I found the article describing the hermeneutic perspective to be especially interesting. All three theorists (Derrida, Gadamer, and Collingwood), make points that are difficult to argue. There is a definite relationship between life and story -this is not debated, however, the article reminded me of the age old question, "What came first? The chicken or the egg?" Experience must have dictated stories in the beginning, but it seems to be questionable now. Are stories primarily based on experiences or are experiences dictated by stories?
I have found (in my limited life experience) that stories do impact actions and decisions. Students in my classroom often deal with unfamiliar situations in accordance with the way a character in their favorite book/movie would react. They treat other people based on what they read about and see on tv. For this reason, books about cliques and in-crowds (an inbalance of power among students often resulting from money, athleticism, physical appearance etc.) concern me. I don't believe that the students (9-10 years old) and athletes(12-14) I deal with have a real sense of who they are right now and I fear that they often model their lives after characters in books and on tv.
I don't believe in banning books or sheltering students from experiences, but I do believe in the power of discussion and mentorship. For these reasons I think even YA novels with what many would consider unfavorable content, have a definite place in the classroom even if they truly are "trash." Let's face it, as we said in class and as was mentioned in another reading, trash is interesting stuff and what better place to discuss and debate it than in class?
- Joy
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I agree with you, Joy. Based on my own experience, I am constantly learning lessons and such from what I read. As children, we grew up with stories that taught simple morals and were supposed to be models for how we should behave (i.e. The Ugly Duckling, etc.; and Bible stories as well). I have found this to continue throughout our lives. As times change, we change, stories change, and so on. I am finding this first section difficult to firmly interpret simply because we are all different.
I would have to agree that our lives are narratives, and we base stories off of experience, and vice versa. It is especially difficult for younger children to be able to make clear judgments about what they see and how it affects them. It becomes a little easier once we've developed/matured.
Still, it is an ongoing process that we will face for the rest of our lives. I don't know of one person who can say that a story has never affected their perception of who they are. We live through our and others' experiences.
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