Childhood Across Cultures

For the past few weeks in my senior English class, we have been reading The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver. The culture clash between American and Congolese customs throughout the novel is astonishing, but the difference that shocked me the most was the role of children in Congolese society.

When illustrating the experiences of the white, American Price family in the Congo, Kingsolver emphasizes the cultural difference in the stages of life between American/Western society and the Congolese. The character Leah comments, “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). This idea really stuck out in my mind.

I believe that in the culture we live in today, childhood is taken for granted, not considered a privilege. In the “uncivilized” (according to the Prices) Congo, a indulgent childhood without work is unimaginable.

In this article, the concept of childhood as a modern creation is debated. While I agree with the claims that the stage of childhood is a modernized idea, I also agree with another scholar’s view that children have always been appreciated, regardless of their official role in society.

While the article cites historical examples, this can be clearly seen by looking at any newborn bonding with it’s mother in the hospital, familial animal interactions in a zoo or in nature, and even in The Poisonwood Bible. In the novel, two characters discuss the death of children, and Leah asserts, "Children should never die," and Anatole, a Congolese native, responds, "No. But if they never did, children would not be so precious" (Kingsolver 231). This showed me that even across cultures, where children might play substantially different roles, they are still valued and loved.

As a teen growing up in an affluent community, I have witnessed the extremes of child-nurturing: private, expensive day cares, excessive amounts of educational toys, and constant advertisements for programs to teach your baby to read before they even start crawling! While I don’t have personal experience regarding the type of childhood of places like the Congo, from what I understand, children are loved in both situations, but both extremes can be unhealthy. By learning from these examples, I hope my generation can learn to find a happy medium for our future posterity.

Myth for the Modern Mind

I am a pretty big theatre aficionado. When I discovered two of my camp friends were in Deerfield High School’s fall play, I jumped at the chance to see it. I knew absolutely nothing about the show itself, and I walked out of the theatre in awe. The play, Metamorphoses, brought ancient Greek and Roman mythology to life in a way I had never seen before. It was composed of a series of vignettes that each told a myth. Yet they weren’t stuffy, dry, or overly narrative; the script had modern twists and put a fresh perspective on the archaic tales. I couldn’t stop raving about the show to my friends and thinking about it in my free time.

I was surprised by how much I connected with the stories of young love, betrayal, and loss; seeing the raw emotions live on stage was breathtaking. I especially loved the gritty, tragic tale of Erysichthon and the love story of Eros and Psyche. It kindled my interest in ancient myth, as well as how teens relate to narratives as they try to compose their own. At the start of the year, we focused on personal myths and narrative, and this show struck me as an amazing (almost destined?) vehicle to connect adolescent life with the myths of our past. Why do we still retell the stories that have been scientifically proven as outdated? And how can this help us shape our lives today?

I asked my friend, Nathan, a senior, to elaborate on his experience in the show, and his answers were extremely enlightening to me. He explained to me that, “being in Metamorphoses made [the cast] more aware of the importance of oral tradition and history… When I see these stories come up again in my lifetime, which I am sure they will, I will know the connection that they have to everyday life”. This reminded me of a concept we discussed in class, hearing “bells”, or noticing important characters from classic literature (such as the Bible or myths) in other literature to understand the material thoroughly.

Being in the play showed the adolescent cast how powerful and relevant ancient myths can be. He said, “The audiences were moved... people would not have felt connected if they did not sympathize with the characters and find similar events in their own lives. As much as mythology is ancient, it is also contemporary and captures the imagination with its beauty and elegance in storytelling.” After seeing the show for myself, I couldn‘t agree more.

By studying these stories, we can learn to tell our own stories more effectively. Not everyone can see something like Metamorphoses, but myths should still be more widely taught in a more relevant way. A book published last year, Mythology for Teens: Classic Myths in Today's World, is specifically written to be used in high school humanities courses in order to engage students in mythology. This seems like it would be a great source for teachers use at the start of a class to instill “bells” and exemplify writing that has lasted centuries.

Losing My Religion

Some of us are brought up with religion crammed down our throats, while others are raised with a much more lax, pick-and-choose version of a faith; yet during the teen years, many begin to question their views on religion. This questioning is a normal part of maturing, but it seems that currently, adults are concerned that teens are questioning “too much”, abandoning the faith entirely, or practicing an “unacceptable” version of said faith.

One author that’s made quite an impact in this field is Kenda Creasy Dean, who has written multiple books regarding teens and religion, and her recent claims in her newest book about teens following a “fake” or “watered-down” form of Christianity outraged many. She says that teens are inarticulate about their faith, see God as a “divine therapist” and only take away certain values, such as kindness, while ignoring more trying values, like sacrifice. Dean calls this a “mutant” form of Christianity; however, I think Bonny Erbe sums up the most eloquent argument to this claim: “All religions are ‘mutant’ in some way, shape or form in that people use religion to satisfy their personal needs. Since just about every person puts his or her individual take on God, then it follows that every person’s version… is slightly different from everyone else’s.” Part of the beauty of religion is it’s adaptability to find a niche in every person’s life.

That says, that should only apply to those people who want religion in their lives. By stating that religious teens achieve more in school, have better relationships and take less unhealthy risks, Dean implies that all teens should be religious. Yet does that seemingly better life come specifically come from believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, or does it just come from having something to believe in? Can’t that same sense of self be found in a cohesive life narrative, or a passion for music, or community service, or a number of other outlets?

While many adults have shared their views, it’s definitely important to examine this view from the perspective of the teens affected. For me personally, I am pretty secular and I haven’t really decided how I feel about religion. My life is way too hectic to deeply soul-search for a connection with God, and I think the extent to which a teen follows a religion should be his or her own choice.

However, one teen takes a very strong stance against Dean‘s argument, and asserts that the reason for teens becoming disenchanted with religion is simply because “[Churches] are boring… [Parents] forced religion upon the kid from birth and now the teenager is rebelling from the impressionable kid he used to be”. He brings up points that the technological revolution as well as the most dire problems of the world have made teens less interested and more apathetic about religion. I think these are interesting statements, and I definitely see how the availability of mass media, which allows the spread of information about horrible topics, such as "war, death, poverty, murder, rape, assault, theft, nuclear threats", can cause teens with or without a strong religious foundation to question the existence of God.

I really agree with his final advice for trying to get teens interested in religion, and to paraphrase, “Leave us alone”. Don’t push us into something we aren’t fully comfortable believing in, causing us to practice a religion without putting any heart in it. Give us the mature opportunity to explore our faith on our own time.

For futher exploration:

'Forget the pizza parties', Teens tell churches

Holland vs. America: Teens, Sex and Pregnancy

(from the view of an atheist, how conservative Christianity in America is harmful to teen health)

How Religion Increases Depression in Teens

How to Get Catholic Teens to Read the Bible

(a book review of a new recently published edition of the Bible that is supposedly "teen-friendly")