be an entirely new meaning for “following the white rabbit”.
Perhaps the Red Queen was not the stoic and menacing character Disney made her to be, but maybe she was much closer to us. She says to Alice, “My dear, here we must run as fast as we can, just to stay in place. And if you wish to go anywhere you must run twice as fast as that.”
The Red Queen begs the question; “Where are you going and how are you getting there?” As children we see this as a confusing sentence, but as we grow we know exactly how fast we must run to stay in place and how hard we have to run to get somewhere we wish to be.
As we grow up we tend to lose our sense of wonder and curiosity, though as the world around us gets scarier and mundanity creeps into our lives, it is vital to reconnect with what once was. After all, the Cheshire cat said it best, “Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.”
Aesop’s Fables
Aesop’s Fables is a collection of fables credited to a slave and storyteller from ancient Greece. The stories were passed down orally for decades before they were collected and printed into what we know them to be today.
The fables go beyond the stories we all know such as “The Tortoise and the Hare”. Instead, many other stories live within this collection and offer many insightful musings that we still need to hear as adults.
The fable “The Wolf and the Lamb” tells the story of a lamb who is kind and helpful to a menacing wolf, and still the lamb is eaten by the wolf. As adults, this is no longer the scary “stranger danger” story it once was, but instead serves a reminder that you are not always rewarded for your kindness, in fact it runs the risk of being twisted and manipulated if you do not set your boundaries. Do not bend over backwards to receive poor treatment.
Another example of children’s stories serving as cautionary tales for adults is “The Fox and the Sick King”. This story follows a lion who claims to be sick, and so all of the animals set out to visit the sick king. One fox notices that all footsteps lead into the cave but none come back out, he stays out and in return, does not fall for the trick and avoids being devoured.
As children this can be seen as a reminder to simply “not follow the crowd”, while that is a significant element of the story, we can also see this as a reminder to preserve your own well-being. You do not have to risk your own well-being to help someone else. You are responsible for yourself and the same goes to others, you must reserve sympathy for yourself.
Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends”
Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends” is one of the most recognizable forms of children’s poetry. Many children have encountered this book in one way or another, however Silverstein’s whimsical and outlandish poetry still serves a purpose after we grew up.
Silverstein’s “Listen to the Mustn’ts” may have once been read as a simple poem about following big dreams and ignoring naysayers.
“Listen to the MUSTN’TS, child, listen to the DON’TS, / Listen to the SHOULDN’TS, the IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS, / Listen to the NEVER HAVES, then listen close to me — / Anything can happen, child, ANYTHING can be.”
However as adults it can be applied much more personally. As we navigate classes, careers, relationships, and all the daunting eras of life, we must acknowledge the “impossibles” and the “shouldn’ts” and t keep going. Much wilder things have happened than you getting your dream job or meeting the perfect person, so remember to hold out and keep pushing.
Silversteins“With His Mouth Full of Food” was once a silly poem about table manners or a satirical dig towards those who speak too much.
“Why is it some people can’t / Keep their mouths shut? / Well, why don’t you ask a fool / With his mouth full of food?”
But as adults it seems there is a significant nuance regarding the principle of speaking and more importantly, listening. Sometimes the loudest voices in the room are the ones that have nothing to say. Be mindful of who you listen to and what exactly their intentions are.
Children’s literature is almost entirely written by adults, meaning some childhood struggles do not go away entirely. Perhaps going back to the simplistic words of children’s literature can offer an entirely new insight to the way in which we continue to grow up.
Many great pieces of literature do not simply have one meaning, instead they themselves grow and change alongside us if only we revisit them.
