English 3180 was a class on Children’s literature. This topic can be directly correlated the history of childhood and education because it is a sub-topic. Throughout ENG 3180 we learned a lot about inappropriate topics and messages portrayed through children’s book, as well as their changing meaning throughout time, which can be compared to changing educational aims. In the beginning short stories were meant to submit children to the adult world, there was no topic-shading it was bluntly presented. The Grimms brothers are an example of the first change to storytelling as they changed all their books to omit sexual innuendos and language. Their stories transformed into ones with happy endings and limited violence to protect children from having tainted minds. Their version of  Little Red Riding Hood,( http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0333.html#grimm,) in comparison to Charles Perrault’s version, (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0333.html#perrault), is like a clean version of a rap song. And why do we have “clean” rap songs…? Well to save the ears of young children in a time where profanity is excessively used. The Grimm’s brother’s goal was exactly this. This change even in literature shows how education and the needs of children were changing throughout the 18th and 19th centuries.

Another topic discussed within this class was the power of children and how the “child is the father of the man” (William Woodsworth). This topic was intriguing in comparison to HIST 3510 because it showed two alternate examples which represent the power of children and how they control the actions and decisions of adults. In History we spoke a lot about parents making decisions for the better of their children (Chinese and Black immigrants petition segregated schooling), but did not delve into the alternate side of this, the power of children over the parents. I directly related these two topics, realizing that children  do have extreme importance and that is why parents succumb to their needs. Children rule the parents.

In this class I wrote a paper about Anne of Green Gables, which proved how Anne was an influence for Marilla to find the true purpose of her life. This story is an example of children’s power, as well as the many other novels we read such as Holes, Peter Pan, Little Princess, and Tom Sawyer. All of these express an example of the child’s ability to adjust adult actions, decisions, and mindsets. Although it is often thought adults have power over the children, it is important to recognize that behind this truth is the influence of child, which determines the choice and action taken by the adult.

So, who really does hold the power then? I believe it is the child because they are what starts the cycle.