392 - Week 1 Response

Week 1

There is no concrete definition of what is children’s media and what approach children’s media should take. It is an idea which will differ depending on ones opinions, beliefs, and experiences. Often children’s media is used as a means to teach a principle or give a warning to children, like the often told tale of little Red Riding Hood strives to do. However, the various versions of the story demonstrate different opinions of who the audience it, what content should be included, and how it should be told.

For example, the Grimm’s brothers story Little Red Cap, has a tale directed towards warning against the consequences of not following one’s mother’s directions and provides a happy tale at the end for what happens when one does follow one’s mother’s directions. The audience here appears to be geared more towards very young children and obeying their mothers. However, the Grimm’s brother tale does allow for the girl and her grandmother to be rescued. This demonstrates a good sense of wise adults looking out for the younger. The Grimm’s bother’s morale of children obeying their mothers tends to be a rendition found more in versions direction towards young children. Also, the idea of a children gaining redemption or being rescued is more commonly seen in young children versions. For example, the Silly Symphony The Big Bad Wolf has the young girl being rescued by the pigs who are looking out for her. This allows for the comfort of having parents, teachers, older siblings, etc. who will look out for one even when they mess up.  

In contrast, Charles Perrault’s story Little Red Riding Hood is geared towards young women (specifically to the upper-class) and warns against sexual predators. The Perrault’s rendition is darker, having no redemption for the Red Riding Hood or for her grandmother, who both perish.
Perrault’s version of the story I would not consider to be a great tale for young children but for young adults. As such, does this make this tale not a children’s story? I feel like some of the Little Red Riding Hood renditions are for children while others may be more mature. However, I feel like the the best stories are ones that are layered. Such as the French Grandmother’s Story. In this version, the warning to sexual predators is quite apparent to the adult but perhaps not as apparent to the young. In this way the story is both for the young and old. It changes as one matures and loses innocence.

The film Son of Rambow explores the idea of childhood as the process of losing innocence. This is portrayed primarily through the young Joshua being introduced and seduced by the forbidden world of cinema. Within this world Joshua pursues new outlooks from Rambow and from his friend. Within this new discovering of a new lifestyle and freedom of choices Joshua also discovers taking responsibility for one's actions and for taking responsibility of trying to right one's wrongs. For example, when his friendship with Will goes sour, Joshua knows he has to try and finish to film as a means to make amends. By doing this, Joshua takes a step away from childhood because he begins to realize the weight of his actions and the responsibility he has now by understanding that his actions have acute consequences to himself and to those around him.