I need help from different cultures, please.

[muhannad]

Hello everybody,
actually I was given a homework that is to discuss the following two subjects with as many people as I can
and to present the different opinions. The two subjects are:
1- Are you with or against this idea:
"The men are saviors of women" which is presented in children stories? Is it good or bad?
2- Do you think that the children stories with happy endings are good or bad? Why?

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In my opinion:

For the first question:
I think this idea has two different effects according to the gender of the children.
- If the child is a boy: it may be gives him confidence, bravery, and sometimes superiority over girls
(because he thinks that he is the lord or the knight who is responsible for girls protection).
- If the child is a girl: I think this idea may affects her badly, because she thinks that she is weak,
cannot do anything on her own, and she always needs help from other person (the boy).

But to put it in a nutshell, I am totally against this idea.


As for the second question:
I am with the happy endings of childrens stories. Because I think it gives the childrens hope and
joy. And, from my point of view, we must give the childrens the idea that this life is very nice and
there are a lot of exciting things in it.

Please, give me your opinion.
Thank you in advance.

[Maïwenn]

Hello !

Need a French feminine point of view ? But I won't represent of French women, it's just my own ideas, even though, of course, they're influenced by my background and education.

I totally agree with you for the second question. I try to be as optimistic as possible myself, so I can't see why we should teach children that life is difficult. They'll discover it later, if they have to. If not, let them be happy

For the first one I'd like to develop my answer a little bit more. Can you give me some time ? I'll try to write again tomorrow.

[muhannad]

For the first one I'd like to develop my answer a little bit more. Can you give me some time ? I'll try to write again tomorrow.

First of all, thank you very much Maïwenn.
But I'm afraid that I am desperate, because I have to discuss the result with my teacher tomorrow. So please be in hurry to write your opinioin about the first question.

Thank you again.

[Maïwenn]

I hope you'll read this before going to school. I've just gotten out of bed, I haven't really thought of it yet, but here is something...

My first thought would be that it's bad to picture saving princes and passive women in all children stories. We need balance, in order to teach kids that men and women are equal. Girls can also be heroins and save people. You tend to think that such stories are good for boys, because they give them confidence and strength. Sure, but I think that respect toward women is something even more important.

But then, if I consider my own experience, I cannot condemn those stories. I've read and liked them all. But it never gave me the idea that men were superior to women. And all those stories about kings and queens didn't give me a royalist feeling either. I think that, even though stories are important in a child development, they will not necessarily influence him that much. Parents and school are much more powerful in that aspect.

In a nutshell, I would like to read more stories about girls being the leader, the savior, that's for sure. But, in any case they won't be enough to teach equality. It's a task for people (parents, teachers...), not books.

[muhannad]

Thank you very much.
I respect your opinion and I totally agree with you.

(I read it before going to school).

[Maïwenn]

I'm glad you could read it before class, and I hope it was useful. What opinions did the others gather ?

[pc2]

we know you should have come from school at this time, but let us give our opinion:

for the 2nd question, the stories should have good endings, because it gives children hope. but on the other hand, according to the Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger, who was the mentor of the Roman emperor Nero, teaching children stories with good endings may frustrate them when they discover what the world really looks like.
(actually, we won't say we agree all the stories should have a "bad" ending, but the point of view of Seneca is correct).
anyway, we agree with Maïwenn about the 2nd question.
as to the first question, we agree with muhannad: women may think they are being "discriminated".

salutations,

[muhannad]

we know you should have come from school at this time ...

You are right, I came back from the school and there I told my class Maiwenn's opinion. (thanks Maiwenn).

But also, I'd like to thank you pc2 for your participation (even if it is late)

Thanks for all of you.

[Tyori]

for the 2nd question, the stories should have good endings, because it gives children hope. but on the other hand, according to the Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger, who was the mentor of the Roman emperor Nero, teaching children stories with good endings may frustrate them when they discover what the world really looks like.
salutations,

You're right!
I was horribly upset when I found out life wasn't like that. o///o I'm someone who holds a serious grudge (I don't mean to, it just happens), and I STILL haven't forgiven my mom. I feel like she lied to me and betrayed me by making the world sound happy and magical. The utter hate I feel just thinking about it is so overpowering that it worries me. I should probably talk to someone about it. Even now, after I understand she was just trying to make my childhood fun, I still prefer childrens stories that end with not the perfect ending. ei. I prefer The Little Mermaid BEFORE Disney got their happy little hands on it. The one where she didn't end up with the prince and turned to bubbles. I find it so much more meaningfull than 'happily ever after'.